John looked thoughtful. ‘They keep turning up, like bad pennies.’

Captain Hastings took out his powerful binoculars and studied the device carefully. Then he passed them to John Pruett. ‘Like old times, John.’

There was a serious expression on John’s face as he stared up into the branches. He nodded briefly. ‘An SD2, Bob, no doubt – but which type? That’s the question.’

‘Usual procedure,’ said Bob in a matter-of-fact tone. He turned to his colleagues. ‘Get the sandbags and two lengths of the thin rope.’

The two young soldiers leaped into action.

‘What can I do?’ asked Tom.

‘You need to go back to help Harry,’ said John, ‘and make sure no one approaches.’

Tom realized it was sensible advice and walked away.

Captain Hastings turned to the Ragley headmaster. ‘John, you don’t need to stay.’

‘You might need me,’ he replied quietly.

Bob looked at his former colleague and recognized the determination in his face. There had been many times in the past when their lives had hung by a thread. ‘You of all people know the risks,’ he said.

John nodded towards the two men stacking a circle of sandbags under the tree. ‘Do they?’

‘They’re the best I’ve got.’

John said quietly, ‘They look so young.’

Bob put his hand on John’s shoulder. ‘We were once.’

John closed his eyes for a moment and recalled the horrors of war. The faces of friends long gone flashed through his mind. Then he sighed. ‘I’m staying,’ he said simply.

It was a matter of minutes for the athletic soldiers to climb the tree and, with the greatest care, tie a length of string to the spindle above the casing of the bomb. It was a well-rehearsed procedure. Next, a second string with a noose in the free end was looped around a branch. The first string attached to the bomb was then threaded through the noose. Then the two soldiers stood at the base of the tree, one of them holding the taut string as if his life depended on it … which of course it did.

The critical moment had arrived.

‘Our turn now,’ ordered Bob Hastings in a commanding voice.

There was a moment’s hesitation as the two young men realized their captain and the quiet, unassuming civilian were about to complete the most dangerous part of the procedure.

With infinite care John grasped the string and took the weight of the bomb. ‘Mine now,’ he said. The soldier released his grip and took a step back.

Bob Hastings stared up as the bomb swayed above their heads. ‘You two stand back,’ he said quietly to the soldiers beside him. With infinite patience John lowered the bomb towards the ground while Bob guided the descent inch by inch. They knew that one slip now would be their last.