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 BUZ SAWYER
and

BOMBER 13
Based on the
famous newspaper strip
by
R O Y CRANE

WHITMAN PUBLISHING COMPANY

Racine, Wisconsin

Copyright, 1943, 1944, 1946, by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

World Rights Reserved Printed <n U.S.A.
" O u r N e w H o m e ,” S a id B u z
 BUZ SAWYER
and Bomber 13
CHAPTER I

BOMBER IS UNDER ATTACK

It was a proud day when near­
ly a hundred snorting, bucking
planes, one following another,
flew aboard the Navy flat-top, the
Tippecanoe. One of the pilots
assigned to the aircraft carrier
was smiling, debonair Lieut,
(j.g.) Buz Sawyer.
“Here’s our new home sweet
5
6 BUZ SAWYER
home, Sweeney,” Buz said to his
gunner; whose round face broke
into a pleased grin.
“Ain’t she big, sir?” Sweeney
said in awe as he looked over the
big ship for the first time.
In a short time the proudest
day of all came. The shakedown
cruise was over, and the “T ip”
entered the Pacific Ocean, bound
for action.
For sixteen days, the flat-top
lazed along. Pilots made routine
T h e " T i p ” W a s B o u n d f o r A c t io n
8 BUZ SAWYER
patrol hops, dozed in the ready
rooms, spun yarns.
“Where we going, Buz?” one
of them asked.
“Got it straight from the cap­
tain. We’re going to Boulder
Dam to tie up for the duration,”
Buz answered with a laugh.
Then, somewhere south of
Pearl Harbor, the “T ip” joined
another task force, changed
course, and turned on full power,
while the pilots told each other,
T h e P ilo ts D o s e d its th e R e a d y R o o m s
10 BUZ SAWYER
“Something must be going to
happen. This is it, boys!”
Suddenly Buz Sawyer was call­
ed to go into action.
“Special hop. Jap patrol boat
was located this morning. You’re
to check its position and course.
It’s important that you keep out
of sight. If the Japs spot one of
our planes in this area, they’ll
know something’s up,” his su­
perior officer explained.
Buz was pleased to go into ac-
12 BUZ SAWYER
tion, but Sweeney took a differ­
ent view of the situation.
They hooked on their ’chutes
and climbed into the plane.
“Okay, Sweeney, let’s go!’’ Buz
called.
“Imagine not bein’ allowed to
sink a bloomin’ Jappy boat. Why
it’s plumb disgustin’, sir,”
Sweeney grumbled. He knew,
though, that he must follow in­
structions, no matter how much
he wanted to use the plane’s am-
" O k a y , Sw eeney. L e t’s G o !”
14 BUZ SAWYER
munition on the enemy patrol.
He followed Buz Sawyer into
Scout Bomber 13 and they began
their sky cruise.
The aircraft flew smoothly
along among the clouds, while
Buz searched for the Jap boat.
Suddenly, two bullets whizzed
past his head and crashed into
the windshield.
“Sweeney! Break radio si­
lence,” Buz called to his gunner.
“Inform C. V. we’re under at-
They Began Their Sky Cruise
16 BUZ SAWYER
tack. Three Zeros! I’m heading
into a cloud!”
Meanwhile, on the deck of the
Tippecanoe, one of the crewmen
decided to break the monotony
of waiting by promoting a raffle.
‘‘You guys want in on a raffle;?”
he asked the others. “Costs a
buck. You draw a plane number
—if yours is the first plane to
shoot down a Jap, you win all the
geetus.”
One reached up into the hel-
T h e y W e r e B e in g A t ta c k e d
18 BUZ SAWYER
met and drew out a nuniber.
“Oboy! I drew a fighter one,” he
said.
“I got Bomber 13. I’m jinxed
already,” another complained.
At that moment the news that
Bomber 13 had broken radio si­
lence and reported being under
attack by three Zeros was receiv­
ed. Excitement ran swiftly
through the men on board.
Throughout the ship the
radios blared forth, “Fighter pi-
T h e B o ys D re w N u m b e rs
20 BUZ SAWYER
lots, man your planes!”
‘‘Gangway for pilots!” the
fliers shouted as they rushed on
deck. “Jap planes! Hot dog!”
The signalman’waved the flag
for the first take-off. One by one
the fighters rose smoothly into
the air.
On the opposite side of the
carrier deck, another bomber pi­
lot, Chili Harrison, flew in from
a scouting mission.
‘‘Saw the fighters taking off,
" G a n g w a y f o r P i lo t s !”
22 BUZ SAWYER
Jinx. What’s up?” he asked of the
first man he met.
‘‘One of our bombers has been
attacked by three Zeros,” Jinx
explained. ‘‘There’s been no
further word of how it came
out.”
Jinx put his arm across Chili’s
shoulders comfortingly, and add­
ed, “Thought you’d like to
know, Harrison—it was Bomber
13.”
“Thirteen! Why, that’s Buz
Chili Heard of the Attack
24 BUZ SAWYER
Sawyer’s plane!” Chili exclaim­
ed. He sat down dejectedly. His
face became clouded by a wor­
ried frown.
“Buz is my roommate. He’s
the grandest fellow on earth.
Why, he and I—” Chili could not
go on.
“Yeah, I know,” Jinx said un-
derstandingly. “Going to be
tough just sitting and waiting,
Harrison. Thought maybe a
game would do you good.”
C h i l i W a s W o r r ie d
26 BUZ SAWYER
But Harrison, his chin cupped
in his hand, could only stare
ahead, his thoughts absorbed by
the plight of his pal up in the
clouds.
Meanwhile, Buz Sawyer was
running into plenty of trouble.
The cloud he had headed for
when the attack began offered
little protection.
“In and out. In and out! The
trouble is, Sweeney, this cloud’s
too blinking small for hiding,”
B u z W a s R u n n in g in to T r o u b le
28 BUZ SAWYER
he told his gunner. “Every time
we pop out, there they are, wait­
ing for us like cats at a rathole.”
They were emerging from the
cloud as Buz spoke. There, loom­
ing up right beside them, was one
of the Zeros.
“Hey!” Buz shouted.
“I see 'im, sir—but time
it’s his turn to duck!” Sweeney
barked, and the ak-ak-ak of his
machine-gun accompanied the
words. There was an explosion,
Sw eeney’s G u n B a rk e d
30 BUZ SAWYER
and a cloud of black smoke rose
from the Jap plane. A broad grin
spread over Sweeney’s face, and
he cried excitedly, “I him,
sir! I hit ’im !”
Down, down went the blazing
Zero. Buz and Sweeney watched
it as it dove into its watery
grave.
“I’ll say you hit him,” Buz
said exultantly. But their trou­
bles were by no means ended.
“One down, two to go,” Buz
Smoke Rose From the Jap Plane
32 BUZ SAWYER
said. “The problem is how to get
those Zeros soon. We’re low on
gas, Sweeney. Can’t play hide-
and-seek with these Zeros any
longer. Can’t outshoot or outrun
them, either. We’ll duck back in­
to a cloud, but this time we’ll
dive through it and hope they
won’t see us.” He manipulated
the controls and sent the plane
into a dive through the cloud.
“No such luck, sir,” Sweeney
Reported. “Here they come.”
" W e l l D i v e T h r o u g h th e C l o u d ! ”
34 BUZ SAWYER
Their position was very grave.
“Both Zeros are about five
hundred yards astern, sir—and
gaining fast,” Sweeney added.
“Okay. I still have an ace up
my sleeve. We’ll drop our depth
charge.”
Suiting the action to his words,
Buz let the charge go. There was
a tremendous explosion, and a
big wall of water rose into the air,
shrouding the Nipponese planes.
Sweeney and Buz waited with
T h e J a p s W e r e S t ill o n H i s T a i l
36 BUZ SAWYER
bated breath. Would the trick
succeed? It was a long chance, but
Buz fervently hoped it would
work. Otherwise—he shook his
head. He dared not think of what
might happen.
H e D r o p p e d th e D e p t h C h a r g e
 CHAPTER II

