the red cross girl-第15章
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Ford pushed the car forward； parting the crowd。
〃I've no time for that！〃 he called。 〃We've got to warn every
coast town in Norfolk。 You take my tip and get London on the
long distance！〃
As they ran through the night Ford spoke over his shoulder。
〃We've got them guessing；〃 he said。 〃Now； what we want is a
live wire； some one with imagination； some one with authority
who will wake the countryside。〃
〃Looks ahead there；〃 said Birrell； 〃as though it hadn't gone
to bed。〃
Before them； as on a Mafeking night； every window in Cley
shone with lights。 In the main street were fishermen；
shopkeepers； 〃trippers〃 in flannels； summer residents。 The
women had turned out as though to witness a display of
fireworks。 Girls were clinging to the arms of their escorts；
shivering in delighted terror。 The proprietor of the Red Lion
sprang in front of the car and waved his arms。
〃What's this tale about Germans？〃 he demanded jocularly。
〃You can see their lights from the beach；〃 said Ford。
〃They've landed two regiments between here and Wells。
Stiffkey is taken； and they've cut all the wires south。〃
The proprietor refused to be 〃had。〃
〃Let 'em all come！〃 he mocked。
〃All right；〃 returned Ford。 〃Let 'em come； but don't take it
lying down！ Get those women off the streets； and go down to
the beach； and drive the Germans back！ Gangway；〃 he shouted；
and the car shot forward。 〃We warned you；〃 he called； 〃And
it's up to you to〃
His words were lost in the distance。 But behind him a man's
voice rose with a roar like a rocket and was met with a
savage； deep…throated cheer。
Outside the village Ford brought the car to a halt and swung
in his seat。
〃This thing is going to fail！〃 he cried petulantly。 〃They
don't believe us。 We've got to show ourselvesmany times
in a dozen places。〃
〃The British mind moves slowly；〃 said Birrell； the Irishman。
〃Now； if this had happened in my native land〃
He was interrupted by the screech of a siren； and a demon car
that spurned the road； that splattered them with pebbles；
tore past and disappeared in the darkness。 As it fled down
the lane of their head…lights； they saw that men in khaki
clung to its sides； were packed in its tonneau； were swaying
from its running boards。 Before they could find their voices
a motor cycle； driven as though the angel of death were at
the wheel； shaved their mud…guard and； in its turn； vanished
into the night。
〃Things are looking up！〃 said Ford。 〃Where is our next stop？
As I said before； what we want is a live one。〃
Herbert pressed his electric torch against his road map。
〃We are next billed to appear；〃 he said； 〃about a quarter of
a mile from here； at the signal…tower of the Great Eastern
Railroad； where we visit the night telegraph operator and
give him the surprise party of his life。〃
The three men had mounted the steps of the signal…tower so
quietly that； when the operator heard them； they already
surrounded him。 He saw three German soldiers with fierce
upturned mustaches； with flat； squat helmets； with long brown
rifles。 They saw an an鎚ic； pale…faced youth without a coat
or collar； for the night was warm； who sank back limply in
his chair and gazed speechless with wide…bulging eyes。
In harsh； guttural tones Ford addressed him。 〃You are a
prisoner；〃 he said。 〃We take over this office in the name of
the German Emperor。 Get out！〃
As though instinctively seeking his only weapon of defence；
the hand of the boy operator moved across the table to the
key of his instrument。 Ford flung his rifle upon it。
〃No； you don't！〃 he growled。 〃Get out！〃
With eyes still bulging； the boy lifted himself into a
sitting posture。
〃My paymy month's pay？〃 he stammered。 〃Can I take It？〃
The expression on the face of the conqueror relaxed。
〃Take it and get out；〃 Ford commanded。
With eyes still fixed in fascinated terror upon the invader；
the boy pulled open the drawer of the table before him and
fumbled with the papers inside。
〃Quick！〃 cried Ford。
The boy was very quick。 His hand leaped from the drawer like
a snake； and Ford found himself looking into a revolver of
the largest calibre issued by a civilized people。 Birrell
fell upon the boy's shoulders； Herbert twisted the gun from
his fingers and hurled it through the window； and almost as
quickly hurled himself down the steps of the tower。 Birrell
leaped after him。 Ford remained only long enough to shout：
〃Don't touch that instrument！ If you attempt to send a
message through； we will shoot。 We go to cut the wires！〃
For a minute； the boy in the tower sat rigid； his ears
strained； his heart beating in sharp； suffocating stabs。
Then； with his left arm raised to guard his face； he sank to
his knees and； leaning forward across the table； inviting as
he believed his death； he opened the circuit and through the
night flashed out a warning to his people。
When they had taken their places in the car； Herbert touched
Ford on the shoulder。
〃Your last remark；〃 he said； 〃 was that what we wanted was a
live one。〃
〃Don't mention it！〃 said Ford。 〃He jammed that gun half down
my throat。 I can taste it still。 Where do we go from here？〃
〃According to the route we mapped out this afternoon；〃 said
Herbert； 〃We are now scheduled to give exhibitions at the
coast towns of Salthouse and Weybourne； but〃
〃Not with me！〃 exclaimed Birrell fiercely。 〃Those towns have
been tipped off by now by Blakeney and Cley； and the Boy
Scouts would club us to death。 I vote we take the back roads
to Morston； and drop in on a lonely Coast Guard。 If a Coast
