the red cross girl-第16节

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Galsworthy　until　you　spoke　of　him。　And　you　can　see　for
yourself　his　table　manners　are　quite　as　bad　as　yours！〃

〃Worse！〃　assented　Birrell　loyally。

〃And　as　for　ragging！　What　rags；　in　your　day；　were　as　good　as
ours；　as　the　Carrie　Nation　rag；　for　instance；　when　five
hundred　people　sat　through　a　temperance　lecture　and　never
guessed　they　were　listening　to　a　man　from　Balliol？〃

〃And　the　Abyssinian　Ambassador　rag！〃　cried　Herbert。　〃What
price　that？　When　the　DREADNOUGHT　manned　the　yards　for　him　and
gave　him　seventeen　guns。　That　was　an　Oxford　rag；　and　carried
through　by　Oxford　men。　The　country　hasn't　stopped　laughing
yet。　You　give　us　a　rag！〃　challenged　Herbert。　〃　Make　it　as
hard　as　you　like；　something　risky；　something　that　will　make
the　country　sit　up；　something　that　will　send　us　all　to　jail；
and　Phil　and　I　will　put　it　through　whether　it　takes　one　man
or　a　dozen。　Go　on；〃　he　persisted；　〃And　I　bet　we　can　get　fifty
volunteers　right　here　in　town　and　all　of　them
undergraduates。〃

〃Give　you　the　idea；　yes！〃　mocked　Bellew；　trying　to　gain　time。
〃That's　just　what　I　say。　You　boys　to…day　are　so　dull。　You
lack　initiative。　It's　the　idea　that　counts。　Anybody　can　do
the　acting。　That's　just　amateur　theatricals！〃

〃Is　it！〃　snorted　Herbert。　〃If　you　want　to　know　what　stage
fright　is；　just　go　on　board　a　British　battle…ship　with　your
face　covered　with　burnt　cork　and　insist　on　being　treated　like
an　ambassador。　You'll　find　it's　a　little　different　from　a
first　night　with　the　Simla　Thespians！〃

Ford　had　no　part　in　the　debate。　He　had　been　smoking
comfortably　and　with　well…timed　nods；　impartially　encouraging
each　disputant。　But　now　he　suddenly　laid　his　cigar　upon　his
plate；　and；　after　glancing　quickly　about　him；　leaned　eagerly
forward。　They　were　at　the　corner　table　of　the　terrace；　and；
as　it　was　now　past　nine　o'clock；　the　other　diners　had
departed　to　the　theatres　and　they　were　quite　alone。　Below
them；　outside　the　open　windows；　were　the　trees　of　the
embankment；　and　beyond；　the　Thames；　blocked　to　the　west　by
the　great　shadows　of　the　Houses　of　Parliament；　lit　only　by
the　flame　in　the　tower　that　showed　the　Lower　House　was　still
sitting。

〃I'LL　give　you　an　idea　for　a　rag；〃　whispered　Ford。　〃One　that
is　risky；　that　will　make　the　country　sit　up；　that　ought　to
land　you　in　Jail？　Have　you　read　'The　Riddle　of　the　Sands'？〃

Bellew　and　Herbert　nodded；　Birrell　made　no　sign。

〃　Don't　mind　him；〃　exclaimed　Herbert　impatiently。　〃HE　never
reads　anything！　Go　on！〃

〃It's　the　book　most　talked　about；〃　explained　Ford。　〃And　what
else　is　most　talked　about？〃　He　answered　his　own　question。
〃The　landing　of　the　Germans　in　Morocco　and　the　chance　of　war。
Now；　I　ask　you；　with　that　book　in　everybody's　mind；　and　the
war　scare　in　everybody's　mind；　what　would　happen　if　German
soldiers　appeared　to…night　on　the　Norfolk　coast　just　where
the　book　says　they　will　appear？　Not　one　soldier；　but　dozens
of　soldiers；　not　in　one　place；　but　in　twenty　places？〃

〃What　would　happen？〃　roared　Major　Bellew　loyally。　〃The　Boy
Scouts　would　fall　out　of　bed　and　kick　them　into　the　sea！〃

