“I do,” Stan replied. “Unless the Japs have found it.”
They moved along the road at a fast pace. With no vines or thorns to slow their progress they made good time. After an hour of tramping Stan halted to listen. They had missed the clearing with its native huts. Now they were not likely to meet anyone, except Jap patrols sent out along the road.
They went on as fast as Niva could walk. Stan halted several times to ask her if she wanted to rest, but she stoutly refused to stop.
“The quicker I get away from here, the better I’ll like it,” she insisted.
They tramped on steadily for hours. Now and then Stan stopped to let the girl rest. In spite of her courage, she was tiring. He was sure she was nearing the end of her strength.
Gray dawn was beginning to lift an arc of light into the sky as they broke out of the jungle at the place where Stan had entered the day before.
“We’ve made it. I’ll bet Von Ketch will be furious,” Stan said with a laugh.
“I feel sorry for the guards,” Niva said. “The common soldiers are not treated very well even when things go smoothly. Tonight has been a bad night for them.”
“Jap soldiers are the least of my worries,” Stan answered. “The plane is right around this grove of trees. If she’s there, I’ll clear the vines away and wheel her out.”
They located the little avenue where Stan had hidden the P–40. He almost bumped into its shining propeller before he saw it. Clearing away the vines required some work, but Niva helped and they soon had the ship free. They shoved it out into the open and Stan got busy.
“Stand guard out in the open and watch for any Jap patrols that may come out of the woods,” Stan ordered. “If you see anything come a-running.”
Niva went out into the open and Stan checked the ship. He waited a few minutes before winding her up. Ten minutes would be needed to get the engine hot. He wanted light for his take-off. When he thought he had the time right, he kicked the motor over and the P–40 started to rumble.
Niva looked toward the ship anxiously. Stan got down and motioned for her to come to him. When she came in from the field, he put her into the plane. She let him strap a parachute on her without saying a word.
“You grab this and pull if you have to jump out,” he instructed. “If you are high up you wait until you have fallen a long way. If your chute opens too soon a Jap will shoot you before you float down.” He was sure she would not be afraid to jump and that she would pull the rip cord.