It was not a total blackout; in the streets the blue beam of air-raid wardens' flashlights showed up occasional pedestrians; a traffic light was still on. A squad car with two policemen, wearing tin hats, rolled into the square.
The alert let go its giant banshee wail"Woo-oo-oo-oo-oo!"a dreadful, penetrating warble, like no other sound on earth. A boy's voice said: "Don't worry, sis, I'll look after you. We'll get in the air-raid shelter just like the practice at school."
In a few seconds the wardens had the streets clear. Soon, far and high, but nearer & nearer, came the drone of...