“Take it easy,” Billy soothed, putting his hand gently on her arm. “We are still here.”
“W-w-what was it?” she cried hysterically. “Is the whole world blowing up?”
“It is Toplinsky’s first big gun.”
“Run out to the gliders, and get the men in flying shape,” Epworth commanded quietly. “I will get the gunners and have the gas ready. Fortunately we have fifty thousand of the gliders armed, and the aviators have some idea of what we intend to do. We must not waste a second. Toplinsky will batter down that wire wall in ten minutes.”
“B-b-but,” Moawha hesitated.
“You have the only orders that will save your country. I am going to make for the borderland, and see if I can keep them from coming in on the women and children.”
He rushed out of the building, ran hurriedly to the house where the gun aviators were waiting in case of a call, and sent them hurriedly to join Billy and Moawha. Then he got one of the largest gliders, strapped the planes to his shoulders, and lifted into the air. As he whirled upward in a great circle another glider left the earth and came rapidly toward him.
Who was following him without orders? He frowned. He had set a task for himself. If he was killed Billy and Moawha could go on with their fight and possibly win the war. This party who was following him was getting in the way.
“Why are you trailing me?” he broke out angrily, slowing up a little in his pedaling. “I gave explicit orders to——”
“I happen to be an individual who does not take orders.” He looked around and found his sister, Joan, grinning at him. “I know that you are flying off at a tangent for some purpose, and I want to help.”