Part 26 (2/2)

The pedlar was not going to be inactive. Unharnessing the donkey--Peter was now absolutely convinced that it was b.u.t.terfly--he led the animal to a patch of gra.s.s-land hidden from the road by the bushes, a task requiring considerable physical strength. This done he backed the cart from the path until the gorse hid it from the watcher's sight.

Ten long minutes pa.s.sed. The pedlar, swinging his arms vigorously, for the night air was chilly, made no attempt to look up or down the road. The person or persons he expected were evidently not approaching from that direction. Presently he walked to the cart, removed something from under the tarpaulin--it was too dark to see what the article was--and set off along the side track.

At fifty yards he surmounted a steep rise and disappeared the other side. The sound of his footsteps, deadened by the nature of the soil, quickly died away.

”Now I'll investigate,” decided Barcroft. ”If he returns in a hurry there'll be trouble. Friend Pattercough looks like a quarrelsome card. However, I'll risk it.”

He stole cautiously to the place where the donkey and cart stood.

b.u.t.terfly, indifferent to the attentions of her lawful master, browsed steadily at the scanty herbage. The cart, although inanimate, was far more interesting. It was piled high with f.a.ggots and bundles of brushwood, a tarpaulin being tightly lashed over the top of the load. Mingled with the scent of the newly-cut wood was the faint odour of petrol.

Without the slightest hesitation Barcroft probed the load with his stick. The ferrule grated against metal--the side of a tin. Again and again he tried; the bottom of the cart was packed with petrol-cans.

”Now, if I set fire to this little lot who would stand the racket?”

inquired Peter. ”This is obviously intended to be used illicitly--for supplying German submarines, although I can't be sure on that point. On the other hand, how would I stand under the Defence of the Realm regulations if I started a gorgeous bonfire? An hour too soon, he said; well, there's a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes gone, I should imagine. Remains enough time for me to get to Scarby, rout out the coastguards and put a stopper on this little game.”

With this praiseworthy resolution Barcroft hurried off, keeping to the gra.s.sy ground in order to deaden the sound of his footsteps. His prowess as a long-distance runner had not entirely departed, although lack of training tried his wind sorely.

At the outskirts of the darkened village he came to a row of grey lime-washed cottages in front of which a tall flagstaff loomed up against the misty starlight.

”Halt!” exclaimed a hoa.r.s.e voice peremptorily.

Peter halted. Confronting him was a greatcoated, gaitered, bearded man in seaman's uniform.

”'Gainst orders to use this path after dark,” quoth the coastguardsman. ”What's your name? And what are you doing running like this at this time o' night?”

”How many men have you at the station?” asked Barcroft breathlessly.

”Eh? What do you want this information for?” demanded the man suspiciously. ”You'd best come along with me an' give no trouble.

Strikes me there's something that ain't proper jonnick.”

Barcroft preceded the seaman up the s.h.i.+ngled path leading to the watch house.

”Look here, my man,” he said authoritatively. ”You had better inform your chief officer and turn out the detachment. I've hurried here expressly to tell you that a man from the village, Pattercough by name, is running a cargo of petrol. Barcroft's my name. I have doc.u.ments to prove it. Also I have a son a commissioned officer in the Service, as you will find if you refer to a Navy List.”

”In that case I ask your pardon,” replied the coastguard, whose badges proclaimed him to be a chief petty officer. ”I'm in charge, sir. This station is partly closed down since the war. I've only a few Boy Scouts to give you a hand--an' smart, plucky youngsters they are, too.”

”Any special constables in the village?”

”Not one, sir; in fact, there ain't what one might call an able-bodied man in the place, barring this Pattercough. Tribunal exempted him 'evings only knows what for.”

”Then turn out the Scouts,” said Peter. ”They'll come in jolly useful. There's no time to be lost.”

Quickly half a dozen of the lads were on the spot, falling in at the word of command from the patrol leader. In a few words Barcroft explained the situation, enjoining silence until the petty officer gave the word for action.

”I'll just telephone through to Tongby and let our chaps know,” said the coastguard.

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