The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1940-12-07
Before The Blitzkrieg
by Rupert Grayson
CHAPTER FoRrY-THREE

SOUNDS Of activity came from
the darkness now. The clink of
shovels and the thud Of picks. Muf-
led Observation-Disclosures. Then
some orders In . louder tone, and
the clinking and rafting Of metal
other than shoyels and pick heads.
"Heavens" exclaimed Coral, In
q tone Of dismay. do you Know
what they're up to nowf They're
rigging up q searchlight-theyve
got two In the Factory, you know.
II they get that trained on us,
we're done for"
That's torn it." came Tommy's
voice, also dismayed.
Then Gun. quietly:
NO, it hasn't. They won't be in
tme-look -. At the sky ="
And they all looked up and saw
the first streaks of a silver dawn
Sitting the velvet blackness Of the
night.
Good egg" cried Tommy.
Here, I say, why let the beggars
have 1t all their own way? Let's
hven 'em up a bit"
So they sprawled out, Bisley
style, behind their cement bags.
and opened up a steady nre. But II
seemed to have little effect, and
met with no response beyond some
yelled insults, followed by shouts
of ribald laughter.
These damned old rides have
got no range. that's the trouble"
said Tommy.
So they stopped firing, and sat
watching and waiting for the light.
When at last they were able to
distinguish things they saw that.
about three hundred yards away,
three impromptu shelters had been
contrived- The holes made by the
dynamite had been supplemented
by piles OF sacks, filled either with
earth or sand. And just behind the |
middle one stood a small search
light, apparently ready for use,
EXCEPT that 1t was not connected
up. To get their power they would
have to run a cable from the Fac
tory and this. luckily, they had not |
had time to do.
Gun surveyed the outlook with
out any sort Of satisfaction.
They've got us trapped in here.
al right" was his verdict. THEY'LL
just sit there and watch US all day.
and If any of US poke our noses
outside. they'll pot us. Then. as
soon as night comes, they'll get
that Internal searchlight working
and with that in our eyes we
shan't stand a dogs chance. And
that's that
CHEEKY" commented Tommy.
And meanwhile we're going TO be
stuck here all day without a bite
or a drink"
i can manage the bite" put In
Coral, surprisingly. But not much
more"
They stared at her, In the pale
morning night she looked a slight
~ disheveled, but picturesque, fg-
ure. During the nights perform
ance her clothes had been torn in
several places. Her face was dirty.
and her hair disordered. Over her /,
shoulders the bandolier wa slung ,
and, to keep her hands free. she
mad slung her handbag from her !
belt. She leaned on her rife like A
professional soldier, and smiled
Gown at her surprised companions :
Then she opened her handbag and :
produced a large cake OF choco- 3
ate and half-dozen biscuits. !
Good" cried Gun. Coral. nv
,niid, you're a treasure straight I
rom heaven. Lord knows there's
little enough Of 1t. but we'd better
split that iron ration into two" I
They took a biscuit each. broke n
he cake Of chocolate into halves
Ind then one Of the halves into h
ihree. Then they sat down togeth.
y and munched. making the most v
" 1t.
1T reminds me OF when I was a
mild was Coral's comment. You n
NOV, making q pennyworth OF a
Tweets last . long time r.