〃Shut　up！〃　snapped　his　nephew　irreverently。　He　shook　Ford　by
the　arm。　〃How？〃　he　demanded　breathlessly。　〃How　are　we　to　do
it？　It　would　take　hundreds　of　men。〃

〃Two　men；〃　corrected　Ford；　〃And　a　third　man　to　drive　the　car。
I　thought　it　out　one　day　at　Clarkson's　when　I　came　across　a
lot　of　German　uniforms。　I　thought　of　it　as　a　newspaper　story；
as　a　trick　to　find　out　how　prepared　you　people　are　to　meet
invasion。　And　when　you　said　just　now　that　you　wanted　a　chance
to　go　to　jail　〃

〃What's　your　plan？〃　interrupted　Birrell。

〃We　would　start　just　before　dawn〃　began　Ford。

〃We？〃　demanded　Herbert。　〃Are　you　in　this？〃

〃Am　I　in　it？〃　cried　Ford　indignantly。　〃It's　my　own　private
invasion！　I'm　letting　you　boys　in　on　the　ground　floor。　If　I
don't　go；　there　won　t　be　any　invasion！〃

The　two　pink…cheeked　youths　glanced　at　each　other　inquiringly
and　then　nodded。

〃We　accept　your　services；　sir；〃　said　Birrell　gravely。　〃What's
your　plan？〃

In　astonishment　Major　Bellew　glanced　from　one　to　the　other
and　then　slapped　the　table　with　his　open　palm。　His　voice
shook　with　righteous　indignation。

〃Of　all　the　preposterous；　outrageousAre　you　mad？〃　he
demanded。　〃Do　you　suppose　for　one　minute　I　will　allow〃

His　nephew　shrugged　his　shoulders　and；　rising；　pushed　back
his　chair。

〃Oh；　you　go　to　the　devil！〃　he　exclaimed　cheerfully。　〃Come　on；
Ford；〃　he　said。　〃We'll　find　some　place　where　uncle　can't　hear
us。〃

Two　days　later　a　touring　car　carrying　three　young　men；　in　the
twenty…one　miles　between　Wells　and　Cromer；　broke　down　eleven
times。　Each　time　this　misfortune　befell　them　one　young　man
scattered　tools　in　the　road　and　on　his　knees　hammered
ostentatiously　at　the　tin　hood；　and　the　other　two　occupants
of　the　car　sauntered　to　the　beach。　There　they　chucked　pebbles
at　the　waves　and　then　slowly　retraced　their　steps。　Each　time
the　route　by　which　they　returned　was　different　from　the　one
by　which　they　had　set　forth。　Sometimes　they　followed　the
beaten　path　down　the　cliff　or；　as　it　chanced　to　be；　across
the　marshes；　sometimes　they　slid　down　the　face　of　the　cliff；
sometimes　they　lost　themselves　behind　the　hedges　and　in　the
lanes　of　the　villages。　But　when　they　again　reached　the　car
the　procedure　of　each　was　alikeeach　produced　a　pencil　and
on　the　face　of　his　〃Half　Inch〃　road　map　traced　strange；
fantastic　signs。

