No.14 once tried to escape the village via Village taxi, thus simply driving away. Only finding the roads leading away from the village turning into open countryside, No.14 had to turn back. Well the Mini-Moke was never really any good in difficult terrain, only on tarmac!
No.14 then set about stealing, and storing up petrol for the taxi's engine, which he hid away somewhere in the woods. Having chopped down a number of medium sized trees, he trimmed away the branches with a hatchet, chopped them to length, and with stout rope he lashed the tree trunks to the sides of the Mini-Moke. In addition No.14 also found four empty oil drums which he also lashed to the four corners of the Mini-Moke.
Then seeing as how No.14 worked in the village maintenance shop, working on all things mechanical, he was able to furnish a drive shaft, and screw. These he fixed to the underneath of the village taxi, thus turning the Mini-Moke into an amphibious vehicle.
A few days later No.14 managed to drive his new amphibious Mini-Moke through the woods, and down a slope to the beach below the cliffs. then across the beach to the sea beyond.
Whatever happened to No.14 will remain unclear. It is quite possible that No.14 drowned in an accident at sea. For although the amphibious vehicle worked well at the outset, it is not certain that it, and its driver, would have survived the tall waves further out to sea. Unless of course No.14 kept in-shore, but then the tide was not in far enough for him to do so. And besides even if it was.... there would always have been the danger of being dashed upon the rocks.
Yet whatever became of No.14, it must be said that it was a brave attempt, and one that has not been attempted before or since.
No.6 {Newly appointed head of the escape Committee}.
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