CHAPTER VII.
THE RETURN OF THE AIRSHIP.
IT was no time for explanation. Dacres could just discern theoutlines of two men in the act of springing upon him. At thisuncalled-for outrage is blood was up. He would resist first andexplain afterwards.
Stepping agilely aside Dacres thrust out his foot and sent one of hisassailants sprawling on his hands and knees. His comrade, within anace of tripping over the other's prostrate body, thought discretionthe better part of valour, and slipped back until he could obtainassistance.
"What's the meaning of this?" demanded Dacres angrily. "I'm not apoacher. I've lost my way."
"A likely story," exclaimed the man who had given the order for theattack. "All the same, you've got to come with us."
"Got to?" repeated Dacres, standing on his guard. "There are twosides to that question."
A minute before he would have gone anywhere with anyone, and with theutmost willingness. Now, the aggressive nature of the receptioncompletely destroyed any such desire.
As he stood with his arms in a professional boxing attitude he heardother footsteps, crunching on the dry pine-needles.
"Look here," continued the speaker. "It's no use resisting. We arefive to one. You've jolly well got to be brought before the governor.It may be all right for you or it may not. We've got our orders andwe mean to carry them out. Now, then, are you coming quietly?"
"Evidently they take me for a poacher," thought Dacres. "Perhaps I amon the pater's preserves. It will be rather a joke if I am, and theyrun me in before my own governor."
"Very well, then," he said aloud, "I'll come quietly; only keep yourhands off me."
"We will if you promise to give no trouble," replied the leader ofthe party in a mollified tone, "but orders are orders, you know."
"And this is an illegal arrest," added Dacres.
"Maybe," retorted the man coolly. "Anyway, it isn't our pigeon. Youcan argue that out with the governor. Quick march, you men."
Two of Dacres' captors faced about with military precision; two moreformed up behind him, while the spokesman kept in the rear. In thisorder, and like an escort marching a deserter through the streets,the men set off through the wood.
Presently they emerged into a circular clearing, measuring roughlytwo hundred yards in diameter. The ground was covered with grass mownas short and as evenly as a cricket pitch, while at equal distanceswere five lofty wooden sheds, their fronts level with the surroundingforest and extending backwards into the dense masses of trees. Infront of each of these buildings a red lamp was burning brightly.
"Can we get him across to the house before----?" whispered one ofDacres' captors.
"Yes, if we hurry. No, we can't, by Jupiter! There she is."
Overhead, its extremities hidden by the lofty tree tops, was a hugecylindrical object. In a moment the truth flashed across Dacres'mind. The mysterious airship was returning to its place ofconcealment, and he was the first outsider to stumble upon its secrethiding-place.
"Remember your promise," hissed the leader of the men. "This is amess. I'll have something to answer for. Come on, you chaps."
Followed by three of his companions the man bounded across the openspace. Dacres' remaining captor touched him on the shoulder.
"Get back," he ordered.
"I think not," replied Dacres coolly, although inwardly consumed withexcitement. "I mean to stay where I am."
"You jolly well must," said the man threateningly.
"Thank you, but I'm not used to being ordered about," rejoined Dacreswith a sternness that commanded respect. "I will take the risk. I amperfectly aware that this is the secret hiding-place of the airshipthat has been causing such a stir, and I mean to see my part of thebusiness through."
"You'll be sorry for it, then," muttered the man. "We guessed asmuch. I won't give much for your chances when----"
"My friend, you were not asked to," retorted Dacres. "Remember, I'mgiving no trouble, as I promised. Any trouble which arises dependssolely upon yourself."
The man, powerful though he was, realized that single-handed he wasno match for his athletic prisoner. The rest of his companions had tohasten to assist in the berthing of the airship. To appeal to themwould be useless. Fortunately, however, the detained intruder made noattempt to escape.
Fascinated, Dacres watched the strange scene. The airship was almosttouching the tree-tops. It was too dark to distinguish any details ofher construction. She showed no lights, nor was there a suspendedplatform visible. He could hear men's voices conversing in subduedtones, although he was unable to distinguish what was being said.
Presently coils of ropes were thrown down and secured by the men whohad recently been Dacres' assailants. There came a faint hissingsound like that of escaping air, and, as he watched, Dacres saw themidship section of the huge envelope drop slowly out of line. Held bythe ropes it sank gently to the ground, and from it emerged two ofthe crew, who, assisted by one of the men in waiting guided it intoone of the sheds that Dacres had previously noticed.
Another section followed, and then a third, both of which were placedunder cover. Only the bow and stern portion now remained, till,smoothly as if they were gliding on a pair of rails, they cametogether without the faintest suspicion of a jar.
Even with the removal of the major portion of its bulk, the remainingsections of the airship were of considerable dimensions. Theextremities almost touched the surrounding trees as the massivefabric was brought to earth.
