[Footnote 1: The Burma Road is the vital supply route over which the Chinese Republic, cut off from almost all sea commerce by the Japanese invaders, still maintains contact with the outside world. Were it closed, it is doubtful whether the valiant army of General Chiang Kai-shek could long continue its fight against aggression.--Ed.] "Burma?" chuckled Red. "Don't look now, pal, but we ain't in Burma any more. This kite we're flying eats mileage--or didn't you know? See that hunk of silver ribbon below? Well, that ain't a ribbon; it's the Mekong River. We're over either Thailand or Indo-China, or both." Ramey glanced down swiftly. Barrett was right. The sullen blackness below had suddenly been laced with a shining spiral of silver; the mighty Mekong, boundary-line separating Siam (now Thailand) and French Indo-China for more than 1,000 miles, coiled through the jungle like a gigantic serpent, its scales drenched with moonlight. Winters' dreaminess vanished instantly. One look at the instrument panel and he shot into action. A tug and kick swung the old Curtis into a lifting, southward arc, following the twisting river. His words to Red Barrett were unhurried, but there was a tenseness in his voice. "Okay. This is it, then. Keep 'em peeled, Red!" "If I peel 'em any finer," Barrett grunted, "I won't have any eyelids. Think we'll see anything?" "I know damn well we will. Those Japs aren't moving south for a clam-bake. They poured forty divisions into Indo-China--thanks to Vichy! Thailand is next on the hit parade; then Burma, back door to India. They want to close the Burma Road. So long as it's open, old Chiang Kai-shek will keep on giving them fits. Our job is to find out where they are concentrating their troops, so we'll be ready for them when they prance into Thailand." * * * * * Red looked hungrily at the trigger-press before him. "If there's troops," he said hopefully, "there'll be enemy 'planes, huh, Ramey? Supposing one of them comes up to meet us? Can I--?" "No! Definitely not!" "But just by accident, like? I mean, if he attacked us first--" "No, Red. Don't you see, all they're waiting for is an excuse to invade Thailand? Let us shoot down a single Jap 'plane tonight, and tomorrow their bombers will be over Bangkok. So--no shooting! Even if they fire on us." "We-e-ell--" grumbled Barrett--"okay! But I think it's a hell of a way to fight a war. They bombed the _Tetuila_ and sank the _Panay_, and all we got was: 'So sorry! Accidents will happen!' We're not even supposed to defend ourselves." Ramey grinned at him; a lean, knowing grin.