登陆注册
15518500000002

第2章

"As Commandant of the place," Captain Griffiths replied, "I naturally had to have the Common searched. With the exception of the observation car, however, I think that I am betraying no confidences in telling you that we discovered nothing of interest."

"Do you suppose that the Zeppelin was in difficulties, as she was flying so low?" Helen enquired.

"It is a perfectly reasonable hypothesis," the Commandant assented.

"Two patrol boats were sent out early this morning, in search of her.

An old man whom I saw at Waburne declares that she passed like a long, black cloud, just over his head, and that he was almost deafened by the noise of the engines. Personally, I cannot believe that they would come down so low unless she was in some trouble."

The door of the comfortable library in which they were seated was suddenly thrown open. An exceedingly alert-looking young lady, very much befreckled, and as yet unemancipated from the long plaits of the schoolroom, came in like a whirlwind. In her hand she carried a man's Homburg hat, which she waved aloft in triumph.

"Come in, Arthur," she shouted to a young subaltern who was hovering in the background. "Look what I've got, Helen! A trophy!

Just look, Mr. Harrison and Captain Griffiths! I found it in a bush, not twenty yards from where the observation car came down."

Helen turned the hat around in amused bewilderment.

"But, my dear child," she exclaimed, "this is nothing but an ordinary hat! People who travel in Zeppelins don't wear things like that. How do you do, Mr. Somerfield?" she added, smiling at the young man who had followed Nora into the room.

"Don't they!" the latter retorted, with an air of superior knowledge. "Just look here!"

She turned down the lining and showed it to them. "What do you make of that?" she asked triumphantly.

Helen gazed at the gold-printed letters a little incredulously.

"Read it out," Nora insisted.

Helen obeyed:

"Schmidt, Berlin, Unter den Linden, 127."

"That sounds German," she admitted.

"It's a trophy, all right," Nora declared. "One of the crew -=20 probably the Commander - must have come on board in a hurry and changed into uniform after they had started."

"It is my painful duty, Miss Nora, "Harrison announced solemnly, "to inform you, on behalf of Captain Griffiths, that all articles of whatsoever description, found in the vicinity of Dutchman's Common, which might possibly have belonged to any one in the Zeppelin, must be sent at once to the War Office."

"Rubbish!" Nora scoffed. "The War Office aren't going to have my hat."

"Duty," the young man began -"You can go back to the Depot and do your duty, then, Mr. Harrison,"

Nora interrupted, "but you're not going to have my hat. I'd throw it into the fire sooner than give it up."

"Military regulations must be obeyed, Miss Nora," Captain Griffiths ventured thoughtfully.

"Nothing so important as hats," Harrison put in. "You see they fit - somebody."

The girl's gesture was irreverent but convincing. "I'd listen to anything Captain Griffiths had to say," she declared, "but you boys who are learning to be soldiers are simply eaten up with conceit.

There's nothing in your textbook about hats. If you're going to make yourselves disagreeable about this, I shall simply ignore the regiment."

The two young men fell into attitudes of mock dismay. Nora took a chocolate from a box.

"Be merciful, Miss Nora!" Harrison pleaded tearfully.

"Don't break the regiment up altogether," Somerfield begged, with a little catch in his voice.

"All very well for you two to be funny," Nora went on, revisiting the chocolate box, "but you've heard about the Seaforths corning, haven't you? I adore kilts, and so does Helen; don't you, Helen?"

"Every woman does," Helen admitted, smiling. "I suppose the child really can keep the hat, can't she?" she added, turning to the Commandant.

"Officially the matter is outside my cognizance," he declared. "I shall have nothing to say."

The two young men exchanged glances.

"A hat," Somerfield ruminated, "especially a Homburg hat, is scarcely an appurtenance of warfare."

His brother officer stood for a moment looking gravely at the object in question. Then he winked at Somerfield and sighed.

"I shall take the whole responsibility," he decided magnanimously, "of saying nothing about the matter. We can't afford to quarrel with Miss Nora, can we, Somerfield?"

"Not on your life," that young man agreed.

"Sensible boys!" Nora pronounced graciously.

