“You are our prisoners. Do not try to escape, please.”
“Stuck!” Stan gritted as he suddenly realized that neither he nor Allison was armed.
The Japs closed in. The officer in command spoke to Stan.
“Your other man is in the ship?”
“What other man?” Stan came back.
“We know you have a crew of three,” the officer snarled.
“The best way to find out is to look there yourself,” Allison answered.
The officer spoke sharply in Japanese. He lifted his voice to almost a shout. Instantly a company of soldiers came out of the woods and began to spread out around the Martin. Stan waited for the blast of O’Malley’s guns. The rear guns of the Martin could cover most of the approaching men.
No sound came from the Martin. The Japs swarmed up into it. Stan scowled as he waited for them to drag O’Malley out. The Irishman must have gone to sleep. A few minutes later the soldiers came out of the plane and moved toward the officer in charge. A rapid conversation took place in their native tongue.
Suddenly the officer turned to Stan. “It is true that you have only two men in your party. As you said, there is no one in the plane.”