Don pushed the sturdy ship to its steepest possible climb.
“See that other plane, right above us?” he asked. “It’s ours, and it’s armed like this one, with guns fore and aft. The odds won’t be too bad for us, when your three ships show up. And if they don’t get here pretty quick they’ll run into some more of the United States Navy. There’s a squadron of fast attack bombers due here in half an hour.”
“Which is going to be just half an hour too late!” remarked Red Pennington in a strained voice. “Here come the Scorpion bombers right on our tail! And—”
“SC-25, acknowledge!” blared a voice from the seaplane’s radio. “Ahoy, Count Borg! Explain presence of second seaplane. Also, why Gatoon has steam up. Is anything wrong?”
Don Winslow’s response was instantaneous. In a flash he realized that the question he’d heard came from the leading bomber. His hand darted to a switch just below the plane’s radio dials.
“Borg speaking!” he said, in excellent imitation of his captive’s voice. “Second seaplane is okay. Gatoon appears defenseless except for rifles on deck. Come ahead!”
Still climbing, Don Winslow’s captured seaplane was already above the Scorpion ships. They were, he saw, closing up on a course that would bring them directly over the Gatoon at about three thousand feet. Not fearing the gunboat’s crippled anti-aircraft, they were going to dive bomb—from a height that would insure direct hits!
A plan of attack grew swiftly in the young commander’s mind. It would require perfect timing, and if it failed....
But this was not the moment to think of failure. Circling back Don headed for the first enemy ship just as it commenced its deadly bombing dive.
The seaplane’s air speed mounted. Under full throttle it plunged to intercept the Scorpion bomber.