The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-10-18
A YANK In
THE R. A. F.
n. HARLAN THOMAS

an opening. For minute 'ne VI
Ger did nothing but watch them IN
turn. Then they noticed that =
slight smile was curing about me-
thin lips. His white. harsh face mao
taken on an amused. relaxed SUI
,erior air HIS eyes ceased furious
" blinking and turned almost gay
a very interesting debate. gentle
men the man said finally. in COR
rect stilted English. Unfortunate
" YOU are not going anywhere.
Tim looked ehsgrined. Morley
slumped. The officer broke into
wide smile. and backed up behind
the table and turned on the radio
dial. covering Tim and Morley with
his gun. He took no further notice
NJ Harry. the silent little corporal.
Then. lust as the German was fin
gering the radio. Harry bounded at
him in one convulsive leap. The
officer fired: the bullet struck
Harry: he twisted, but before fall-
ing he managed TO land on top OF
the German. flinging him down.
and pinioning his arms. Tim ana
Morley rushed in.
Go on. sir" Harry gssped'
hanging on desperately Run for
the boat. can old i'm
Tim jerked the gun from the
Germans hand and struck the Off
GERS head with the butt. he
slumped. unconscious. Morley held
Harry UP. Give me a hand" Nor
lev said to Tim. Wen carry him.
Hit event no use. sir
Harry coughed. Better you go
They must ave card that shot
Baker Baker," Tim called to
him, deeply shaken.
"'Urry-th they'll he needing You
two back ONE" Harry said thick
". He stiffened for moment and
then slumped forward in Morley's
arms, dead. Morley lowered him
carefully into chair.
Tim went to the window. After
an instant he came back. Look
he pointed. The patrol was coming
over the ridge of the dune. There
were a sergeant and eight men;
they must have heard the shot,
and they were heading for the
house.
Come on" said Morley, white
and tense.
Tim took one last quick glance
at Harry and the officer. and then,
with the Germans pistol in hand,
hurried beside Morley to the door
way. There was just chance that
they could dash out to the wharf
under cover of the beach grass be-
fore the patrol spotted them, They
lunged out and sprinted. AS they
bounded to the end of the wharf,
the patrol saw them. The Ger
mans began running through the
thick sand.
know anything about marine
engines ?" Morley shouted, as they
jumped into the boat. 1t was
rickety, sleazy old tub with an
ancient motor and foul water
around in the bilge.
do l, l used to race speed
boats!" Tim cranked it feverishly.
For the moment the wharf beside
them protected them from the Ger
man shooting. But the other half
of the squad was barging closer.
The engine gave one bronchial
cough and died. Did you turn on
the petrol Morley shouted. He
stumbled aft, found the gas line,
and turned it on. Tim. with his
teeth set, cranked again. He threw
all his force behind it and whiried
the engine over. 1t popped cou-
pie of times and then died.
Morley was chewing his NOUS
tache. Bullets were spatting the
wharf timbers and whisking out
splinters. Il thought you said you
used TO race speedboats.
Il did" Tim threw back over mis-
shoulder. But that doesn't mean
l ever won anything"
A bullet whined shrilly past
them and ricocheted over the
water near by. Tim started crank
ing like wild man. His hair flew:
sweat dripped from his forehead.
Morley had grabbed up the Ger
man officers revolver and was re-
turning the fire. He picked off the
first German to reach the wharf
The motor gave series of pops
and wheezes. Then bullets began
TO hit the boat Morley dropped
man; Tim bobbed wildly
up and down, cranking. Then a
bullet struck the motor and sang
off just as its cylinders caught.
Tim turned triumphantIy.
Thanks
He raced the motor. The boat
began to pull free. Morley fired
again, but the gun only clicked
empty. The Germans came pound
ing out on the wharf. Morley hurl-
ed the gun at them and then threw
himself down flat on the floor
boards. next to Tim. The boats
soddentimbers were being
plugged with bullets. I've always
heard the Channel was ,pretty
rough. this time of year" Tim
said grimly.
They pulled away from shoal
water. Just then Morley jerked
wildly, as a bullet nit him with a
sickening thud. He gasped and
grabbed his side. Tim hurriedlv
slipped across the boat TO him.
Stay down, you idiot,r Morley
shouted through clenched teeth