to take off as black as it is," Stan said. "We'll
have to wait for the first light so we can see something."

"By that time the Germans will have found the ship. See the lights
flashing in the woods below?" Tony spoke sharply.

Arno laughed. "Now I will show you how we took off on black nights. Will
your bomber lift in a hurry?"

"Faster than a Nardi fighter," Stan said.

"Wait. I will show you," Arno said and disappeared into the blackness.

"We have done it many times," Tony said, laughing.

Arno was gone only a few minutes. When he returned he explained:

"First we roll the ship out from under the trees by hand if we can."

"That will be easy. There is a downgrade and the Mosquito is light
weight," Stan said.

"Then we get the engines warm enough to take off." Arno paused.

"That will take a little time. We may have to stand off the Germans,"
Stan said.

"When the engines are hot I will place two blue flares with a red one in
the middle for a target. It is so easy. You head for the red flare and
take off before you get to it."

"Good work. You have the flares?" Allison asked.

"We keep a supply here," Arno said. "I will place them. When you shout
to me that the engines are ready, I will light them. Then I come running
and we take off."

"'Tis very simple," O'Malley said eagerly. "Sure, an' we better get her
rolled out."

The boys got hold of the Mosquito and rolled her out. Arno made off to
set his flares. Before the boys piled in, Stan handed his tommy-gun to
Allison. "You're an artist with this sort of banjo. You stay on the
ground. If any German squads show up, you chase them back into the
woods."

"Good idea, old boy," Allison said as he took the gun.

Stan went up and wound up the radial motors. They coughed and sputtered
but finally took hold, first with a rumbling gallop that was uneven,
then with a smoother roar. The sound of those powerful radials shook the
night air. Stan knew their full-throated exhausts could be heard by the
Germans.

Flashes of light winked in the woods below, Stan judged that the German
squads were not over two hundred yards down the slope. Some might be
even farther up the hill. He tested the engines with a jerk of the
throttle. They bogged down and sputtered, too cold to take off.

Suddenly rifle fire broke out across the open meadow. The Germans were
firing at the flaring exhaust flames from the Mosquito's engines.
Bullets whistled past the ship. Allison opene