Part 22 (1/2)
Suddenly the shrill whistle of the engine cut through all other sound A ry roar from hundreds of throats told Dave and Freddy that the train wasto push forward, and si of the troops who could not get aboard, and the sound of the train as it picked up speed and went racing off toward the east
”Here they are! Everybody scatter!”
Perhaps it was the sa horn voice, and perhaps it wasn't Anyway, everybody heard the co Awings Further orders were not necessary In a flash Dave thought of the boe The road had once dipped down under it, but noas no ed chunks of stone with twisted steel rails and splintered ties for roof shi+ngling He grabbed Freddy by the are!” he shouted in his friend's ear ”We can cran under it We should be safe”
”Just thinking of that, myself!” Freddy shouted back as they both broke into a run ”Those blasted Stukas! Will we never hear the last of the bo up into the night sky Its bomb struck a hundred yards away but the concussion sees on their feet as well They dasheddarkness, missed turned-over trucks and hunks of the bombed station by inches, and finally scrae and into the cave-like hole blown out of one of the supporting walls They crawled back over the broken stones as far as they could and sat huddled together listening to the world blow apart over their heads
”Well, at least we got our load of wounded aboard!” Dave shouted as there ca, I guess”
”Yes, we didn't let them down,” Freddy's voice came faintly ”Phew, but I'm tired Stukas or no Stukas, I don't think I can keep awake anotherinside Dave He too becaged against him and he battled to keep his eyes open; to keep a look-out in case they hts hung on his eye lids, and it was ier Above them worlds exploded sound and flame Underneath the bloas struck None of it, however, reached the two boys Young strong bodies had taken an awful beating for hours on end, and they needed rest Tiht cease, and the world could come to an end, but it would have no effect on Dave Dawson and Freddy Farmer, for they were both sound asleep
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
_Thunder In The West_
The cold, clammy air of early dawn finally pried Dave's eye lids open and brought him back to the conscious world For a rey shadows all around hiradually he realized that the shadows, e chunks of ceh cracks and holes between theht back memory of where he was Then swiftly followed recollection of all that had happened and why he was there He started to get to his feet, and his lish youth groaned, opened his eyes and stared blankly around for aback to his
”Gee, it's one, thank goodness,” Dave said ”Lets get out of here Maybe the train's back and we can get aboard it this time Gosh!+
I'm stiff as a board”
”I can hardly ot slowly to his feet ”Man, I never thought a chap could fall asleep while boh a ten hour bombardht he was pulling , but now blessed if I don't believe him I say, what's that?”
Dave cocked his head and listened to the sudden strange sound
”TroopsThe train must be back Come on, Freddy!”
Dave scra up out of the cave and between the rocks to firh a crack that gave hi in back of the bomb shattered station His heart leaped up into his throat, and for a second or two he couldn't utter a word Freddy, scra up behind, bumped into hi hand to his lips
”Pipe down!” he hissed ”Freddy! For gosh sakes, take a look through that crack Gee! What do you know about that?”
The English youth squir body stiffened, and there was the sharp sound of sucking air into his lungs He turned around and stared wide eyed at Dave and licked his lower lip
”Gerars are all over the place We've been left behind, Dave Our boys must have moved on when the Stukas went away But ere asleep”
”Yeah, I guess that was it,” Dave said and nodded ”Holy smokes, Freddy, what shall we do?”
”I don't know, except to stay where we are,” the English youth replied in a tight voice ”If we show our heads they're sure to grab us There must be thousands of theulp ”Yes, the best thing to do is stay right here and hope they don't find us Maybe they'll move off after awhile, then we can beat it Gosh!+ I had all I want of a being a Gerht here”
”At least on't starve, no h,” Freddy said ”We both have plenty of chocolate bars we got at the hospital And I didn't have to give any of the water in my canteen to the wounded I carried Did you?”
”Not a drop, it's full,” Dave said, and patted the canteen at the end of the strap hooked over his shoulder ”You're right, on't go hungry or thirsty But gosh, I hope they don't stick around too long, or we'll never get out of this place Maybe ere crazy to duck in here, huh?”