His report exploded on the _Black Bee_ like a bombshell. Having received his earlier report, all carriers had dispatched their dive bombers and torpedo planes, with fighter escort, to the enemy harbor, where they hoped to wreak havoc on the fleet before it could escape. On the _Black Bee_ there remained only a small fighter squadron under Kentucky’s command. Half the fighters were on patrol duty, the rest were on the flight deck. “If those torpedo planes hit us it’s just going to be too bad!” Ted exclaimed as he and Kentucky raced for their planes. In the meantime Jack and Stew were shadowing the enemy squadron. “It’s no use taking them on alone,” Jack said. “I should say not! They’ve got a dozen Zeros protecting them,” Stew agreed. “But if they go after the _Black Bee_,” Jack added, “we’re bound to step in and do our bit.” “And the _Black Bee_ it is!” Stew added a moment later when the powerful planes, as if drawn by a magnet, headed straight for the master prize, the _Black Bee_, largest ship in the convoy. “You’ve got to hand it to ’em!” Stew exclaimed. “They’ve got plenty of nerve!” “Lot of good it will do them!” Jack growled. “I’ll wreck this jet plane in a suicide dive before I’ll see the old _Black Bee_ sunk!” Silently Stew offered up a prayer for the _Black Bee_, and for Jack as well. “Here comes Kentucky and his gang!” he exclaimed exultantly. “Too few and too late,” Jack growled. “Curse the Japs!” Meanwhile Jack was edging in closer to the approaching Japs. Stew was holding his breath, for he knew well that if the Zeros turned to go after him, Jack would not run for the stratosphere this time, but would stay and fight. Kentucky, with his small band of fighters, came zooming on in formation. The Zeros dashed ahead to engage them. At once there was a whirling battle, as hard to watch as a three-ring circus. Three fighters, Kentucky, Ted, and Red, remained in formation. When a Zero went after them it was like hitting a stone wall. Three Zeros went down in smoke. But the deadly torpedo planes roared on. Now, shaking themselves free from the Zeros, Kentucky’s three zoomed aloft to come in behind the torpedo planes. Striking the last of these a slanting blow, they sent it whirling and rolling toward the sea. Two others followed in quick succession. By this time the torpedo planes were nearing the _Black Bee_. Ack-acks and pom-poms began pouring bursting shells at them. Two were downed before they dropped their tin fish. But the third, seeming to bear a charmed life, came straight on. It dropped its fish, then zoomed aloft. With sinking heart Jack saw its torpedo tear a gaping hole in the _Black Bee’s_ side. “Got to get into this!” he growled. Screaming aloft he raced at tremendous speed past the enemy planes, then whirling, came at the next torpedo plane in line. Just as he prepared to brave his own ship’s fire, the enemy plane blew up. A shell from the ship had gotten her.