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of the char ？banc。 He had been a year in Cromer and was well
known and well liked。
Three miles from Cromer； at the top of the highest hill in
Overstrand； the chimneys of a house showed above a thick
tangle of fir…trees。 Between the trees and the road rose a
wall； high； compact； forbidding。 Carl opened the gate in the
wall and pushed his bicycle up a winding path hemmed in by
bushes。 At the sound of his feet on the gravel the bushes new
apart； and a man sprang into the walk and confronted him。
But； at sight of the head…waiter； the legs of the man became
rigid； his heels clicked together； his hand went sharply to
his visor。
Behind the house； surrounded on every side by trees； was a
tiny lawn。 In the centre of the lawn； where once had been a
tennis court； there now stood a slim mast。 From this mast
dangled tiny wires that ran to a kitchen table。 On the table；
its brass work shining in the sun； was a new and perfectly
good wireless outfit； and beside it； with his hand on the
key； was a heavily built； heavily bearded German。 In his
turn； Carl drew his legs together； his heels clicked； his
hand stuck to his visor。
〃I have been in constant communication；〃 said the man with
the beard。 〃They will be here just before the dawn。 Return to
Cromer vand openly from the post…office telegraph your cousin
in London： 'Will meet you to…morrow at the Crystal Palace。'
On receipt of that； in the last edition of all of this
afternoon's papers； he will insert the final advertisement。
Thirty thousand of our own people will read it。 They will
know the moment has come！〃
As Carl coasted back to Cromer he flashed past many pretty
gardens where； upon the lawns； men in flannels were busy at
tennis or； with pretty ladies； deeply occupied in drinking
tea。 Carl smiled grimly。 High above him on the sky…line of
the cliff he saw the three strangers he had served at
luncheon。 They were driving before them three innocuous golf
balls。
〃A nation of wasters；〃 muttered the German； 〃sleeping at
their posts。 They are fiddling while England falls！〃
Mr。 Shutliffe； of Stiffkey； had led his cow in from the
marsh； and was about to close the cow…barn door； when three
soldiers appeared suddenly around the wall of the village
church。 They ran directly toward him。 It was nine o'clock；
but the twilight still held。 The uniforms the men wore were
unfamiliar； but in his day Mr。 Shutliffe had seen many
uniforms； and to him all uniforms looked alike。 The tallest
soldier snapped at Mr。 Shutliffe fiercely in a strange
tongue。
〃Du bist gefangen！〃 he announced。 〃Das Dorf ist besetzt。 Wo
sind unsere Leute？〃 he demanded。
〃You'll 'ave to excuse me； sir；〃 said Mr。 Shutliffe； 〃but I
am a trifle 'ard of 'earing。〃
The soldier addressed him in English。
〃What is the name of this village？〃 he demanded。
Mr。 Shuttiffe； having lived in the village upward of eighty
years； recalled its name with difficulty。
〃Have you seen any of our people？〃
With another painful effort of memory Mr。 Shutliffe shook his
head。
〃Go indoors！〃 commanded the soldier； 〃And put out all lights；
and remain indoors。 We have taken this village。 We are
Germans。 You are a prisoner！ Do you understand？〃
〃Yes； sir； thank'ee； sir； kindly；〃 stammered Mr。 Shutliffe。
〃May I lock in the pigs first； sir？〃
One of the soldiers coughed explosively； and ran away； and
the two others trotted after him。 When they looked back； Mr。
Shutliffe was still standing uncertainly in the dusk； mildly
concerned as to whether he should lock up the pigs or obey
the German gentleman。
The three soldiers halted behind the church wall。
〃That was a fine start！〃 mocked Herbert。 〃Of course； you had
to pick out the Village Idiot。 If they are all going to take
it like that； we had better pack up and go home。〃
〃The village inn is still open；〃 said Ford。 〃We'll close It。〃
They entered with fixed bayonets and dropped the butts of
their rifles on the sanded floor。 A man in gaiters choked
over his ale and two fishermen removed their clay pipes and
stared。 The bar…maid alone arose to the occasion。
〃Now； then；〃 she exclaimed briskly； 〃What way is that to come
tumbling into a respectable place？ None of your tea…garden
tricks in here； young fellow； my lad； or 〃
The tallest of the three intruders； in deep guttural accents；
interrupted her sharply。
〃We are Germans！〃 he declared。 〃This village is captured。 You
are prisoners of war。 Those lights you will out put； and
yourselves lock in。 If you into the street go； we will
shoot！〃
He gave a command in a strange language； so strange； indeed；