At　lunch…time　they　stopped　at　the　East　Cliff　Hotel　at　Cromer
and　made　numerous　and　trivial　inquiries　about　the　Cromer　golf
links。　They　had　come；　they　volunteered；　from　Ely　for　a　day
of　sea…bathing　and　golf；　they　were　returning　after　dinner。
The　head…waiter　of　the　East　Cliff　Hotel　gave　them　the
information　they　desired。　He　was　an　intelligent　head…waiter；
young；　and　of　pleasant；　not　to　say　distinguished；　bearing。　In
a　frock　coat　he　might　easily　have　been　mistaken　for　something
even　more　important　than　a　head…waiterfor　a　German　riding…
master；　a　leader　of　a　Hungarian　band；　a　manager　of　a　Ritz
hotel。　But　he　was　not　above　his　station。　He　even　assisted　the
porter　in　carrying　the　coats　and　golf　bags　of　the　gentlemen
from　the　car　to　the　coffee…room　where；　with　the　intuition　of
the　homing　pigeon；　the　three　strangers　had；　unaided；　found
their　way。　As　Carl　Schultz　followed；　carrying　the　dust…coats；
a　road　map　fell　from　the　pocket　of　one　of　them　to　the　floor。
Carl　Schultz　picked　it　up；　and　was　about　to　replace　it；　when
his　eyes　were　held　by　notes　scrawled　roughly　in　pencil。　With
an　expression　that　no　longer　was　that　of　a　head…waiter；　Carl
cast　one　swift　glance　about　him　and　then　slipped　into　the
empty　coat…room　and　locked　the　door。　Five　minutes　later；　with
a　smile　that　played　uneasily　over　a　face　grown　gray　with
anxiety；　Carl　presented　the　map　to　the　tallest　of　the　three
strangers。　It　was　open　so　that　the　pencil　marks　were　most
obvious。　By　his　accent　it　was　evident　the　tallest　of　the
three　strangers　was　an　American。

〃What　the　devil！〃　he　protested；　〃which　of　you　boys　has　been
playing　hob　with　my　map？〃

For　just　an　instant　the　two　pink…cheeked　ones　regarded　him
with　disfavor；　until；　for　just　an　instant；　his　eyebrows　rose
and；　with　a　glance；　he　signified　the　waiter。

〃Oh；　that！〃　exclaimed　the　younger　one。　〃The　Automobile　Club
asked　us　to　mark　down　petrol　stations。　Those　marks　mean
that's　where　you　can　buy　petrol。〃

The　head…waiter　breathed　deeply。　With　an　assured　and　happy
countenance；　he　departed　and；　for　the　two…hundredth　time　that
day；　looked　from　the　windows　of　the　dining…room　out　over　the
tumbling　breakers　to　the　gray　stretch　of　sea。　As　though
fearful　that　his　face　would　expose　his　secret；　he　glanced
carefully　about　him　and　then；　assured　he　was　alone；　leaned
eagerly　forward；　scanning　the　empty；　tossing　waters。

In　his　mind's　eye　he　beheld　rolling　tug…boats　straining
against　long　lines　of　scows；　against　the　dead　weight　of
field…guns；　against　the　pull　of　thousands　of　motionless；
silent　figures；　each　in　khaki；　each　in　a　black　leather
helmet；　each　with　one　hundred　and　fifty　rounds。

In　his　own　language　Carl　Schultz　reproved　himself。

〃Patience；〃　he　muttered；　〃patience！　By　ten　to…night　all　will
be　dark。　There　will　be　no　stars。　There　will　be　no　moon。　The
very　heavens　fight　for　us；　and　by　sunrise　our　outposts　will
be　twenty　miles　inland！〃

At　lunch…time　Carl　Schultz　carefully；　obsequiously　waited
upon　the　three　strangers。　He　gave　them　their　choice　of　soup；
thick　or　clear；　of　gooseberry　pie　or　Half…Pay　pudding。　He
accepted　their　shillings　gratefully；　and　when　they　departed
for　the　links　he　bowed　them　on　their　way。　And　as　their　car
turned　up　Jetty　Street；　for　one　instant；　he　again　allowed　his
eyes　to　sweep　the　dull　gray　ocean。　Brown…sailed　fishing…boats
were　beating　in　toward　Cromer。　On　the　horizon　line　a
Norwegian　tramp　was　drawing　a　lengthening　scarf　of　smoke。
Save　for　these　the　sea　was　empty。

By　gracious　permission　of　the　manageress　Carl　had　obtained　an
afternoon　off；　and；　changing　his　coat；　he　mounted　his　bicycle
and　set　forth　toward　Overstrand。　On　his　way　he　nodded　to　the
local　constable；　to　the　postman　on　his　rounds；　to　the　driver
of　the　char　？banc。　He　had　been　a　year　in　Cromer　and　was　well
known　and　well　liked。

Thre