The World in My Pocket

He too was alarmed at the angle of the truck, and he jumped on the running board, adding his weight to the already lifting wheels.

‘Start her up and back slowly,’ he said to Bleck.

‘If I move her, she’ll go over,’ Bleck snarled, sweat on his face.

‘There’s no other way. Take it dead slow with a full right lock.’

With an unsteady hand, Bleck thumbed the starter, then, as the engine came alive, he engaged gear.

‘Let the clutch in gently,’ Kitson said. ‘Don’t jerk it. Start pulling her around as soon as she begins to move.’

Cursing under his breath, Bleck began to let the clutch in. As the truck began to move, he turned the steering wheel. For one horrible moment he felt the off-side wheels lift clear of the ground and he was sure the truck was going to turn over, but Kitson’s weight just balanced it and slowly the truck came around and once more faced towards the steep hill.

As Bleck tried to get into a forward gear, the truck started to run backwards and he had to slam on his foot brake.

The engine stalled.

‘Okay,’ Kitson said, contempt in his voice. ‘Come on out. Let me have her.’

Muttering, Bleck got out. He was glad to give up the wheel.

Kitson looked at the angle the truck was now at and he shook his head.

‘Get some rocks. We’ll have to pack the back wheels,’ he said and, going to the side of the road, he caught hold of a large rock and half dragged it, half carried it to the truck and dumped it down into the soft soil behind one of the rear wheels.

Bleck came staggering over with another rock and fixed the other wheel.

Kitson got into the cab of the truck and started the engine.

Leaning out of the window, he said, ‘You and Gypo get ready to block the wheels if I stall. I may have to jump her all the way up. The tires won’t bite on this.’

‘Get on with it!’ Bleck snarled, furious with himself for bogging the truck down.

Kitson got the engine running fast, then he released the handbrake, letting the truck settle back on the rocks.

‘Here we go!’ he shouted and gently let in the clutch.

The truck moved forward, skidded with its rear wheels spinning, throwing dirt and stones back at Bleck and Gypo. Half blinded, they turned their backs, shielding their faces.

Kitson tried to hold the truck straight, gunning the engine, but the strain was too much, the engine stalled and he had just time to slam on his brakes, having gained a couple of yards.

Even with the brakes on, the truck began to slide back and Kitson yelled to Bleck to block the wheels. He lost a yard before Bleck and Gypo got rocks against the wheels.

The next time he tried, the other two stood clear and he gained a good four yards before the engine stalled, and Bleck and Gypo rushed up and dumped rocks under the wheels before the truck lost ground.

This went on for a good half hour. Kitson jumping the truck forward while Bleck and Gypo blocked the wheels. Finally, they were within fifty yards of the Buick, but all three men were so exhausted by their efforts, Bleck called a halt.

‘Let the sonofabitch cool off,’ he said, leaning against the side of the truck and panting.

Kitson got out of the truck.

‘Not far to go now,’ he said as Ginny came running down to join them. ‘Once off this, she’ll be okay.’

‘You’re doing fine,’ Ginny said to him.

He grinned happily at her.

‘The tough driver,’ Bleck sneered. ‘The boy wonder, with a way with cars.’

Ginny looked at him.

‘That’s something you can’t claim, is it?’ she said.

Bleck sneered at her.

‘Okay, stick up for him,’ he said. ‘You’re the only one.’

He walked away to the edge of the road, where he sat on a rock and lit a cigarette.

There was a long wait, then when Kitson had decided the engine was cool enough, he called to Bleck and got into the truck. Ten minutes later the truck was standing beside the Buick.

‘I can tow her now,’ Kitson said. ‘Better get her under cover again.’

He drove the truck into the caravan and Bleck and Gypo got in.

Shutting the back of the caravan, Kitson went to the Buick and slid under the steering wheel.

Ginny said, ‘You were fine. If it hadn’t been for you, we’d never have made it.’

She leaned forward and her lips brushed his cheek.

II

The sun coming through the chink in the entrance to the tent woke Bleck. He opened his eyes and stared up at the sloping canvas roof, and it took him several puzzled moments to remember where he was.

He closed his eyes, frowning, feeling the stiffness in his bones from lying all night on the hard ground. Well, at least, they had found a good hiding place, he thought. If they had any luck they could remain up here safely until Gypo opened the truck.

There was a lake with running water, a fair-sized wood that gave them complete cover from the aircraft that patrolled overhead, and they were a good five hundred yards off the road.

No one would believe it possible that the truck could have been driven up that washed-out road. No one was likely to look for them here. Now everything depended on Gypo. If he couldn’t beat the lock, then he must use the flame.