Part 24 (1/2)
”Good enough,” returned Commander Thomson. ”Nose that Loening over here and let me have them. That was a smart landing you made just now. You're a credit to your old instructor!”
”Aye, aye, sir,” replied Bill, with a wink at Osceola, and did as he was bid.
”And I notice you haven't lost your nerve, either,” smiled the Commander as he took the long blue envelope that Bill handed him. ”Cheek is a better word, perhaps.”
”I never try to correct my superior officer,” laughed Bill, and they shook hands.
Commander Thomson slit the envelope and read the message.
”The Old Man says you are to lead us over,” he announced. ”And I take it you know what to do when we get there.”
”Yes, sir. Received instructions from Commander Bellinger. I've got the letter in my pocket. He sent his best regards to you, sir.”
”Good old Pat. I bet he'd give half a stripe to be with us. We'll shove off directly. Run your boat up to thirty-five hundred and retain that alt.i.tude until you zoom the stockade. Then climb until you are above us and don't land until you see me on the water. Got that?”
”Aye, aye, sir.”
”Let's go, then. Good luck!”
”Same to you, Commander.”
Bill returned to the c.o.c.kpit of his plane and presently the Loening was taxiing ahead, preparatory to her take-off.
Once in the air, he climbed to the prescribed thirty-five hundred feet.
A sharp flipper turn brought the little amphibian on a compa.s.s course slightly west of north. Directly on his tail came Commander Thomson's PB-1, with the other four planes of the squadron bringing up the rear in V-formation.
Bill, of course, did not know the exact location in Big Cypress of Martinengo's gold diggings, but here Osceola's uncanny b.u.mp of direction came into play once more. Not ever did the young Seminole appear at a loss. On they sped, straight as an arrow shot from a bow.
The sun was three-quarters down the horizon when they caught sight of the lagoon in the cypress swamp, with the stockade close beside it. They had timed their arrival to a nicety. The prisoners had just been locked up for the night and their guards were going to supper.