Evening star., 1947-09-28
PRIORITY TO WASHINGTON
Continued from taee twenty-five

look YOU two. You've been mopng afouho tnss
tent for three days, and it's not dong ether
one of you, or the kid, any good Inc ois-
patching officer tells me there won't be SIN
gle plane coming in for two hours or more so
there's no chance of missing anything until
five o'clock at least What / want you two guys
to do is grab that bus into Natal and buy your
selves a pair of those mosquito boots.
81 don't like mosquito boots" MI. Mckewen
said .'Nobody wears them in Scarsdale"
"You don't have to wear them in Scarsdale,'
the courier said. "Wear them in the country
when you 90 on your vacation. They're Damn
rood buy at four bucks, and this is the only
place in the world where you can buy then'
Come on, now. Ill take care OF the KID
WHEN the bus went by, McKewen was cha
prined but not surprised to find that he and
Mr.. Maxwell were in it. BY the time they
reached Natal, McKewen had to admit, to
himself and grudgingly. that the courier was
ripht. The confinement in the transient camp
had been getting him down. He looked at MIR.
Maxwell as they walked along the hot, sunny
streets of Natal and saw that the snort TRIP
was doing the worried father some good TOO.
After they bought their boots, MIR. Maxwell
even suggested drink. They had two, in the
patio of hotel.
At four o'clock, feeling relaxed and almost
cheerful, the two men caught the Army bus
back to the airfield. The driver stopped them
in front of their tent. As the bus rolled away,
McKewen had sudden moment of discomfort
It might have been fear. 1t wasn't the silence
from their tent. 1t was the complete absence
of movement, the feeling of emptiness.
Both men ran into the tent. 1t was deserted.
The boy and his bedding were gone. Rileys
luggage was gone, too.
Look" McKewen said. His stomach was
acting badly: ''You go over to the infirmMy.
III run up to the dispatching Office
He dropped his mosquito boots and ran.
He ran as far as he could, slowed down to
walk, then trotted, and finally broke into
run again. So much of his breath was gone
when he reached the dispatching office. that
he had to spend several humiliating moments
before he could stop gasping.
THAT sick little boy in my tent" McKewen
said finally "And that courier, Riley. They're
gone They're not in
That's right" the dispatching officer said.
we put Klley on nottnOouho Pidhe a. IHee
O'Clock. What's the matter?'
1.-The boys father, Mr.. Maxwell - he and
were in Natal and -" McKewen said
sSWHEN Riley came over here at two O'Clock.
I told him I'd have one seat open on plane
that was coming in and leaving Immediately
for Washington, the dispatching officer said.
81 told Riley to tell Mr.. Maxwell he could have
it for himself and the boy. 1t was tight
squeeze, because he'd have to hold the boy in
his arms all the way, but it was the best
could do. Riley came back in little while and
said the boys father had gone into Natal and
wouldn't be back in time. / couldn't let the
seat 60 empty 80 let Riley have it."
But the boy" McKewen said. Hes not
in the tent
"Of course he's not in the tent" the dis
patching officer said irnpatiently. Il told you
he's in that plane with Riley. The courier said
he'd arranged with Mr.. Maxwell that in case
plane seat came through and Mr.. Maxwell
wasn't around Riley would take the boy up
north with him" The officer paused, as though
suddenly aware that the explanation. so sensi-
hle and clear tn him must have been sone.