Part 21 (1/2)
”Dave, Dave! Keep talking, old chap! I'll follow the sound of your voice Dave, old thing, are you all right? Don't ! I'll follow the sound of your voice!”
”I'm okay, Freddy!” Dawson replied as hot tears of inexpressible joy stung his eyes ”And, pal, this is the biggest moment of all, past, present, and future I'm over this way, kid I can hear you now Over here, Freddy! Gosh, oh gosh!+ Alad to--”
He never finished the sentence because at that ht suddenly materialized at his side, and in the next instant the two air aces were hugging and thus that neither of theh, they ceased the greeting act and calht I'd never reach you A thousand ti direction
Phew! What absolutely unbelievable luck! I'll never forget this as long as I live Not ever, I swear it!”
”You and me both, Freddy!” Dave echoed the state those boht after I started down in a heap, and--But wait! Tell me this, first Your radio was okay, wasn't it? And you notified Casablanca base, didn't you?”
The air caasp, and he grabbed hold of Dawson's arm
”Dave!” he choked out ”Dave! You mean _you_ didn't let them know?”
Daas unable to answer for a moment His whole body seemed to turn into a solid chunk of ice so that he could hardly breathe It required a treet the words off his lips
”No, Freddy,” he said ”Just as I started to tune in Casablanca, that Messerschave me the works and shot my set into splinters
Then--then your radio _was_ out? I tried to raise you several ti went haywire after I'd been in the air only fifteen lish youth replied ”I had half a mind to turn back to Casablanca, but I didn't dare for fear the Junkersin over Magador They were hugging the clouds I gave the I tried to raise you, but I didn't get any answer, so I just carried on About an hour later I spotted you trailing a Messerschain, but still no answer Then e got close to here I saw those three Messerschmitts drop down on you I was above the lot of you, so I saw everything Man! I thought I'd die when you did nothing, and just let them come down!”
”Dumb ape that I a the Junkers that I didn't think to keep an eye on h I couldn't spot you You did get one of the Farhters had put a bullet through ine's oil line All I could do was force land I saw your parachute open, and saw your silk foul in a tree near here I tried to land as close as I could, but
I was lucky not to have broken my confounded neck I think I was knocked out for a spell Fact is, I'm sure of it, because it was late afternoon when I collected my senses I could see this bit of a hill where we are now, so I started out for here Good grief, what country! The Alps are easier to cross than this bit of ground When it got dark, it was just three times as bad But--Well, thank the Lord I finally reached you!”
Dawson said nothing He siroped for Freddy Farmer's hand, found it, and pressed it hard
”That was rotten luck for you, and just plain duroan ”Those are the two reasons for our failure
Gosh!+ If I had a knife, I think I'd be tempted to cutthose bo Casablanca, I--”
”But they haven't taken off yet, Dave!” Freddy cried excitedly ”It's still not too late, if that's what you're thinking!”
Young Farmer's words seemed to make Dawson's heart swell up and explode in his chest
”What?” he gasped ”Haven't left yet? But it's well over the ti to schedule, the President's party should have arrived at Casablanca early this evening, and--”
”Maybe it did, but the bo Far round That was about an hour ago They had a few oil pot flares burning, and I could see the planes All props were dead They haven't left yet, Dave My guess is that the President's party has been delayed a bit, and _they_ know it! And, Dave! There are more than just Junkers there, too At least half a dozen Messerschot, and a two-seater Messersch?” Dawson breathed, and sed hard ”Then that checks with the thought I had I hter escort to protect their secret base in case a stray plane or two found it--like what happened to us But I think the big idea of their being here is to sail out to give the bo moment comes They et back here on the gas they carry!”
”Absolutely!” Freddy Farmer replied at once ”No doubt of it When the boet, they'd radio the Messersch, we're not all washed up yet! Don't you understand?”
”And how! I understand!” the Yank air ace said griot up onto his feet ”Do you know the way to that secret field from here, Freddy?”
”Yes,” the other replied ”But it's about two hours of blasted hard going We've got to be very careful I think the blighters have patrols out hunting for us I heard a few Jerry voices while I was low over there is your aircraft still burning