With a nod and another wave of his hand, Major Parker went outside and left the two youths looking at each other.
"I like Major Parker plenty," Dawson said after a while. "And it sure makes me feel like a heel."
"What does?" the English-born air ace wanted to know. "The fact that you like him?"
"Cut it out!" Dawson urged. "Of course not. I feel like a heel because I can't come clean and tell him all that we know."
"It isn't very much, if you ask me," Freddy said with a shrug and a gesture.
"I know, but just the same I wish I could tell him what little we do know. I'm sure he knows that we're holding out on him. And like I said, he's such a swell fellow. And not the least bit dumb, what I mean."
"Well, you can't be dumb and work for Colonel Welsh, I fancy," Freddy murmured.
Dawson started to agree with him, but suddenly checked his words and shot a quick glance at Freddy. The English-born air ace was toying with his cup of coffee and didn't see the grin that tugged down the corners of Dawson's mouth.
"Well, there is one exception," Dave said. "I could give you his name with one hand tied behind my back."
"And so could I!" Freddy said without so much as glancing up from his cup of coffee. "His name is Dawson! Thought you were being very smart, little man, didn't you, what?"