“Think, and drink coffee,” Jan amended. “Coffee always helps.” There was a jug of hot coffee in the car.
“Yes, coffee helps,” Gale agreed. “But it will never help enough this time, Jeep,” she patted their iron steed with real affection, “you’ve done nobly, but here you stay.”
Did some hopeful gremlin whisper, “Little you know about that!”? If he did, Gale was too busy uncorking the coffee jug to hear him.
* * * * * * * *
In the meantime, travelling before the oncoming army, Isabelle and Than Shwe rode with the colonel in the back seat of his big car. Driver and orderly rode in front while three guards rode the sides.
Isabelle told herself that out of all her experiences this one might prove to be the most thrilling. They drove in absolute darkness. There was no moon. Great overhanging trees hid the stars. The road wound in and out along the mountain slope. There must be a place here and there where they hung at the brink of an abyss. She dared not think of that. Instead, she thought of Jimmie lost in the wilds, and of her good pals going to his rescue. She thought too of her home, thought how the trees cast shadows on the green lawn, and how her father and mother would be sitting at the breakfast table, perhaps talking about her. She wished they could see her now. Of course she knew that time was different on that side of the world. Perhaps it was noon now, or sunset. This did not disturb her at all.
Than Shwe was thinking how she had trudged up this road, then only a rugged trail, barefoot, and was hoping many things. The colonel thought of victories won and of men lost. And so they rode on in silence through the night.
* * * * * * * *
As Gale and Jan sat beside the trail that had come to an abrupt end, they became conscious of a stirring in the brush. A dusky brown figure appeared in the spot of light made by their car’s lamps. Another appeared, another, and yet another. Short, stout appearing natives, they were half naked, and did not seem afraid. Many were lurking in the shadows.
“Like gnomes of the forest,” Jan whispered.