and Allison lifted a hand.

One of the Italian officers stepped forward. He spoke good English.

"You are prisoners of war, gentlemen. Come with us." He waved a hand
toward the dim outline of a building.

The three Yanks were willing to move in out of the rain. They were
drenched to the skin. Before they had reached the place where they were
to be questioned the rain had ceased falling, and the sun had burst
through the clouds. O'Malley was completely disgusted.

"Sure, an' I calls that a dirty trick. The weather is against us as well
as iverything else."

"Please be seated," the Italian officer said as they entered a large
room.

The three Yanks sat down and waited gloomily. Three high-ranking Italian
officers entered. They spoke swiftly in their native tongue to the
officer who had escorted the boys to the room. Their words were excited
and they made many motions with their hands. O'Malley stared at them
sourly. Finally the junior officer turned to the boys.

"General Bolero wishes to ask you some questions."

The general smiled as he put the questions. "We wish to know how many
planes and how many ships you are using. Also we wish to know at what
places your forces plan to land."

Stan spoke up. He shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands wide.

"No one can answer those questions but our high command. We are only
ferry pilots as you will see if you examine the flight orders of our
leader." He nodded toward O'Malley.

The general turned and spoke quickly to the other officers in Italian.
They looked at O'Malley and talked some more, then the general turned to
O'Malley. Before he could speak, O'Malley cut in:

"What I want to know is who's responsible for the trick that was pulled
on us?"

The general smiled and his medal-covered chest expanded at O'Malley's
question.

"I am honored that you appreciate my clever trick," he said affably.

O'Malley scowled at the general. "'Tis a foul trick," he said. "I have
been insulted an' I'll get even with you."

Stan broke in to avoid O'Malley's getting into real action against the
general.

"What are you going to do with us?"

"You will be flown to one of our prison camps on the mainland. You will
be treated strictly according to International Law," the general
answered.

"How soon?" Stan asked. He was thinking the paratroopers might take over
this airfield very soon. He knew they would be hitting the coastal
fields in order to give the boys spots to