"Thank you very much, Captain Griffiths, for not encouraging them in their folly. You can take me as far as the post-office when you go, Arthur," she continued, turning to the fortunate possessor of the side-car, "and we'll have some golf to-morrow afternoon, if you like."

"Won't Mr. Somerfield have some tea?" Helen invited.

"Thank you very much, Miss Fairclough," the man replied; "we had tea some time ago at Watson's, where I found Miss Nora."

Nora suddenly held up her finger. "Isn't that the car?" she asked.

"Why, it must be mummy, here already. Yes, I can hear her voice!"

Griffiths, who had moved eagerly towards the window, looked back.

"It is Lady Cranston," he announced solemnly.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 主宰我的未来

    主宰我的未来

    我的未来不是由上天主宰我的未来不是由命运主宰我的未来不是有这个世界主宰我的未来,是由我自己来——主!宰!读者群:513222984
  • 人皆有命

    人皆有命

    天地随心,万物有命,有人天生命贵富甲一方,有人流落街头命运多舛,因果循环,昭彰有报,莫怨天地,因果循环。。。。
  • 许太史真君图传

    许太史真君图传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 三生刻刀

    三生刻刀

    神秘古砖雕刻的女神,本以为是一世迷恋,却轮回三生!第一世为凡人,第二世为天帝,第三世,只想握着三生刻刀,雕刻永恒。
  • 四念处

    四念处

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 仙途游

    仙途游

    修仙即为偷天,若天道有失,大劫即临。上一劫截教落败,这一劫谁又能超脱?
  • 星冥混战

    星冥混战

    云逸城是一个高科技的城,是一个伟大帝国,科技发展迅速,而在这里出现了一个伟大得人————奥贝·维斯,星冥战就由此开始了,战甲机械的战争有他开始了。分部介绍:这里是德鲁伊板块,分为几个大陆,当然,奥贝所在的大陆是行核大陆,另外还有兽神大陆,安盟大陆,艾俄大陆,光梦大陆。雪峰大陆。这个版块是比较大的,强者一般为九级机械,超越的不上1000个所以,超越在人们心里是无双,无敌的强者。兽神是一些高等动物,也可以制造出机甲,进行战斗,和人类一起战斗是聪明的生物。在未来的生活里,奥贝将和他得兽神共同度过无数困难。
  • 战神狂舞之血狼大冰

    战神狂舞之血狼大冰

    如果你穿越了你会怎么办?成为强者?这是必须的,除此之外呢......世界佣兵王“血狼”穿越龙辰大陆,启战魂、决圣殿、登天界、灭神魔....血翼狼皇站在巨龙之巅...弑神玫瑰挥手万界凋零...风暴烈酒一怒雷神炼狱...刺杀之魂永远在你身后...自称神之后裔的“天魂人”....被奴役的各界魂修....时代的交替,不屈的意志...一个崛起的少年,携带无尽冥炎,斩敌诛叛,他是否能够打破这永恒的禁锢?交流群:293875499
  • 鲁迅作品集(6)(中国现代文学名家作品集)

    鲁迅作品集(6)(中国现代文学名家作品集)

    听说:中国的好作家是大抵“悔其少作”的,他在自定集子的时候,就将少年时代的作品尽力删除,或者简直全部烧掉。我想,这大约和现在的老成的少年,看见他婴儿时代的出屁股,衔手指的照相一样,自愧其幼稚,因而觉得有损于他现在的尊严,——于是以为倘使可以隐蔽,总还是隐蔽的好。但我对于自己的“少作”,愧则有之,悔却从来没有过。出屁股,衔手指的照相,当然是惹人发笑的,但自有婴年的天真,决非少年以至老年所能有。况且如果少时不作,到老恐怕也未必就能作,又怎么还知道悔呢?
  • 圣者之战神传说

    圣者之战神传说

    一个六岁大的小男孩,为何能在凶险无比的赌斗场上屡次不死?随手拿出的一样东西为何能让众人惊叹?又为何能让活了上百年的老祖刮目相看,力压各种天才呢?一切的精彩尽在圣者传说......