"Airplanes!" shouted the Dewey's commander, as he strained his eyes through the portholes of the conning tower in a vain effort to search the skies. In another moment, after giving the "wheel" over to his flag officer, the lieutenant had thrown open the conning tower and was gazing into the heavens with his binoculars.
"Yes, there they come," he announced, after a short pause. "Two—-three—-four; there's a half dozen or more of them," he continued after a careful survey of the sky.
The singing down in the hold abated when the reported approach of the air fleet became known throughout the ship.
"What's up?" queried Ted, as he joined his chum outside the wireless room.
"The Kaiser's imperial flying corps is out for a little evening exercise," answered Jack, as he hurried along to keep within call of his commander.
For the men in the Dewey there was nothing to do but take the reports from the conning tower as to what was going on outside the submarine. Their impatience, however, was short-lived, for there came very quickly an order to man the anti-aircraft guns on deck. The hatches fore and aft were thrown open and the gun crews scrambled on deck.
"Not afraid of 'em, are we?" chuckled Ted, as he followed Bill Witt up the ladder.
"Chances are they can't see us in the twilight," answered Bill. "And this is a real chance for us to give the 'twins' a little tuning up."
From the conning tower came the order to unlimber the guns, load and stand by.
"Wait until they come within range, and then fire away!" directed the Dewey's commander.