The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1940-11-06
Before The Blitzkrieg
by Rupert Grayson

over the continent Of Europe Is
about all can say at the moment
But I'm keeping notes, and well
be able to work 1t 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
ties, and then came the message:
I'VE shall now land You will
follow down. using all necessary
precautions.
Gun acknowledged the message
with curt 20 X"
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 1t
the altimeter registered only seven
hundred and fifty feet
"Landho!" cried Tommy through
the phone. And sail on the star
! board bowl"
This was right enough. The
black plane was about a mile
away. and slight. TO their right
| There was terra firma below. and
nc 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, bT
away to the west there was some
sort of town, with factory CHM
neys sticking up. =
What do you make of II,
Tommy" Gun asked. Where are
we? ?"
ASK me anotheri" was the an
swer. But 1t 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 flew for perhaps a dozen
miles. and then. in what looked
like a sort of gigantic birds nest
amid the pine-streweu hilltops.
Gun saw what was obviously an
'rah natural landing ground. 1t
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 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 a stop. as Gun noted with
approval, in a position strategical-
ly good for a quick and safe take
of again If necessary.
There were three men In the
other plane. and all OF them had
climbed down by the time Tommy
hau landed Two stood by the
plane. The third. a short distance
away, hao slipped out Of his flying
kit. revealing beneath 1t the uni
form OF a squadron leader in the
British Air Force.
Trying TO establish confidence"
was Gun 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
%''rN AAnAi VI idNAlCis AiltIlOcills Dul
the American accent in its popu-
larity has lnternationalized all lam
guages. so that an American voice
did not mean that IL necessarily
came from an American throat.
:. 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 manll
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 Contlnued)