CHAPTER TWELVE
Lightning Wings
In due time the ferry bomber flight circled the Air Base at Brownsville, and then dropped down one by one to land and trundle over to the hangar line to be taken over by the mechanics. The Fortress in which Dave and Freddy were passengers dropped down first. A crowd of officers and mechanics gathered about it instantly, for Major Hawks had radioed ahead. When Dave and Freddy climbed down they were the center of all eyes. It was obvious that Major Hawks had made more than just a cut and dried report.
No sooner were their feet on the ground than Colonel Bates, Commandant of the Base, stepped over to Dawson and saluted smartly.
“Congratulations, and thank you, Captain Dawson,” he said, and smiled. “Major Hawks gave me a full report, and—well, the whole Air Corps is grateful. That was a fine display of courage.”
“Thank you, sir,” Dave replied, blushing a little. “But as I told Major Hawks, my efforts would have been a waste of time if it hadn’t been for Lieutenant Kelley and Captain Farmer. They deserve as much praise as I do, and considerably more, I guess.”
“Well, it was a darn good job by everyone concerned,” the Base Commandant responded. “We surely can’t afford to lose a single ship through accident. And, by the way, just what caused the accident, anyway? You didn’t say in your radio report.”
Colonel Bates turned and spoke the last to Major Hawks, who had climbed down out of the Flying Fortress. The big bomber’s commander held out the flame-blackened length of pipe for the Colonel to see.
“This, sir,” he said. “Captain Farmer says it’s part of a melted pencil incendiary. I think he’s right. Looks like somebody didn’t want us to arrive here in one piece. I ordered the others to search their ships. They did, but didn’t find anything.”