The Crowstarver by Dick King-Smith

climb out of the cockpit and jump to the ground. The German pilot, miraculously unhurt, was standing uncertainly beside his aircraft when he heard, coming from the higher ground above, thenoise of a farm tractor.
    Like any hunted animal, his immediate thought was to try to evade capture, to find somewhere to hide from possible pursuers, and he ran off across the stubble, clumsily in his flying-suit and boots, making for the nearest cover. He did not look behind him as he ran, but had he done so, he would have seen the figure of a tall thin boy, hurrying, splay-footed, towards the crashed plane.
    When the aircraft had disappeared from the sight of the men in the harvest field, the general impulse was to rush off in the direction it had taken. The brothers Red and Rhode Ogle, the most impulsive, were in the act of doing so when Percy called them back.
    â€˜Steady, you two,’ he said.‘You wait a minute.’ Don’t want them all getting there before me, he thought, which they would do, even old Billy, with this gammy leg of mine. I’ve got most reason to be keen to see a dead German.
    As well as the horse-drawn wagons, they were using the Fordson tractor and its trailer, which chanced at that time to be empty, so Percy told Ephraim and Stan Ogle to stay with the horses, and he and the rest climbed on to the trailer. Frank Butt started up the tractor, and awaythey went towards the top of the drove, Percy and Tom and Red and Rhode and Phil and Billy Butt.
    â€˜Wonder where he come down?’ said Tom to Percy.‘Nowhere near Spider, I hope, it’d scare the lad to death.’
    Billy was in bloodthirsty mood. He alone had brought his pitchfork with him, and, as they bounced about on the trailer, Frank driving at top speed down the bumpy drove, he told everyone, in his loud shrill voice, just what he would do with it.
    â€˜If so be the bagger’s alive,’ he squeaked,‘old Billy’ll soon put that right. Stick un right through his bleddy German guts I shall, which I shoulda done with the bayonet if I’d been a sojer. I’d a made a bleddy good sojer, I would, thees know, won one of they Victorian Crosses I shouldn’t be surprised, but there, I were too old when the War come.’
    â€˜You coulda fought in the Boer War though, Billy, couldn’t you?’ asked Rhode Ogle innocently, but before Billy could answer, they came in sight of the downed plane.
    Turning off the drove, the tractor roared across the grass towards it. Beside it, they could see, a figure was standing, and Billy, whoseeyesight was not what it had been, cried excitedly, ‘There, lookzee, the bagger’s alive!’ and he waved his pitchfork in the air and shouted ‘Now then, you bleddy German, I’m going to stick thisyer pick in thy bleddy arse!’
    â€˜Bide quiet, Billy,’ said Tom as they neared the plane.‘That’s no German, that’s our Spider.’
    â€˜Where be the pilot then?’ asked Phil Butt.
    â€˜Dead in the cockpit maybe,’ said Percy. I hope, he thought savagely.
    But the cockpit was empty, they found as they inspected the Messerschmitt and saw the bullet holes and tears in fuselage and wings, the twisted and bent propeller.
    â€˜Where is he then, Spider?’ squeaked Billy, still bursting with blood lust.‘Didst see un? Dost know where he’s gone to? He can’t be far. Where’s he to?’
    â€˜Steady, Billy,’ said Percy.‘Let Tom ask him.’
    â€˜Did you see the man, Spider?’ said Tom.
    Spider nodded.
    â€˜Where’d he go?’
    Spider pointed towards Slimer’s.
    â€˜He’s in the spinney,’ said Tom.
    â€˜Come on!’ cried Billy.
    â€˜Wait,’ said Percy.‘He may be armed. It’s no good rushing in there, mad-headed. Frank, youdrive the tractor round the back, by Maggs’ Corner in case he breaks that way. Phil, you and Billy stop on the trailer and go with him,