Edie and Gus agreed – no matter what else needed to be done, they had to begin by fetching some food and water. The young airman must be half-starved by now. He had been hiding in the tunnel for days, surviving by licking moisture from the walls, as Gus discovered in a hasty German conversation.
“Yuck!” said Greta dramatically. “Mr Churchill thinks that sounds horrid.”
“I left the picnic basket at the mouth of the tunnel,” said Edie. “We could go and get that.”
“Good idea,” said Gus. “But we can’t leave the airman… ”
“Karl,” corrected Greta. “His name is Karl.”
“We can’t leave Karl alone,” sighed Gus. “Not until we decide the best thing to do. He might try and escape.”
“Whoever goes for the food will have to take the lamp,” said Edie. “And we can’t leave Greta alone with him in the dark… ”
“I’m not leaving either of you two girls with him.” Gus dropped his voice. “He seems friendly enough, but you never know.”
“And I shouldn’t leave you here. Or just with Greta, either,” said Edie. “If anyone caught you, they could say you were all making plans in German while I was gone. At least if I’m a witness, I could deny that.”
“Then we’ll have to take him along the tunnel with us,” said Gus. “We’ll all go together and when we’re within sight of the entrance, someone can run and fetch the food.”
“Right,” said Edie. It seemed like a plan. Poor Karl was starving … and even she was beginning to feel she couldn’t think straight until she had eaten some cake.
“I’ll see if he’s strong enough,” said Gus. And he turned to Karl. “Can you walk at all… Können Sie gehen?” He switched reluctantly to German.
“Ja.” The airman nodded and tried to struggle to his feet. He explained something to Gus, who translated that he was not badly injured, just tired and weak.
“Greta,” said Edie. “You take the lantern.”
“Me?” Greta squealed with delight.
“Hold it up as high as you can and walk slowly, just ahead of us,” Edie instructed. Then she and Gus each took one of Karl’s arms and wrapped it around their shoulders as they heaved him upright. He seemed to trust them. Or, at least, he didn’t try to struggle or fight. Perhaps he was just too exhausted.
“Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho, it’s off to work we go,” belted out Greta, waving the lantern from side to side like a conductor’s baton in front of them.
“Don’t shake it too much or the light will go out,” warned Edie.
“And keep the noise down!” hissed Gus.
“We have to be quiet now,” Edie explained more gently. But after just a few paces, struggling over the sleepers and the shifting pebbles with Karl’s weight, she wished they could sing. It might have helped to make the task seem easier.
All she could do was concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other without tripping over.
She was looking down at her feet and trudging on when she heard a familiar rattle on the rails. A chill ran down her spine. She knew that sound. It was the noise of a train… But it couldn’t be. That was impossible. Perky had said the line was closed.
The rails rattled again. Louder this time.
“Quick!” There was no doubt now. She let go of Karl and sprang forward, grabbing Greta by the scruff of the neck. “Get flat against the side. There’s a train coming.”
Greta dropped the lantern and screamed, trying to scramble after it.
“Leave it!” Edie pulled her backwards.
Just in time, all four of them dived into the very same manhole Gus and Edie had sheltered in weeks before. They squeezed themselves together as an engine screeched past. It was only a small train, with a single carriage, but it was enough for Edie to feel the wind on her face and the soot in her throat. Her legs were shaking and the roar of the little train seemed to echo through the tunnel long after it was gone.
Karl growled and said something in German. Edie was sure it was a swear word. She couldn’t blame him.
Greta was whimpering and clinging to her waist.
“You said the POWs were still working,” said Gus, with a shaky voice. “You said the line was closed.”
“They must have finished early,” murmured Edie, but she didn’t try to defend herself. It had been a stupid idea to come. Stupid and dangerous… They could have been killed. She felt as if she was going to burst into tears. It was pitch black again now and the lamp was probably smashed to pieces anyway. She lit a match with trembling fingers and held it up so they could see.
“Hier.” Karl stepped forward and picked up the lantern, which was lying on its side. Miraculously, it seemed unharmed. The train must have passed right over it. Edie lit the wick and blinked as the gentle orange glow of the light filled the quiet tunnel once again.
“This ist good!” said Karl in broken English.
“Yes!” said Edie. “Thank you.” He seemed so kind and the light did make her feel a little better. Without another word they all stumbled on towards the end of the tunnel. Gus helped Karl by himself and Edie held tight to Greta and the lamp.
Greta held her beloved elephant, of course.
“Phew!” she said, when they saw the pale sunshine outside at last. “Mr Churchill did not like that one bit!”
As they reached the end of the tunnel, Edie blew out the lantern.
Karl tugged at Gus’s sleeve and asked him something. Edie could hear pleading in his voice.
“He wants to go into the fresh air,” Gus explained. “Out in the light.”
“Of course he does,” said Edie, thinking how terrible it must have been to be crouched in the dark for so long. “We could hide him behind that big tree there. Just while he eats his food.” She pointed to a broad old oak. He would be hidden by the high bank on
