“Good grief!” came back in a hoarse whisper. “The Japs! We may have to light out just as we are! I’m practically ready to give it a try!” “Wait,” she whispered. “I haven’t said good-by to the natives. They’ve really been wonderful.” “Yes, but—” Jack did not finish. That’s a woman for you! he thought. “I will wipe out the Japs if I must.” She turned the machine gun noiselessly. “That’s the thing to do.” “Yes, but I must be sure first. It might be— There!” Her whisper rose. “I saw one of them duck into the shadows.” “Let them come on out into the open so you can get all three. We can’t—” He stopped short. From the foot of the rocky cliff had come the call of a parakeet where no parakeet should be. “Thank goodness!” Jack exclaimed. “That’s Stew! Phew! What a close call!” Pushing back his hood he answered the call. A moment later Stew was climbing to Jack’s side. “What’s up?” he demanded. “What’s happened, anyway? I thought you’d been killed, and here—” “You didn’t miss it by much,” Jack broke in. “Now you’re here, let’s forget the talking and get this jet plane into the air.” “I’m staying here!” Mary declared. “Oh! Must you?” Deep consternation was registered by Jack’s voice. “I must.” Her voice was husky. “But not for long. I’ll come with Ted.” “If he doesn’t beat you to the gun,” said Jack. “He won’t do that,” Stew broke in. “He told me to hurry. He’s all set, but said he would wait unless he was driven off by the Japs.” “Not much chance of that,” Mary laughed lightly. “The Jappies are being royally entertained by my friends, and after that—well, you fill in the picture. “So long!” She was on the rock. “It’s nice having known you.” “We’ll see you in the air and on the deck of the _Black Bee_.” Jack gave the ship the gun. The plane whistled. He released the brakes. She slid into the sea. Giving her another spurt, he felt her rise into the air. “We’ve got plenty of fuel,” he said to Stew. “We’ll just circle a bit and see if we can pick up Ted and that girl.” “That’s the best thing to do,” was Stew’s comment. “I’ll feel a lot easier if Ted hits the old _Black Bee’s_ deck ahead of us.” “And sort of prepare the gang for this freak,” said Jack. “Not a bad idea.” CHAPTER XXV JACK’S NEW GUNNER In the meantime Ted was growing impatient. Having taxied his plane through the gap into the open sea, he had made a practice run and found her perfect. Then he had sent the plane gliding back into hiding. But what had become of Jack and Mary, and now Stew? When he heard the wail of the jet plane he feared the worst. They had been killed or taken prisoner. Only the fact that six husky natives armed with powerful rifles were hidden away in the shadows beyond his small harbor kept him there. Then suddenly he heard a loud “Yoo—hoo! Yoo—hoo! I’m here! Taxi over!” He recognized the voice. It was Mary.