or attack. Peel off and take some altitude," Allison drawled.

"Start peelin', darlin'," O'Malley shouted.

They zoomed upward, spreading to let the attack slide past. The enemy
scattered out and swooped to meet them. Stan saw O'Malley drive straight
over a One-Nine almost ramming the Jerry, and missing him clean with a
burst of fire. That was not like O'Malley.

The Jerry banked and flipped over, thinking only of getting away before
O'Malley cut back across him and sawed him in two parts; but O'Malley
kept straight on. Stan picked up the One-Nine, scissoring off a wing tip
and sending him wavering away toward the east.

Stan watched O'Malley as the wild Irishman zoomed up over a One-Ten. The
Messerschmitt banked and tried to escape, but O'Malley was on him in a
reckless roaring dive. Stan shot over the two and saw the Jerry spray
O'Malley's ship with lead. Pieces of his hatch cover showered away like
feathers from a potted duck. Again O'Malley missed a perfect burst and
came up under the Jerry. He returned the compliment paid him by slicing
the top off the Messerschmitt's hatch cover. Stan knew the miss had been
deliberate. O'Malley never let one get away when he had a spot shot like
that.

Then light dawned upon Stan. O'Malley was after the Jerry's gun. Allison
was very busy himself and doing such a savage job that he was about to
clear the air without Stan's help. Stan dived down to make the game one
against one for Allison. When he came up, O'Malley was on the tail of
the Messerschmitt and bawling at Allison:

"By the shades of St. Patrick, you keep out of this!"

The Jerry was hurt, but not badly, and O'Malley had him on the run. When
the Jerry dived O'Malley was on his tail. He didn't shoot him down. When
he dropped off on one wing, peeling away under full throttle, O'Malley
had him covered. Then Stan heard the Irisher yelling at the Jerry pilot.

"Leave that gun like she is, you spalpeen, or I'll send you to the
fishes!"

Apparently the Jerry did not understand what O'Malley said, possibly his
radio wasn't set to pick up the transmitter of the Spitfire, but he did
understand the short bursts of fire that clipped pieces out of various
parts of his ship. He headed the way the lank Irishman pointed and drove
ahead.

Allison and Stan dropped in behind, letting O'Malley have his prize.
Stan called to Allison:

"Somebody ought to tip off the Ack-Ack boys or O'Malley may get a warm
reception."

"Let him s