“Someone’s coming down the trail. I heard a rock rolling down.”
“Good grief!” came back in a hoarse whisper. “The Japs! We may have to light out just as we are! I’m practically ready to give it a try!”
“Wait,” she whispered. “I haven’t said good-by to the natives. They’ve really been wonderful.”
“Yes, but—” Jack did not finish. That’s a woman for you! he thought.
“I will wipe out the Japs if I must.” She turned the machine gun noiselessly.
“That’s the thing to do.”
“Yes, but I must be sure first. It might be— There!” Her whisper rose. “I saw one of them duck into the shadows.”
“Let them come on out into the open so you can get all three. We can’t—”
He stopped short. From the foot of the rocky cliff had come the call of a parakeet where no parakeet should be.
“Thank goodness!” Jack exclaimed. “That’s Stew! Phew! What a close call!”