Kentucky, with his small band of fighters, came zooming on in formation. The Zeros dashed ahead to engage them. At once there was a whirling battle, as hard to watch as a three-ring circus. Three fighters, Kentucky, Ted, and Red, remained in formation. When a Zero went after them it was like hitting a stone wall. Three Zeros went down in smoke. But the deadly torpedo planes roared on.
Now, shaking themselves free from the Zeros, Kentucky’s three zoomed aloft to come in behind the torpedo planes. Striking the last of these a slanting blow, they sent it whirling and rolling toward the sea. Two others followed in quick succession.
By this time the torpedo planes were nearing the Black Bee. Ack-acks and pom-poms began pouring bursting shells at them. Two were downed before they dropped their tin fish. But the third, seeming to bear a charmed life, came straight on. It dropped its fish, then zoomed aloft.
With sinking heart Jack saw its torpedo tear a gaping hole in the Black Bee’s side.
“Got to get into this!” he growled. Screaming aloft he raced at tremendous speed past the enemy planes, then whirling, came at the next torpedo plane in line.
Just as he prepared to brave his own ship’s fire, the enemy plane blew up. A shell from the ship had gotten her.
“Good work!” he exclaimed, once again roaring aloft.
Other torpedo planes were coming in. Kentucky’s trio was strafing them, but still they came.
“Only one hit so far. They’re thinning!” Jack exclaimed. “If my—”
“There! That’s the one! We’ve got to get that one!”