“Great guns!” Stew exploded. “We’ll never catch up with the Black Bee now! And that means we miss the big show!”
“There’s that jet plane,” Jack suggested.
“Yes, sure!” Stew scoffed. “And who’s got it? Two Germans, three Japs, and two machine guns!”
“One German, I think,” said Ted. “I’m positive that one of them fell or jumped from the plane. I saw him hit the water. Still,” he added slowly, “there are four of them, and with machine guns—that’s a lot.”
“What do you need for fixing the plane?” Mary asked.
“Rivets,” said Jack. “Hot rivets. Got any in your outfit?”
“We might have.” The girl did not smile. “I’ll ask my dusky godfather.” She hurried down to the canoes, where the natives were having a sun bath.
The boys could see her talking to the men. They found it interesting and amusing. She would ask a question of the Chief. At once they would all explode into wild talk. This would die down abruptly. Then the Chief would say a few words to Mary.
This was repeated a dozen times. Then she came rushing back.
“Yes,” she said, “we have hot rivets, copper ones, this big.” She held up an inch-long section of wood. “Will they do?”