how his stuff," Allison drawled and Stan thought he heard the
Flight Lieutenant chuckle.

The Messerschmitt ducked over the coast and down with O'Malley steering
him expertly to the field. Bursts of gunfire began to blossom below and
puffs of white smoke broke around the Jerry and his pursuer.

"They think O'Malley's Spitfire is a captured plane with a Jerry in it,"
Stan muttered.

O'Malley sent his catch down through the shellfire, twisting and
turning. The Nazi pilot was an expert and wiggled through until they got
close in, then the fire got so hot he and O'Malley had to hit for the
ceiling. They circled and were high up when Stan and Allison slid down
the field.

Undaunted, O'Malley came in again and this time he sent his prize
through the rain of exploding shells. The Messerschmitt rolled to a stop
with O'Malley close behind him. In a moment the flustered Jerry was
climbing out of his shattered hatch with his hands elevated above his
head.

Ground men closed in around him, shouting and doing a war dance.
O'Malley climbed out after removing part of the hatch cover from around
his neck. He strode to the Messerschmitt and bellowed at the ground men.

"Git ye a hump on yerselves an' pull out that fore gun!"

Four mechanics raced away to get tools while O'Malley stood guard over
his prize. He refused to let anyone touch the ship. A senior ground
officer came hurrying up and O'Malley gave him a sloppy salute. The
officer snapped:

"I'll take charge here now."

"Ye'll do nothing of the sort," O'Malley shouted. "And as I live and
breathe them's Wing Commander Farrell's very orders!"

The officer looked at the wild-eyed O'Malley and decided it would be
best to wait for reinforcements, possibly a Group Captain or an Air
Commodore.

"It's my job, you know, old man," he said but his tone had changed.

"'Tis my job, me hearty," O'Malley assured him.

The mechanics arrived and in a few minutes the fore gun was on the
ground at O'Malley's feet. It was so heavy he could not handle it. He
turned to the grinning Stan who was standing beside Allison.

"Lend a hand so we can deliver this gadget before sundown."

Stan and Allison stepped forward.

"This is positively against regulations," the senior officer sputtered.

"An' who, may I ask, bagged this here gun?" O'Malley demanded. "I may be
bold, but I suggest ye give some attention to that Jerry waitin' over
there to be captured accordin' to regulations."

The J