Part 21 (1/2)

”We have been having poor luck keeping the bombers out,” he said. ”I'll have to replace you three and add six more Spitfires, if I can get them.”

”I need them at once. The sooner you get them up here, the sooner we'll be back to help you.”

”I have an old Defiant they can both pile into,” the O.C. finally said.

”I'll get them off tomorrow before daylight.”

Stan waited a few minutes, then put in a call for Allison. Presently the Britisher's drawl came in over the wire clearly:

”What's the matter, Yank, grounded in some cow pasture?”

”I landed in one but didn't like it,” Stan said with a laugh. ”I'm calling from the navy base.”

”What's up?”

”Just this. I'm sending for you fellows and you will get orders to leave just before daylight. Look out for clouds. Fly that old Defiant low and watch for Heinkels. And tonight, if there's a raid, just you duck in the opposite direction from the way the Squadron Leader orders. I'll spin you a yarn when you get up here. Keep mum but pa.s.s the word to the boys to follow you if there's a raid.”

”Well, really, old man, you know O'Malley and I can keep still and we can get orders mixed up badly.”

”See you tomorrow.” Stan hung up.

That night Stan slept soundly. He was still snoring away when the bugler outside his window blew first call. The moment his eyes opened he tossed aside the blankets and jumped out of bed. He wolfed his breakfast and was out on the field and headed for the hangar where the three Hawks were taking flying shape.

Allison and O'Malley came in before nine o'clock. Allison was flying the s.h.i.+p. He smiled thinly at Stan as he climbed out.

”I brought her up here. When you mentioned Heinkels, O'Malley was for hunting in the clouds a bit.”

”I hated to waste a good trip,” O'Malley complained.

”The boys at the factory sent the Hawks out almost ready to fly. We'll be in London tonight,” Stan said.

O'Malley's eyes were on the three Hawks which had been rolled out into the suns.h.i.+ne in front of the hangar.

”'Twill be swell flyin' a s.h.i.+p that hasn't been all daubed up and smeared with messy paint,” he said.

”We'll fly them in without camouflage,” Stan agreed.

Five minutes later O'Malley and Allison were helping with the Hawks.

O'Malley was burning up to be off, but the fighters had to be carefully checked. As they worked Allison told Stan how they had been chased by three Messerschmitts.

”If you hadn't warned us, and if we hadn't decided to change our time of departure, we might have had plenty of trouble,” Allison said.

Stan came around from behind one of the Hawks. ”I might as well tell you the whole yarn while the boys are tuning up the motors,” he said.

They sat on a bench in the sun while Stan told what had happened to him on his trip over. When he came to the part about making the Jerry talk, and name Garret, O'Malley leaped to his feet.

”Splinter me rudder!” he shouted. ”I'm fer kitin' back this minnit. Wait till I get me hands on that spalpeen!”

”No use to go off half-c.o.c.ked,” Stan warned. ”We need to catch Garret red-handed. I figure we'll get a few real spies along with him. But we won't be on schedule. Garret has a way of finding out what's going on in the O.C.'s office. He will tip off the n.a.z.is and they'll be waiting to gang up on us.”

”Sure, an' that's just what we want,” O'Malley broke in. ”They gang up an' we spatter the smithereens out of them.”