CHAPTER XXIV
ENTWISTLE'S DECISION
"So this is the coastguard station?" asked Billy Barcroft of hisyouthful guide. "Any chance of getting a conveyance to the neareststation Tongby, I believe?"
"I am afraid not, sir."
"Even this donkey might be pressed into service," continued theflight-sub, indicating Butterfly, who, having been placed "underarrest," was browsing on the green surrounding the flagstaff."Although I've had enough of donkeys to last me for someconsiderable time."
Little knowing that the animal under discussion was the self-sameone that had given him the slip at Barborough, Billy, accompanied byhis two comrades, entered the detached building known as thelook-out house. The ground floor was utilised as a kind of store,where arms and nautical gear were kept. Above was a large roomfurnished like an office, in which was a telephone as well as alarge telescope mounted on a tripod so as to command a clear view ofthe sea. Being night the windows were closely shuttered, whiledouble doors prevented any stray beams from escaping into the night.
"Up aloft, sir," said the scout. "I'll telephone through and see ifa trap or a car can be sent from Tongby. This is our mess room," heexplained. "There's a good fire going. Hullo! There's some one herealready. I think it's the gentleman who told us about the spy."
Seated on either side of the roaring fire were Peter Barcroft andPhilip Entwistle. The former's face was turned away from the door,and at first Billy failed to recognise his parent. Nor did he thevet., for Entwistle's face was elaborately and liberally embellishedwith sticking-plaster, as the result of First Aid on the part of theScouts following their determined onslaught on the brink of thecliff.
Entwistle had taken his gruelling in rightdown good part. He wasstill under nominal arrest, for having been made a prisoner he couldonly be released at the order of a superior officer. Already areport had been telephoned through and a reply was momentarilyexpected.
"I am not going to explain the whole business to you, Barcroft,"said the vet, when Peter expressed his regret at the attack upon hisneighbour, and still more so his astonishment at finding him undermost peculiar circumstances on the cliff at Scarby. "Some day,perhaps. I had information--no matter how--that some one was intraitorous communication with enemy submarines. To bring home proofsof the principal's guilt it was necessary to tackle his subordinate.Unfortunately my plans were upset by the somewhat injudiciousintervention of these youngsters--commendable as regards pluck andall that, but nevertheless it spoilt my investigations."
"I didn't know that you were in the detective line," remarked Peter.
Entwistle shrugged his shoulders.
"Perhaps I had better not commit myself by answering your question,"he replied with a laugh that ended in a wince. It was no easy matterto smile with one's face smothered with sticking-plaster. "I hopeyou understand my reluctance to say anything more on the matter."
Peter nodded.
"All the same I shall look forward to the time when you are able toemerge from your shell," he said.
"By the bye," remarked the vet, "you haven't told me what broughtyou to this part of the world. It's taking a one-sided advantagewhen I ask if _you_ are doing a bit of detective work."
"I was," admitted Mr. Barcroft.
Entwistle raised his eyebrows in mild surprise.
"Tracing the persons who stole my donkey--Butterfly," continuedPeter. "I had the tip that the animal had been taken to Bigthorpe.Went there to follow up the clue, and strangely enough almost thefirst man I met was Norton."
"What was he doing at Bigthorpe?"
"I hardly know. Said something about a nervous breakdown. He seemeda bit upset, I thought."
"H'm!" Entwistle, gazed into the fire, deep in thought. "Is hereturning to Tarleigh?"
"He's there already, I presume," replied Peter. "However, that hasnothing to do with the case I am relating (Entwistle thoughtotherwise, but refrained from audible comment). At Bigthorpe I foundthat Butterfly had been sold to a man at Scarby, so on I came. Quiteby accident I met the fellow on the road, kept out of sight andwatched him go towards the cliffs. Went and had a look at his cart,discovered it laden with petrol-cans, so I made off immediately toinform the coastguard. The rest you know."
"As to that----" began the vet.
The door being opened interrupted his remarks. Turning his head tosee who the newcomers might be, he startled his companion bysaying--"Bless my soul, it's young Barcroft."
"Hullo, pater!" said Billy in astonishment. "You here? This is aregular surprise." Peter got up from his chair.
"Pleased to see you, boy," he exclaimed. "As for the surprise, it'snothing. To-day has been a day of surprises. What brings youashore?"
"We were in the destroyer that ran aground," explained theflight-sub. "But let me introduce you to Fuller--you've often heardme speak of him--and Bobby Kirkwood, who, as you know, was, and Ihope will continue to be, my observer."
"I thought you were in the 'Hippodrome,'" remarked Barcroft Senior,after mutual introductions and when the three airmen had drawn theirchairs close to the comforting fire.
"Officially we are now--at the present moment," said Fuller."Unofficially we are toasting our toes on dry land. Before long wehope to be up in the air; I think I am correctly interpreting thewishes of my two energetic chums?"
Conversation was proceeding briskly when one of the Scouts, calledto the telephone, reported that a car was on its way to Scarby toconvey the airmen to Tongby, and that there was a train leaving thelittle place at eight in the morning for Bigthorpe, whence by themain line to the north they could reach Edinburgh by about noon.
"And this breaks up the party," quoth Billy as the motor drew upoutside the station. "Well, good-bye, pater. Sorry time has been soshort."
"Not so fast with your good-byes, my son," protested Peter."We--Entwistle and I--are going into Tongby by this car. It may be atight squeeze, but we'll risk that."
"But how about Butterfly?" asked Billy.
His father waved his hand deprecatingly.
"I've done with the brute," he replied. "She absolutely refused togreet me. I'm going to make a present of her to these youngsters asa kind of reminder of this night's work. If they don't want her, Isuppose there are plenty of people in this village glad to keep her.Now, Entwistle, best leg forward. It's a long, long way to Tarleigh.By Jove! you'll have to explain those scratches when you return toyour virtuous home."
Philip Entwistle merely responded with "Yes" with a preoccupied air.His work in connection with the affair had only just begun. Althougha veterinary surgeon he was also an accredited member of the SecretService, and upon the _soi-disant_ Andrew Norton's arrival atTarleigh as a new resident he had been informed of the suspiciousnature of the newcomer. It was by design that he had misdirectedBarcroft in the matter of the wrong train on the eve of theBarborough Zeppelin raid; but that was owing to the fact that he hadmistaken the occupier of Ladybird Fold for the suspect, vonEitelwurmer.
Now arose the difficulty. Could he warn Barcroft of the dangerouscharacter of the spy, without prejudice to his plans? At present itwas undesirable, even on the damning evidence he had found at thespy's house, to cause von Eitelwurmer to be arrested. Better to letthe fellow prosecute his activities a little longer, complete thechain of evidence and rope in his accomplices, if any, than to makethe spy a prisoner without being able to make a clean sweep of allhis works. Premature action would mar the elaborate mass of evidencethat Entwistle was on the road to collect--evidence that would befar-reaching as far as the network of German espionage in Englandwas concerned.
So for the present he decided to keep his own counsel regardingAndrew Norton. Not even a hint would he throw out concerning thetenant of The Croft. If he did so, Barcroft could not help showingantipathy to his friend Norton, and the latter, scenting danger,would be doubly wary.
Yet, knowing that there was a price on Peter Barcroft's head,although he did not as yet connect Norton's presence at Tarleighwith the Kaiser's blood-moneye
d decree, Entwistle realised that hewould have to keep a watchful eye upon his newly-found friend inorder to guard him from the possibility of impending peril.