The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-09-27
A YANK
THE R. A. F.
b. Harlan Thomox

] before answering ne glanced naGk
at them ar instant Why. yes.
he said. stiu betraying no amaze
ment. ''Trenton-Cansds"
Tim Baker stopped short, braced
his ranging legs. and showed his
hands into his deep pockets. As if
totally dumfounded. Canada" He
whistled Yet ne seemed amused
at mis- own perplexity. Well. now
what do you know about that I
was looking for Trenton. New Jer-
sey" He shrugged and glanced
about the field and the landscape
Guess my compass must have
gone haywire He shook his head
in a way to convey bewilderment.
Flight Lieutenant r d m 0 n d
coughed You'd better come ana
see the commanding officer" The
men fell back. nudging each other
and barely coneealing their
chuckles.
Got a sigarette ," Tim asked.
Redmond eyed him. The mans
surprise hadn't been in the least
/ convincing Without a word. h
reached out the pack. Tim took a
cigarette. lighted up in leisurely
fashion, cupping his long. muscled
hands. and started off at a SLOUGH
ing stride beside the Lieutenant
Now. how do you suppose l could
ever have mistaken Canada for
New Jersey he said, puzzled and
twinkling
Redmond threw him a auizzical
glance.
The wing commander, a man Of
severe, collected countenance under
thinning steel-gray hair. folded his
hands on the desk before him. Red
mond had Just finished reporting.
Tim Baker stood under their joint
gaze. unflinching, unperturbedi
with his hands in the pockets OF
his flying suit. Mr. Baker, have
you ever heard of the Neutrality
Act >" the commander raped.
Yes, sir -. The papers are full
of it."
The commander leaned sternly
forward Then why did you DELHI
erately violate ii >"
Tim looked at one and then at
the other The grin stole over him
again Because I think it's lot
of hooey! Don't you ?"
The commander snapped back in
his chair. He avoided Redmond s
slowly broadening glance and
, sternly fixed Tim Baker. He scowl-
ed. Mr.. Baker, I am not here to
criticize United States legislation"
he said. clipping mis- words. The
Act exists. and at any rate we in
tend to observe il"
Now that Act. among other
things, was very strict on the mat
ter of the shipment of war mate
rails to belligerent nations. Planes
destined for England, for instance,
must not be delivered anywhere
hut on American soil Legality had
to be preserved: but the United
States and Canada were separated
by nothing more than an imagi-
nary line. and democratic ingenu-
ity soon found a solution. For this
was in the days when American
aid was hauled to Britain at the
end of good, stout rope
On the morning that had brought
Tim TO Trenton. a loose formation
of training planes had scared
northward in a sharp. October sky
over midwest America They had
flown to the northernmost limits
of the nation and there suddenly
cut their motors and settled like
young. cautious birds upon a stub
BILE ground. Their landing field was
nothing more than a half-smoothed
pasture; its only buildings were
two shacks, each with its own
flagpole one of which Tapped
the Stars and Stripes. and on the
other. the red ensign Of Canada.
The planes had drawn up abreast.
toeing the invisible mark that
passed between the flags. Then a
towing car mad come grinding and
backing from the Dominion side,
bearing the Clipped lettering,
Ontario Motor Vehicle Service.
But one plane of this flight had
failed 10 come down. The pilots on
the ground caught sight Of it, how
ering high. II seemed to have lost
its bearings. II streaked north
ward over the border. Il vanished
in silver gunt over Canada.
Tim stepped up closer to the
wing commander. He drew one
hand and then the other out OF his
pockets and placed them familsrly
upon the officers desk. Now
look" ne began. as II ne were try
ing to bring the man to reason. +
What difference does It make
whether I land on our side and you
tow Il across or I fly Il across =
You've got the same ship. haven't
you? Who DO you think you're
fooling
MI. Baker
You're not fooAng anyone but
yourselves,
The commander sat bolt upr ght
We shall not argue the point. Nor
Will We be party 10 any action
that might emoarrass friendly
government. I'm afraid you VII
not De permitted to ferry any
more aircraft Good day
Tim Baker shrugged. "Okay. Il
you want to keep the war in low
gear. there's nothing can do