"Thanks," Stan answered warily. "He sees no reason why you should not be classed as a prisoner of war." The young officer's lip curled. He turned to the colonel and waited. The colonel spoke for some little time. When he stopped talking the young lieutenant faced Stan. "We wish to know the approximate number of fighter and bomber craft based upon Africa. It would be helpful if you could add information regarding additional troops moved in to assist in the action against Italy." Stan smiled. "My compliments to the colonel. Tell him I am not at liberty to give such information." The officer scowled. He translated and the colonel smiled back at Stan. "That will be all," the young officer snapped. It was plain the young officer did not like the way his commander was handling matters. Stan was marched back to his cell. The young officer hurried away. When he was out of hearing, Stan spoke in low tones to his pals. He now noticed that the Italians seemed interested and were trying to listen. "The old boy with the scar is commander. He's a Prussian officer of the old school and does not think much of the Nazi methods. He seems to have convinced himself that we are really officers and told the truth about our clothes." "I'll get more dope," Allison said. "I can understand their talk." A few minutes later the young officer returned and took Allison to the office. O'Malley and Stan sat waiting for his return. The Italians sat with their backs against the wall in silence. Fifteen minutes passed and then Allison returned. The boys went into a huddle. "The colonel is not in favor of using the third degree on us. He says he has reports on us from the Italians and knows we are prisoners of war. He said all this in German. The young lieutenant seems to be in with the Gestapo. I gathered that they hate each other." Allison paused and grinned. "The old boy told him off plenty, but the kid is stubborn. He's going over the head of the colonel, so we may have trouble." "Sure, an' I'll bet the colonel can get tough, just the same," O'Malley cut in. "Yes, he's as hard as nails but he has the old rules well trained into him. He'll do whatever the big shots order. Guess who the big boy in Italy is." "Couldn't make a stab," Stan said. "Rommel himself. He's to keep us from breaching the continent. Remember how Herr Goebbels has been shouting that the Allies could never break into the European fortress? Well Rommel is going to see that we don't crack through." Allison laughed softly. "Sure, an' we'll give 'em the same pastin' we gave him in Africa," O'Malley growled. An hour passed and O'Malley was not called in. Supper of bread and thin soup arrived and with it came the Gestapo officer. He seated himself on a stool outside the bars and talked while the boys ate. O'Malley 

 Prev. P 32/107 next