WORRALS CARRIES ON

by W. E. Johns

XI. CHALLENGE TO STORM TROOPERS (Pages 126 - 136)

As Joudrier and his companion arrive, together with the padre and Suzette, they are pounced upon by the soldiers. "The heap of bodies broke into its component parts, and Worrals saw that the boys had done their work well. The two spies, with their arms tied to their sides and with tunics wrapped round their heads, were dragged to their feet. One of the boys handed Worrals Joudrier's whistle". The time is now 11.54 pm. It will take quarter of an hour to walk to the field, so Worrals determines to get a conveyance. She decides to fetch the lorry the storm troopers came in. Worrals goes to the lorry then goes some way past it to a public square and blows on the whistle. This is the alarm to summon the storm troopers and they soon come running and Worrals returns to the lorry. Finding a man there, she tells him that everyone is wanted and he is needed as well. He gets in the lorry and starts it and Worrals jumps in with him. Using both feet she kicks him out and he is taken completely by surprise. Worrals drives to the church and hoots the horn. All the soldiers and everyone else pile in. Worrals has the padre up front with her to direct her to the relevant field. Reaching the leaning sign, Worrals jumps out with her red torch at the ready. Hearing the drone of a heavy bomber, Worrals signals the pre-arranged signal and the engines cut and it glides down. Knowing it will take a few minutes for the plane to come down; Worrals’ fear is that the storm troopers will arrive. Using the two pistols taken from the prisoners, the two best shots are sent back to hold the rear. The whine overhead rises to the dreadful scream of an aircraft out of control and it crashes nearby. Then they hear another plane and Bill lands in a Havelock. The storm troopers arrive and can be seen running to the spot. There is a wild scramble to get on the aircraft and the boys with the pistols open fire at the advancing Nazis.