SWEENEY COLLAPSES
Buz and Sweeney peered at the
wall of water thrown up by the
depth charge. One of the pursu­
ing Zeros landed head on in the
ocean, but the other one got
through.
“But she’s a cripple, sir! A
cripple!” Sweeney reported in
great excitement. “We can knock
88
T h e D e p t h C h a r g e E x p lo d e d
40 BUZ SAWYER
her out easy as pie and get credit
for all three.”
“Not today,” Buz answered.
“But, Mr. Sawyer—” Sweeney
pleaded.
“The idea is to bring our plane
back—not to hog a lot of credit,”
Buz explained patiently. “Our
gas is too lofv. The fighters will
have to finish her off.”
He headed the plane back to­
ward the Tippecanoe.
From the carrier deck, the ob-
''S h e ’ s a C r ip p l e , S i r ! ”
42 BUZ SAWYER
server watched a tiny speck grow
into Sawyer’s plane.
“Number 13 signaling for an
emergency landing,” he told the
signalman.
“Give him the white flag,” he
ordered.
With a terrific wump and the
sound of “fut-fut” from the
motor, Buz Sawyer’s plane bump­
ed on board.
“Boy, lookit those bullet
holes!” someone said.
B u z H e a d e d th e P la n e B a c k
44 BUZ SAWYER
“Sounds like he’s having mo­
tor trouble,” another exclaimed.
Jimmy, mechanic for the
bomber, spoke up. “Motor trou­
ble my eye! He’s outa gas. He just
made it.”
He rushed up to assist Buz out
of the plane, shouting, “Mr.
Sawyer! Gee, but I’m glad you’re
back. I—I was worried, sir.”
“Thanks, Jimmy,” Buz an­
swered, resting his head on his
hand.
" L o o k i t T h o s e B u lle t H o l e s ! ”
46 BUZ SAWYER
“Are you hurt, sir?” Jimmy
asked worriedly.
“No, Jimmy. I just want to sit
here a minute. You see, I was
pretty worried, myself,” Buz
answered with a tired smile.
But Sweeney was different—at
least he thought he was.
“Not me. I wasn’t worried.
Not old Sweeney,” he boasted.
“I knew he’d get us back. By
the way, Jimmy boy, you can
paint a coupla little Jap flags on
u A r e Y o u H u n , S ir ?
48 BUZ SAWYER
old Number 13. We got two
Zeros.”
The boys crowded around to
hear the tale.
“Yes, sirree, lads,” Sweeney be­
gan, “there I was, cool as ice. The
Jappies were shootin’ at me, and
I was shootin’ at them.” He put
one leg out of the cockpit. “And
all of a sudden—” he continued,
pulling the other out. “Hey!”
Before he could finish the
sentence, he found himself
The Gunner Appeared Calm
50 BUZ SAWYER
sprawled out on the deck of the
ship, surprise written all over his
face,
“ ’S funny. I-I tried to get out
an’ my knees crumpled,” he said
in a bewildered tone.
“Maybe you’ve been shot!”
Jimmy said.
“Why, sure. They say it doesn’t
hurt at first.”
“First aid! On the double!”
another shouted.
The medical men came run-
S w e e n e y ’ s K n e e s C r u m p le d
52 BUZ SAWYER
ning, bringing a stretcher.
“Poor old Sweeney,” Jimmy
sighed.
The aid men lifted Sweeney
up off the deck, laid him on the
stretcher, and rushed at top
speed toward sick bay.
“I can’t bear to look, boys,”
Sweeney moaned. “Are my feet
still on?”
In sick bay, he was given a
thorough examination. Sweeney
held his head and closed his eyes,
" M a y b e Y o u ’ve B e en S h o t!”
54 BUZ SAWYER
groaning, “Tell me the worst,
Doctor. Is there much blood?”
The doctor, standing with the
two aid men and an orderly, re­
garded Sweeney quizzically and
murmured, “Humph! Not even
an abrasion. Bring him a stimu­
lant, Smith.”
“Aye, aye, sir,” responded the
orderly.
When Sweeney had drunk the
medicine, the doctor asked,
“Feel better?”
S w e e n e y C o u l d n ’ t B e a r to L o o k
56 BUZ SAWYER
“Yes, indeed, sir!” responded
Sweeney with a smack of his lips.
“But hadn’t you better gimme *

another dose, Doctor? I—ah—

think I’m about to have a re­
lapse.”
The doctor started to laugh.
“See here, Sweeney,” he said.
“There’s nothing wrong with
you except that you were just
plain scared. That’s why your
knees collapsed.”
“Huh,” Sweeney said unbe-
58 BUZ SAWYER
lievingly. Beads of sweat stood
out on his forehead.
“Well, maybe I scared,
Doc. But can’t you give me a
fancy name for it and put on a
bandage, anyway? It will save a
lot of kidding,” he said plaintive­
ly. The orderly snickered, and
the doctor suppressed a grin.
Then he picked up a roll of
bandage, and began to bind
Sweeney’s leg.
“I can understand why you
60 BUZ SAWYER
wouldn’t want the fellows to
know the reason your knees gave
way, Sweeney, but you had a
right to be scared,” he said.
“Thanks, Doctor,” Sweeney
said fervently.
With a bandaged leg and a pair
of crutches, Sweeney could face
the crowd again.
The boys crowded around him
as Sweeney emerged from sick
bay.
“Hi, Sweeney, how’s the leg?”
62 BUZ SAWYER
one asked.
“How long’ll you be on
crutches?” another wanted to
know.
SwTeeney smiled broadly, stuck
out his chest and boasted, “Oh,
I’ll be flying again tomorrow.
They can’t keep old Sweeney
down.”
“Boy, that’s what I call spirit,”
one of the men marveled.
An officer overheard the con­
versation, and immediately
S w e e n e y C o u l d F a c e th e C r o w d A g a i n
64 BUZ SAWYER
questioned the doctor. “Doc, are
you actually going to permit that
man to fly tomorrow with a
wounded leg?”
The doctor solemnly stroked
his chin, and replied, “Sweeney?
Oh! Why, ah, yes. A very plucky
fellow. He insists on going out
again.”
Down in the mess, Buz Sawyer
was receiving the plaudits of his
fellow fliers.
“We sure thought you were a
66 BUZ SAWYER
dead duck, Buzzo,” Chili Harri­
son said.
“He got two Zeros in a scout
bomber. Think what he’d do in
a Hellcat!”
“That’s what I call hot flying.” '
‘‘Nah! Maybe he’s just lucky.
How about it, Buz?”
Buz laughed modestly, saying,
“Just call me ‘horseshoes’, boys.”
“I bet he’s got old Number 13
loaded with horseshoes!”
“Tell us your secret for reach-
T h e F e llo w s L a u d e d Bust
68 BUZ SAWYER
ing such a ripe old age, Buzzo!”
Buz knew the boys were twit­
ting him, but he answered seri­
ously. “A lucky charm that I al­
ways keep right here in my
pocket,” he said. He reached in­
to his pocket, and then a sur­
prised expression crossed his
face.
‘‘Something wrong?” he was
asked.
“Yes. It—it’s gone!”
Buz explained that two years
* 1 C a r r y a C h a r m .”
70 BUZ SAWYER
before, when he had bid a girl
friend, Tot, good-by, she had
given him her handkerchief for
luck. All these months he had
carried it with him.
Later, in the cabin, Buz spoke
to Chili.
“I’ve lostit, Chili,’’ he sighe
“I’ve never flown without it.
Have you seen a girl’s handker­
chief?”
“My dear lad, I haven’t even
seen a girlin three weeks, much
T h e C h a r m Was Gone
72 BUZ SAWYER
less one’s handkerchief.”
‘‘I’ve gotto find that luc
charm, Chili,” Buz said.
‘‘Anyone, Buzzy, my lad,”
Chili said, ‘‘who can escape from
three Zeros in an SBD, and has
as many girls as you have, needs
neither charm nor luck. You’ve
already got it.”
“Toooweeeeee!”
The siren calling all pilots to
report to the air plot broke into
the conversation. Chili and Buz
I ’ve Lo s t I t , C h ili!”
74 BUZ SAWYER
rushed to the briefing room
where their commanding officer
was already pointing to a map of
the section in which they would
operate.
“I’m worried over that
charm,’’ Buz whispered.
The officer said, curtly, “If Mr.
Sawyer will give us his undivided
attention, I shall explain the pur­
pose of our mission. About twen­
ty transports and cargo ships have
gathered at the Japanese base of
T h e y W e r e C a lle d to th e A i r P l o t
76 BUZ SAWYER
Tinabonga. We’ll take off before
dawn. Our first objective is to
destroy the airdrome and war­
ships. Fighter opposition and an­
tiaircraft will be moderate to
heavy. That will be all until final
briefing at 0400. Good night,
gentlemen, and I’d suggest that
you get as much sleep as possi­
ble.”
‘‘Honest, I’d give a hundred
dollars to find that luck charm,”
Buz muttered as he filed out with
A n O ffic e r E x p la i n e d T h e i r M is s io n
78 BUZ SAWYER
Chili.
One of the other fliers felt
gloomy, too, but for another
reason.
“We’re to attack the Japs to­
morrow. Just think—this is the
last time all of us will ever be to­
gether. This is the last time
we’l l - ”
“Shut up, Wilson,” another pi­
lot interrupted.
“Hey, Buz, let’s have some
music. Something snappy,” Chili
T h e jLo s t C h a r m W o r r ie d B u z
so BUZ SAWYER
suggested- Buz seeing the wor­
ried looks Wilson had started,
played the accordion and led in
singing and was the life of the
crowd.
When they were back in their
quarters, Chili remarked, “You
didn’t whoop it up very long,
Buz.”
“Sort of tired tonight, Harri­
son,” Buz explained. “Besides, I
wanted to look for my luck
charm again—and to write some
B u z P la y e d th e A c c o r d io n
82 BUZ SAWYER
letters,”
Chili nodded. He knew how
Buz felt—the big day was just
ahead.
T h e B ig D a y W a s Ju s t A h e a d
 CHAPTER III

