Throughout that second night, the four hundred volunteers pushed their way up the mountain and appeared on the outskirts of Gan Dafna before daybreak in a state of exhaustion from the climb and the tension. Ari met them outside the village and hid them in the woods. He did not want them spotted by Kassi’s men, nor did he want any wild speculation inside Gan Dafna.
They remained in the woods through the entire day. At ten minutes to six in the evening, exactly forty minutes before the sun was to set, the operation went into full effect.
The children to be evacuated were fed at exactly five minutes to six and a sleeping powder was put in each child’s milk. By a quarter after six the’ children were put into then-bunks in the water-pipe shelters beneath the ground. They were led in group singing until they dropped off into a deep drugged slumber.
At six thirty-two the sun set behind Fort Esther.
At six-forty Ari called a meeting of the entire staff outside of the children’s bunkers.
495
“You will all pay strict attention,” he said sternly. “In a few minutes we are going to begin the evacuation of the younger children, Your name will be called and you will be given an assignment. Everything has been worked out on a tight schedule and any variation of it could endanger the lives of the children and their escorts as well as yourselves. I want no discussion or questions. Any failure to co-operate will be dealt with drastically.”
At six forty-five Jordana Ben Canaan set out a guard around Gan Dafna consisting of the rest of the children. The guard was four times normal strength to make certain there would be no Arab infiltration that might discover the movements inside Gan Dafna. Zev Gilboa and his twenty Palmach troops attached to Dafna pushed out toward the hills on a special covering mission.
As soon as the security around Gan Dafna was reported tight, twenty-five of the Gan Dafna staff went into the bunkers to dress the sleeping children in their warmest clothing. Kitty moved from child to child to make certain that each one had been properly drugged by the sleeping powder. A thick strip of adhesive tape was placed over each child’s mouth so that he could not cry out in his sleep. By seven thirty the unconscious children were dressed and ready. Ari then brought the task force from its hiding place in the woods.
A chain line was formed from the bunkers, and the sleeping little bodies handed out one by one. Improvised strap rigs had been sewn together to form a makeshift saddle seat for the back of the men so that the children could be carried like packs. This would allow each man to have both hands free for his rifle and the climb.
By eight-thirty, the two hundred and fifty men and their small slumbering loads stood a final check to see that the children were strapped in securely. Then the line moved out to the main gate where the protecting force, a hundred and fifty men with automatic weapons, stood ready. With Ari leading the way, they pushed off over the edge of the drop down the side of the mountain. One by one the men and the children dropped down, until the last of them disappeared into the night.
Those left behind stood at the gates of Gan Dafna in silence. There was nothing to do now but wait until morning. They began drifting back toward their bunkers, where they would spend the sleepless night in silence, trembling with fear for the children and for the fate of this strange convoy.
Kitty Fremont stood alone by the main gate for more than an hour after they had gone. She stared vacantly into the darkness. 496
“It is going to be a very long night,” a voice said behind her. “You might as well get in out of the cold.”
Kitty turned. Jordana stood next to her. For the first time since they had met, Kitty was actually glad to see the redheaded sabra. She had been developing a growing admiration for Jordana since her decision to stay. Jordana was perhaps the one person most responsible for keeping Gan Dafna calm. The girl had instilled the young Gadna troops with an infectious confidence; they behaved like spirited battle veterans. During all the ordeals since the closing of the road, Jordana had remained contained and efficient. It was quite a load for a young woman not yet twenty, but Jordana had that quality of leadership that made those around her feel secure.
“Yes, it’s going to be a very long night,” Kitty said.
“Then we can keep each other company,” Jordana said. “I will tell you a secret. I have a half bottle of brandy hidden in the command-post bunker. I think that tonight would be a perfect time to finish it. Why don’t you wait for me at my bunker? I have to bring in the guards. I’ll be back in a half hour.”
Kitty didn’t move. Jordana took her arm. “Come on,” she said gently, “there is nothing we can do now.”
Kitty had been sitting nervously and smoking cigarette after cigarette until Jordana finally got back to the command post. Jordana took the brown Haganah stocking cap from her head, and her long scarlet tresses fell to her shoulders. She alternately held her cheeks and nabbed her hands together to drive out the cold. The brandy was hidden in a loosely filled place in the dirt wall. She took it out and wiped off the bottle and poured Kitty and herself a stiff drink.
“Le chaim,” Jordana said, taking a sip. “That is good.”
“How long will it be before they pass near Abu Yesha?”
“That won’t “be until after midnight,” Jordana answered.
“I have been telling myself over and over that they are going to come through all right. Then I begin thinking of the thousands of things that can go wrong.”
“It is impossible not to think about it,” Jordana said, “but it is in the hands of God now.”
“God? Yes, He does special things here,” Kitty said.
“If you don’t get religion in Palestine, I doubt that you’ll get it anywhere,” Jordana said. “I cannot remember the time that we have not lived on faith. We actually have little else to sustain us.”
Coming from Jordana Ben Canaan, the words sounded strange, yet-not strange at all. On the surface Jordana did not appear to harbor a deep faith … but what else could give her the power to exist under this constant tension if it were not faith?
497
“Kitty,” Jordana said suddenly, “I have a confession to make to you. I have wanted very much for us to become friends.”
“Why is that, Jordana?”
“Because I have learned something from you … something I have been very wrong about. I have watched you work here with the children and I know what you did for Ari. When you decided to stay I realized something … I realized that a woman like you can have just as much courage as … our kind of people. I used to believe that to be feminine was a sign of weakness.”
“Thank you, Jordana,” Kitty smiled weakly, “but I’m afraid I could use a little of your brand of faith or courage or whatever it is right now. I feel as though I’m ready to fall apart.”
Kitty lit a cigarette and Jordana poured her another brandy.
“I have been thinking …” Jordana said. “You would be good for Ari.”
Kitty shook her head. “We are, as the saying goes, two nice people not made for each other.” ’
“That is unfortunate, Kitty.”
Kitty looked at her watch. She knew from the discussions that the long column of men would now be approaching the first of the almost straight drops. With the children, they would use ropes easing each man’s descent, one by one. It was a thirty-five-foot plunge. From there they would have to slide in loose dirt for a hundred yards.
“Tell me about yourself and David,” Kitty said quickly.
Jordana’s eyes lit up. “Ah, my David… my gentle, wonderful David.”
“Where did you first meet?”
“At the Hebrew University. I met him the second day I was there. I saw him and he saw me and we fell in love at that very moment and we have never fallen out of it.”
“That’s the way it was with my husband and me,” Kitty said.