"Of course not," Stan said and felt an itch to lay his fist against Herr
Domber's receding chin.

"You will honor me by having dinner with me tonight?"

"Certainly," Stan said and laughed. He might as well live high while he
could live.

As they went out to enter Domber's car, Stan asked, "Why do you go to
all of this fuss? I can't understand you Germans. There was a lot of
fuss in planning to let us escape. Now you are putting on a big show for
me. You could get results without it."

"We have much humor," Domber said. "I have my own little jokes and enjoy
them." He smiled at Stan.

Stan thought about the R.A.F. flier who had been poisoned after he
revealed what Domber wanted to know. He decided Herr Domber was a bit of
a maniac as well as an enemy and a traitor to Holland.

After an excellent dinner Stan was taken back to the job. Herr Domber
was in high spirits. Hans was waiting at the bench. Stan saw at once
that the mechanic had been trying to fit the machinery together. With a
grin he fished several parts out of his coverall pocket and set to work.

As he worked he began to plan. If he was to be poisoned, it likely would
be done shortly before the tryout. He would have to watch closely. He
would drink nothing and he would eat nothing. And he would keep two
vitally important parts hidden until he had to put them into place. He
also would be very careful no one bumped into him and jabbed him with a
hypodermic needle. The last method of poisoning did not seem to fit in
with the character of Herr Domber. His method would be cunning and
crafty, and it would be done with a lot of showmanship.

Nobody but Herr Domber, Stan decided, would have thought up such a crazy
method of saving a few days time, and of making away with a prisoner of
war. If he was called to face charges after the war, he could claim Stan
Wilson had turned traitor to his country and disclosed secrets before
meeting an accidental death.

Stan looked at the machine on the bench. He was taking chances with
valuable secrets, but if he escaped he would be able to stop a mass
slaughter of British and American planes and men, perhaps even a gas
attack upon England. He decided it was worth the risk.

"You work very slow," Hans complained.

"You're here to take orders," Stan snapped.

Hans jumped and scowled at Stan. He was so used to being snapped at that
he reacted without thought. Stan laughed.

"You jump like monkeys when they yell at you,