SET FOR A CRASH

The clang of the ship’s bell
and the trumpet call sounded at
0415 calling all men to their bat­
tle stations. They were one hun­
dred and fifty miles off Tinabon-
ga.
Over the loudspeaker system
came a message from Captain
Gulliver: “It’s unlikely that you
84
T h e T ru m p e t Sounded
86 BUZ SAWYER
will be secure from general
quarters before night. We are in
dangerous waters. We are launch­
ing an aerial attack and may ex­
pect one in return.”
A gunner expressed the opin­
ion of all, saying, “Swell! Bring
on the Japs. I didn’t join the
Navy just to shoot at sleeve tar­
gets.”
“Pilots, man your planes!” the
order sounded.
In response, Buz Sawyer,
" B r i n g o n th e J a p s ! ”
88 BUZ SAWYER
Sweeney and the other fliers ran
up the stairs toward the flight
deck.
“Are you sorta sick to the
stummick, Mr. Sawyer?” Sween­
ey asked.
“Yes. So’s everybody, Sweeney.
Good luck,” Buz gasped.
Jimmy, the mechanic, was on
hand. “So long, Sweeney. I—-I
painted those Jap flags like you
said,” he reported.
“Thanks, Jimmy boy. Just
90 BUZ SAWYER
keep your eyes on old Number 13.
With Mr. Sawyer, pilot, and me,
Sweeney, gunner, we’re gonna
make history today. And don’t
throw away the red paint. You’ll
have a lot more little Jap flags to
paint when we get back,” Sween­
ey said.
As Jimmy was proudly watch­
ing the plane take off, someone
called his attention to a girl’s
handkerchief which had been
found near by.
"K e e p Y o u r Eyes on N u m b e r !3 !n
92 BUZ SAWYER
“Great smoke! That’s Mr.
Sawyer’s good luck charm! He’s
looked everywhere, and now—it’s
too late.”
Far above, the 76 planes from
the Tippecanoe were droning
their way toward the Japanese
supply base at Tinabonga, flying
in close, even formation, ready
for dangers and prepared for at­
tack. The bombers were escorted
by formations of fighter planes.
Suddenly, the fighters discovered
Jim m y F o u n d B u z’ s C h a rm
94 BUZ SAWYER
a Jap snooper plane. They made
short work of knocking it out,
and sending it crashing to the
ocean in a trail of smoke and
flame. But the falling plane rad­
ioed the alarm to the Tinabonga
base, and the Zeros swarmed in­
to the skies.
Back in Willow Springs, U. S.
A., at the Sawyer home, Buz’s
mother was worried.
“Buzzy’s girl friend dropped
in today, John,” she told Mr.
P la n e s D r o n e d T o w a r d T m a b o tig a
96 BUZ SAWYER
Sawyer.
“Which one?” Mr. Sawyer
asked with a smile.
“Tot Winter,” Mrs. Sawyer re­
plied. “The one whose hanky
Buz carries for good luck. She’s
upset, poor dear. Has a premoni­
tion he’s in danger, and when I
told her how I—”
“Oh, fiddlesticks. Stop worry­
ing, Mother. Buz is all right, I’m
sure he is,” Mr. Sawyer inter­
rupted, but he frowned worried-
Bus’s M o t h e r W a s W o r r ie d
98 BUZ SAWYER
ly. He turned his back so that his
wife wouldn’t notice his concern.
Meanwhile, the Jap Zeros
were intercepting the Naval air
fleet flying over Tinabonga.
“Just like football. The fight­
ers do the blocking and we carry
the ball,” Buz said. “Hey, you
guys, where’s that interference?”
Besides the attacking Zeros,
the planes encountered heavy
antiaircraft fire from the base.
“Gangway, you monkeys! The
100 BUZ SAWYER
SBD’s are coming through,” Buz
shouted. They were nearing their
target. The target assigned to
Sawyer’s section was a 10,00-ton
cruiser. Buz circled for position,
then shouted, “Okay, boys!”
Down, down, down they went,
a three-mile drop. The other
planes headed for their assigned
targets.
Down, down, down! Tracers,
flak, pursuing Zeros cluttered the
skies all around him, but Sawyer
" G a n g w a y , Y o u M o n k e y s !”
102 BUZ SAWYER
was too busy checking aim and
drift to notice. He was concen­
trating on that 10,000-ton cruis­
er. Bomber 13’s altitude had
dropped a mile. They had two
more miles to go, straight down.
“Going to get that baby if I
have to fly down his funnel,”
Buz vowed. Sweeney was busy
with a job of his own, concentrat­
ing his fire on the intercepting
Jap aircraft.
“Wheel He’s smoking! I think
D o w n , D o w n T h e y D ro p p e d
104 BUZ SAWYER
I got a Zero, sir. Hey, here come
two more!” Sweeney yelled.
They were still descending,
plummeting toward the cruiser.
“Altitude 2,500 sir! Two
thousand! Fifteen hundred! For
gosh sake, Mr. Sawyer, drop it!”
Sweeney cried.
“Okay, Sweeney, we’re head­
ing for the barn,” Buz said, as he
pressed the bomb release. There
was a terrific whum!
“By dingies, that’s practically
T h e y P lu m m e te d T o w a r d th e C r u is e r
106 BUZ SAWYER
down his doggone funnel!”
Sweeney cried exultantly.
To the Japs, it meant five hor­
rible minutes of screaming dive-
bombers, explosions,‘disaster and
death. Following the dive-bomb­
ers came a wave of torpedo
bombers!
With shouts of “Torpedo
away, sir,” the explosives were
dropped on the scurrying armada
below.
“What a pasting!” Buz shout-
I t W a s a D ire c t H i t
108 BUZ SAWYER
ed gleefully.
“Now for the getaway,”
Sweeney responded.
Each section had accomplished
its mission. They got every war­
ship, and the skies were darkened
with billowing clouds of black
smoke from the crippled and
sinking ships.
“That was fun—’’ Sweeney was
saying, when Buz yelled, “Heads
up. Zeroes twelve o’clock! Get set
for a crash, Sweeney!”
" W h a t a P a s tin g !” S w e e n e y S h o u te d
110 BUZ SAWYER
Bam!Bomber 13 hit the Zero
head on.
“We’re going down,” Buz
groaned.
" Z e r o s ! T w e lv e O ’ C l o c k ! ”
 CHAPTER IV

FORTUNES OF WAR
Buz Sawyer and Sweeney,
wearing their “Mae West” life­
saving apparatus, climbed out of
the crashed bomber.
“Well, here we are, Sweeney,”
Buz said dryly.
They watched old Number 13
nose down and submerge, leav­
ing a gurgling circle of bubbles
112
T h e y C ra s h e d H e a d O n
114 BUZ SAWYER
to mark the spot where it disap­
peared.
“Aye, sir, here we are,”
Sweeney said sadly.
“The fortunes of war, Sween­
ey,” Buz added.
“I barely had time to save the
life raft and fishing kit, sir,”
Sweeney said. He started to blow
up the life raft, but Buz stopped
him.
“Wait,” Buz warned. “Don’t in­
flate the life raft. That Zero looks
Bomber 13 Was Sinking
116 BUZ SAWYER
like . . . Quick! Slip out of your
Mae West! Get ready to dive! It
looks as if he’s coming down to
strafe us!”
The Zero zoomed down. Buz
and Sweeney ducked just in time,
for when the enemy plane got
close to the water, it sprayed the
area with bullets.
‘‘Sweeney, where are you?
Are you all right?” Buz called as
he emerged.
“Behind this wave, sir. I’m
O nly Bubbles M arked the Spot
118 BUZ SAWYER
okay—but here he comes again!
Duck!”
They ducked beneath the
waves again as bullets spattered
all about them.
Back on the deck of the Tippe-
canoe, Jimmy was standing de­
jectedly on deck.
‘‘Too bad, Jimmy. I hear your
plane, Lucky 13, didn’t get
back,” the asbestos man said.
“Yes, I know. But it will. It’s
got to. It’s my plane. Mine! I
O n e Z e r o R e tu rn e d
120 BUZ SAWYER
wash it. I take care of it. Why, I
stayed up all night, patching bul­
let holes so it could go out, and
now—oh, poor Mr. Sawyer and
Sweeney!” Jimmy’s voice broke.
Back in the ocean waters near
Tinabonga, Sweeney and Buz
were inflating their life raft.
“It just wasn’t our lucky day,
Mr. Sawyer,” Sweeney lament­
ed.
“Baloney! We’re still alive,
aren’t we? Come on, get this raft
"Here He Comes! Duck!”
122 BUZ SAWYER
inflated,” Buz urged. Some time
later, they heard a droning
sound.
“I knew I heard planes, sir. It’s
our gang going back for a second
attack on Tinabonga,” Sweeney
cried.
“But they’re going in the
wrong direction. They must be
Jap planes—probably from some
hidden air base we didn’t know
about. They’re about to attack
our ship, the ‘Tippecanoe,’ Buz
They Inflated Their Raft
124 BUZ SAWYER
exclaimed.
They looked at each other in
grim silence. Finally, Sweeney
said, “I keep thinking I hear ex­
plosions far off. Why, at this very
minute, she may be sinking.”
“And there’s nothing we can
do but sit here and wait, and
wonder,” Buz groaned, and grit­
ted his teeth. Later, the droning
sounded overhead again.
“It’s the Japs. They’re running
for home!” Sweeney pointed out.
T h e y L is te n e d f o r P la n e s
126 BUZ SAWYER
A flaming Zero crashed down, and
Sweeney added, “There’s a sight
for you. It’s a Jappy. I think he’s
trying to crash on top of us.”
The plane had crashed within
a few yards of them. Buz heard a
voice saying, “First aid, please. I
am burn. I no see. Help.”
The enemy pilot from the
crashed Zero was calling for aid.
“No life belt. He can barely
swim,” Buz said.
“Boo to you, Jappy boy!”
T h e D ro n in g S o u n d e d A g a in
128 BUZ SAWYER
Sweeney shouted.
“You don’t have to rub it in,
Sweeney,” Buz chided.
“I can’t help it, sir,” Sweeney
answered. “I don’t like Japs. Not
even when they’re drowning.
Shoot the blinking so and so,
that’s what I says.”
“Not in cold blood!”
“Okay, let him drown!”
The Jap called again, “No,
please. I nice boy. I friend. I no
fight. Please save, oh, please save
T h e Z e r o C ra s h e d
ISO BUZ SAWYER
nice Japanese boy.”
“Don’t be a softy, sir. For all
we know, he’s the same mug who
shot us down and then strafed
us,” Sweeney warned.
“Yes, I know. And yet—” Buz
hesitated, then called, “Listen,
you Jap. We’ll pick you up on
one condition—no tricks.”
“Oh, yes, please. I no fight. I
promise,” the Jap whined.
Buz kept him covered while
Sweeney helped the Jap aboard
They Heard a Cry for H elp
132 BUZ SAWYER
and searched him. Abruptly the
Jap stopped expressing his grat­
itude and made a grab for the
gun Buz had trained on him. Buz
made a quick move to get the gun
back, but the Jap jerked back­
ward, lost his balance, and to­
gether with Buz’s gun, fell back
into the water. Buz was boiling
mad now.
“And after I was sap enough to
save his life!” he grumbled.
“Okay, Sweeney, I’ve learned my
They H elped the Jap
134 BUZ SAWYER
lesson. Row away. We’ll leave
him as we found him.”
They rowed away, leaving the
Jap yelling, ‘‘I nice boyl I
friend!”
Time hung heavy on their
hands after that, as the two drift­
ed along on their life raft.
‘‘It’s our second day, Sweeney.
Time to take stock of our situa­
tion,” Buz said. Dawn was break­
ing. It was the start of another
endless day.
H e G r a b b e d th e G u n
1S6 BUZ SAWYER
“Any chance of being rescued,
sir?” Sweeney inquired.
“Rather slim, I’m afraid.
Nearest island is the Jap base at
Tinabonga, but we wouldn’t
want to go there. The nearest
American island is 1,300 miles,
and both wind and current are
against us. As I see it, our best
bet is to head for Agnogi, about
80 or 100 miles west-northwest.
It’s Japanese, but it may not be
occupied by troops.”
They Left H im There
138 BUZ SAWYER
“Okay, sir. You’re the naviga­
tor,” Sweeney agreed. The little
craft, on which they rigged a sail,
headed for the unknown Agnogi
isle.
“Know what day this is,
Sweeney?” Buz asked later.
“Now let me see. Why, bless
my soul—Merry Christmas, sir!”
“And a Merry Christmas to
you,” Buz laughed.
“I have here a present for you,
Mr. Sawyer. A fine, handsome
Dawn o f the Second D ay
140 BUZ SAWYER
flashlight, just the kind you’ve
been wanting,” Sweeney said ele­
gantly, handing over the article.
“Thanks, and I have a hunting
knife for you. Maybe you can stab
a sea gull with it and we’ll have
our Christmas dinner,” Buz re­
torted grimly.
They tried to make light of the
situation, but it was a sorry ex­
cuse for a Christmas celebration.
They were thousands of miles
away from home, separated from
They Headed fo r Agnogi
142 BUZ SAWYER
their comrades, and their only
possible chance or hope for sur­
vival lay on an unknown enemy
island.
"Merry Christmas!”
 CHAPTER V

