“I said, when do we leave?” O’Malley demanded.
“Right away. We are to ferry a Hudson bomber up to Rangoon.” Stan laughed at the impatient O’Malley. “I have already listed you two as probable members of the crew. Majors O’Malley and Wilson; Major Allison commanding,” Stan explained.
“I say, old fellow,” Allison protested, “you rate the commander’s stripes.”
“Nothing doing. This is still Red Flight of the old Channel days. There won’t be any changes in personnel, except that we have to take along another flier, a fellow by the name of Nick Munson.”
“Is he Royal Air Force?” Allison asked.
Stan shook his head. “No combat training, I guess. He’s an American and is supposed to have flown test jobs over in the States. He’s signed up and we’ll take him along.”
“What are we waitin’ for?” O’Malley cut in impatiently.
“One other thing I ought to tell you,” Stan said. “The Japs will consider us outlaws and spies. If they catch us, they’ll shoot us. This won’t be the Royal Air Force, this is wildcat work and mighty tough.”
“The Chinese Air Force needs a helping hand,” Allison drawled in his most ironical manner.
Stan grinned. He had known all along that his pals would go with him. “We may as well step across into the gardens and meet Nick Munson,” he said.