Boy's Cinema (1935-39)

8 Scruffy. The S.M. came in to ques- tion the prisoner and was amazed. "Is that your dog?" he asked sus- piciously—everything about this young fellow aroused his suspicions. " Yes." " But I thought you'd just come from headquarters?" " Yes, yes—I have " stuttered George. "Followed you down, I suppose," was (he sarcastic comment. " Well, he used to be my dog,"' lied George.' "But I gave him to someone who lives near here," he added as a bright after-thought. "Ho must have heard that I was down for the day." Peggy went with Corporal Craig to find out what had happened to the un- fortunate ukelele player, and they heard from the sergeant about the dog, and the girl was allowed to see the dog after George had been taken away to have an unpleasant five minutes with the CO.—the S.M. hoped it would be unpleasant. When Craig saw the address, " Yew Tree Cottage, Froglcy," he jumped to the truth that George was not from headquarters. "Obviously a fraud—probably not in the Air Force at all. I'd better let the sergeant-major know." "Dave, if he's not in the Air Force," I'eggy paused, "he might have thought those were real bullets." After a certain amount of persuasion Peggy convinced Craig that it would be best that, nothing be said that night. She would take the dog back in the morning and find Out. The S.M. came out of the orderly- room to inform George that defaulters would be seen by the C.O. in the morn- ing, and that he would spend the night in Number 4 barracks. "But the letters?" argued George. "They'll be posted." The unscrupulous Corporal Craig saw George searching for Number 4 bar- racks, and with the idea of more fun pretended to be very sorry for his little jokes. Naturally, George told him about having to stay the night in bar- racks, and at once Craig's eyes glinted. He offered to show George the way, and hi' showed the unfortunate young man into the S.M.'s quarters. George was amazed to find such a comfortable place with proper rooms, beds and everything. He was such a guileless person that he never suspected further trickery. Craig covered himself by saying that there had been a lot of improvements lately, and it was a new idea of the authorities to give fellows rooms hist like home. " Ke, it's champion," cried George. Corpora] Craig departed, and nearly died of mirth once he got out of the building. George took a bath in the fine bath room, and as he could not find the bed-room switch he put out. the light by the simple method of faking out the bulb. There were two beds, and he chose the one on the right, and being dogged tired was soon asleep. The S.M. came in a long time later, cussed when the light would not work, undressed, took a bath, and had his usual snooze. I'eggy always came and kissed her father goodnight, and George was almost under the bedclothes, except for a bit of forehead. She kissed his forehead and tiptoed out of the room. Some five minutes lattfr the S.M. woke m|i. tried the lights, remembered they would not act, muttered and got into l lie empty bed. I'eggy was up early, and took Scruffy <i\er to Frogley in one of the lorries going that way. She saw Anne and learned all about, the subterfuge of Anne's brother. Anne begged I'eggy io February 25th, 1939. BOY'S CINEMA help George, because he had only done it to save Bob. "Don't worry. I'll see he gets away all right," Peggy promised, and patted Scruffy': "Your master will soon be home, Scruffy." Peggy returned to camp, and now her opinion of George had undergone a big change. He was a sort of martyred hero. Meanwhile, George was in even worse trouble. An orderly had brought the S.M. his usual early morning tea and found two occupants in the room, and, naturally, imagined it was a friend. He fetched another cup of tea, and both men sat up in bed to enjoy it. George gave a yell when he saw his room mate, and most of the hot tea went over the sergeant-major. George was the first case that morning before the C.O. The S.M.'s chief complaint .vas about a song, which was both insubordinate and insulting. Thero were further inci- dents, but the C.O. said he would deal with one at a time—he wished to hear the song. The S.M. had to confess that he possessed a ukelele, and squirmed at the amused gleam in his superior's eyes. An orderly was sent for the instrument. Meantime George had been thinking hard, and trying to scheme out some fresh words. It was a shock for the S.M. when George trilled out a dog- gerel all about the most wonderful S.M. the Air Force had ever known, how the men idolised him and what he did for them. "Can you see anything very wrong in that?" the C.O. asked of the adjutant when the song had ended. "Sounded very complimentary to me, sir." "But the words are different, sir," the S.M. almost, bellowed. "Words often sound