LAND DEAD AHEAD

Sweeney, leaning over the edge
of the life raft to bring in a fish,
suddenly asked, “If you had it to
do over, Mr. Sawyer, would you
become a Navy pilot?”
Buzj who was scaling a fish
with his knife, answered with
another question: “Why?”
“Oh, I dunno—except this life-
144
They Exchanged Gifts
146 BUZ SAWYER
raft stuff isn’t fun.”
“Beats walking,” Buz laughed.
“The important thing is to know
how and what to do. That’s the
beauty of this job. When a Navy
pilot goes to sea, he’s good. He’s
had a $25,000 education. He’s
been taught a heap more than
flying planes. I’m not worried
about getting back. I’ll get back.
And if I were starting over, I’d
enlist as a Naval aviation cadet
again.”
They Caught Some Fish
148 BUZ SAWYER
Buz leaned back, closed his
eyes and inhaled deeply.
“What are you sniffing at, sir?”
Sweeney asked.
“Land! I can smell it, dead
ahead!” Buz answered.
“G’wan, sir. Nobody can do
that — leastways, not against
the wind. And I’m positive you
can’t see it, either,” Sweeney
scoffed.
“Just the same, I’ll bet you a
barrel of ice cream that we sight
T h e y G o t S o m e D r i n k i n g W a te r
150 BUZ SAWYER
land within four hours,” Buz de­
clared.
“It’s a bet, sir. But what’ll I
ever do with a barrel of ice
cream?” Sweeney wanted to
know. As they drifted along, he
added, ‘‘Ha, ha! This is one time
I got you, Mr. Sawyer. Why, not
even a grizzled old sea dog can
smell land for miles against the
wind, and here you are, sir—
you’ve been to sea less’n two
months and you’re betting a bar-
Buz ^ S m e lle d ” Land
152 BUZ SAWYER
rel of ice cream we sight land
within four hours. That’s a
laugh.”
“Time’s about up. Shall we
look?” Buz asked.
Sweeney stood up and peered
over the make-shift sail.
“Well, bless my soul! There it
is!” he exclaimed in complete
surprise.
“We’ll take down our sail so
we won't arrive before dark. It’ll
be safer,” Buz explained calmly.
They Made a Bee
154 BUZ SAWYER
“What gets me, sir, is how you
knew we were about to sight
land!”
“Easy. I saw those fluffy cumu­
lus clouds. In an otherwise clear
sky, they are likely to have been
formed over land. Also, there’s a
greenish tint to the sky—lagoon
glare, caused by reflected sunlight
from coral reefs. I’m surprised
you didn’t notice it, too.”
Sweeney scratched his head.
“Sometimes, Mr. Sawyer,” he
They Sighted Land Ahead
156 BUZ SAWYER
said seriously, “I think I’m not
quite bright.”
It was nightfall when they
rowed their tiny craft into the
shore waters of a small island
which was thickly covered with
trees and brush. The pair climb­
ed out of the life raft and stood
on the beach.
“Good old terry firmy,”
Sweeney said with a deep sigh.
‘‘Hide the raft and let’s start
exploring. I’m starved and
Buz Could "Read” the Clouds
158 BUZ SAWYER
thirsty,” Buz said, as he scanned
the jungle-snarled territory.
“There’s no use walking for
miles, Sweeney. The best drink­
ing water is only thirty feet up.”
“Hold on, Mr. Sawyer. You
can’t shinny up a coconut tree,”
Sweeney said. “You gotta loop a
rope, or a belt, to your feet.” He
demonstrated the trick, and
quickly obtained some coconuts,
which he and Buz promptly
cracked open.
160 BUZ SAWYER
“M-m-m-m. Here’s to a Hap­
py New Year,” Buz said, as he
drank thirstily.
They wandered around for a
while, and then returned to their
landing place. Buz hunted for the
life raft, but could not find it.
‘‘I hid it in these very bushes,
sir. I’m positive, because here’s
the fishing kit,” Sweeney said.
“Then the Japs must have
found it and—shhhh!” Buz drop­
ped flat and pointed toward the
They Picked Coconuts
162 BUZ SAWYER
beach. Sweeney peered out from
under the concealing brush, and
saw a truckload of Japanese a few
yards away.
“They’re looking for us, and I
mean they’re really looking,”
Sweeney said. As quietly as they
could, Buz and Sweeney climbed
up into the leafy branches of a
tree.
“Keep still. We don’t want to
waste a hand grenade on only two
Japs,” Buz whispered. They
tfA H a p p y N e w Y e a r !
164 BUZ SAWYER
watched the Jap soldiers, who
were clutching bayonets, and
searching the ground below.
Then they slipped down and
crawled farther into the jungle
undergrowth.
“What we need, Sweeney, is a
good hiding place,” Buz said.
“Any place that’s as hard to get
to as this ought to be a knock­
out,” Sweeney grumbled. At last
they came to an ideal spot—a
small clearing surrounded by
They Saw the Japs
166 BUZ SAWYER
big rocks and trees, not far from
the beach. They agreed that it
was a perfect hiding place.
“We’ll have to hide by day, and
rustle food at night. Here, you
have indigestion and so can be
trusted—you’re captain of the
mess. Hide the field rations.
They’re for emergency use only,”
Buz informed Sweeney.
“Aye, aye, sir. I hope you’ll re­
member that the next time you
get hungry, sir,” Sweeney re-
168 BUZ SAWYER
marked.
In a few minutes both Buz and
Sweeney were sound asleep.
Some hours later, Buz, sniffing
loudly, shook Sweeney to awaken
him. Sweeney growled, “Mr.
Sawyer, I can read your mind
like a book. It’s chow time, and
you’re pretending you smell food
cooking.”
“But I do, Sweeney! Ah, what
a heaver}ly aroma,” Buz murmur­
ed.
T h e y F o u n d a H id in g S p o t
170 BUZ SAWYER
"You’re always hungry. This is
just a gag. And you needn’t try
to work on my sympathy. I’m a
cranky old guy with indigestion,
and I plumb disremember where
I hid those field rations. Besides,
they’re for an emergency, and
this is no emergency,” Sweeney
said.
Buz grumblingly ate another
coconut, then when darkness
came they hunted for more to
eat. Sweeney caught some fish.
"For Emergency Use Only!"
1 72 BUZ SAWYER
They wrapped the fish in leaves
and baked them in an under­
ground oven with taro roots.
They boiled pigweed like spin­
ach, although Sweeney mumbled
that he’d settle for a moldy
doughnut. But the feast tasted
good, and Buz thought of picnics
back home when they had cook­
ed steaks and roasted potatoes in
the ashes.
The next day, Buz saw some­
thing move on the beach. He
Sweeney Was Not Sympathetic
174 BUZ SAWYER
dashed toward it. When he saw
what it was he yelled excitedly,
“Hurry! Meat! Turtle soup!
Eggs!”
They Had a F e a s t
 CHAPTER VI

