"O save, O save, O sheriff," he said,

would never have found us" "We would have found you." There was complete certainty in the voice. "Panayis and Iwe know every stone, every blade of grass in Navarone." Louki shivered suddenly, stared out bleakly through the swirling snow. "You couldn't have picked worse weather." "We couldn't have picked better," Mallory said grimly. "Last night, yes," Lould agreed. "No one would expect you in that wind and rain. No one would hear the aircraft or even dream that you would try to jump" "We came by sea," Miller interrupted. He waved a negligent hand. "We climbed the south cliff." "What? The south cliff!" Louki was frankly disbelieving. "No one could climb the south cliff. It is impossible!" "That's the way we felt when we were about half-way up," Mallory said candidly. "But Dusty, here, is right. That's how it was." Louki had taken a step back: his face was expressionless. "I say it is impossible," he repeated flatly. "He is telling the truth, Louki," Miller cut in quietly. "Do you never read newspapers?" "Of course I read newspapers!" Louki bristled with indignation. "Do you think I amhow you sayilliterate?" "Then think back to just before the war," Miller advised. "Think of mountaineerin'and the Himalayas. You must have seen his picture in the papersonce, twice, a hundred times." He- looked at Mallory consideringly. "Only he was a little prettier in those days. You must remember. This is Mallory, Keith Mallory of New Zealand." Mallory said nothing. He was watching Louki, the puzzlement, the ?omical screwing up of the eyes, head cocked to one side: then, all at once, something clicked in the little man's memory and his face lit up in a great, crinkling smile that swamped every last trace of suspicion. He stepped forward, hand outstretched in we!come. "By heaven, you are- right! Mallory! Of course I know Mallory!" He grabbed Mallory's hand, pumped it up and down with great enthusiasm. "It is indeed as the American says. You need a shave. . . . And you look older." "I feel older," Mallory said gloomily. He nodded at Miller. "This is Corporal Miller, an American citizen." "Another famous climber?" Louki asked eagerly. "Another tiger of the hills, yes?" "He climbed the south cliff as it has never been climbed before," Mallory answered truthfully. He glanced at his watch, then looked directly at Louki. "There are fujifilm finepix z20fd 10-megapixel digital camera others up in the hifis. We need help, Louki. We need it badly and we need it at once. You know the danger if you are caught helping us?" "Danger?" Louki waved a contemptuous hand. "Danger to Louki and Panayis, the foxes of Navarone? Impossible! We are the ghosts of the night." He hitched his pack higher up on his shoulders. "Come. Let us take this food to your friends." "Just a minute." Mallory's restraining hand was on his arm. "There are two other things. We need heata stove and fuel, and we need" "Heat! A stove!" Louki was incredulous. "Your friends in the hifiswhat are they? A band of old women?" "And we also need bandages and medicine," Mallory went on patiently. "One of our friends has been terribly injured. We are not sure, but we do not think that he will live." "Panayis!" Louki barked. "Back to the village." Louki was speaking in Greek now. Rapidly he issued his orders, had Mallory describe where the rock-shelter was, made sure that Panayis understood, then stood a moment in indecision, puffing at an end of his moustache. At length he looked up at Mallory. "Could you find this cave again by yourself?" "Lord only knows," Mallory said franidy. "I honestly don't think so." "Then I must come with you. I had hopedyou see, it will be a heavy load for PanayisI have told him to bring bedding as welland I don't think" "I'll go along with him," Miller volunteered. He thought of his back-breaking labours on the caique, the climb up the cliff, their forced march through the mountains. "The exercise will do me good." Louki translated his offer to Panayistaciturn, apparently, only because of his complete lack of Englishand was met by what appeared to be a torrent of protest. Miller looked at him in astonishment. "What's the matter with old sunshine here?" he asked Mallory. "Doesn't seem any too happy to me." "Says he can manage O.K. and wants to go by himself," Mallory interpreted. "Thinks you'll slow him up on the hills." He shook his bead in mock wonder. "As if any man could slow Dusty Miller up!" "Exactly!" Louki was bristling with anger. Again he turned to Panayis, fingers stabbing the empty air to emphasise his words. Miller turned, looked apprehensively at Mallory. "What's he tellin' him now, boss?" "Only the truth," Mallory said solemnly. "Saying he ought to be honoured at