A huddled mass of backs were clustered around the side of the swamp, the
three heads hidden as they all strove to peer in through the mesh fabric.
Henry, his curiosity roused, approached the bundle of humanity from behind,
now standing on tiptoe to try to see over them, now leaning down to try to
see between their shoulders. Finally, rocking back and forth on the balls
of his feet, he smiled and said, "Yo, fellas."
"SSSshhhh!!" was the reply from Hawkeye Pierce, who bobbed up from the mass long enough to grab Henry's shoulder and pull him down into the huddle, shifting aside to make room for him. Henry tried to inquire further but was cut off by A gesturing finger from Hawkeye which pointed Henry's attention into the scarcely lit interior of the swamp.
Frank was missing, probably nursing his wounds somewhere, or, rather, having Major Houlihan do so. A quick glance to his right showed that B.J. Hunnicutt was one of the other people involved in the spectatorship, the other being Doctor Sidney Freedman. Looking back inside revealed two individuals in the tent, one taking up the visiting physician's bunk in an obvious state of disarray, the other, now looking back towards the window at the noise, recognizable as the company clerk, the dim light shining off his specs and giving the impression of the presence of a wild animal in the tent.
Henry furrowed his brows in a silent question to Hawkeye, but Hawkeye gestured emphatically back to the scene, which Henry duly leant there and watched.
He saw Radar creeping through the tent with an eerie stealth, stepping over piles of dirty socks and scraps of paper which had once held information necessary for the survival of an afternoon and currently lay discarded on the floor. He backed sneakily around the stove, then made a slow crawl toward the bed in which Sparky slept, all unsuspecting of the mischief being played upon him.
Coming upon the cot and his longtime vocal comrade, Radar smiled and slipped down to his knees, reaching down under his shirt and pulling out a football whose bulk had been disguised in the shadows of the tent. Holding his breath, he reached up and gripped the top corner of the briefcase which Sparky held just as Radar held Qotenmatch in his sleep.
With a deft pull, he began to loosen the briefcase bit by bit from the ghoul's grasp. Sparky's breath was cold with the Wyrm taint, but Radar felt way too much like the main character in a spy thriller to care.
As the briefcase came looser and looser, Sparky began to shift in his light sleep, and to clench and unclench his arms, looking for his accustomed grip on the leather case. Taking advantage of the moment, Radar snatched away the case, and gently placed that day's football, infused with the excitement of the day, into the waiting embrace. Placated, Sparky grunted a bit and went back to sleep while Radar made good his escape from the Swamp, spoils in hand.
The crowd stood up, and Henry, following their cue, stood up after them.
Radar emerged from the swamp, shining with excitement, and saluted exaggeratedly with his off-hand. "Mission accomplished, sir!" he whispered, holding out the parcel to Hawekeye with a proud look toward Henry.
Henry caught the Pooka's glance and smiled in return. "Well, that's all very well and good, Radar, but would you please tell me what the heck is going on around here?" He asked politely, a wide, goofy grin spreading over his face.
Hawkeye took the briefcase and looked back to Henry, as if thinking for a moment. But it was only for a moment. He caught the infection of Henry's grin, and, grinning back, clapped his former commanding officer on the shoulder, "Sure, Colonel, come on, we'll clue you in."
~
"SSSshhhh!!" was the reply from Hawkeye Pierce, who bobbed up from the mass long enough to grab Henry's shoulder and pull him down into the huddle, shifting aside to make room for him. Henry tried to inquire further but was cut off by A gesturing finger from Hawkeye which pointed Henry's attention into the scarcely lit interior of the swamp.
Frank was missing, probably nursing his wounds somewhere, or, rather, having Major Houlihan do so. A quick glance to his right showed that B.J. Hunnicutt was one of the other people involved in the spectatorship, the other being Doctor Sidney Freedman. Looking back inside revealed two individuals in the tent, one taking up the visiting physician's bunk in an obvious state of disarray, the other, now looking back towards the window at the noise, recognizable as the company clerk, the dim light shining off his specs and giving the impression of the presence of a wild animal in the tent.
Henry furrowed his brows in a silent question to Hawkeye, but Hawkeye gestured emphatically back to the scene, which Henry duly leant there and watched.
He saw Radar creeping through the tent with an eerie stealth, stepping over piles of dirty socks and scraps of paper which had once held information necessary for the survival of an afternoon and currently lay discarded on the floor. He backed sneakily around the stove, then made a slow crawl toward the bed in which Sparky slept, all unsuspecting of the mischief being played upon him.
Coming upon the cot and his longtime vocal comrade, Radar smiled and slipped down to his knees, reaching down under his shirt and pulling out a football whose bulk had been disguised in the shadows of the tent. Holding his breath, he reached up and gripped the top corner of the briefcase which Sparky held just as Radar held Qotenmatch in his sleep.
With a deft pull, he began to loosen the briefcase bit by bit from the ghoul's grasp. Sparky's breath was cold with the Wyrm taint, but Radar felt way too much like the main character in a spy thriller to care.
As the briefcase came looser and looser, Sparky began to shift in his light sleep, and to clench and unclench his arms, looking for his accustomed grip on the leather case. Taking advantage of the moment, Radar snatched away the case, and gently placed that day's football, infused with the excitement of the day, into the waiting embrace. Placated, Sparky grunted a bit and went back to sleep while Radar made good his escape from the Swamp, spoils in hand.
The crowd stood up, and Henry, following their cue, stood up after them.
Radar emerged from the swamp, shining with excitement, and saluted exaggeratedly with his off-hand. "Mission accomplished, sir!" he whispered, holding out the parcel to Hawekeye with a proud look toward Henry.
Henry caught the Pooka's glance and smiled in return. "Well, that's all very well and good, Radar, but would you please tell me what the heck is going on around here?" He asked politely, a wide, goofy grin spreading over his face.
Hawkeye took the briefcase and looked back to Henry, as if thinking for a moment. But it was only for a moment. He caught the infection of Henry's grin, and, grinning back, clapped his former commanding officer on the shoulder, "Sure, Colonel, come on, we'll clue you in."
~