Part 13 (1/2)

”Naturally,” the colonel replied ”Just about the best in the nazis'

gang Colonel Baron Franz von Steuben is his na time The world is well rid of his kind

What's the matter, Dawson?”

”Major Parker, sir,” Dawson replied, and reddened slightly ”I hope he didn't think that I--”

”Not a bit of it!” the colonel interrupted quickly ”The major admires you for your hunch He'd be the last one in the world ould want you to keep it to yourself As a ht feel eive you his co with you”

”To where, sir?” Freddy Farly that both Dawson and the colonel had to laugh

”That's all right, Far ”Don't blame you at all I can see it in both your faces that you're practically ready to bloith questions Well, things have happened that I didn't want to happen, so I guess it's ti Do you re Field?”

The two air aces nodded

”He's dead,” Colonel Welsh stated griht under my very nose, which doesn't make _me_ feel very proud Shortly after your take-off, one of the mechanics who helped to roll out your plane caeant had been standing right outside that office while I was giving you your instructions I can tell you that that was the closest I ever caot to work at once checking up on that technical sergeant I won't bother you with the details, but we caught hi set, and all the rest of it That was _after_ he had had time to do his dirty work, _if any_ I knohat that dirty as, of course Your experiences, and Major Parker's, ents to get you two by hook or by crook He knew your course, and he knehat you carried, though I'm still positive that he didn't know the contents of those sealed envelopes

”Anyas flashed along the network of nazi spies on this side of the Atlantic and to that U-boat lurking in the Caribbean Heavens!

That was a daring stunt those devils tried”

”I' successful!” Dawson spoke up in a strained voice as the colonel paused

”Aence officer added almost fervently ”As soon as I learned the truth, I flashed you a ht and wait for me I was too late at Puerto Rico I also took off in this plane at once to get down here and contact you I stopped at Puerto Rico, and Miami, too, and collected the two sealed envelopes you had already delivered Then I came on here and found out that you two had used your heads Just in tioodness That you beat Colonel Baron Franz von Steuben to the punch is soratulate yourselves on for the rest of your lives

If I had even dreamed that devil was down here, I would have had nineteen different kinds of cat fits But all's well that ends well

And, although we've got to change our plans, we're still a couple of jumps up on the nazis”

Colonel Welsh paused for breath and to take out his handkerchief and wipe iinary beads of sweat froes of their seats waiting for him to continue, but after a er

”Can't you tell us a little about all this, Colonel? Just a little that ot into another jaton now? Is the job finished as far as Freddy and I are concerned?”

”No, we are not heading back to Washi+ngton,” Colonel Welsh answered quietly ”As for you and Farht to know Since I was going to explain at Natal anyway, I ht as well explain now You recall all that FBI business in New York? Re you of that list of na?”

”Could we forget, sir?” Dawson chuckled ”Freddy and I have been going nuts trying to add two and two We got a zero every time, and I don't mean a jap Zero, either”

”Well, all that was siht say,”

Colonel Welsh said as his face becarave ”Every name on that approved list was to be connected in soue across his lower lip

”Everyto do with a proposed trip by President Roosevelt to a war conference with Prime Minister Winston Churchill at Casablanca in Morocco, North Africa!”

Aover the trio as the colonel finished speaking