“So we may as well lay a few plans.” The general seemed eager to get into action.
“We could shoot our way out,” Tony suggested.
“We would do better to use our heads,” the general said firmly.
“We ought to be able to take over one of the gangs sent here to get wine. The German officers will want to haul away all of this fine wine they can possibly take with them,” Stan said.
“Now we’re beginning to get places,” Allison agreed.
For the next hour they planned and talked. Tony explained the route they would have to take to get to the field where O’Malley was to pick them up. No one said anything about O’Malley’s not being there at midnight. Their big worry was to get to the field themselves.
It was well after dark, according to their watches, when things began to happen. An officer and a squad of soldiers entered the cellar. The officer barked commands at the men for a few minutes, then marched off.
The raiders crowded close to Allison to learn what had been ordered. Allison whispered his report while the men a few feet away began rolling barrels from the racks.
“They are taking the old wine. The new wine in these vats is to be poured out. The barrels are to be smashed. They have a drum of gasoline outside and will pour it into the cellar and set fire to it as they leave.” Allison paused. “They have a simple method worked out for emptying these barrels. After the gasoline is set afire the men are to toss a few grenades in here to smash the barrels and make certain the cellar is destroyed.”
“We better take over right now,” Stan said. “Those birds have only side arms. We’ll slide out with our tommy-guns covering them. Each take a barrel and when I whistle step out.”