“There’s just one play we can make, Freddy,” he then whispered into his two palms held in front of his mouth. “Just one play. It may fall flat and get us nailed deader than frozen fish. But, Freddy, we’ve just got to do something! We just can’t sit here and let von Stutgardt dish it out at dawn! Right?”
He heard Freddy groan and roll over on his stomach. The English youth’s movement brought his head close to Dave’s knees. Freddy rested his forehead on his two palms so that he was looking down between his forearms at the floor boards.
“Right!” Dave presently heard the faint whisper. “I’m willing to try anything, and blast the cost to us. I’ll even charge those two blighters out there, if you think that’s best. But have you any idea, Dave? Anything that offers a little bit of a chance?”
“Just an idea, that’s about all,” Dave breathed into his palms. “And we’ve got to play it soon, while they’re still keeping us here. When it gets dark they’ll probably truss us up for the business at dawn. Freddy! The two rear windows. We’ve got to dive through them before those guards can pull their triggers. We can try it, this way.”
Dave paused and took away one of his hands to scratch the top of his head. He yawned and stretched both arms, and then braced his spread fingers against the upper part of his face again. The guards still watched him, but there was no suspicion or uneasiness in their pig-like eyes.
“This way, Freddy,” he whispered again. “We get up to stretch our legs. I tried it, and the guards didn’t seem to mind. We act tired and fed up, and not caring what happens next. We slouch around for a good ten minutes, enough time to get the guards used to us moving around. Then when you’re in front of one window, and I’m in front of the other, I’ll sneeze. That’ll be the go signal. Freddy. When I sneeze, we both dive head first through a window in nothing flat. Got that?”
“Got it.” The two words just barely reached Dave’s ears. “And then what?”
“Then it’s up to you, pal,” Dave breathed. “That radio hut, I mean. Our first hope is to radio to Colon and get bombers out here on the jump. You know the usual SOS signal. Get word to Colon Base. And maybe some Navy ships close by will pick it up, too. Now, I’ll cover for you so that you can sneak around back and get into that radio hut. As soon as we land outside the window I’ll turn sharp left and make a lot of noise getting away. You hug the ground until they’re in full flight after me. And then—then do your stuff, Freddy. And good luck to you. Okay?”
“Definitely not!” came the instant reply. “I’ll do the covering up—if we escape the guards’ bullets. The radio idea was yours in the first place. Besides, I can’t operate those gadgets the way you can. No, Dave! You work the SOS business. I’ll draw the blighters away from you. No arguments, please. I honestly can do that best, Dave. I’d stand a much better chance of throwing them off and circling back to joining you than you would. You know that’s true, too.”
Dave didn’t reply for a moment. He realized full well that Freddy Farmer did speak the truth. He knew it from experience in the past. English though he was, Freddy Farmer was almost the equal of an American Indian scout when it came to moving about in woods and heavy undergrowth. His movements were those of a shadow, and twice as silent. Yes, Freddy could do better drawing off the pursuers. And, too, he wasn’t so hot at the radio business, particularly a key wireless. But drawing off the pursuers was the most dangerous job. He stood about one chance in a hundred of not being spotted and brought to earth by gun fire. Still—