different at 10 o'clock at night," the C.O. answered, knowing that his S.M. did not disap- prove of alcoholic refreshment. "Case dismissed." "Do you mean I can go. sir?" cried George, and beamed. " Thank you, sir." "Give Aircraftsman Bullock his papers," ordered the C.O. When George had been marched from the room he looked at his chief N.C.O. "I'm sur- prised, sergeant-major. A man from headquarters. This is the sort of thing that gives a station a bad name." " But last night, sir " "What happened the night before often appears different in the morning," snapped the C.O. "Don't forget fire drill at 9.30." The S.M. went out red in the face— lie had almost forgotten to salute. His big hands shook as ho scowled at the papers in his hands. Then he noticed that A/c Bullock had been posted from the Air Ministry to (Ilenbridge Air Station for the annual week's training. George was on his machine and almost on his way when the sergeant-major stopped him. He was Aircraftsman Bid- lock 2814—had he forgotten that he had been posted here for a week's training? George would have argued, but he capitulated when the S.M. threatened to put him under arrest. "Number 4 Barracks," ordered the S.M. "Idm'i make any mistake about it, this time. Report to me on tho parade ground in half an hour." Learning to Serve His Country GEORGE found Number 4 Barracks all right, and someone told him when it was time to fall in for the parade, fie was ambling across the parade ground about 9.20 when I'eggy darted out of a hangar and gripped his arm. "I've seen your sister this morning." Every Tuesday "What?" George almost jumped gut of his skin. " She told me the whole story, and I'm going to help you get away." "It's very good of you." George managed a grin of gratitude. " But I'm afraid it's too late." "Why too late?" "They've found out that Bob's coming here for this week's training, so they won't let me go." "But you can't impersonate Bob for a whole week." "I'll save him from being court- martialled, anyway." "But it's a serious crime wearing a uniform you aren't entitled to." "It'll be just as serious for Bob if they catch him over that letter." "Well, I think it's jolly sporting of you," Peggy said admiringly, for she was touched by his devotion. "If it wasn't for that lop-cared, led- nosed-lah-di-d all-sergeant-major " "Look out!" hissed Peggy. He saw the dreaded man approach- ing, and stiffened to attention. " Hallo, daddy," she cried, and George just gaped vacantly. "Why tho devil aren't you on fire drill?" raved the S.M. "I'm just going, sir," George answered, and beat it at the double. Peggy had had to explain all that she had found out about George to Corporal Craig, and that worthy was by now sick of the sight of a person who was rapidly becoming a rival. After some argument he had agreed to say nothing, but hinted that it was only for Peggy's sake that he would keep his mouth shut. At the fire drill he whispered in George's ear that he knew the truth and was now on his side. Actually; he was planning more humiliation for the unfortunate George. "Do exactly as I tell you and you can't go wrong," Craig whispered. "Grab a bucket of sand and follow me up that ladder." A ladder had been run up to a window of the barracks and the idea was to put the fire out with sand. George was not good at clambering up ladders, especi- ally when carrying a heavy bucket of sand. The sergeant-major came along to see if the drill was being carried out to schedule, and paused almost under- neath the ladder. George rested on the ladder, and his left hand held the bucket. Craig looked down and saw this hand touch the side of the ladder and promptly stepped down a rung on to George's fingers. The sand went ail over the S.M. and the bucket flopped over his head with a clang. George was horrified, and ho knew that Craig had stepped on his hand on purpose. Craig and George scrambled up the ladder and through the window. The S.M., livid with fury, removed the bucket in time to guess who had inflicted this injury to his dignity. He went up the ladder after him. but by that time George had reached the ground through an escape chute. Nobby had witnessed the incident, and he was not so friendly with Craig. "Now's your chance fo get. even," he said out of the corner of his mouth, handing George the nozzle of a fire hose. "Belt him over the head as he comes down the chute." But. Craig at the window above had seen and heard. When the S.M. de- manded where Bullock was, he told him that. George had gone and suggested that the S.M. if he wanted to get down quickly should use the chute. The idea was distasteful to the big man, but to use the stairs when all the other airmen had heard Craig's suggestion, was out of the question. Ho went down the chute, George thought it was Craig, and