ONE GRENADE, FOUR JAPS

Buz and Sweeney were jubi­

lant over finding the turtle.
“Meat, Sweeney. We’ll feast
for a week!” Buz cried.
“That’s the way, Mr. Sawyer.
Turn ’im on his back so he can’t
move,” Sweeney said approving­
ly. A short distance away in the
sand they found the hollowed
176
"Turtle Soup! Eggs!”
178 BUZ SAWYER
out nest of the big creature.
“Turtle eggs! I betcha there’s
hunnerds of ’em,” Sweeney said,
digging into the hole and scoop­
ing them out. The two men were
so busy over their new find, they
failed to see a truckload of Japs
coming down the beach. The
Japs opened fire when they saw
the two men on the beach, and
the two Americans were forced
to abandon their turtle and its
eggs and run at top speed for
T h e y W o u l d H a v e a Feast
1 80 BUZ SAWYER
cover in the jungle. They rushed
toward their hiding place, and
not a moment too soon, for the
swarm of ugly-faced enemy troop­
ers spread in all directions, bay­
onets poised for the kill, search­
ing the jungle for the elusive
Americans and shouting, “Death
to Yankee pilots!”
“Those blinkin’, slant-eyed
Japs got our turtle,” Sweeney
growled.
Buz, feeling into a hole in a
S u d d e n ly th e Ja p s A tta c k e d
18 2 BUZ SAWYER
tree trunk where they had left
their ammunition, said, “A pity
we didn’t have these hand gren­
ades on the beach. Here, take a
couple. But don’t use them un­
less you have to. They might pass
our hiding place without know­
ing it.”
That, however, was just wish­
ful thinking, for one of the ene­
my soldiers shouted, “Naguchi!
Uchida! This way is path. Foot­
prints.”
" D e a t h to Y a n k e e P i lo t s !”
184 BUZ SAWYER
The Japs entered the clearing,
just as Buz and Sweeney ducked
out.
“Behold—coconuts. A place for
cooking,” one shouted.
“Search for Yankees. They are
near,” said another.
Buz and Sweeney, near by,
waited in tense silence. Then Buz
whispered, “Okay, Sweeney, we
can’t hide any longer.”
He lifted a hand grenade in
the air, took careful aim, measur-
The Japs Found Footprints
186 BUZ SAWYER
ed the distance with his eyes, and
hurled the grenade into the midst
of the group of Japs. There was
a terrific explosion as Japs, bay­
onets, and debris flew high into
the air. Buz and Sweeney left the
area on the run.
“Hot diggity! Four Jappies
with one grenade,” Sweeney said
in triumph.
“Run for the swamp. All tar­
nation’s going to bust loose,” Buz
warned.
Buz Hurled a Grenade
188 BUZ SAWYER
Buz grabbed a long reed on
the way to the swamp, and cut it
in two. He instructed Sweeney to
pick up a heavy rock.
“Here they come. Get under
water. That rock will keep you
submerged. Breathe through the
reed,” Buz instructed.
“B-B-But, Mr, Sawyer—”
Sweeney began in protest, seeing
himself as crocodile food.
“Stop stammering. Do as
you’re told,” Buz ordered.
T h e y Got Four Japs
190 BUZ SAWYER
“Ug, ug, sir,” Sweeney said
weakly, and forced himself to
submerge, leaving only the reed
sticking out of the water. For
what seemed an unending period
of time, the two stayed under
water, knowing that the search­
ing, bloodthirsty Japs were near
by. At last, the sound of a bugle
was heard. Sweeney popped up
out of the water.
‘‘Hear that, Mr. Sawyer?
They’ve given up. They’re get-
192 BUZ SAWYER
tin' into their truck an’ goin’
back to camp,” he said.
Buz crawled out onto the shore,
and the pair stealthily made
their way back to the beach
where the enemy truck was just
pulling away.
‘‘Only six o£ them, and four
dead, makes ten. Yet, I’m posi­
tive I counted twelve when they
arrived. Careful, fella, I’m afraid
they’ve left two snipers,” Buz
warned.
T h e y H e a r d a B u g le
194 BUZ SAWYER
They heard a sound similar to
a bird’s song.
‘‘Hear those bird whistles?
They sound phony. I’ll bet my
life those Jap snipers saw us and
are signaling each other. It’s an
ambush,” Buz said, as he squint­
ed up at the trees.
‘‘What’ll we do, sir?” Sweeney
asked.
“Why, they’ve helped us by
tipping off their location. We’ll
simply run in the opposite direc-
All But Two Jap* Left
196 BUZ SAWYER
tion and never come back. I’ll go
first. If nothing happens, you fol­
low,” Buz instructed.
“No, I’ll go first, sir,” Sweeney
insisted.
“That’s an order, Sweeney. Do
as you’re told,” Buz replied. He
started running at full speed, and
a moment later Sweeney follow­
ed. Sweeney had almost caught up
with Buz, when a voice said,
“Hey, I’m an American—wait!”
Sweeney halted abruptly and
Buz Raced Forward
19 8 BUZ SAWYER
turned around. Just then, Buz
rushed forward, tackled Sweeney,
and knocked him out of the path
of a Jap bullet.
“It’s a Jap trick, you idiot!
Duck!” Buz gasped. Dazedly,
Sweeney grasped Buz’s hand, say­
ing, “Mr. Sawyer, I wanta shake
your hand. I wanta thank you,
sir. You saved my life.”
“Aw, forget it, Sweeney. Come
on. We need a change of ad­
dress,” Buz replied.
Sweeney Halted Abruptly
200 BUZ SAWYER
“One of those Jap snipers
dang near got me. Isn’t there
some way, sir, to get them?”
Sweeney wanted to know as they
moved inland.
“With only a revolver? Not
me. I’m trying to live to a ripe
old age,” Buz replied.
“But our fishin’ kit’s back
there—and our emergency ra­
tions!”
“Shhhh!” Buz whispered,
pointing to a bush. “Somethin’
It Was a Jap Trick
202 BUZ SAWYER
moved!”
With gun trained on the bush,
Buz moved closer, saying, “Come
out.”
“Don’t take any chances, Mr.
Sawyer. Shoot him!” Sweeney
pleaded.
“No, he’s a native, and he’s
scared. Put your knife away,
Sweeney, and act friendly,” Buz
replied. He smiled at the fright­
ened native, and said, “Hey bud-
die, we’re friends. We’re Amer-
Sweeney Was Grateful
204 BUZ SAWYER
icans. You fella savvy English?”
The native’s reply was unin­
telligible. Sweeney was suspic­
ious, but reluctantly he followed
when Buz decided the native was
willing to help them. They were
led to a native village, where a
white-haired chief wearing gold
earrings met them at the en­
trance.
‘‘Good afternoon, chief. You
savvy pidgin English?” Buz ask­
ed.
Something Moved in the Bush
206 BUZ SAWYER
“Hurry ’im up ’im leg belong
you. Place no good /ou fella. Bell
b’iong Jap ’e hot,” the chieftain,
standing with folded arms, re­
plied.
“Bad news, Sweeney. We can’t
stay here. He says it’s dangerous.
Japs are after us,” Buz interpre­
ted. He turned again to the
native, and asked, “Where good
place we stop?”
“More better you go long way
lic-lic where house masta ’e got
It W a s a Native
208 BUZ SAWYER
Mary. ’E allasame you fella, no
b’long Jap.”
“Good news, Sweeney. There’s
a white man and woman on the
island. I couldn’t ask if the
woman’s young and unmarried,
and I’m dying of curiosity. Gome
on, he’s showing us the way,”
Buz said.
“Behind ’im me. Come,”
grunted the chief. Buz and
Sweeney followed.
 CHAPTER VII

