"We are all to report at Herr Colonel's tent at once," he said in German. "Come along."
To the utter amazement of the boys, the two Germans walked away and disappeared around a group of camouflage-covered tanks in the direction of the headquarters tank. Two moments of tingling silence ticked by, and then Freddy grabbed Dave by the arm.
"A perfect chance, Dave!" he whispered excitedly. "Not one of the beggars in sight. Let's make a run for that Messerschmitt and be off. What utter fools they are to give us this chance!"
Dave was already scrambling up onto his feet, but upon hearing Freddy's last words something seemed to grab hold of him; seemed to freeze him motionless for a brief instant and then push him down onto the sand. Freddy half turned and stared at him as though he had suddenly gone crazy.
"What's the matter?" the English youth gasped. "Are you paralyzed? Come on, Dave! No telling when they'll come back."
Dave shook his head, took hold of Freddy's arm and pulled him down onto the sand.
"Nix, Freddy!" he admonished. "Sit down and start eating. The hunch just hit me right between the eyes. This is it, Freddy!"
"This is what?" the English youth demanded angrily. "Listen, Dave, if—"
"Shut up, and eat!" Dave cut him off. "This is the surprise. I'm sure of it. The colonel's little surprise. Don't you get it? They don't believe our story about the British plane crashing, and the two fellows in it burning up. They think we're those two chaps. Get it? So that Messerschmitt is the colonel's little trap. I'll bet you every dollar I ever hope to have that they're waiting and watching for us to make a break for that plane, and have got a couple of machine guns trained on it in the bargain. It's up to us to fool them, and stay put."
The annoyance and anger slowly and reluctantly faded from the English youth's eyes. He looked at Dave, then looked sadly out at the plane.