RECONNAISSANCE
The gunner, less concerned, rocked his shoulders
and looked at the maps and photographs around
him. Below, in the Wing mess-room, Turner, the
night pilot, was playing darts while he waited to
take off.
'Two tens. You're beaten, Padre. What says the
"met."?'
'No change/
'Right/
The Return
At dawn the next day, I heard the hum of
Watson's machine over the village. I ran to the
window. The weather was still appalling and the
plane was lost in cloud. I thought of the sergeant
bent over his map in the front: the gunner in the
tail, watching for the enemy. Towards nine o'clock
I went to Wing for news. I had hardly arrived when
we were reassured by telephone.
'Watson's back. All's well/
A car left for the air-field and brought back the
three men, still in flying dress and fur-lined boots.
'And in four hours you've been able to go into
Germany, observe a wide region, and get back
again?'
'Of course. It's not very far/
'Were you attacked?'
'It seems we were. But I saw nothing, I'm glad
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