“We’ve got to get out of here just as soon as we can.” Ted’s brow wrinkled. “Look! I’ve got a chart that shows the course our task force is taking.”
“Wouldn’t the Japs like to get their hands on that!” Mary whispered when he had the chart spread out on a rock.
“Well, they won’t. I’ll eat it first.” Ted was deeply in earnest. “Look. This is the way they are going.”
“Straight away from here,” said Jack.
“And straight for Mindanao.” Mary danced a jig. “Please! Oh, please take me along!”
“We’ll all go—or none,” Jack said seriously. “But we’d better get busy or we’ll never catch up with our task force.”
All three boys pitched into the task of examining and overhauling Ted’s plane. At length Jack came up with a very long face.
“You must have hit the water mighty hard, Ted,” he said soberly.
“Well, yes, I suppose I did,” Ted replied. “I don’t remember that part of the adventure very well. When you’ve been chased all over the sky by a plane that’s a freak and faster than anything you’ve ever seen on land or in the air, you’re not likely to notice a tough landing. Why? What’s the matter?”
“Matter enough!” said Jack. “Your right wing is half torn away. Some of the rivets are actually gone. Many more are loose. You’ll never get me up in this kite, not until a lot of work has been done on it.”