We reached the road and against a stone wall stood several bicycles. I selected one and prepared to mount.
“That’s Mr Emmott’s machine,” said one boy sharply. “He told me to keep an eye on it.”
“I must borrow it, sonny,” I said. “Mr Emmott’s my very good friend and won’t object.”
From the place where we stood I overlooked the back of the battle-field and could see an anxious congress of officers. I could see others, too, whose appearance I did not like. They had not been there when I operated on the megaphone. They must have come downhill from the aerodrome and in all likelihood were the pursuers I had avoided. The exhilaration which I had won in the air and which had carried me into the tomfoolery of the past half-hour was ebbing. I had the hunted feeling once more, and grew middle-aged and cautious. I had a baddish record for the day, what with getting Archie into a scrape and busting up an official cinema show—neither consistent with the duties of a brigadier-general. Besides, I had still to get to London.
I had not gone two hundred yards down the road when a boy scout, pedalling furiously, came up abreast me.
“Colonel Edgeworth wants to see you,” he panted. “You’re to come back at once.”
“Tell him I can’t wait now,” I said. “I’ll pay my respects to him in an hour.”
“He said you were to come at once,” said the faithful messenger. “He’s in an awful temper with you, and he’s got bobbies with him.”
I put on pace and left the boy behind. I reckoned I had the better part of two miles’ start and could beat anything except petrol. But my enemies were bound to have cars, so I had better get off the road as soon as possible. I coasted down a long hill to a bridge which spanned a small discoloured stream that flowed in a wooded glen. There was nobody for the moment on the hill behind me, so I slipped into the covert, shoved the bicycle under the bridge, and hid Archie’s aquascutum in a bramble thicket. I was now in my own disreputable tweeds and I hoped that the shedding of my most conspicuous garment would puzzle my pursuers if they should catch up with me.
But this I was determined they should not do. I made good going down that stream and out into a lane which led from the downs to the market-gardens round the city. I thanked Heaven I had got rid of the aquascutum, for the August afternoon was warm and my pace was not leisurely. When I was in secluded ground I ran, and when anyone was in sight I walked smartly.