Guard sees us； the authorities will have to believe him； and
they'll call out the navy。〃
Herbert consulted his map。
〃There is a Coast Guard；〃 he said； 〃stationed just the other
side of Morston。 And；〃 he added fervently； 〃let us hope he's
lonely。〃
They lost their way in the back roads； and when they again
reached the coast an hour had passed。 It was now quite dark。
There were no stars； nor moon； but after they had left the
car in a side lane and had stepped out upon the cliff； they
saw for miles along the coast great beacon fires burning
fiercely。
Herbert came to an abrupt halt。
〃Since seeing those fires；〃 he explained； 〃I feel a strange
reluctance about showing myself in this uniform to a Coast
Guard。〃
〃Coast Guards don't shoot！〃 mocked Birrell。 〃They only look
at the clouds through a telescope。 Three Germans with rifles
ought to be able to frighten one Coast Guard with a
telescope。〃
The whitewashed cabin of the Coast Guard was perched on the
edge of the cliff。 Behind it the downs ran back to meet the
road。 The door of the cabin was open and from it a shaft of
light cut across a tiny garden and showed the white fence and
the walk of shells。 v
〃We must pass in single file in front of that light；〃
whispered Ford； 〃And then； after we are sure he has seen us；
we must run like the devil！〃
〃I'm on in that last scene；〃 growled Herbert。
〃Only；〃 repeated Ford with emphasis； 〃We must be sure he has
seen us。〃
Not twenty feet from them came a bursting roar； a flash； many
roars； many flashes； many bullets。
〃He's seen us！〃 yelled Birrell。
After the light from his open door had shown him one German
soldier fully armed； the Coast Guard had seen nothing
further。 But judging from the shrieks of terror and the
sounds of falling bodies that followed his first shot； he was
convinced he was hemmed in by an army； and he proceeded to
sell his life dearly。 Clip after clip of cartridges he
emptied into the night； now to the front； now to the rear；
now out to sea； now at his own shadow in the lamp…light。 To
the people a quarter of a mile away at Morston it sounded
like a battle。
After running half a mile； Ford； bruised and breathless； fell
at full length on the grass beside the car。 Near it； tearing
from his person the last vestiges of a German uniform； he
found Birrell。 He also was puffing painfully。
〃What happened to Herbert？〃 panted Ford。
〃I don't know；〃 gasped Birrell； 〃When I saw him last he was
diving over the cliff into the sea。 How many times did you
die？〃
〃About twenty！〃 groaned the American； 〃And； besides being
dead； I am severely wounded。 Every time he fired； I fell on
my face； and each time I hit a rock！〃
A scarecrow of a figure appeared suddenly in the rays of the
head…lights。 It was Herbert； scratched； bleeding； dripping
with water； and clad simply in a shirt and trousers。 He
dragged out his kit bag and fell into his golf clothes。
〃Anybody who wants a perfectly good German uniform；〃 he
cried； 〃can have mine。 I left it in the first row of
breakers。 It didn't fit me； anyway。〃
The other two uniforms were hidden in the seat of the car。
The rifles and helmets； to lend color to the invasion； were
dropped in the open road； and five minutes later three
gentlemen in inconspicuous Harris tweeds； and with golf clubs
protruding from every part of their car； turned into the
shore road to Cromer。 What they saw brought swift terror to
their guilty souls and the car to an abrupt halt。 Before them
was a regiment of regulars advancing in column of fours； at
the 〃 double。〃 An officer sprang to the front of the car and
seated himself beside Ford。
〃I'll have to commandeer this；〃 he said。 〃Run back to
Cromer。 Don't crush my men； but go like the devil！〃
〃We heard firing here；〃 explained the officer 〃 at the Coast
Guard station。 The Guard drove them back to the sea。 He
counted over a dozen。 They made pretty poor practice； for he
isn't wounded； but his gravel walk looks as though some one
had drawn a harrow over it。 I wonder；〃 exclaimed the officer
suddenly； 〃if you are the three gentlemen who first gave the
alarm to Colonel Raglan and then went on to warn the other
coast towns。 Because； if you are； he wants your names。〃
Ford considered rapidly。 If he gave false names and that fact
were discovered； they would be suspected and investigated；
and the worst might happen。 So he replied that his friends
and himself probably were the men to whom the officer
referred。 He explained they had been returning from Cromer；
where they had gone to play golf； when they had been held up
by the Germans。
〃You were lucky to escape；〃 said the officer 〃And in keeping
on to give warning you were taking chances。 If I may say so；
we think you behaved extremely well。〃
Ford could not answer。 His guilty conscience shamed him into
silence。 With his siren shrieking and his horn tooting； he
was forcing the car through lanes of armed men。 They packed
each side of the road。 They were banked behind the hedges。
Their camp…fires blazed from every hill…top。
〃Your regiment seems to have turned out to a man！〃 exclaimed
Ford admiringly。
〃MY regiment！〃 snorted the officer。 〃You've passed through
five regiments already； and there are as many more in the
dark places。 They're everywhere！〃 he cried jubilantly。
〃And I thought they were only where you see the camp…fires；〃
exclaimed Ford。
〃That's what the Germans think；〃 said the officer。 〃It's
working like a clock；〃 he cried happily。 〃There hasn't been a
hitch。 As soon as they got your warning to Colonel Raglan；
they came down to the coast like a wave； on foot； by trains；
by motors； and at n
