the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第18章
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didn't know then they were Germans； not until they stopped us。 You'd
better telephone the garrison； and〃
〃Thank you！〃 snapped the elderly gentleman。 〃I happen to be in
command of this district。 What are your names？〃
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！
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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
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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
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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
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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