IN TH E ENEMY’S LAIR
“The white girl!” Buz said in
astonishment, as the native chief­
tain led them to a spot where a
beautiful, sarong-clad brunette
girl was brushing her long hair.
“Is Mary, ’E b’long masta. No
Jap,” said the chief.
“Look, Sweeney, look!” Buz
said in admiration.
21 0
The Chief Led Them Away
212 BUZ SAWYER
“I’m lookin’, sir. In fact, I
could stay here all day, lookin’.”
“Well, why are we waiting?
Let’s get acquainted,” Buz said.
“You do the talking, sir.
You’ve got a way with the
ladies,” Sweeney replied with a
broad grin.
Buz walked over to the girl,
who wore an expression of sur­
prise.
“Good afternoon,” Buz said,
politely. “I hope you’ll pardon
He Led Them to the White Girl
21 4 BUZ SAWYER
our appearance. We’re American
Naval fliers, and we—”
Before he could finish the sen­
tence, the girl’s eyes widened;
she jumped up, squealing, ‘‘Eek!
Help!” and ran away.
“Well, Sweeney, my lad. How
do you figure that? As soon as I
mentioned we were Americans,
she ran,” Buz said in astonish­
ment.
“Maybe she’s a bloomin’ Jap,”
Sweeney suggested.
Buss D i d th e T a lk i n g
216 BUZ SAWYER
“With a complexion like hers?
Impossible. She understands
English, too. And yet—what on
earth would a white girl be do­
ing on a Jap island?”
“Maybe she’s a prisoner, or
was adopted, or—” Sweeney be­
gan.
“Anyway, she dropped her
hairbrush. I’m going to follow
her and return it. I’m not going
to take no for an answer,” Buz
said.
218 BUZ STWYER
“Of course, her bein’ pretty
has nothin’ to do with it, has it?”
Sweeney asked slyly.
Suddenly, a blue-steel gun was
aimed directly at them, and they
heard the brusque order, “Hands
up!”
Buz and Sweeney raised their
arms above their heads, and the
same voice barked, “Take ’em
knife, Charley. Take ’em gun.”
The native chief whom they
had followed, obeyed the order.
They Followed the Girl
220 BUZ SAWYER
The man confronting Buz and
Sweeney was a big, fat-faced, bul­
let-headed white person, with a
tiny mustache and little beady
eyes. He wore a visored cap, cav­
alry trousers and a polo shirt. He
spoke with a thick, guttural ac­
cent.
“Veil, chentlemen, who are
you? Vat you vant?’’ he demand­
ed.
“Easy with that gun, sir. We’re
Americans. I’m Lieutenant Saw-
"Hands Up!”
222 BUZ SAWYER
yer and this is Mr. Sweeney. We
were shot down by Japs,” Buz
said.
The man just squinted and
waited for him to continue.
“We just ran across a white
girl, probably your wife or
daughter,” Buz went on.
“Impossible. Iss no vite girl on
dis island,” the man snapped
sharply.
“But I’m positive,” Buz pro­
tested.
The Native Took Their Guns
224 BUZ SAWYER
“Nein. I t’ink perhaps you saw
Hinena. Ja, dot’s it. You saw
Hinena. For a native, she iss not
so dark,” the man growled.
“Say, who in thunder are you,
anyway?” Buz asked.
"Fritz von Steuben, citizen of
the German Reich!”
“Great Scott! And we came
here expecting help/’ Buz gasp­
ed.
“Dot’s a goot joke. You didn’t
know I am enemy—a German—
Buz Explained
226 BUZ SAWYER
you expected help. Dot’s a goot
joke, a very goot joke. Ha ha!”
Still laughing, he ordered Buz
and Sweeney to march ahead.
“Some fun, eh Sweeney?” Buz
muttered.
“Aye, sir. I’m about to bust my
sides laughin’,” Swreeney snarled
between his teeth.
A short time later in the
thatched cottage where she made
her home, the pretty girl was
thinking about Buz Sawyer. “He
H e W a s a G e rm a n !
22 8 BUZ SAWYER
wasn’t like these horrid little
Japs. They’re the only young
men I ever see. He had a nice
smile, and eyes that twinkled and
sort of danced,” she mused.
Von Steuben entered, and
placed his hands on her shoul­
ders, saying, “Goot for you,
April. Der Fuehrer vould be
proud; I captured dose Ameri­
cans you told me about, und tied
dem to der ox cart. I go now to
inform der Jap commander.”
They Were Marched Away
230 BUZ SAWYER
“Surely, you aren’t going to
turn the Americans over to the
Japs, Papa?” the girl asked.
“Ja, ja, of course. Dey our ene­
mies. Also, it vill show Japanese
authorities how co-operative ve
are, und maybe make life more
easy for us. Ven dis island vas
Gherman, my papa owned coco­
nut trees by der t’ousands. He
vas rich. Den in 1918, der Japan­
ese take dis island und try to run
us oudt. Ach, it iss not easy liffing
The German Praised April
232 BUZ SAWYER
mit dose monkeys. So I go to der
commander und make a deal.
You guard der prisoners, April.
Take dis gun, und remember—
dey are enemies, Americans!
Neffer trust an American.”
“Yes, Papa,” the girl said soft­
ly.
At the ox-cart, Buz and Sween­
ey were taking stock of their sit­
uation. Von Steuben had chain­
ed their wrists together, through
the spokes of a wheel.
He Was Going to Tell the Japs
234 BUZ SAWYER
“I think that krauthead’s gone
after the Japs,” Buz said.
“There’s not much time, Sween­
ey. We’ve got to escape before
they get back, or—”
"Don’t worry, sir. I’ve studied
magic. I can pick locks and get
outa anything,” Sweeney said, as
he began to poke at the lock on
the chain.
April’s voice cut in, sharply.
"Listen, Yankees, there are three
things I’ve learned well: to swim,
236 BUZ SAWYER
to sail, and to shoot. Above all, I
like to shoot. I wouldn’t advise
you to try getting away.”
Buz spoke out o£the side of his
mouth to Sweeney, “Don’t let
that tough talk fool you, old
timer. She’s lonely, young, pret­
ty, and human. I have a plan, but
don’t depend on it. Keep work­
ing on that padlock.”
He turned to the girl, and said,
pleasantly, “You have me puz­
zled. Your father’s German, you
S w e e n e y .T r i e d to Picfc the Lock
238 BUZ SAWYER
live on a Jap island, and yet you
talk like an American. How does
that happen? I’ll bet you’ve lived
in America. Maybe born there.
Remember the movies and ice­
cream sodas, and . . .”
“No!” April shouted.
Sweeney whispered, “I can’t
seem to open this lock, sir. Is
your plan working?”
“Thunderation, no! Keep try­
ing. We’re desperate,” Buz
whispered back grimly.
April Threatened to Shoot
240 BUZ SAWYER
Meanwhile, back in the States,
the Sawyer family had received a
telegram reporting that their son
was missing in action. They had
no way of knowing that, although
he was in an enemy trap, he was
still alive and well, and strug­
gling to find a wray out.
Sawyer addressed the girl
again, asking gently, “Would
you let us have a drink of water,
please?”
“To heck with water, sir. Wot
Bust Talked to the (Sri
242 BUZ SAWYER
we need is a hammer to bust this
lock,” hissed Sweeney, but Buz
motioned him to keep quiet.
April brought a dipper of
water. When he had drunk, Buz
said, “And now, I hope it isn’t
asking too much—would you be
so kind as to let us have some
soap and a razor? We’d like to
clean up a bit.”
The girl looked at him ques-
tioningly. Sweeney whispered,
“Please, Mr. Sawyer, puh-leez!
Buz Asked for Water
244 BUZ SAWYER
Ask for sompin’ useful,” but Buz
merely smiled. The girl hesitated
a moment, then went to do his
bidding.
"We’d Like to Clean Up.”
 CHAPTER VIII

TWO-MAN WAR

“My first shave in days and

days. You’re next, Sweeney, my
lad,” Buz said as he finished us­
ing the razor. He smiled at April,
and added, “Thanks for the
razor. I feel like a new man.”
The girl stared at him, and her
face softened.
“Say, I’m beginning to see
246
"You’re Next, Sweeney.”
248 BUZ SAWYER
your plan, Mr. Sawyer,” Sweeney
whispered. “Oboy, flash that
smile again. I think she likes
you.”
In another part of the island,
a Jap orderly appeared before his
commander and said, ‘‘Honor­
able sir, that German planter in­
sists he has important news.”
“He is a pig-headed fool, but
show him in,” the Jap officer
ordered.
Von Steuben entered, bowed
Buz Flashed His Smile
250 BUZ SAWYER
and said, “Heil Hitler. I hope,
Colonel, that you consider me a
friend.”
“Oh, yiss, yiss. So glad you call.
Such lovely daughter. Yiss.”
“Undt to shrow my loyal co-op­
eration mit Japan, I haf personal­
ly captured two enemy fliers. Ach,
does it not proof I am a friend?”
“Yiss, yiss, but where are pris­
oners?” the Jap hissed.
At that moment, one of the
prisoners, Buz, was saying to
Von Steuben Told the Japs
252 BUZ SAWYER
April, “You remind me of my
sister. She’s pretty and has long,
wavy hair like yours. You’d like
my sister—my mother, too.
Mom’s the grandest person on
earth. Whenever I go home, she
bakes a lemon pie, and—”
“I’m not interested in your
mom’s cooking,” April snapped.
“Oh, come, come. I’m not try­
ing to be entertaining. Don’t you
know what it means to be sent to
a Jap prison camp? Can’t you see
April Wouldn’t Listen
254 BUZ SAWYER
I’m scared? Can’t you understand
how I feel? Thunderation, wom­
an, have you a heart of ice? It’s
you—you—who are sending me
there. And you haven’t even
enough feeling to send me with
a smile!” Buz continued.
April regarded him in silence
for a moment, then sat down near
him.
“I’m glad you decided to be
friendly. Mind telling about
yourself?” Buz asked.
**Have You a Heart of Ice?”
256 BUZ SAWYER
“There’s not much to tell,” the
girl replied. “My father died
when I was eleven. We lived in
St. Louis. Mother married Herr
von Steuben, and we moved to
this island.”
“Isn’t it terribly lonely?” Buz
asked gently.
“Since mother died, there’s
been no one to talk to except
Papa von Steuben. No one.”
“No boy friends?”
“Oh, no. You’re the first
She Decided to Be Friendly
258 BUZ SAWYER
young man, except the Japs and
the natives, who’s ever been
here.”
Buz said to Sweeney*in an un­
dertone, “Now we’re getting
somewhere, Sweeney, my lad. If
I can’t talk my way out of this
jam, my name isn’t Buz Sawyer.”
“Don’t forget to mention wot
pretty eyes she has,” Sweeney
laughed.
Buz turned to April. “The
Japs will be here soon. Do you
260 BUZ SAWYER________

