THE FOURTH NIGHT
Halfway back to the cave, Dick suddenly felt exhausted. He realized that he had had very little sleep and not a great deal to eat.
“Vince,” he said, “will you go down to the bell tower and stay with Tony? He’ll be on the lookout for someone before long and will let the rope down to you. Tomaso will come with the latest reports just before dawn, and you can crank the generator for Tony while he gives his radio report to our headquarters. Tony has the code book. Tell him to add, in addition to Tomaso’s details on troop movements, that we’ve figured how to blow up the dam.”
“Okay, Sarge,” Vince said. “But that’s putting yourself out on a limb. Then you’ll really have to figure out how to do it!”
“That’s the point,” Dick said. “If I’ve committed myself to the general, then I’ll make myself come through somehow. Okay, Vince, on your way. Duck out before it gets light and come back to the cave.”
Vince walked down the hill toward the road and the town, as Slade and Dick circled around the hill toward their cave.
“How much dynamite will you have left over after placing the charge in the dam?” Dick asked.
“About half of it,” Slade replied.
“Good. Then tomorrow you can teach me the ropes on how to place a charge, attach fuses, wires and detonators. You’ve got two sets of everything, haven’t you?”
“Sure I have,” the demolition man replied. “What else are you planning on blowing up?”