As his captives moved toward him, Cimino lifted their side arms from holsters, pushing the prisoners swiftly toward the house. “Get in there, quick,” Slim commanded. He had only just herded them into the hall when his voice was drowned out by the explosion of the gas tanks in one of the wrecked vehicles. The captain and André ducked as ammunition, set off by the flames, sprayed the outside of the house. When it was over, the captain leaned out the window, and André asked, “Did it wreck my father’s pump?” “Just knocked down the sign that said ‘_Chocolate_,’” the captain said. “That’s all right,” André laughed shakily. “We did not have any left to sell, anyway.” Captain Dobie wiped the sweat from his face, and with André’s help, hobbled back to his easy chair and cushions. The Germans, lined up against the wall, stared at him silently, open-mouthed. “Are there any more tanks coming this way?” demanded the captain. One of the Nazis, with sergeant’s stripes, said, “_Nein_--no more,” with surly shortness. “Be respectful,” snapped the captain coldly. He turned to Slim. “Take them out to the yard and stand guard, Slim,” he said. “Cimino, try to raise someone on the talkie. If you can’t, get a runner to locate the colonel and tell him where _we_ are.” After several minutes, Cimino reported, “Some sergeant thinks our colonel’s over near the first bridgehead. He’ll pass the word along.” André, at the captain’s suggestion, went out to survey the road and report any sight of the enemy. “Here, take my helmet,” offered the captain. “There’s too much stuff falling out of the sky.” The thud of heavy explosions beyond the village continued to rock the earth. André had been on watch but a few minutes when he sighted a car. He called back through the window, “Jeep coming, sir--from the coast.” Slim, who had been relieved of his guard duty by Cimino, rushed out to join André. The little car swung in toward the two, and braked with a screech. Slim shouted, “Weller! Where’ja get that!” Sergeant Weller was eyeing the wrecked German tanks. “Well, Texas,” he smiled approvingly, “good thing I left you here.” He slid out of the seat. “Lucky those two tanks didn’t get through to hit us from behind,” he said. “We’ve sure had our hands full down there. The Heinies came at us from all sides. But, for some reason, one of the causeways across the swamps was unguarded.” “We got some prisoners for you, out back,” Slim announced. “And you better report to the cap’n,” he added. “He’s restless as a hungry puppy. Ain’t had a word from anybody higher up. Didn’t come across our colonel, did you?” “That’s what I came back for,” said Weller. “Saw him and told him about this command post. He’s feelin’ good. We’ve taken two bridgeheads.” “But _where_ did you get the jeep?” André asked.