mind coming closer and holding

my hand, April?”
“Why?” the girl asked, but she
came over to him.
“Because I like you. Because I
think you’re the loveliest girl I’ve
ever seen, and because the mem­
ory of just looking into your eyes
will make the horrors of a Jap
prison camp more endurable.”
April withdrew her hand, and
turned away abruptly.
Sweeney grinned. “By dingies,
"I Like You,” Buz Said
262 BUZ SAWYER
sir, no wonder girls always like
you. Why, that was the purtiest
love talk I ever heard. Boy!”
“I’m afraid I overdid it. She
turned and walked away,” Buz
groaned.
But had he overdone it? April
was torn between the picture of
the handsome young American
wasting away in a torturous
prison camp, and the warnings of
her father, who at that moment
was directing the Japs to his
April Turned Away
264 BUZ SAWYER

house.
“Hear that truck? Japs!
They’re crossing the creek,”
^April cried.
“Unlock this padlock! Hur­
ry!” Sweeney and Buz called
simultaneously.
“But papa has the key. I
can t!
“Then bring an axe, a ham­
mer, anything!” Buz urged. The
girl ran.
“Here’s a monkey-wrench. It
She Brought a Wrench
266 BUZ SAWYER
was all I could find,” she said as
she returned from the cottage.
“That’s the girl, Aprill I knew
you wouldn’t let us down,” Buz
said.
“I think the Japs got stuck in
the mud. There’s still time,”
Sweeney said. Buz, declaring that
the monkey-wrench was just the
thing, loosened the wheel of the
ox-cart.
“Here’s your pistol, and the
hand grenades papa took from
Buz Loosened the Wheel
268 BUZ SAWYER
you,” April said. “Hide until
dark. There’s a sailing canoe be­
yond the point. It’s mine. Take
it. If you steer west by northwest,
you’ll come to another island.”
“Thanks a million, angel,”
Btre whispered as he embraced
her. Then he called good-by as
he and Sweeney, carrying the
wheel between them, raced for
cover.
Von Steuben and the Jap offi­
cer, leaving the other Japs to deal
wG o o d * b y ! ”
270 BUZ SAWYER
with the bogged-down truck, set
out on foot.
“My house iss not far,” Von
Steuben said. As they got in sight
of it, the German shouted,
“Mein himmel! Gone! Eefen der
veel iss gone!”
“So. You leave prisoners. They
escape. Is you fault. You fault,”
the Jap said with a snarl.
“Vait, captain. Vait. I can ex­
plain,” Von Steuben stammered.
But the Jap did not wish to
"Prisoners Gone! Your Fault!”
272 BUZ SAWYER
listen. He pointed a gun at him,
and hissed, “Prisoners gone. You
fault.”
A few yards away, Buz and
Sweeney paused to break the pad­
lock with the monkey-wrench
and free themselves from the
wheel.
“Listen, weren’t those gun
shots?” Sweeney asked anxiously.
“Probably. The Japs are on
our trail, and they thought they
saw us. Anyway, let’s change di-
Buz Broke the Padlock
2 74 BUZ SAWYER
rection and try to get behind
»
em. >1
“That’s it, sin You’ve got a
mind like a fox,” Sweeney mar­
veled.
They doubled back, and then
stopped.
“Do you see what I see,
Sweeney?” Buz asked.
“Why, those Jappies are still
trying to get their truck out of
the mud,” Sweeney replied, as
he eyed the group of enemy
The Japs Were Stuck
276 BUZ SAWYER
troopers.
“Hmm. How many hand gren­
ades have you?” Buz asked spec­
ulatively.
“Two, sir,” Sweeney answered.
“I’m getting tired of those
bandy-legged monkeys chasing
us all the time. How’d you like
to start chasing them?” Buz ask­
ed.
; “ Now you’re talking, sir. Now
you’re talking,” Sweeney re­
plied.
They Tossed Two Grenades
278 BUZ SAWYER
“Okay, Sweeney. Here’s where
we start a two-man war. Here’s
one for the turtle they stole from
us,” Buz said, as he raised his
grenade ready to toss it into the
midst of the Japs.
“And this’n, sir, is for my sis­
ter on Bataan,” Sweeney answer­
ed. They hurled their grenades
at the same moment, and the
missiles landed with a loud ex­
plosion among the startled ene­
my troops. Japs flew high into
 \ v\\,

Japs Flew into the Air

280 BUZ SAWYER

the air, and then there was si­

lence, as Buz and Sweeney crept
cautiously forward toward the
truck.
Sweeney Searched the Truck
 CHAPTER IX

JAP EXTERMINATORS

“Sawyer and Sweeney, Jap ex-

terminators, that’s us, sir.”
Sweeney boasted, as they climbed
onto the truck. “And looka here
—grenades and rifles. Everything
we need to carry on our work.”
“Isn’t there anything to eat?”
Buz asked.
“There you go again, always
282
284 BUZ SAWYER
thinkin’ of your sturnmick. No,
sir, there’s not a thing,” Sweeney
said after taking a quick look
around.
“Then let’s get away from
here - hurry!” Buz urged.
“There may be more Japs near
by, and they’re sure to investi­
gate those explosions.”
Buz was right. Some more
Japs closed in around the place
where the others had been trying
to get the truck out of the mud.
 t-J

Both Shot at the Japs

286 BUZ SAWYER
Buz and Sweeney were lying in
wait for them. As they came
nearer, the two opened fire with
the weapons they had taken from
the truck, and one after another
of the Japs was struck by the bul­
lets.
“Now this is my idea of how to
fight a war, sir. When I shoot a
Jap, by dingies, I like to see him
jump straight into the air,”
Sweeney commented.
“One of them got away, but
 " / //l

They Found the Boat

288 BUZ SAWYER
judging by the way he was run­
ning, he’s not likely to bother us.
Come on, we'd better get out of
here, it’s getting dark.”
They followed April’s instruc­
tions, and found the canoe she
had told them about.
"There’s food in it. She must
have done that, Sweeney. Now
there’s one of the sweetest girls
I ever knew,” Buz said.
“Sh-sh-sh!” Sweeney caution­
ed. "Somebody’s cornin’. I think
April Came Toward Them
290 BUZ SAWYER
it’s a Jap.” He dropped down be­
hind a rock, and Buz followed
suit. They took careful aim at the
approaching figure, then Buz
cried, “Wait!” He had recogniz­
ed the person. It was April. She
came slowly toward them.
“I was afraid I’d be too late.
I’m going with you,” she said
quietly.
“But what about the German
—your stepfather?” Buz asked.
“He—he’s dead,” she said with
" T h e y K ille d P a p a
292 BUZ SAWYER
a sob.
“But—but what happened?”
Sweeney inquired.
“When the Jap learned that
you’d escaped, he drew his gun
and—and shot papa—two times—
through the chest,” April ex­
plained tearfully.
Buz tried to comfort her, as she
haltingly continued, “And then
—oh, it was horrible. He set fire
to the house—and the bam. Then
he came back. Papa moved a lit-
" J a p s H a t e A I L F o r e ig n e r s ”
294 BUZ SAWYER
tie—so he kicked him—and shot
him again.”
Buz patted her shoulder, as she
went on, “I—I can’t stay here any
longer. I’m afraid. There’s noth­
ing left—nothing. Oh, please,
take me with you. Please!”
“Why—why, of course, April,
of course,” Buz said soothingly.
“We wouldn’t leave you here
now.”
“I couldn’t help crying. I—I’m
all right now,” April said.
They S e t Sail
296 BUZ SAWYER

“I’m sorry, April. I’m terribly

sorry about your stepfather. It
was my fault,” Buz said.
“Please don’t say that. It isn’t
true. The Japs shot him, not be­
cause of you, but because he was
a foreigner. They hated him.
They hate all foreigners, includ­
ing Germans. But please, let’s go
now, at once,” April pleaded. “I
have a little money and Mends in
Samoa. I—I’ll try not to be any
trouble to you.”
A pril Prepared Breakfast
298 BUZ SAWYER
Even though it was nighttime,
they set sail for the island April
had described. They landed at
dawn, and with guns raised, be­
gan to explore the small piece of
land.
“It sure isn’t much of an is­
land, sir,” Sweeney complained.
“Anyway, there aren’t any
Japs,” Buz replied. “And I’m a
man who appreciates peace and
quiet. We’ll hide the canoe.
April, will you fix breakfast?”
T h e y H e a rd an Air R a id
so o BUZ SAWYER
“Yes, of course,” April answer­
ed.
They brought back the results
of their island tour—coconuts.
“No fresh water, and only
twenty-eight coconuts. I counted
’em. Unless it rains, sir, they’ll
last us two weeks at the most,”
Sweeney said.
“Oh, stop squawking, Sween­
ey. Here we are, with an ocean
breeze, lots of sunshine, no Japs,
and—” Buz pointed out, but
"W e’re T oo Far Away,”
302 BUZ SAWYER

Sweeney interrupted.
“Listen. Did you hear that,
sir?”
“Hear what?” Buz asked.
“Explosions! Something’s hap­
pening on the island we just left.
I hear planes, too. Hey, it’s an
air-raid—an American air-raid!”
Sweeney yelled.
“And we’re too far away to sig­
nal for help,” Buz groaned.
“Of all the bum luck,”
Sweeney lamented. “No, wait!
Buz Tried to S ig n a l
304 BUZ SAWYER

