'With what we've got, that wouldn't take us more'n ten miles.'
He turned to the driver.
'Let's 'ave the muckin' map.'
Together they pored over the sheet; the old man got up into the cab and studied it with them.
There was no side road between them and the town; behind them there was no road leading to the south for nearly seven miles.
'That's right," the driver said.
'I didn't see no road on that side when we came along.'
The. corporal said quietly: 'An' if we did go back, we'd meet the Jerries coming along after us from that other muckin' place.
Where he picked up the nipper what they told him was a spy.'
'That's right,' the driver said.
The corporal said: 'Got a fag?'
The driver produced a cigarette; the corporal lit it and blew a long cloud.
'Well,' he said presently, 'this puts the lid on it.'
The other two were silent.
'I wanted to get home with that big Herbert,' the corporal said.
'I wanted to get that through okay, as much as I ever wanted anything in all my life.'
He turned to Howard:
'Straight, I did.
But I ain't going to.'
The old man said gently: 'I am very sorry.'
The other shook himself.
'You can't always do them things you want to most.' He stirred. 'Well, this won't buy baby a new frock.'
He got down from the cab on to the ground.
'What are you going to do?' asked Howard.
'I'll show you what I'm going to do.'
He led the old man to the side of the great lorry, about half-way down its length.
There was a little handle sticking out through the side chassis member, painted bright red.
'I'm going to pull that tit, and run like bloody 'ell.'
'Demolition,' said the driver at his elbow.
'Pull that out an' up she goes.'
The corporal said: 'Come on, now.
Get them muckin' kids out of the back.
I'm sorry we can't take you any farther, mate, but that's the way it is.'
Howard said: 'What will you do, yourselves?'
The corporal said: 'Mugger off cross-country to the south an' hope to keep in front of the Jerries.'
He hesitated.
'You'll be all right,' he said, a little awkwardly.
'They won't do nothin' to you, with all them kids.'
The old man said: 'We'll be all right.
Don't worry about us.
You've got to get back home to fight again.'
'We got to dodge the muckin' Jerries first.'
Together they got the children down on to the road; then they lifted the pram from the top of the van.
Howard collected his few possessions and stowed them in the pram, took the corporal's address in England, and gave his own.
There was nothing then to wait for.
'So long, mate,' said the corporal.
'See you one day.'
The old man said: 'So long.'
He gathered the children round him and set off with them slowly down the road in the direction of Angerville.
There was a minor squabble as to who should push the pram, which finished up by Sheila pushing it with Ronnie to assist and advise.