that the soldiers with him failed to entirely grasp his
meaning； and one shouldered his rifle； while the other
brought his politely to a salute。
〃You ass！〃 muttered the tall German。 〃 Get out！〃
As they charged into the street； they heard behind them a
wild feminine shriek； then a crash of pottery and glass； then
silence； and an instant later the Ship Inn was buried in
darkness。
〃That will hold Stiffkey for a while！〃 said Ford。 〃Now； back
to the car。〃
But between them and the car loomed suddenly a tall and
impressive figure。 His helmet and his measured tread upon the
deserted cobble…stones proclaimed his calling。
〃The constable！〃 whispered Herbert。 〃He must see us； but he
mustn't speak to us。〃
For a moment the three men showed themselves in the middle of
the street； and then； as though at sight of the policeman
they had taken alarm； disappeared through an opening between
two houses。 Five minutes later a motor…car； with its canvas
top concealing its occupants； rode slowly into Stiffkey's
main street and halted before the constable。 The driver of
the car wore a leather skull…cap and goggles。 From his neck
to his heels he was covered by a raincoat。
〃Mr。 Policeman；〃 he began； 〃 when I turned in here three
soldiers stepped in front of my car and pointed rifles at me。
Then they ran off toward the beach。 What's the idea
manoeuvres？ Because； they've no right to〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 the policeman assured him promptly； 〃I saw them。
It's manoeuvres； sir。 Territorials。〃
〃They didn't look like Territorials；〃 objected the chauffeur。
〃They looked like Germans。〃
Protected by the deepening dusk； the constable made no effort
to conceal a grin。
〃Just Territorials； sir；〃 he protested soothingly；
〃skylarking maybe； but meaning no harm。 Still； I'll have a
look round； and warn 'em。〃
A voice from beneath the canvas broke in angrily：
〃I tell you； they were Germans。 It's either a silly joke； or
it's serious； and you ought to report it。 It's your duty to
warn the Coast Guard。〃
The constable considered deeply。
〃I wouldn't take it on myself to wake the Coast Guard；〃 he
protested； 〃not at this time of the night。 But if any
Germans' been annoying you； gentlemen； and you wish to lodge
a complaint against them； you give me your cards〃
〃Ye gods！〃 cried the man in the rear of the car。 〃Go on！〃 he
commanded。
As the car sped out of Stiffkey； Herbert exclaimed with
disgust：
〃What's the use！〃 he protested。 〃You couldn't wake these
people with dynamite！ I vote we chuck it and go home。〃
〃They little know of England who only Stiffkey know；〃 chanted
the chauffeur reprovingly。 〃Why； we haven't begun yet。 Wait
till we meet a live wire！〃
Two miles farther along the road to Cromer； young Bradshaw；
the job…master's son at Blakeney； was leading his bicycle up
the hill。 Ahead of him something heavy flopped from the bank
into the roadand in the light of his acetylene lamp he saw
a soldier。 The soldier dodged across the road and scrambled
through the hedge on the bank opposite。 He was followed by
another soldier； and then by a third。 The last man halted。
〃Put out that light；〃 he commanded。 〃 Go to your home and
tell no one what you have seen。 If you attempt to give an
alarm you will be shot。 Our sentries are placed every fifty
yards along this road。〃
The soldier disappeared from in front of the ray of light and
followed his comrades； and an instant later young Bradshaw
heard them sliding over the cliff's edge and the pebbles
clattering to the beach below。 Young Bradshaw stood quite
still。 In his heart was much fearfear of laughter； of
ridicule； of failure。 But of no other kind of fear。 Softly；
silently he turned his bicycle so that it faced down the long
hill he had just climbed。 Then he snapped off the light。 He
had been reliably informed that in ambush at every fifty
yards along the road to Blakeney； sentries were waiting to
fire on him。 And he proposed to run the gauntlet。 He saw that
it was for this moment that； first as a volunteer and later
as a Territorial； he had drilled in the town hall； practiced
on the rifle range； and in mixed manoeuvres slept in six
inches of mud。 As he threw his leg across his bicycle；
Herbert； from the motor…car farther up the hill； fired two
shots over his head。 These； he explained to Ford； were
intended to give 〃 verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and
unconvincing narrative。〃 And the sighing of the bullets gave
young Bradshaw exactly what he wantedthe assurance that he
was not the victim of a practical joke。 He threw his weight
forward and； lifting his feet； coasted downhill at f