To relieve his tension he went to the flight deck, tuned up his violin, and then walked slowly back and forth playing all the melodies he knew—while with every tune memories of other days came back. Then he locked the violin safely in its case and wandered up for one more look at the jet plane before retiring for the night. “Tomorrow,” he whispered. Jack and Stew were up two hours before dawn. The hour that preceded dawn was their zero hour. As they came down for their coffee they were surprised to find Ted and Mary waiting for them. “We thought we’d like to be with you at the last meal before the big moment,” said Mary. “That’s sure swell of you,” said Jack. “You’d want to do that if we were the ones to go,” said Ted. “That’s right,” Jack agreed. “We’ve been through a lot together, all of us. But Ted, what’s your assignment?” “That’s just it.” Ted made a long face. “Our fighter squadron, Kentucky, Blackie, and the rest are to stick with the ship just in case we’re attacked. Tell you what.” Ted leaned forward. “When you get over that harbor just send word back that there isn’t a Jap carrier in sight and no bombers on the airfields.” “Oh! Sure!” Jack grinned. “In fact, we’ll do better than that. We’ll just circle around over the sea, then make our report without even looking at that old Jap harbor.” “Say! What is this? Mutiny?” Mary demanded. “No.” Stew grinned. “It’s just a case of jolly good lying ‘just before the battle, mother.’” “Don’t sell yourself short just yet,” Jack said to Ted. “You may see plenty of fighting before this day is over, yes, and find yourself in need of a ‘woman’s gentle nursing,’ as the old poem goes, before the sun sets.” Zero hour came. The jet plane began its predawn song. Jack and Stew were off. The fog was gone, and the moon bright. Jack was astonished as he climbed into the sky. As far as he could see there were white dots telling of ships plowing their way through the dark sea. “More fighting ships than the world has ever seen in one place,” he said to Stew. “Sure—carriers, probably a dozen of them; big battle wagons, cruisers, destroyers, cargo vessels, transports, oilers, tankers, repair ships, PT boats—everything. We’re going back to the Philippines, boy! And we’re going back to stay.” After that they soared again. With oxygen masks in place they climbed to the substratosphere, then headed for Mindanao at incredible speed. “Wonderful!” Jack breathed. “No Zero will ever catch up with us now.” “And we’d better not let them,” Stew warned. “You remember the orders—no dogfights with those cookies today.” The first faint streaks of dawn were showing when a gray bulk close to the surface of the sea loomed up ahead of them. “There!” Jack exclaimed. “Take a good look! It’s the Philippines!” “My first glimpse of the islands,” Stew murmured with a touch of reverence. “But not my last, I hope.” By studying his chart Jack learned that the land ahead was the north entrance to a deep bay.