Henderson daily dispatch., 1940-09-09
| BEFORE HIEE4GMREEEz'!KtlRIEG
bR - RUPERT GRAYS0N
RUPERT GRAYSON

| over the continent Of Europe 10
about all I can say at the moment.
But I'm keeping notes, and Wen
be able to work it out later-if
any. Meantime these quick changes
have got me beaten!"
Which. imagine" remarked
Gun. lis precisely what they are
intended to do"
Another half-hour of these tao
tics, and then came the message:
I'VE shall now land. You will
follow down, using all necessary
precautions"
Gun acknowledged the message
with a curt 20. K"
He passed instructions on to
Tommy, and few moments later
the leading plane dropped into the
cloud bank and disappeared. After
waiting a short time, and as per
instructions. using all necessary
precautions" Tommy followed suit.
The cloud was considerable, and
when they finally emerged below it
the altimeter registered only seven
hundred and fifty feet.
"Land-ho" cried Tommy through
the phone. And sail on the star
board bow"
This was right enough. The
black plane was about a mile
away, and slightly to their right.
There was terra firma below, and
no sign of the sea from that
height.
The land looked rugged and
billy, with a number of big, stark
pine woods, and no sign of town
or village in their vicinity. but
away to the west there was some
sort of a town, with factory CHM
neys sticking up.
what do you make of it,
Tommy" Gun asked. Where are
we?"
ASK me another" was the an
swer. But it looks like Germany
to me. Sort of district where they
keep their blooming schlosses, or
whatever they call them!"
Over the radio there came fur
Their directions:
"You will now follow us. Short
ly we shall land, so be prepared.
You will follow us down."
Again Gun sent back the brief
20. K" The black plane turned her
nose to the southwest, and they
were off once more.
They flew for perhaps a dozen
miles, and then, in what looked
like a sort Of gigantic birds nest
amid the pine-strewed hilltops,
Gun saw what was obviously an
Ideal natural landing ground. It
struck him, too, that nature had
been somewhat improved upon by
a human touch or tWo-the clear
ing of trees and bushes, and so on.
The big plane descended, and
finally made a skillful landing in
the cup below, leaving maximum
space for the smaller machine.
Tommy handled the plane with
the utmost skill, and made a safe
] and easy landing, bringing the
plane to stop, as Gun noted with
approval, in a position strategical-
| ly good for a quick and safe take
off again if necessary.
| There were three men In the
other plane, and all Of them had
climbed down by the time Tommy
HAD landed. Two stood by the
plane. The third, a short distance
away, kao slipped out of his flying
kit, revealing beneath it the uni
form OF a squadron leader in the
British Air Force.
Trying to establish confidence"
was Guns mental note.
AS they both climbed out of the
scout, the man turned toward
them.
There was queer silence in the
place. The first sound that broke
the stiffness was the low murmur
Of voices as the two men standing
by the big plane spoke together.
Gun had good ears. and he could
just catch a fragment or two Of
their conversation. They spoke in
English-or, rather, American, but
the American accent in its popu-
larity has 1nternationalized all Ian
guages, so that an American voice
did not mean that it necessarily
came from an American throat.
q. we want. but who's the
other guy, anyway"
Guess he's some sort Of assist
ant, or partner. Might be pretty
useful-sometimes the hired man'll
talk easier than the boss, and may
be know darned near as much"
Gun was quick to catche the
point, and whispered hastily to
Tommy Hazeideane:
IF any questions are asked, I'm
Jour assistant-your confidential