Returning to their Nissen hut the boys policed their living quarters and got things in order. The hut was such a primitive affair that little could be done to keep it in order. The round wood stove leaked ashes on the floor which was always tracked deep with mud. There was a little wash bowl and a table which O’Malley used to stack his laundry upon. The cots were GI with GI mattresses.
After they had cleaned up, the boys went over to the huge sheds where the mechanics worked over the planes. They learned from the chief mechanic that Colonel Holt’s order had come through.
“I have the boys on your ships,” the sergeant said. He did not seem to approve of the idea.
“I’ll be after lookin’ out fer me own ship,” O’Malley said and hurried away.
“You don’t seem to like the colonel’s idea,” Stan said.
“We’ve tried it before, sir,” the sergeant replied.
“What happened?”
“The boys got jumped out of cloud cover and were sitting ducks for the Jerries,” the sergeant said sourly. “Too much cloud cover and too many Jerries for that stuff.”
Stan grinned. “I’ll drop around and let you know how it works this time.”
Walking back to his ship he watched the boys working on her. He was soon satisfied that they knew just what should be done and made off. O’Malley did not show up at mess and Stan began to wonder where he had gone. He finally sauntered into the rest room where he found O’Malley shooting the breeze with a group of fliers.