“She’s quite right,” Jim said, quietly. “All serene, Nor. Buck up, old kiddie!”
“I can’t agree to it,” John O’Neill said, wretchedly.
“She’s quite right,” Jim repeated. “The job is bigger than we are. It’s only a question, as she says, if all three of us can check those people at the cave: and if we can get the beacon lit in any other way, we simply have no right to reduce our number by one-third. There really should be no danger: she has only to put a match to it, and get away before the firelight shows her up.” He spoke firmly, but his young face was drawn and haggard. “I am quite sure dad would say the same.”
“And I thought this was rather a lark!” said Wally, with a groan. He turned and walked to the window.
“If you are certain your father would be satisfied, I have no more to say,” O’Neill said. “It certainly makes an enormous difference: three can stop a rush where two would be hopelessly outclassed. And the man coming down from the headland wouldn’t have a chance: the people on the submarine would get him in a minute.”
“Remember,” said Wally sharply, turning from the window, “as soon as your match is lit, duck, and crawl away. That old wood will flare wildly directly it’s lit, if it’s soaked in petrol. Don’t wait a second.”
“I won’t,” said Norah, and nodded at him cheerfully. “Don’t worry; I’ll be all right.”
“All right! I think it’s awful to let you do it!” Wally uttered.
“Wally, I’ve _got_ to. Don’t you see I have?” Norah put her hand on his arm.
“Yes, I suppose I do,” he said. “All our lives put together don’t matter twopence if we can put an end to even one submarine. I know we must let you. But I wish to goodness we’d left you in Australia!”
“I say . . . I didn’t mean to be a beast,” the boy said, contritely. “Only—I just can’t stand it!” He went out, his swift strides echoing down the corridor.
“Don’t mind him, little chap: he’s only worried about you,” Jim said, gently. “He’ll be all right when he comes back.”
“At any rate, we mustn’t have you bothered,” Sir John said, patting Norah’s shoulder. “You’ll need to be quite calm and cool for your job, and for getting away quietly after it. And I really don’t believe you’ll be in any danger; the Germans can’t possibly rake that point with gunfire from the submarine. They might hit a standing figure, but not one lying flat. And I hope the men on shore will be too busy to take interest in beacons.” There was a grim note in his voice, but his face was extraordinarily happy.