Part 9 (1/2)
”Most naturally!” Freddy said with a slight edge to his voice ”I've been doing so, in case you don't realize it”
”Well, go right ahead and think yourself black, blue, and sky-pink in the face, if it h, ”but you still won't know froets here And if he--”
”I know, _I know_!” Freddy interrupted with an i However, you ht, if your brain can stand the strain We've been flying part of the air transport route to North Africa”
”No kidding?” Dawson said with a ht the air transport route to North Africa was by way of Salt Lake City and Alaska!”
”Very, _very_ funny!” Freddy snapped ”If I' you, Major Parker said he was sent down here to keep an eye out for sabotage He also said nothing has happened in all the tients were acting as CO of the points where we've stopped and were going to stop Why, Dave? _Why_ should Intelligence have a sudden interest in this air route to North Africa?”
Dawson started toFarave the question a ht and then shook his head
”I don't know, Freddy,” he replied ”I really don't know You can search e, then what?”
”I guess I've asked lish-born air ace said slowly ”I can think up but one answer thatvery special that is soon to be flown to North Africa”
”Such as?” Dawson pro tiesture with his hands, paluess,” he said ”However, I feel absolutely sure that all this business is taking place because sohly important is to be flown to North Africa”
”I don't think I agree with you there, Freddy,” Dawson stated with a frown ”This is one of the Air Transport Co special was to be flown across, the plane carrying it certainly wouldn't land at all these points Heck, Freddy! Air Transport Command has lots of planes that could make the run down here to Trinidad non-stop, and hop from here to Natal the sareed, and waved his hand as though brushi+ng aside the undisputed point ”Non-stop all the way to Natal, if you want togiven just asdone _in the event of trouble and a forced landing_; e the route the plane, or _planes_, will fly”
”Okay, okay, Master Mind!” Dawson laughed, and threw up his hands
”Maybe you've got so there And if you have, it , and e just destroyed, are instructions in case your mysterious cavalcade of the air happens to sit down on one of the fields Okay, that's that, then Now all you have left to figure out is _why_ this ht?”
Freddy Far the swiftly approaching shadows of night Glancing at his face, Dawson saw that the English youth had so Farot the best of hiht that's weighing down your brain at the moment?”
”A very definitely insane one,” Freddy Far it all and all, I' better”
”Thanks,” Dawson said sarcastically, and rolled over on his side ”That et up on ?”
If Freddy Farnored it He turned to Dawson and held up one hand with the fingers stiff and extended upward Then he started counting theer of the other hand
”_One_: Two FBI chaps followed us all over New York,” he said
”_Two_: Colonel Welsh told us that a list of names compiled by the War Department had been turned over to the FBI, and that it had the approval of the President, the Secret Service, the Arive us so ht of ours _Four_: He told us to guard those sealed envelopes with our lives _Five_: He said that one of his agents was in secret command of every point where ere to stop _Six_: The route is the Air Transport route to North Africa _Seven_: The colonel said that the sealed envelopes contained the ht_: He said that he would have another special mission for us eFar silence
The English youth hesitated, chewed on his lower lip for a moment, and then leaned over toward Dave and whispered, ”_Nine_, is that all these arrange h Co flown to North Africa, and perhaps beyond, for a war conference with Prih Command Staffs And there you have what _I_ think!”