Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-11
By MAC HYMAN
Copyright, 1854, By Mac LYMAN
Chapter XIV

Chapter XIV
We stayed there until about eight O'Clock
when Ben decided that it was time to 60.
It'll be about time they're changing guards"
he said And who'll ever think about some
body slipping in at eight O'Clock at night?
Well get them by surprise"
So then we headed back for the field
Ben didn't want to take bus or a taxi or
nothing because we had to slip in, so we had
to walk it, Only Ben didn't want to go down
the sidewalk, so We went up and down alleys
and through back yards and across lawns
until we finally made it to the outside OF
town. But then we didn't know where we was
and couldn't get ourselves located, and finally
had to go ask somebody we found out then
that we was on the wrong side of town, so
we caught a taxi and went back to the
middle and started all over again.
BY that time, it was about ten O'Clock,
but Ben still wanted to go back through the
alleys again, SO we done that, only this time
we kept the main road in sight so that we
wouldn't get lost any more. We got to the
end of town and then headed out across
some fields toward the beacon light that
swung around and made flashes in the sky.
We stayed away from the highway so that
it made it right hard going as the fields was
covered with bushes and this high wire grass
that come up to about my waist But we
creeped along that way real easy, trying to
be quiet and all; but that was right hard to
do in that grass as there was holes in
the ground that we stumbled in every once
in while so that sometimes Ben's head would
go right out of sight when he went down
in one; and the grass was right thick so you
had to fight your way through it some of
the time. We went along about mile like
that, though, with Ben whispering, Easy
now. Easy ard quiet" and thraShing around
IN the grass trying to get through tangles
of it, making so much noise most of the
time that l couldn't even hear him whispering
to me.
Can't Be Too Careful
Anyhow, We was still about two miles
from the field so all you could see of it was
the beacon light and the barracks lights and
things, but he still wanted it quiet and we
thrashed along like that for while longer
until We got close enough for the beacon
light to flash on us as it went by 1t would
come swinging around as us, getting brighter
and brighter, and then Ben would hiss at
me, Watch it, and we'd stoop down in the
grass and let it swing by us. going for another
round again. And after that. we'd stoop down
each time it came around, then get up and
make some Roadway, then stoop back down
again; and we Dobbed up and down like that
Tor another mile guess until ! was getting
right wore out with it and Ben was too.
And by that time Ben decided that we
was so close now that we had better stay
stopped over all the rest of the way and Just
crawl along. So we done that for a while,
but that was little too wearing on both of
US, so Ben decided that we could bob up and
down some more, and try to make time When
ever the beacon passed over our heads. IT
would come by and go over us and then we'd
start thraShing along again, and then have to
fall flat when it came back. But we kept that
up until we made this one dash for it that
took us within about fifty yards of the fence
and Ben dived and hit in the grass next to me
and was so wore out he couldn't get up for
the next dash at all. He set there painting
and putting in the grass, and done the same,
letting the beacon go around few times
without even moving. Along the highway on
the side, you could see the cars going along
the road with their headlights stuck out, and
over the fence you could see the barracks
lighted up; but where we was it was dark and
quiet, and was kind of enjoying resting
there little bit
And Ben was too he kept putting and
painting and taking on, and said "Dogged
if amt about done for. don't know whether
I can make it over that fence, or not"
well, maybe you wont have to climb
over it" I said. IF l can Just pull up the
wire on the bottom, you can just crawl under
But Ben said, mo, we'll have to go one
at time. tn be safer that way. First,
though, one of us ought to sneak along the
the guards posted"
I'll do that" I said you Just rest"
Careful. Don't Walk
So got up and started down there, but
then l heered Ben kissing at me again and
went back; and he said I couldn't just go
walking up to the fence that way, that I
had to crawl to keep from being seen. So I
told him just forgot, and then I got down
and started crawling through the grass again.
I crawled about hundred yards down on
one side. right close up to the fence and
didn't see a soul nowhere, and then craWled
back to Ben and told him there warnt no.
body around even within shouting distance.
But he said, Yeah. but how about on the
other side?" so then I crawled back down
that way a bit and still didn't see a guard
nowhere and by that time my knees was
about wore out, so finally just got up and
walked back to where Ben was, but I seen
him waving at me so frantic that I finally
got back down and craWled some more.
But when got back, told him there warnt
nobody around and started to roll myself
cigarette but he said, Hey, don't do that.
You strike match out here and we're done
for. 1t might mess everything up. We got
to be careful"
So opened the pouch up and put the
tobacco back. and we set there a while longer
until Ben said, Il guess we can make run
for it now. Well have to time that light
just right and then skeedaddle, and I don't
mean maybe" He was squatted down, peer
ing over the top of the grass this way and
that. "Il go first" he said IF make it,
you follow me, and if ! don't make it, you
take off and go around the other side Of
the field and try it there. Don't bother with
me if get caught. You just take off on your
own
Why. Ben, I wouldn't do that I. :"
That's the way it u.s. Ben said. If they
get me, I'll cause enough trouble so they
wont notice you. and you might be able to
make it all right. You understand that now?
You just take off and forget about me-"
Now, Ben, I amt going to do nothing
like that! I don't . :"
But Ben snapped out at me, That's enough
Those are my orders
So seen then that he was having right
big time of it. so I begun to ioin in a little