fancy yourselves as spies?’ Captain Ramsgate said, steepling his enormously long fingers as he squatted on the corner of Rosie’s bed. He was so tall that even when seated he had a clear view over the heads of the five youngsters around the table. ‘Why is that?’
Marc was first to answer. ‘I’d rather do something than lie in my bed while the Boche drop bombs on me every night, like in London.’
‘They killed our dad,’ Rosie said, as she pointed across the table at Paul. ‘They would have killed us if Commander Henderson hadn’t found us.’
‘So what kind of training have you been doing?’
‘All sorts,’ Rosie replied. ‘Everything from general fitness like running and swimming, to pistol shooting, radio operations, hand-to-hand combat and explosives training.’
‘Explosives, eh?’ Captain Ramsgate said, as he smiled mischievously. ‘Have they let you blow up anything good?’
‘Instructor Takada showed us how to make a tripwire mine,’ Joel said. ‘We blew up one of the cottages, but there’s a shortage of plastic explosive.’
‘Mostly we practise with blocks of marzipan,’ Paul explained. ‘It has a similar texture.’
‘And you can eat it afterwards, once you’ve scraped the dirt off,’ Joel added.
Ramsgate laughed noisily. ‘What about people who say it’s wrong to send people as young as yourselves undercover? How would you answer them?’
There was a pause before Marc took up the challenge. ‘First of all, sir, we’re facing a superior enemy. That means every able-bodied person has to do their bit.’
‘I saw what happened with the invasion in France,’ Joel said. ‘Whole towns turned to rubble. Dead people and animals everywhere. If the Germans do invade Britain, it’ll be worse for us than going undercover in France.’
‘I see,’ Captain Ramsgate said. ‘But working undercover could be extremely dangerous. If you were captured you could be tortured mercilessly. Have you really considered the consequences?’
Marc showed his missing front tooth. ‘We’ve all been in France, we know what it’s like. I’ve had a tooth ripped out by the Gestapo. Paul and Rosie’s dad died, then their boat got bombed. Joel had family in Germany who’ve all been beaten up because they’re Jewish.’
‘I agree with Marc,’ Paul said. ‘I’d rather fight and die than sit on my bum. If the Germans win we’ll suffer ten times as bad.’
As Paul said this, Henderson appeared in the doorway. It was gone nine and he’d come upstairs to make sure that all the kids were going to bed on time. He was stunned by the sight of Captain Ramsgate on the corner of Rosie’s bed.
‘I thought you were arriving tomorrow,’ Henderson said warily, as he saluted the captain and then shook his hand.
Captain Ramsgate laughed. ‘To see the freshly polished floors and watch a parade of neatly dressed boys, no doubt!’
Henderson’s stance shifted awkwardly. ‘Well, sir, it’s rather what’s expected under these circumstances.’
‘Yes,’ Captain Ramsgate said. ‘But I think I’ve learned a good deal more chatting with your young trainees. They’re a bright bunch, no doubt about it, and raring to go undercover. I look forward to seeing them perform in the field tomorrow. Now perhaps you’d be kind enough to find me a bed for the night?’
‘Yes,’ Henderson said, his voice sounding warmer than before as he realised that Captain Ramsgate’s unconventional approach made him more likely to take a positive view of his espionage unit. ‘Perhaps you’d like a drink at the house first, and I can introduce you to Superintendent McAfferty.’
‘I like the sound of that!’ Captain Ramsgate replied.
As the two officers turned towards the door, PT stepped away from the table. ‘One moment, Captain Ramsgate.’
When the captain turned around he was surprised to see that PT held a calfskin wallet, a set of keys and a military identity card bearing his own picture.
‘Yours, I
Marc was first to answer. ‘I’d rather do something than lie in my bed while the Boche drop bombs on me every night, like in London.’
‘They killed our dad,’ Rosie said, as she pointed across the table at Paul. ‘They would have killed us if Commander Henderson hadn’t found us.’
‘So what kind of training have you been doing?’
‘All sorts,’ Rosie replied. ‘Everything from general fitness like running and swimming, to pistol shooting, radio operations, hand-to-hand combat and explosives training.’
‘Explosives, eh?’ Captain Ramsgate said, as he smiled mischievously. ‘Have they let you blow up anything good?’
‘Instructor Takada showed us how to make a tripwire mine,’ Joel said. ‘We blew up one of the cottages, but there’s a shortage of plastic explosive.’
‘Mostly we practise with blocks of marzipan,’ Paul explained. ‘It has a similar texture.’
‘And you can eat it afterwards, once you’ve scraped the dirt off,’ Joel added.
Ramsgate laughed noisily. ‘What about people who say it’s wrong to send people as young as yourselves undercover? How would you answer them?’
There was a pause before Marc took up the challenge. ‘First of all, sir, we’re facing a superior enemy. That means every able-bodied person has to do their bit.’
‘I saw what happened with the invasion in France,’ Joel said. ‘Whole towns turned to rubble. Dead people and animals everywhere. If the Germans do invade Britain, it’ll be worse for us than going undercover in France.’
‘I see,’ Captain Ramsgate said. ‘But working undercover could be extremely dangerous. If you were captured you could be tortured mercilessly. Have you really considered the consequences?’
Marc showed his missing front tooth. ‘We’ve all been in France, we know what it’s like. I’ve had a tooth ripped out by the Gestapo. Paul and Rosie’s dad died, then their boat got bombed. Joel had family in Germany who’ve all been beaten up because they’re Jewish.’
‘I agree with Marc,’ Paul said. ‘I’d rather fight and die than sit on my bum. If the Germans win we’ll suffer ten times as bad.’
As Paul said this, Henderson appeared in the doorway. It was gone nine and he’d come upstairs to make sure that all the kids were going to bed on time. He was stunned by the sight of Captain Ramsgate on the corner of Rosie’s bed.
‘I thought you were arriving tomorrow,’ Henderson said warily, as he saluted the captain and then shook his hand.
Captain Ramsgate laughed. ‘To see the freshly polished floors and watch a parade of neatly dressed boys, no doubt!’
Henderson’s stance shifted awkwardly. ‘Well, sir, it’s rather what’s expected under these circumstances.’
‘Yes,’ Captain Ramsgate said. ‘But I think I’ve learned a good deal more chatting with your young trainees. They’re a bright bunch, no doubt about it, and raring to go undercover. I look forward to seeing them perform in the field tomorrow. Now perhaps you’d be kind enough to find me a bed for the night?’
‘Yes,’ Henderson said, his voice sounding warmer than before as he realised that Captain Ramsgate’s unconventional approach made him more likely to take a positive view of his espionage unit. ‘Perhaps you’d like a drink at the house first, and I can introduce you to Superintendent McAfferty.’
‘I like the sound of that!’ Captain Ramsgate replied.
As the two officers turned towards the door, PT stepped away from the table. ‘One moment, Captain Ramsgate.’
When the captain turned around he was surprised to see that PT held a calfskin wallet, a set of keys and a military identity card bearing his own picture.
‘Yours, I
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