Battle Cry - Leon Uris [217]
“One is an officer,” Marion said.
I cut their leg bonds loose and ordered them into the alligator. “Get in and lay down. If you try a break, I’m not going to shoot you but I’ll have to club you unconscious…so let’s make the trip pleasant.” The radio was loaded in after them and Marion and I climbed aboard. “Stay close to the shore, driver. The battalion is up on the next island. Danny, keep a listening watch.”
A deafening roar went up as the motor turned over and the alligator made an about face that threw us all to the deck.
“Don’t put me on this goddam thing tomorrow. It shakes your guts out,” Danny muttered brokenly over the rumbling and bouncing.
I had had many a rough ride in my day. I had even tried a wild bronco once when I was drunk in Oregon at a rodeo. Yet I had never had a ride like this. As the treads turned slowly and rumbled over the rock in shallow water the springless monstrosity pitched and bucked mercilessly. It finally dipped into deep water and churned slowly northward.
On the shore, some two hundred yards away, we caught sight of the natives of the big village lined up and waving. We swung in as close as we could without riding the coral and exchanged greetings with them. Past them, we hit deep water and chugged on.
As the sun was setting I caught a blinker light ashore signaling us in. Huxley had moved the battalion up three islands instead of one. The bivouac was a tiny place, not more than a few hundred square yards. The alligator rumbled ashore and came to a halt. My knees buckled as I jumped down. The ride in the mixmaster left me feeling like a bowl of whipped cream.
“Get that working party going and unload the chow,” Huxley greeted us.
“Sir,” the driver said, “all we could get was C-ration. Two per man for tomorrow. I’m afraid there’ll not be enough for tonight. I did the best I could.”
“What’s the matter with those people on Bairiki?” Huxley fumed.
“I’m sorry, sir,” the driver said.
“It’s not your fault, son. Mac, when you get that radio in with Sarah, let me know. I want to talk with them.”
“Aye aye, sir.” I transferred the prisoners to LeForce, was commended, and wearily unloaded the radios and set out to find the squad.
Right on the water’s edge were two small huts. The command post had been set up in them. The radios shared the hut with a message center and the aid station, while Huxley and his staff were in the other. The road ran past the huts, giving little sleeping room near them. Over the road there was a big clearing where the company was digging in on open ground. The ground was dusty soft once the top layer had been pierced. I dug my hole with Burnside and dropped my gear in it, then went back to the radio to see if Spanish Joe had contacted Sarah. Being on the edge of the water and having a clear shot to Bairiki we received and transmitted clearly, five and five.
Highpockets dropped to his knees to get into the low-roofed thatched shelter. He was followed by Doc Kyser, the alligator driver, and Lieutenant LeForce.
“Sorry we couldn’t get anything from the prisoners,” LeForce said.
“I’d estimate there are three hundred of them,” Huxley said.
“We’ll find out tomorrow,” LeForce answered.
Huxley turned to Spanish Joe at the radio. “Are you in with Sarah?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Any chance to talk to them by mike?”
“I think we can reach them O.K.,” I said.
“Tell them to get the commander of the island to the radio.”
Spanish Joe took off the earphones and Huxley strapped them on. “Give us a signal when you want to talk,” Joe said.
“Hello Sarah. Is this the commander? This is Huxley, Lincoln White. What’s the matter with you people down there? I asked for ammo today and plasma. I didn’t get any.”
“Sorry, Huxley. We are all fouled up here. The stuff is going to Helen by mistake. What’s the picture up there? Run into anything?”
“We expect to hit Cora by dusk tomorrow. I want to send the alligator back tonight so we can have the stuff up to us when we contact the enemy tomorrow.”
“Hello Lincoln White. You will have to hold up your attack till we can get the supplies up there.