Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1941-05-30

be somewhere near the golf links on
which he had made his forced land
ing. Wendy had said something a.
bout being just an ambulance driver
on twenty-four hour leave to visit
her parents. He wondered what they
must be like. Pretty swell, he de-
cided, to have daughter like that.
And the boy? Well, he'd have the
answer to that question soon.
AS he passed near the C. O.'s quar-
tiers, still deep in this thoughts about
the girl, he heard the telephone ring
loudly. It rang three times, the sig
nal for a scramble. He hurried over
to the door and waited, at the same
time putting on his helmet. With
this covering everything but his nose
and eyes, he did not look so young,
because the eyes were now serious.
The other pilots had heard the phone
and were streaming out of the mess
hall, and the ground crew of twenty
four men busted themselves wheeling
the planes into take-off positions.
Hutch could hear fragments of the
conversation as the sharp, clear voice
of the CO. repeated the instructions
he was receiving. "You say Has
tings? Do you know how many?
Between twenty and thirty bombers.
Good! And defense? Above the
clouds. Naturally you can't tell. Very
we'll, Sir. Goodbye"
He came out of the door and found
the American waiting there. "Splen-
did," he said. "I'm glad found you
here" He put his hand on David's
shoulder and they walked briskly a.
cross the field where the other pilots
were already climbing into their cock
pits. "You will take Macs job as
squadron leader. Now listen, care
fully. There are enemy planes COM
ing over in the direction of Hastings,
between twenty and thirty bombers
that our men have spotted, but they
can't tell whether there are any Mes
serchmitt's or not because of the
clouds. The weather seems to be
worse down that way than it is here.
You know what to do, don't you?"
eyes, Sir"
"Fine." They had reached the
planes and the C. o. announced his
decision to appoint Hutchinson as
squadron leader. There were general
signs Of approval, but any vocal ac-
clamation was drown out by the start
ing motors.
Hutch was warming up and almost
ready to start when he saw stocky
young man in aviator's uniform, his
wings too shiny and very new, come
running across the field towards the
c. o. He guessed it must be Wendy's
brother, and he was right. Philip
Bruce had, just arrived and, seeing
the squadron about to take off, had
run as hard as he could to report
and ask permission % join the flight.
"Why not? ?" the C. o. said. ,"We're
one plane short in the Yellow Flight.
That's the second section, you know,
and the leader can keep an eye on
you." He signalled Hutch to go a.
head, ordered another plane out of
the hangar at top speed, and yelled
at the head mechanic to fetch a fly
4 ing suit, helmet and parachute.
Philip was in full kit and in his
place, with motor roaring, before the
last plane left the ground. He climb
ed hard to catch the Yellow Flight.
Slowly he passed the Green Flight,
then the Blue Flight was behind him,
and then he found his place, with
only the Red Flight, that of the squad
ron leader, in front of him. He could
plainly see the two other pilots in
his flight, and they made signs of
welcome to him, which he answered.
He was getting the feel of things
when voice came to him over the
radio-telephone. els the new man
Bruce?" 1t was the squadron lead
er's voice.
eyes, Sir"
Hutchinson speaking. Welcome to
the Hornets!"
The even dozen Spitfires, separated
into four groups of three each, turn
ed lowly as they climbed for as much
altitude as possible and headed in a
southwesterly direction towards Has
tings on the English Channel. The
cloud banks grew thicker and thick
err and the air was very rough. Hutch
wondered if he would be able to con-
tact the enemy in such weather. A
strong wind was blowing and clouds
scudded by at breathless speed, at
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