Whatever it was, it was not for me. I should have known better. There's no way that could have been a Gooney Bird; no way they could have gotten a team here this quick. Now I look like a horse's ass in front of Alois.
He met the large Hungarian's eyes and shrugged.
And then he was sure the sound of the engines receding had changed, that it was growing louder. And it kept going in and out, growing louder then fainter, then louder again.
And all of a sudden, it was very loud. A Gooney Bird appeared at the end of the meadow where the trees had been cut, its engine roar now deafening, and flashed overhead no more than two hundred feet off the ground. And there was no mistaking the star-in-a-bar U.S. identification painted on the wing.
"Jesus, Maria, und Josef!
"Alois said.
The Gooney Bird banked, then disappeared from sight.
Canidy stuck two fingers in his mouth, then raised them over his head to confirm his suspicion that the wind was coming from the direction of the stream and the cut-over area.
He ran to the pile of pine boughs. He could just make out a shining glint underneath that had to be the kerosene.
He dug it out. It was a five-gallon tin can, bearing a Shell logotype. A sealed tin can, he saw when he unscrewed the cap. There was a seal over the hole he would have to pry out before he could pour the kerosene.
He changed his mind and threw the can atop the pile of boughs. And then he gestured to Alois.
"Shoot the sonofabitch, Alois'"he said.
Alois looked confused.
Canidy gestured.
"Bang! Bang!" Canidy shouted as he mimed the action.
Alois looked confused, but he raised his shotgun and looked to Canidy for approval.
"Right! Yes! Ja! Schlessen!"
The shotgun barked, and the can erupted. Canidy felt droplets of kerosene in the air.
Alois looked at Canidy, as if he was afraid he had misunderstood him and done the wrong thing.
Canidy smiled at him, then ran to him and reached for the shotgun. Alois debated for a moment parting with the shotgun, but finally handed it over.
Canidy found a puddle of kerosene, put the barrel to it, and fired the other barrel.
There was a dull flicker of fire for a moment, and then the kerosene that had vaporized when the can had erupted ignited in a whoosh. A thick cloud of black smoke quickly formed.
Christ, I hope they just haven't given up! That somebody sees that!
The pine boughs were burning now, and noisily Canidy had just about decided that he could not hear the Twin Wasps at all anymore, when the Gooney B
ird appeared, flaps and wheels down, right on the edge of a stall.
And then very quickly, surprising him, something fell--five somethings fell--from the door. And then the first canopy opened, and the second, and then one at a time all the rest, and five parachutes floated toward the ground.
The Gooney Bird pulled up its flaps and its gear and was gone.
A Gooney Bird! How the bell did they get a Gooney Bird this far?
Canidy ran toward the first parachutist, who was just about to touch down. He heard Alois plodding behind him.
The parachutist, a big guy, landed badly. He screamed.