Dacres could distinguish no signs of any propellers. The remainingremaining sections were very much like those already housed, exceptfor the pointed bow and a long cylindrical projection on either sideand parallel to the major axis of the main body.
Nor were there any elevating planes or rudders to be seen. The wholefabric seemed to be remarkably simple and business-like in design.
By this time the fore and aft sections of the airship had shed theircrew, and nearly thirty men were holding on to the guide ropes. Againcame the faint hissing sound and once more the giant envelope swungapart.
Within ten minutes from the lowering of the first rope the hugeleviathan of the air was securely housed in the sheds erected for itsreception. The red lights were switched off and darkness brooded overthe open space.
"Now for it," thought Dacres, as several of the men crossed the greenand approached the spot where he was standing.
"Here is the man, sir," announced the fellow who had directed thecapture.
Without saying a word the person addressed flashed an electric torchfull in the captive's face. It struck Dacres that this was takingrather a mean advantage, for no man can be at ease with a powerfulglare temporarily blinding him.
"You have made a mistake, Callaghan," said the stranger at length, ashe switched off the light. "This gentleman is not one of ourundesirable friends. You ought to have exercised more discretion."
"I thought, sir----" began Callaghan.
"Never mind what you thought," interrupted the stranger peremptorily."What is done is, unfortunately, hardly remediable at present. Excuseme," he continued addressing himself to Dacres, "but the zeal of myman rather outran his discretion. I think I am right in assuming thatI am speaking to an Englishman and a gentleman?"
Dacres bowed stiffly. He was still unable to see what his questionerwas like, but judging by his voice he was a comparatively young man.
"I think I can claim to be both," he replied. He was now in no hurryto furnish explanations. The situation appealed to him, and the morehe could prolong his stay on the forbidden ground the better, hedecided. Cranbury House was for the time being far remote from hismind.
"Allow me to show you the way to my modest dwelling," continued theunknown. "There is no need for you to hurry away."
Whether there was any significance in the latter sentence Dacrescould not quite determine. He cared still less, for here, apparently,was a chance of learning more about the owner of this mysteriousairship.
After giving various dire
ctions to his men, the stranger took hold ofDacres' arm in an easy yet dignified manner.
"Now," he said, "this way. It is rather a rough path."
"It couldn't be rougher than the path I traversed this evening," saidDacres, but the remark drew no response from his self-constitutedcompanion.
The track seemed a perfect labyrinth. It wound in sharp curvesbetween the thickly-clustered trees; sometimes ascending andsometimes dipping steeply into hollows crowded with denseundergrowth. The darkness under the foliage was intense, and withouthis companions guiding arm Dacres must have collided with the treetrunks more than once; but the stranger seemed to possess theinstincts of a cat, for unhaltingly he pursued his way with thecertainty of a man familiar with his haunts.
Presently the two men came upon a road that cut its way boldlythrough the wood. This the stranger followed for about a hundredyards, till he stopped in front of a gateway in a tall brick wall.
Had Dacres wished to escape there seemed no reason why he should nottake to his heels, for the roadway was evidently a carriage-drive,and must lead somewhere. But without hesitation he complied with theunknown's unspoken request as, with a wave of the hand, he indicatedthat his guest should enter.
"Here we are," said the stranger apologetically as they reached thedoor of a long rambling house. "We have not the convenience ofelectric light here, so I must strike a match and light the lamp."
These words were spoken in such a matter-of-fact way that Dacrescould hardly realize that the speaker was one and the same as thedaring airman who had stirred not only the United Kingdom but thewhole of the civilized world.
Unhesitatingly Dacres followed his host into a plain butsubstantially furnished room, and when the lamp was turned up theformer was able to discern the features of his companion.
The owner of the aircraft was the shorter by two inches. He wassparely built, yet his breadth and depth of chest betokened more thanaverage strength. His limbs were long in comparison to his body,while the long, tapering fingers indicated an artistic temperament.His face was oval, and of a deep tanned colour, his eyes were greyand evenly set beneath a pair of heavy brows. His hair was brown inhue and neatly parted in the centre, giving him at first sight aslightly effeminate appearance. Dacres guessed his age to be abouttwenty-five.
His dress consisted of a brown Norfolk suit and riding breeches, boxgaiters and brown boots. Round his neck was a dark green muffler. Hisgolf-cap and doeskin gloves he tossed upon the table.
"Now we can discuss this little matter, Mr.----?" He raised hiseyebrows interrogatively.
"Dacres is my name--Basil Dacres."
"Ah! Any relation of Colonel Dacres, my nearest neighbour?" he asked."His son? That's quite a coincidence. I owe the Colonel a duty call,but I have been so excessively busy of late that I really haven't hadtime. By the by, my name's Whittinghame--Vaughan Whittinghame. Idon't suppose for one moment that you've heard of me before."
