nt on
to the east, but came back to crisscross the ridge. Stan smiled. The
German pilots seemed puzzled over the way a bomber had vanished into
thin air.

Swinging the Mosquito around under her own power he set her in position
for a quick take-off, then began getting out his pack of rations and the
light machine gun he had brought with him. He was eager to work his way
down the bridle path before darkness settled completely.

CHAPTER XI

RESCUE

Stan kept under cover until he located the bridle path leading over the
ridge. The Me's were still combing the ridge above, but the woods and
the meadows were full of long shadows which made spotting a camouflaged
object impossible.

Moving down the path Stan kept a sharp watch for guards. The pathway was
really a tunnel under the trees. Overlapping branches formed a natural
roof. This cover made the path almost pitch-dark. But Stan moved
swiftly. He wanted enough light to spot the prison where the boys were
being held.

Reaching the opening in the hedge he discovered that someone had moved
the branches of the hedge row so that they entwined over the opening
hiding it. Standing behind the hedge he listened. Judging by the sounds,
there was plenty of activity in the camp, and Stan could see lights
shining through the wall of leaves. A motorcycle roared and a truck
motor joined it. Men's voices could be heard clearly.

Moving along the hedge Stan peered over it. He could see into the wide
yard of the villa and also into the yards around the barns. Every
building was lighted up and the place swarmed with Germans. Stan had
never seen so many German officers in a single spot before. Groups of
them sat around outdoor tables in the back yard of the villa. They were
eating and drinking wine from the Bolero cellars. There was a lot of
shouting and laughter.

Stan turned to the barns. He moved along them until he could see the
back yard of the big barn. Here there were a number of smaller sheds and
barns as well as the kennels. All of them were lighted and so were the
yards around them. Guards marched back and forth in front of the kennels
and before three of the sheds. Stan was certain he had located the
prisons, but there was no way of telling which one contained his pals.
One thing was certain, the Germans felt safe here at Bolero Villa. They
probably figured Allied bombers would think the place was Italian and
leave it alone. The many trees hid the trucks, cars, and