WORRALS OF THE W.A.A.F.

by W. E. Johns

II. GREY HORSES (Pages 30 - 43)

(On original publication this instalment was called "Back to the Aerodrome")

(In the original publication, there was a summary of the story so far and this referred to a "grey horse" as opposed to the actual text of the last instalment which said it was a "white horse". The reference to the horse in this chapter was also originally ‘grey’).

Worrals feels limp after shooting at the plane. "In her heart she hated war, but lately she had learned to hate more those who made it inevitable by wanton aggression, or by forcing barbaric creeds and doctrines upon those who only sought peace. When that happened, then resistance was the only answer". Worrals looks for the plane but can't find it, so she lands at the advanced post. Bill Ashton (who we are told is nearly 20 years old) meets her and Worrals tells him what has happened. He says somebody certainly hit it as it is down. "The fellow who was flying it is in a bit of a mess, but otherwise all right. He's a civilian too." Worrals says the man in the plane seemed to be signalling to a man on the ground. She adds that their aerodrome has been hit three times during the past week, yet it is well camouflaged. She asks Bill is he has ever noticed that on the south side of the aerodrome, within a mile of it, a grey horse has been turned out to grass. Worrals says that at the place the monoplane was going to land there was also a grey horse turned out to grass. It stood out like a piece of chalk on a blackboard. Worrals wonders if she should report it to the C.O. (Commanding Officer). Bill suggests she doesn't put it in her report but tells him in person. Worrals goes to see the C.O. and when she tells him her suspicions he just smiles at her and tells her that spy watching is a business for the counter-espionage people. Worrals is angry and says to Frecks that she intends to have a closer look at the gentlemen who go in for grey horses and wait for stray aeroplanes on a golf course.