"I don't think that will make any difference," Allison said. "They'll think the others are out on the beat."
The car came up the gentle slope slowly. It did not have its bright lights on. The slit in the headlight hood gave only a meager amount of light and did not show more than ten feet ahead of the car. Allison moved several paces down the road and shouted an order in German.
The car halted and Allison shouted again, making his voice gruff. He got the password and snapped permission to advance. The car charged forward in a surge of speed that made Allison leap aside.
From the darkness beside the road Stan had moved in. He saw that there were three men in the car, counting the driver. He also saw the shadowy form of Arno closing in on the other side. A tall officer climbed out. He snapped an order at Allison. Allison backed away a few steps to allow the other two officers to get out. Stan had moved up and Arno had a gun barrel shoved into the neck of the driver. Tony leaped forward with his gun ready.
"Get your hands up!" he snapped and Allison gave the same order in German at the same instant.
Startled grunts came from the three officers. One of them reached for his pistol. Allison's gun barrel came down over his head and the officer pitched forward. The other two elevated their hands.
The boys closed in and took away the men's side arms. They helped themselves to caps and light topcoats and belts, then they bound and gagged the officers. The ranking officer, a colonel, was furious. Until the gag stopped his mouth he poured forth a stream of angry abuse.
With the officers laid out far back in the bushes, Arno donned the driver's cap and jacket. They were ready for the real adventure, cracking the gates of the German prison camp.
"You know the roads, so you take over, Arno," Stan said.
"Shall we drive right through and into the front yard of the big house?" Arno asked.