"Tell the operator to send back: 'Good morning. Glad to have you with us. Signature, Darrin,'" Dave directed.
The seamen and petty officer at the anti-aircraft gun left their station. Straight onward came the "blimp," dropping much lower just as it passed over. From the car beneath the big gas-bag several men leaned over to wave friendly hands, a greeting that was instantly responded to by Dave's and Dan's jackies, for the dirigible, after sailing over the "Grigsby," turned and floated over the "Reed."
"Message from the 'blimp,' sir," again iterated the messenger on the deck. "Message says: 'We're to keep near you and try to spot submarines for you.'"
"More power to your vision," was the message sent back by Dave.
"You're working northward, toward the shoals?" asked "Blimp."
"Yes," Darrin acknowledged.
"That's a likely place to find one or two of the Hun pirates resting," "Blimp" continued.
"Always a good hunting ground," Dave assented, in a radio message.
This took place while the dirigible was flying back and forth, ahead and astern, between the destroyers and to either side of their course.
"It's a fine thing to be able to move at aircraft speed," said Lieutenant Fernald, rather enviously. "If we could only make such speed, sir!"