There were rumours7 of peace in the air. The British and French troops, although "fed up" with fighting, were loath8 to let their foes9 escape from the noose10. After more than four years of strenuous11 warfare12, enduring unheard-of discomforts13 and privations, they were reluctant to allow the Hun to temporize. They wanted a fight to the finish and to deliver a knock-out blow.
It was early in November that Derek Daventry, now a full lieutenant14, R.A.F., was sent on detached duty to a flying-base situated15 nearly fifty kilometres behind the aerodrome occupied by his squadron.
The journey was to be performed by car. For certain reasons Derek was not allowed to fly in the still serviceable EG 19, one of the chief being that there were papers of a highly-confidential nature that were not to be delivered by air.
Seated in a high-powered car of a type that in pre-war days only a millionaire could afford to own, Derek set off. His driver, in civil life a racing-chauffeur on Brooklands track, was a man who knew his job, and revelled16 in the knowledge that no blue-coated policeman lurked17 in ambush18 on the pavé roads. True, there were the military police to take into consideration, but, except at cross-roads and in towns and villages, there was no speed-limit.
Jolting19, bumping, sometimes leaping clear of the ground, and frequently swinging round corners with only two wheels touching20 and slithering over the ground, the car continued its mad, exhilarating pace. Speed-lust gripped both driver and passenger. The keen autumnal air acted like a tonic22, while the long-forgotten experience, ground-travelling, where the sensation of speed is far greater than in flying at a height, filled Derek with an uncontrollable exuberance23. He wanted to shout at the top of his voice; to urge the driver to even greater speed. He even detected himself in the act of waving airy greetings to pompous24 "brass25 hats" by the wayside.
In a very short space of time the car had cleared the maze26 of roads and huts and was speeding across a country devastated27 by war, and temporarily passed over by the contending forces. The landscape was pitted with waterlogged shell-holes and dotted with jagged stumps28 of trees, with an occasional gable-end to mark what was once a peaceful dwelling29. Shrapnel-riddled Nissen huts, derelict tanks, and transport vehicles added to the desolation of the scene, the only human element being supplied by gangs of Chinese road-menders, while occasionally mechanically-propelled wagons30 and lorries of the supply column were encountered.
Happening to glance skyward, Derek saw that an aeroplane was passing overhead. There was nothing out of the ordinary in that; for months past the air had been stiff with air-craft, and hardly anyone troubled to crane his neck to watch one.
Derek gave a second look, and looked again, keeping his eyes fixed31 upon the descending32 biplane as far as the jolting and lurching of the car would permit. Then, leaning forward, he touched the driver on the shoulder.
"'Bus in difficulties," he shouted. "Slow down, and see what happens."
The speed of the car diminished. The biplane was vol-planing in short spirals immediately above. Evidently the engine had "konked out" and the pilot was seeking a suitable landing-ground.
Down came the machine, pancaking badly. Both tyres burst simultaneously33 with a loud report, while the tail rose in the air like a mute signal of distress34.
Out of the pilot's seat clambered a figure dressed in the regulation outfit35. Hardly troubling to examine the damage to his 'bus, he pushed up his fur-rimmed goggles36, and, waving his arms, began to run towards the road with the intention of attracting the attention of the driver of the motor.
Derek gave orders to stop, and awaited the arrival of the pilot.
"Mornin', Jimmy," exclaimed the new-corner, on seeing that Derek wore the R.A.F. uniform. "Can you give me a lift as far as Le Tenetoir aerodrome?"
"That's where I'm bound for, old son," replied Derek. "What's wrong?"
"Run out of petrol. union leaking, I fancy. Rotten old 'bus—never gave a fellow a chance. They are all alike, dash 'em."
"Jump in," interrupted Daventry brusquely. "I'm in a hurry. No, not here, in the front seat, if you please. Right-o!—full speed ahead, driver; let her rip!"
Derek leant back against the cushions, and, holding his precious dispatch-case with one hand, meditatively37 contemplated38 the castor-oil-stained back of the airman in front.
With a sudden jerk the car pulled up before the sentry39 at the entrance to Le Tenetoir aerodrome. It did the tyres no good, but the driver chose the lesser40 of two evils, since it was decidedly unhealthy to ignore a challenge in war-time, especially when a sentry is smart with his trigger-finger.
"Thanks, old bird!" exclaimed the pilot of the disabled machine, taking advantage of the car being at a standstill, and alighting agilely41. "Good of you to bring me home, you blinking Samaritan. See you later in the mess. I'll be on the look-out for you."
Derek signed to the driver to keep the car stationary42, then, when the stranger was out of earshot:
"Who is that officer, sentry?"
"Dunno, sir," replied the man. "We gets such a lot o' new officers 'ere it's no tellin' who's who."
"Thank you," replied the Lieutenant. "Carry on, driver."
Arriving at the orderly-room, Derek handed over his documents, and waited until the C. O. had drafted a reply and had passed it on to be typewritten. By the time the official reply was in order, nearly half an hour had gone.
This part of the business completed, Derek was free to commence his return journey. Instead, he strolled into the officers' mess, where he was not surprised to find that the man he had befriended was not present.
He looked round to see if he knew any of the crowd of flying-men. To his satisfaction he recognized a pilot who had been with him at Averleigh.
"Hallo, Canterbury!" he exclaimed. "So you're out here?"
"And well I know it, you old merchant," replied the Lieutenant, shaking Derek's hand. "Had quite a sticky time ever since I joined the squadron. Well, how goes it? Anything I can do?"
"Can you find me the Orderly Officer?" asked Daventry.
"Behold43 in me the Orderly dog," replied Canterbury, with mock obeisance44. "For this day only—until next time. What is it?"
