The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1942-09-04

ably enough. He took off his Stet-
son to wipe the sweatband and mop
his forehead, and by way of chang
ing the subject he motioned to the
far end of the field and the big
abandoned hangers there.
"Too bad you couldn't have used
the original hangers and had the
benefit of that shade" he said.
AS the three stared at him he
laughed again. Evidently he hadn't
yet struck the combination of sylla-
bles that would ease the conversa-
ton along an agreeable path. But
as he'd mentioned the hangar, he
might as well continue.
"Senor Montaya told me the story.
Well, things grow fast here. 1t won't
be many years before the trees
planted at this end will give good
shade"
Nobody said anything to this, Ell
Their, so Curt went on in moment,
rather irritably, "You should clear
the grass from that end of the field.
From the color and ripple in the
wind / can tell from here that it's
high and dry. Don't your engines
ever spit fire? Couldn't your planes
in landing or taking off fire that dry
stuff"
"We cut it regular. It is time
again." Ryden conceded.
The group was ambling. Curt be-
came aware that DR.. Toenjes was
steering them away from the white
floored space before the chemical
shed. He grinned.
At this point DR.. Toenjes suggest
ed drink, so they headed for the
clubroom. Lannestock held open the
screen door. They took chairs about
a table and a native servant set
before them tall glasses and bottles
of Schnapps. Only then did Toenjes
become quite fully at ease. He could
be affable when he chose. It was
not prolonged visit, and the last
lift of the big tumblers found it end
ing on a reasonably social note.
Yet even now, after drinking to-
gether with him, Curt noted the
Swedes were still unsmiling and for
NAL!
DR.. Toenjes offered Curt a lift up
the mountainside.
"You haven't taken care of your
business with Costa" Curt remind
ed him, adding provocatively, "the
business that brought you to the
field"
The Dutchman stared through his
thick lenses. "Oh, yess." He spoke
to Lannestock. ''It ISIS about tomor-
row, re work for you. COON to re
office, on re map I show you."
The two were gone but few min
utes. Then Curt and the doctor, in
the latter's car, were on their way
up to San Alejo.
This was the first time Curt had
gone over the branch line to the
airfeld. It followed the fields boun-
Diary at first, then halfway down
curved away to cling to the foot of
the mountain. This necessitated
rather long spur to serve the bodega
at the far end Of the field.
They had just passed this spur
when there came a buzzing from
the air which quickly grew in vol
ume to steady, powerful drone.
Curt put his head out of the win
dow to look up, but could see moth
ing.
Toenjes stopped the car. Both
men climbed out, squirting against
the sun. They knew the C. A. T.
planes were grounded and in any
case this sound told of heavier ships.
Powerful ships. More than one.
Then they were seen. Two huge
planes dropped from a bank of
clouds and circled low over the San
Alejo field.
"Army planes!" Curt exclaimed
at sight of the insignia on the wings.
"Must be from the Canal. Well,
why do they circle? Why don't they
land or fly on?"
The reason became apparent as a
third plane came linping into view.
One of its engines was misfiring.
Something had happened and these
two were hanging on to make sure
of the thirds safety.
The damaged plane settled onto
the San Alejo runway, TAXED to the
upper Silu. AUOVS, Lie Two ClTCllng
planes climbed, Strengthened out,
and made off directly North.
Headed for Soledad," said Curt.
Lets 60 back and find out what's
wrong"
The words weren't necessary. The
Dutchman's brows bristled, his eyes
bulged. "Jal" he wheezed, and ex-
citedly plunged into the car.
They could have backed the car
onto the bodega track, then out the
other arm of the spurs "Y," and
thus be headed for the field again.
But Toenjes couldn't wait so long.
Curt had only time to hop on the
running board as the Dutchman
crashed into reverse gear and
backed the car to the field.
When they arrived at the ground
ed army plane they found four men
landed and the plane already sur
rounded by airfield workers. The
newcomers were in United States
Army uniform. One, the leader.