nows how to go through a French window in this room out
to a trellis. We climb the vines."

"But the general, he's pretty heavy," Stan said.

"The boys are boosting him up right now." Allison was dragging Stan
across the room.

They went through the window and saw the stars above. Dark shapes loomed
against the wall of the house where vines climbed up to the eaves. Stan
and Allison started up the trellis. They could hear General Bolero
puffing and grunting as Tony and Arno helped him climb upward.

Stan looked down and saw the top of the garden wall. "I'm going down
after some grenades and a submachine gun," he hissed. Before Allison
could stop him he had swung over the wall and was dangling in space. The
vines ended at the wall and Stan could not see what was below. He took a
chance and cut loose.

Stan was lucky. He landed on top of a canvas-covered van. The padding
dulled the thud of his landing. He sat up and listened. The yard below
was filled with shouting and yelling. Boots pounded as men ran across
the hard ground. Doors slammed and someone fired a pistol. Stan whistled
but got no answer. Then he spotted his gang. They were crouching on the
roof above. Stan whistled louder and saw a shape detach itself and slide
down toward the edge of the roof. He was sure it was Allison. When the
dark shape loomed directly above him he called up cautiously.

"There's a canvas-covered van right here. Get the men and have them drop
off on top of it."

"Pretty far down, isn't it, old man?" Allison called back.

"Not too far," Stan answered. "We'll get to our car and blast our way
out of here."

Allison moved back up the roof. In a minute he was back with the general
and his sons.

"General Bolero coming down first," Allison called softly.

Stan moved back but got ready to help the general. A bulky form swung
down from the roof, then fell, landing with a thud beside Stan. Stan
helped the general to a sitting position.

"Are you hurt?"

"Only slightly jarred," the general assured him.

The others dropped off in a hurry. They crowded around Stan. "Now to get
to our car," Stan said.

They slid off the back of the van. It was parked a yard from the wall of
the house. Other vans stood beside it as closely as they could be packed
in. The raiders moved along the wall, halting behind the last van. The
car they wanted to reach was only a few feet away, but it was surrounded
by a squad of men. Flashlight beams stabbed int