They have eliminated Riverside
as a probable hang-out for the mystery plane, and--" He waved a hand
significantly while he stood his shotgun against the bole of the tree.

"Some one saw us land in this valley," he added. "Luckily they do not
suspect Mateo yet. I saw him going down the flat and sent him on to
tell the patrol a lot they already knew. He saw the plane come down,
but has not been able to find the exact spot. He thinks it took the
air again. His ninos told him of a big bird flying east. Great boy,
Mateo. Great kids. Did they see me coming?"

"Sure they did. Rosa's eagle eye spotted a rock or two rolling down
and came and told me."

"Good girl, Rosa. The car's over in another valley, parked under a
tree very neatly and permanently and in plain sight. Its owner is off
hunting somewhere. By its number plates they will never know it. Good
old car."

"You seem tickled to think they're after you," Johnny observed, rolling
a cigarette by way of manifesting complete unconcern. "What's the next
move?"

"Get me across without letting them see where we come from. Can you
fly at night?"

"Sure, I can fly at night. Don't the Germans fly at night all over
London? I won't swear I'll light easy, though."

"There'll be a moon," said Cliff. "I've got to get over, and I've got
to light, and I've got to get back again. There are no if's this time;
it's _got_ to be done."

"A plane chased us, day before yesterday," Johnny informed him, fanning
the smoke from before his face and squinting one eye while he studied
Cliff. "It was a long way off, and I got down before it was close
enough to see just where I lit. It came back yesterday and scouted
around, flying above five thousand feet up. To-day I saw two of them
sailing around, but they didn't fly over this way. They were over
behind this hill, and high. We'd better do our flying at night,
old-timer."

"You can dodge them. You've got to dodge them," said Cliff.

"If I fly," Johnny qualified dryly.

"You've got to fly. You're in to your neck, old man--and there's a
loop ready for that." Then, as though he had caught himself saying
more than was prudent, he laughed and amended the statement. "Of
course, I'm just kidding, but at that, it's important that you make
this flight and as many more as you can get away with. There's
something to be brought back to-night--legitimate news, understand, but
of tremendous value to the Syndicate." He