human
I'm nuts, completely nuts! he chided himself aloud.
gpt
It just couldn't have been!
human
What couldn't have been?
gpt
Those two, just now, Dave replied.
human
I had the flash thought that they might have been that hard-faced pair in the dining room. But they didn't come at us from behind. They were ahead of us. Besides, they left before we did. Well, which of these do you want for a souvenir?
gpt
Neither, Freddy replied.
human
I suggest we turn them over to Colonel Welsh. Those are Commando knives, right enough. He might be interested to know that some of your American underworld chaps also carry them.
gpt
Or-- Dave started to say, and then stopped himself with a snort of disgust.
human
Doggone, but my imagination is going haywire tonight! Must be something I ate.
gpt
You don't think they were underworld beggars? the English youth demanded.
human
Good grief! You're not thinking of Nazi agents, are you?
gpt
Well, I did give it a whirl for a second or two, Dawson confessed with a shrug.
human
But that's plain silly. No Nazi agents should have any interest in us, right now.
gpt
I don't know about that, Freddy grunted as they started along the street again.
human
The Gestapo beggars are quite keen about revenge killings, you know. And we've been lucky enough to send a few of them to where they belong in days gone by.
gpt
Okay, Nazi agents! Dave snorted.
human
They read those route instructions before we did, and were waiting for us in the dark doorway! See? It doesn't make sense, Freddy. It's all cockeyed to drag Nazi agents into this thing.
gpt
You're right, of course, the English youth murmured.
human
But all I can say is, praise the good Lord for our Commando training. I'm still shuddering, thinking of one of those things slicing into my hide. And my beggar almost got me, I'll frankly confess.
gpt
Well, mine didn't exactly send me a letter, Dave echoed.
human
I'm sore we didn't stop them, though. After that scare it would have done me a world of good to go to work on his mug. Well, one thing, and that's final. From now on I'm not going to leave my gun parked in a bureau drawer. Let the public laugh and snicker. If I'd had it, I could have clipped that bird in the leg and brought him down. But, boy! What a pair of broken field runners they were!
gpt
Let's try and forget about them, if you don't mind, Freddy said with a little shudder.
human
And let's put on a bit of speed. My nerves never were of the best, you know.
gpt
Listen to him lie, will you! he cried.
human
Pal, if your nerves aren't the best I ever came across, then I'm Uncle Bay-Window Goering. But I was just about to suggest, myself, that we get over on Tenth Avenue where there's more light and fewer darkened doorways. Not too fast, though. I've still got some jelly in my knee joints.