They’re cornin’ this way. I can

see ’em. I still got my signalin’
mirror.” Then he was crestfallen.
“Only they’re from the opposite
direction from the sun. It won’t
work.”
Buz was wildly waving his
shirt. “Then build a fire. Do
something. Hurry!” he shouted.
Far up in the skies, one of the
planes in the Navy bomber for­
mation was signaling to another.
The pilot put his hand to his
One Plane Had Trouble
306 BUZ SAWYER
nose, pointed to the motor, and
then put his head on his arm.
The pilot in the plane nearest
him, said, “Too bad. Motor
trouble. He’s going to ditch it.
Good luck, fella.’’ He waved.
The plane with the faltering
motor drew out of formation
and started downward.
“Well, here goes. Have to
choose between that atoll and the
drink. Me, I’ll take dry land,” the
pilot said, as he zoomed down to-
''Hold On! We’re Americans!”
308 BUZ SAWYER
ward the beach where Buz and
Sweeney were frantically signal­
ing. As he landed, he noticed the
figures of the two men, and mur­
mured, “Hey, some guys in uni­
form. Must be Japs.” He climbed
out of the plane, drawing his gun,
saying, “Okay, I’ll make the best
of it.”
He fired his gun, and one of
the uniformed figures yelled,
“Hold on, you idiot! We’re
Americans.”
It Was Chili Harrison!
310 BUZ SAWYER
Buz and Sweeney ran toward
the plane, and then halted in sur­
prise as they came closer.
Sweeney gasped, “Well, by
dingies, look, sir!”
“Chili Harrison!” Buz shout­
ed in amazement as he beheld
the Navy flier, his former room­
mate. .
“Buzzo—and Sweeney—of all
people!” Chili shrieked. “Three
blooming cheers and two huz-
zahs! They’re alive!”
He Was Glad They Were Alive
312 BUZ SAWYER
“Of course, we’re alive,” Buz
laughed, as he playfully tussled
with his old pal. “Hey, where’s
the ‘Tippfecanoe?’ ”
“What’s goin’ on?” Sweeney
asked.
“Save it, boys, save it. I’ve got
a wounded gunner back here.
Gimme a hand, will you?” Chili
asked.
Buz and Sweeney immediately
forgot everything else, as they
turned to the plane. They assist-
314 BUZ SAWYER
ed Harrison in removing the
half-conscious gunner, and, help­
ed to give first aid after they had
gently lowered him to the
ground.
They Gave'Him First Aid
 CHAPTER X

A REAL JOB FOR TH E NAVY

Chili Harrison worked swiftly

and gently over the wounded
gunner, using a gun for a splint
to tie up a broken leg.
“There you are, Joe. First aid
a la Harrison. In a couple of
days, you’ll be heading for the
States with a lot of pretty nurses
to wait on you,” he said.
316
Chili Soothed Joe
318 BUZ SAWYER
“I’m awful cold, sir,’’ the gun­
ner replied.
“Here’s an extra shirt,” Buz
said, shedding his.
“Do you think they’ll rescue
us soon, sir?” Joe asked weakly.
“Why, of course, joe. Of
course. They know where we are.
Maybe tonight, Joe,” Chili
soothed him.
Buz turned away, and Chili
said to him later, “I know what
you’re thinking, Buz—about how
Chili Saw April
320 BUZ SAWYER
they never came after you. But
this is different. It’s got to be!”
They sat down together on the
beach. Chili rambled on, “You
know, Buz, the trouble with this
war is they keep all the Wacs and
Waves back home. Why, a fella
never sees a—a—”
At that moment, his expres­
sion changed to one of complete
surprise. He could hardly speak
for a moment, for he had seen
April, a vision of beauty, as she
H e T h o u g h t H e W a s S e e in g T h in g s
322 BUZ SAWYER
knelt by the bonfire.
“Great Scottf” Chili exclaim­
ed, covering his face with his
hands, and then peeking through
his fingers.
“What’s the matter?” Buz
asked, thinking his friend had
suddenly lost his mind.
“Oh, nothing. Probably a
mirage. But for a second, I
thought I—I—” He paused, risked
another glance in April’s direc­
tion, and as she rose to her feet,
" I t 's a G i r l ! ”
324 BUZ SAWYER
Chili jumped up crying, “Hey,
it’s real! Wheel It’s a girl! A liv­
ing, breathing girl. I found ’er.”
“Don’t be an idiot,” Buz said
calmly. April was astounded.
“She’s April Forrest, an Amer­
ican refugee,” Buz explained.
“You mean—I didn’t see her
first?” Chili groaned.
“Certainly not. She saved us
from a Jap prison. She—”
“Never mind explaining,
chum. Just burn my clothes and
"I Didn’t See Her First?”
326 BUZ SAWYER
throw me to the piggies. I’m tired
of this cold, cruel world,” Chili
complained. ‘‘You couldn’t find
a male refugee, could you?”
Buz looked at him question­
ing^-
‘‘No, not you. You have to find
a girl. Lucky Sawyer always finds
a girl. You could land at the
North Pole, and there’d be a bevy
of ’em there, knockouts, every
one. Why, I’ve searched half the
Pacific Ocean, and what did I
Chili Was Disappointed
S28 BUZ SAWYER
find—40,000,000 square miles of
ocean and two dinky islands.
How on earth do you do it?”
Chili regarded April again,
and then took his luck charm and
hurled it into the ocean, explain­
ing that Buz had lost his.
“I’m looking for the same kind
of bad luck you had,” he said.
Later that night, Sweeney
heard a plane.
‘‘Get the flashlight, Sweeney.
Hit ’im with a signal,” Buz cried.
Sweeney H e a r d a P la n e
330 BUZ SAWYER
Five minutes later, the plane
dropped float flares for a landing.
“Hooray! We’ll put Joe in the
canoe and some of us can take
Chili’s raft,” Buz said excitedly.
They all talked at once.
“Hey, give a hand with Joe,”
Sweeney called.
“I ’ve gotta destroy my plane
first,” Chili gasped.
“You don’t think this could be
a Japanese trick, do you?” April
asked breathlessly, as they rowed
They R o w e d o u t to I t
332 BUZ SAWYER
toward the plane,
“Oboy, here’s our plane—a
‘Cat,’ ” Buz said as they neared
the Catalina flying boat. “I was
never so glad to see a Navy plane
in my life.”
“The wounded man first,” the
pilot ordered. “Lively, please.
This is risky business. Doc will
attend the wounded man. I ex­
pect the rest of you are hungry,
eh, Mr. Sawyer?”
“Say, I could eat a horse, shoes
T hey Left on the Plane
334 BUZ SAWYER
and all,” Buz replied.
“Thought so. Galley’s this way.
Jim has coffee, potatoes, ham’n
eggs ready,” the flier grinned.
“Pinch me, somebody. I think
I’m dreaming,” Buz said, as he
and Sweeney and April devoured
the delicious food.
At the air base where they
landed, the men were indifferent
about the rescue, until they learn­
ed there was a girl with the res­
cued party. As Buz and April
They Landed a t a Base
336 BUZ SAWYER
came ashore, the men crowded
around to get a glimpse of the
beautiful brunette.
Some time later, Buz said to
Chili, “Let’s see; I’ve cabled the
folks, had a medical check-up, ar­
ranged for April to be sent to
Samoa, and—”
“How was the check-up?”
Chili asked.
Buz grinned mischievously.
“Lost eight pounds. They’re giv­
ing me a ten-day leave in Samoa.”
Buz Got a Ten-Day Leave,
538 BUZ SAWYER
“The same place she’s going?”
“Quite a coincidence, isn’t it?”
Buz laughed.
“Sawyer, you make me posi­
tively sick. There’s no justice.
Me, I gotta report back for duty,
and you, you lucky rascal, have
ten days to sit around a beach
with a gorgeous babe, and rest.
Boy, it bums me up. I gotta play
cops and robbers with a lotta
Japs—”
“Cheer up, Chili,” Buz laugh-
Chili Was Jealous
340 BUZ SAWYER
ed. “My every thought will be of
you.”
“Baloney!” Chili scoffed.
“Anyway, you’ll be missing a lot-
ta big stuff, Buzzo. And I mean
big, No dinky raids like the ones
you were on before. No, sir. This
is the real thing.”
“Honest?” Buz asked. His ex­
pression changed from one of
pleasure to one of surprise and
incredulity, and he said, slowly,
“I hope you’re not kidding,
Chili Was Going on a Raid
342 BUZ SAWYER
’Chili.”
Just then an officer approach­
ed, and asked, “Ready to leave,
sir?”
“Okay, chief,” Chili replied.
“Well, so long, Buzzo. Have a
good time.” He waved airily, but
Buz was deep in thought. He ran
to find April.
“A ten-day leave—isn’t it
wonderful? You’ll love Samoa,
Buz. We’ll have the grandest
time. We’ll go swimming every
544 BUZ SAWYER
day, and—” she said joyously.
“I’m sorry, April, but I—I’m
not going to Samoa,” Buz
answered, solemnly shaking his
head.
“But why?” the girl asked.
“Listen, angel. I—I can’t ex­
plain. Something important’s
come up. Please forgive me,” Buz
said. He bid her a hasty farewell,
and ran swiftly across the field,
yelling, “Hurry, Sweeney.”
The tug of duty—with some-
" l9m Not Going to Samoa.5*
346 BUZ SAWYER
thing really big ahead for the
Naval forces—had been too great
for Buz to resist.
“Hey! Chili! Wait! We’re go­
ing with you!” Buz shouted.
Chili, laughing quietly to him­
self, had been expecting him.
Buz Went With Chili
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