“There’s a bright spot over to the left,” said the Commander. “Might be a burning motor.”
It was a burning motor of the big Jap ship. It burned more and more until the whole plane burst into flames and white parachutes bloomed against the night sky.
“I think,” said the Commander, “that we should start back. There’s such a thing as going too far in this matter of testing out a plane’s cruising capacity.”
“As you say, sir.” Jack spoke calmly, but inside he was all pure joy. His jet plane had proved its worth.
CHAPTER XXVII
STRATOSPHERE TACTICS
“Do I fly this jet plane in the big show, sir?” Jack asked as he and the Commander stepped down on the Black Bee’s deck half an hour later.
“Not only that,” was the instant response, “but you’ll lead the parade.
“And now,” the Commander ordered, “hit the hay!”
Jack was too excited over past and future events to sleep long that night. He awoke with the dawn to find the sea blanketed in fog.
“Just what the doctor ordered,” he said to Stew. “We’ll be able to get through the day unobserved by the enemy. And tomorrow, unless I miss my guess, we strike at dawn.”