rd
O'Malley. "I have set aside a supply of pie for you, Lieutenant."

The party saluted and made off. O'Malley was not too happy. "If you
sneak off alone to get the general, I'll thrash the daylights out o'
you when I get back from seein' the brass hats," he growled.

"I won't take on the whole German army alone," Stan assured him. "I'll
see that you're in on it."

"You better," O'Malley warned sourly.

They found their quarters and all headed for the showers. O'Malley
wanted to eat first but they talked him out of the idea.

CHAPTER XII

SALERNO

Events moved rapidly for Stan during the next day or so. General
Montgomery's Eighth Army was driving up the toe of the Italian boot,
while General Clarke's Fifth Yank army was having a tough time holding
its bridgehead at Salerno. Stan was tickled when O'Malley and Allison
returned. Arno and Tony came with them.

Colonel Benson called the boys to his headquarters. He was a very busy
man. He was working twenty hours a day and lines of weariness furrowed
his face. His fighters and bombers were at last masters of the air over
Salerno, but they got no rest after their victory. The Germans were
entrenched in specially prepared spots on high ground overlooking the
beaches. Artillery positions had to be blasted, and the repeated tank
attacks had to be checked or the Fifth's landing force would be blasted
into the sea.

The boys entered the colonel's office. He nodded toward chairs. When
they were seated, he turned to Stan.

"Have you any plans for the rescue of General Bolero? We need his
knowledge of military positions behind the German lines."

Stan looked at Arno. "The plans are really Lieutenant Arno Bolero's," he
began. "Arno and Tony are familiar with every foot of the country where
their father is being held. He is a prisoner in a house once owned by
Don Sachetti. The Sachetti family and the Bolero family were very close
friends. Arno and Tony have spent many days at their home. If they can
go with us, we will have a chance of success."

"They can go. Now what is your plan?" the colonel glanced at his wrist
watch. He was to have a conference with high officers in five minutes.

"We will take one De Havilland plane. Four of us will parachute into a
field at night. Here, again, the boys will know just where to land to
hit a field of grain the Germans are saving for harvesting. The plane
will return to base and come after us the next night. If we do not s