On the flight deck Jack joined a group of his fighting pals. Sprawled about the deck, they were still discussing the mysterious something that had gone screaming over their heads.
“It’s a Jap trick,” said Dave Dunn, a torpedo bomber pilot. “I tell you they’re closer than you think!”
“They didn’t have to be too close at that,” Jack broke in. “I was on the Commander’s bridge when the thing went over.”
“Oh, ho! Listen to Jackie!” Kentucky, a fighter pilot, exclaimed. “Been hobnobbin’ with the Commander!”
“Shut up, Ken!” Red Sands, another fighter pilot, gave him a push. “What does the Commander think about it, Jack?”
“It’s a sign. That’s what it is!” a bombardier exclaimed. “Sign of trouble ahead!”
“The Commander thinks just what we all think.” Jack gave a low chuckle as he dropped to the deck. “Might be just anything—a meteor, a Jap nuisance trick—just anything!”
“Nuisance trick! Say! If that thing had hit us I’ll say it would have been a nuisance!” Blackie, another fighter, exclaimed.
The talk went on, but Jack, who for the moment had lost interest in the sky-screamer, was talking with his pal, Stew Sherman, radio gunner.
“The Commander thinks we’ll contact a Jap task force tomorrow,” he confided.