"I have reason to dispute that," said Dacres.
"Well, then, as an individual you might, but as far as the name isconcerned----"
"I happened to meet a Gerald Whittinghame in town about five yearsago," said Dacres.
"Oh--how?"
"During the College summer vacation. I met him at General Shaldon'shouse, when I was staying with my friend Dick Shaldon. Whittinghamewas then a man of about twenty-two. He had just come home fromsomewhere in South America. He was a rattling good left-hand bowler,I remember."
"That's my brother," said Vaughan Whittinghame quietly. "By the by,are you a 'Varsity man?"
Dacres shook his head. He did not at present feel inclined to lay hiscards upon the table.
"To get straight to the point," continued Whittinghame, looking hisguest full in the face, "how came you in my grounds this evening?"
"That's easily explained," replied Dacres. "I was on my way toCranbury House--I've never been there yet--and I lost my way. Nearlygot stuck in a bog more than once. Eventually I saw a light, andcrawling through a fence"--here he looked regretfully at his tornclothing "--I found myself confronted by some of your men."
"It is as well you thought better of resisting," said Whittinghamequietly. "They are tough customers and they know their orders. I mayas well tell you, Mr. Dacres, that I am compelled to detain you herefor a few days."
"Very well," replied Dacres with perfect sangfroid.
It was Whittinghame's turn to look astonished.
"There's nothing like making the best of a bad job," he remarked assoon as he had mastered his feelings. "'Pon my soul you are a coolcustomer. I fully expected that you would have made a dash for it,when we reached the drive."
"There was nothing to prevent me from so doing," rejoined Dacres.
His host smiled.
"There you're wrong You gave your word you'd come quietly, and Iwanted to test you. If you had attempted to escape you would havebeen laid by the heels in a brace of shakes. You honestly assert thatyou had no idea that my little airship had her head-quarters herewhen you broke through the fence?"
"No, I did not; but honestly I'm glad I found out."
"I am afraid your knowledge will be of no service to anyone saveyourself until there is no further need for concealment, Mr. Dacres.I trust that your enforced detention will in no wise inconvenienceyou?"
"Not in the least," declared Dacres fervently. "I have no immediateplans."
"But Colonel Dacres?"
"Does not expect me."
"Excuse me, but would you mind telling me what you are?" askedWhittinghame. "If you do not feel inclined I will not press thepoint; but I am interested to know."
"What I am and what I was a few weeks ago are two very differentconditions," said Dacres without hesitation. "I was once a Britishnaval officer. Now I am a--well, one of the unemployed, I suppose."
"Sorry, 'pon my word," said the other sympathetically. "Let's hearyour story--but wait: you must be famished. I'll get something to eatand drink."
With that Whittinghame left the room, ostensibly to orderrefreshment. He also took the opportunity of consulting the latestquarterly copy of the official Navy List.
"By Jove! I'm in luck," soliloquized Dacres. "Whittinghame's quite adecent sort. I may even be able to get him to let me have a trip withhim. Anyway, it's something to occupy my mind, and since the governordoesn't know I'm in England our somewhat delicate interview canwait."
He looked round the room. There was nothing to denote the aerialpropensities of his host. Over the mantelpiece was a pair of hugehorns covered with a metallic substance resembling silver. On thewalls were oil-paintings of country scenes which looked suspiciouslylike Constable's work. In one corner was a gun rack containingseveral twelve bores and rook-rifles; a few fishing-rods and a pairof waders occupied another. A smoker's cabinet stood on the massiveoak table. The room might well be the den of an ordinary countrygentleman.
Presently Whittinghame returned followed by a serving-man bearing aloaded tray.
"That will be all to-night, Williamson," said his master. "You canlock up and go to bed."
"Very good, sir."
"H'm!" thought Dacres, looking at the black-garbed man. "You're a bitof a quick-change artist, I know." For he recognized the fellow byhis voice: he was the one who had been left to keep an eye on thecaptive when the airship returned.
"Now, set to," continued Whittinghame genially. "Then, if you're nottoo tired, we can yarn over a pipe."
Until Dacres commenced eating he had no idea how hungry he reallywas. The food was plain but appetizing, the cold ham especially, andhe did hearty justice to the repast.
"Fill your pipe--or do you prefer a cigar?" asked his host pointingto the cabinet. "Try that chair; you'll find it fairly comfortable.By Jove! your boots are wet. Let me offer you some slippers."
"Yes, I feel sorry for your carpet," said Dacres apologetically as hestooped to unfasten his bootlaces.
For a few moments both men smoked in silence. Dacres felt that hishost was watching him narrowly, yet he
imperturbably puffed at hispipe.
"Look here, Dacres, old man," Whittinghame suddenly exclaimed, "whatdo you say? Will you ship along with me?"