The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1940-11-05
Before The Blitzkrieg
by Rupert Grayson

over the continent OF Europe is
| about all l can say at the moment
But I'm keeping notes, and we'll
be able to work it out later-it
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:
we shall now and You will
follow down, using all necessary
precautions.
Gun acknowledged the message
with a curt 70 X"
He passed instructions on to
Tommy, and a 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 1t
the altimeter registered only seven
hundred and fifty feet
"Land-ho" cried Tommy through
the phone. And sail on the star
board bowl
This was right enough. The
black plane was about mile
away. and slight. 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. bur
away to the west there was some
sort Of a town, with factory CHM
neys sticking up.
What do you make of 1t,
Tommy" Gun asked. Where are
we ?"
ASK me anotherw 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. X" The black plane turned her
nose to the southwest, and they
were OFF once more.
They few 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
j 'ral natural landing ground II
struck him, too. that nature had
been somewhat improved upon by
human touch or two-the clear
ing OF trees and bushes. and so on.
Tho 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 position strategicai-
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
hao landed. Two stood by the
plane. The third, a short distance
away, hao 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 a 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
Engllsh-or. rather, American. but
the American accent in its popu-
larity has internationalized all Ian
guages. so that an American voice
did not mean that II necessarily
came from an American throat.
:. we want. but who's the
other guy. anyway"
Guess he's some sort If asefef.
ant, or partner. Might be pretty
useful-sometimes the hired nranIl
talk easier than the boss. and may
be know darned near as much"
Gun was quick to catch the
point and whispered hastily to
Tommy Hazeldeane:
IF any questions are asked. I'm
your assistant your confidential
assistant. Don't forget"
10 Be Continued)