"They are. Ancient. But they're still fun. Brian, can't I sneak a few
of them into my berth instead of sealing them up in the library? Do you
think Doc would mind?"
"I guess not," I told him. So he did just that. By the time he'd
finished robbing the library, it looked moth-eaten and there was
scarcely enough room in his berth for him to turn around in....
Those were full days and exciting ones, but pleasant. It is hard to
realize that we were living on the bright edge of grave calamity. Nor
did we know it until the eve of the day on which we were to take off.
It started with a thin, high droning to the north. The familiar drone
of aircraft. As always, under these circumstances, Dr. Mallory sounded
the "Take cover!" signal, and everyone scurried to the shelter of the
camouflaged grove, there to wait until the danger should pass.
But it did not pass. The droning came nearer, deepened in tone. And we
saw, through the leafy veil that concealed us, that it was not a single
plane that was approaching, nor a single flight--but a solid phalanx of
enemy aircraft!
Even then we did not guess the dreadful truth. It was not until they
had come directly over us, swung into an involute loop and began
concentrating upon us, that we knew what was happening. Then we saw
something dark and ominous loose itself from the rack of one bomber; a
thin screaming filled the air--and in the woods to our right there came
a frightful blast!
Earth shook beneath us, Maureen screamed needless words in my ear.
"They're bombing _us_, Brian! They've found our refuge!"