Allison's drawl
announced.

Stan spotted the two Heinkel bombers as soon as Allison spoke. They were
slim-bodied, snaky-looking killers with long wings and widespread tail
structures. Their pilots hadn't seen the three Spitfires as yet, being
busy spotting the sleek destroyer.

When they did see the danger they zoomed up and laid over, plunging back
into the cloud. Stan drove straight after them because he was in the
best position. O'Malley swept around one side of the cloud and Allison
went around the other.

Stan had a chance to test his guns as his upward zoom rode him up on a
ghostly form ahead in the mist. The eight Brownings drilled furiously,
in perfect timing. The Heinkel nosed down and vanished into the wall of
fog. Stan went down to see if he had done any damage.

Breaking into the clear he saw blossoms of white silk dotting the green
of the sea. The bombers were gone but Stan knew from the number of
chutes floating down to the water that both Heinkels had been bagged.

Below them two motor launches were slicing across the channel getting
set to pick up the Jerries and make them prisoners. Then he heard
O'Malley's voice.

"Sure, an' I'm thinkin' I see four Messers off the port wing."

"Coming up with you," Allison called back. "Take them, Irisher."

"Wilson coming up," Stan shouted into his flap mike.

He went up and over a cloud and down on the other side. He saw O'Malley
drilling away to the south like an irate bumblebee. Close behind him
streaked Allison. Stan headed after them. Then Allison's voice came in
very softly:

"I think you're seeing things, Irisher."

Stan grinned as he shoved the nose of the Spitfire down a little.
O'Malley was duck hunting. He didn't aim to go back without some more
action if he could help it.

"Red Flight, come in. Red Flight, come in," droned a voice from the
field.

"Red Flight in contact with bandits!" O'Malley roared back.

"Red Flight, come in. Red Flight, come in," headquarters insisted.

"Red Flight going into defense," Allison cut in.

Stan's grin widened. Allison was going to see that O'Malley got his duck
hunt. They roared on, swinging in a wide circle, beating upward again.
O'Malley would have his way now. Allison couldn't argue with
headquarters listening in.

Stan began to think they were stymied when all Hades broke loose from
above. Out of nowhere five Messerschmitts came roaring down on them,
three One-Nines and two One-Tens.

"Prepare f