monkey leaped upon Ant as soon as the dog entered, shrieking, clawing, and biting at him for all it was worth. Ant seemed so astonished to be challenged to his first physical fight—and this from an animal the likes of which he had never laid eyes on—that all he was able to do was charge around the cabin with the monkey clinging on like a rodeo star, howling for his master and protector.
By the time Anderle had managed to grab the monkey’s leash and drag the animal off, both Ant and Robert had been bitten. They headed for the bathroom to clean their wounds, only to find that Anderle and the beast had got there ahead of them. A second skirmish ensued, after which Robert decided to settle for the deck. He and Ant ended up taking a position in the open air adjacent to a gun mounted on the stern.
For much of the rest of that day Ant peered over the side of the ship in fascination as dolphins rode the waves churned up by their passing. He seemed to appreciate their company far more than he had the psychotic monkey. That night he slept curled up with Robert, keeping both of them warm as they dozed through the coldest hours. Occasionally, Ant woke Robert with whimpers as he dreamed, and Robert figured evil primates very likely loomed large in his nightmares.
Two days before the Neuralia was due to dock in Britain the owners of all animal stowaways were called before the ship’s captain, to be informed via an interpreter about the fate of their pets. In addition to Ant and the mad monkey, Robert noticed that several more dogs appeared to have been smuggled aboard.
“Before you land,” the captain warned them, “all animals must behanded over to the ship’s authorities. They will be cared for properly. Provided you can pay the fees, they will be sent into quarantine for six months. After that you can reclaim them.”
This was the first Robert had heard about Ant’s probable fate, and the first inkling he had of a six-month separation, not to mention any fees.
“What happens if we have no money, sir?” asked a soldier, pretty much speaking for them all.
“Then I’m afraid your pet will have to be destroyed,” the captain replied. Seeing the shock on the faces ranged before him, he added in the most sympathetic voice he could muster: “I can assure you it will be done in a humane manner.”
Robert checked with his fellow animal smugglers on the likely quarantine fees. He consulted his fellow airmen and between them they could muster only a few French francs, plus the ten shillings each had been given by the RAF’s welfare people upon arrival in Gibraltar. Even after passing a hat around for donations, Robert garnered barely enough to pay the fees for three weeks. He couldn’t believe the situation he and Ant found themselves in: having survived so much together, and coming so close to Britain, was his dog to be destroyed for want of money to pay quarantine fees ?
It was such an ignoble fate for Ant—who in Robert’s eyes was truly the world’s most fearless dog, not to mention a flying ace, a war veteran, and an aristocrat of the breed. No way could he—or any of his fellow Czech airmen—let this happen. Seated in a circle on the open deck, they kept their voices low as they discussed their options.
“The dog’s one of us,” Joska reasoned. “He’s an airman . And his circumstances are utterly different from any other animal aboard this ship. He’s the squadron’s dog and a fellow flier, and for all we know we eight are all that’s left of the squadron. We stick together, come what may.”
Uncle Vlasta nodded gravely. “Absolutely. All for one, and one for all.”
“Count me in,” Karel confirmed.
The others added their words of support.
“But how can we stick together?” Robert asked. “They know I have him, they’ve read me the rule book, and they’ll be watching.”
The discussion went around and around. Ant sat with them, cocking his head to one side and then the other and
By the time Anderle had managed to grab the monkey’s leash and drag the animal off, both Ant and Robert had been bitten. They headed for the bathroom to clean their wounds, only to find that Anderle and the beast had got there ahead of them. A second skirmish ensued, after which Robert decided to settle for the deck. He and Ant ended up taking a position in the open air adjacent to a gun mounted on the stern.
For much of the rest of that day Ant peered over the side of the ship in fascination as dolphins rode the waves churned up by their passing. He seemed to appreciate their company far more than he had the psychotic monkey. That night he slept curled up with Robert, keeping both of them warm as they dozed through the coldest hours. Occasionally, Ant woke Robert with whimpers as he dreamed, and Robert figured evil primates very likely loomed large in his nightmares.
Two days before the Neuralia was due to dock in Britain the owners of all animal stowaways were called before the ship’s captain, to be informed via an interpreter about the fate of their pets. In addition to Ant and the mad monkey, Robert noticed that several more dogs appeared to have been smuggled aboard.
“Before you land,” the captain warned them, “all animals must behanded over to the ship’s authorities. They will be cared for properly. Provided you can pay the fees, they will be sent into quarantine for six months. After that you can reclaim them.”
This was the first Robert had heard about Ant’s probable fate, and the first inkling he had of a six-month separation, not to mention any fees.
“What happens if we have no money, sir?” asked a soldier, pretty much speaking for them all.
“Then I’m afraid your pet will have to be destroyed,” the captain replied. Seeing the shock on the faces ranged before him, he added in the most sympathetic voice he could muster: “I can assure you it will be done in a humane manner.”
Robert checked with his fellow animal smugglers on the likely quarantine fees. He consulted his fellow airmen and between them they could muster only a few French francs, plus the ten shillings each had been given by the RAF’s welfare people upon arrival in Gibraltar. Even after passing a hat around for donations, Robert garnered barely enough to pay the fees for three weeks. He couldn’t believe the situation he and Ant found themselves in: having survived so much together, and coming so close to Britain, was his dog to be destroyed for want of money to pay quarantine fees ?
It was such an ignoble fate for Ant—who in Robert’s eyes was truly the world’s most fearless dog, not to mention a flying ace, a war veteran, and an aristocrat of the breed. No way could he—or any of his fellow Czech airmen—let this happen. Seated in a circle on the open deck, they kept their voices low as they discussed their options.
“The dog’s one of us,” Joska reasoned. “He’s an airman . And his circumstances are utterly different from any other animal aboard this ship. He’s the squadron’s dog and a fellow flier, and for all we know we eight are all that’s left of the squadron. We stick together, come what may.”
Uncle Vlasta nodded gravely. “Absolutely. All for one, and one for all.”
“Count me in,” Karel confirmed.
The others added their words of support.
“But how can we stick together?” Robert asked. “They know I have him, they’ve read me the rule book, and they’ll be watching.”
The discussion went around and around. Ant sat with them, cocking his head to one side and then the other and
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