"You have a number of big bombers45 here?"
"Yes; a number," was the guarded reply.
"Where?"
Canterbury waved his hand in a comprehensive sweep.
"Out there," he answered. "But why this curiosity?"
"Look here, old man," said Derek earnestly. "You can vouch46 for me. I want to get hold of an armed party. I'll explain why as briefly47 as I can."
"By Jove! Is that so?" ejaculated Canterbury, when Derek had reported the details required to back up his request for an armed party. "Right-o! I'll turn out a crowd in half a shake. Wait till I've informed the 'Adjy.', and then we'll see what's to be done."
Lieutenant Canterbury was as good as his word. Having explained matters to the Adjutant, he led a file of airmen to the hangars, where the secret battleplanes were jealously hidden from prying48 eyes by an elaborate camouflage49 scheme.
At the first of the sheds, in which the giant machines assembled for the purpose of bombing Berlin were stored, the Orderly Officer halted his men.
"Carry on, Daventry," he said. "See if your merchant is knocking around. We'll stand by in case of an accident."
Derek's investigation50 of the first shed drew blank. As he was entering the second he came face to face with the flying-officer he had befriended.
"Hallo, George!" exclaimed the pilot of the disabled machine. "You're just the fellow I wanted to see. Hung around the mess for a deuce of a time, but it was na poo."
"Better late than never," rejoined Derek. "We'll stroll back. S'pose you can spare the time?"
The officer hesitated. Then:
"Right-o! I'm on!" he exclaimed. "Can't stop very long, though. I'm on a special stunt51 with these bombers. By the way, do you happen to know——"
Derek laid his hand heavily upon the pilot's shoulder.
"Count von Peilfell," he said sternly, "I arrest you as a spy!"
Instantly the armed guard surrounded the prisoner.
"By Jove! This is great—absolutely!" he exclaimed, bursting into a roar of laughter. "Count who? You silly juggins, it's you who'll have to count, I guess! Quit fooling, and don't be a silly ass21!"
The armed party showed signs of incredulous astonishment52. Canterbury looked at Derek as if he had been one of the victims of a practical joke. Even Daventry began to wonder whether he, too, had made a grievous error in placing the stranger under arrest. Then he nodded to the Orderly Officer in a manner that showed confidence in his action.
"Carry on; remove the prisoner," ordered Lieutenant Canterbury.
The formalities before the Adjutant having been completed, the accused, still protesting that it was all an idiotic53 mistake, was removed to the guard-room. On being subjected to a strict search—which resulted in the discovery of nothing of an incriminating nature—the prisoner was informed that he would be given facilities for proving his identity, and that no doubt some of his brother officers would appear to establish his innocence54.
Then, to the surprise of all present, the accused turned to Derek.
"You are very smart," he remarked in quite a casual way. "I am Count von Peilfell. I should like to know how you spotted55 me?"
"Considering that we were flying side by side a short while ago," replied Derek, "and you were making faces at me the whole time (perhaps you recollect56 the incident), I think I've good cause to recognize you again."
"Der Teufel!" ejaculated the Count. "It was a thousand pities that on that occasion my ammunition57 was expended58."
"I am sorry to hear that," replied the British pilot enigmatically.
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1
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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relentless
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| adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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armistice
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| n.休战，停战协定 | |
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victorious
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| adj.胜利的，得胜的 | |
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temporize
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| v.顺应时势；拖延 | |
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7
rumours
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| n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传 | |
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8
loath
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| adj.不愿意的；勉强的 | |
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foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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10
noose
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| n.绳套，绞索（刑）；v.用套索捉；使落入圈套；处以绞刑 | |
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11
strenuous
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| adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的 | |
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warfare
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| n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突 | |
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discomforts
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| n.不舒适( discomfort的名词复数 )；不愉快，苦恼 | |
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14
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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15
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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revelled
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| v.作乐( revel的过去式和过去分词 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉 | |
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17
lurked
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| vi.潜伏，埋伏（lurk的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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18
ambush
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| n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击 | |
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19
jolting
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| adj.令人震惊的 | |
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20
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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21
ass
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| n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人 | |
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tonic
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| n./adj.滋补品，补药，强身的，健体的 | |
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23
exuberance
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| n.丰富；繁荣 | |
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24
pompous
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的；夸大的；豪华的 | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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maze
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| n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑 | |
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27
devastated
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| v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的 | |
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28
stumps
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| （被砍下的树的）树桩( stump的名词复数 )； 残肢； （板球三柱门的）柱； 残余部分 | |
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29
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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wagons
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| n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 )；铁路货车；小手推车 | |
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31
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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32
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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33
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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34
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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35
outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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36
goggles
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| n.护目镜 | |
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37
meditatively
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| adv.冥想地 | |
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38
contemplated
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| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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39
sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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40
lesser
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| adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地 | |
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41
agilely
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| adv.敏捷地 | |
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42
stationary
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| adj.固定的，静止不动的 | |
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43
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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44
obeisance
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| n.鞠躬，敬礼 | |
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45
bombers
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| n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 )；投弹手；安非他明胶囊；大麻叶香烟 | |
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46
vouch
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| v.担保；断定；n.被担保者 | |
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47
briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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48
prying
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| adj.爱打听的v.打听，刺探（他人的私事）( pry的现在分词 )；撬开 | |
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49
camouflage
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| n./v.掩饰，伪装 | |
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50
investigation
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| n.调查，调查研究 | |
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51
stunt
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| n.惊人表演，绝技，特技；vt.阻碍...发育，妨碍...生长 | |
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52
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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53
idiotic
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| adj.白痴的 | |
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54
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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55
spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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56
recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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57
ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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58
expended
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| v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽 | |
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