“Can’t we stop at Melun and put the authorities up to collaring the fellows as German spies?”
“We’ve no proof that they are, and it would never do for me, in my position, to set France and Germany by the ears. It would mean delay, too. No: our job is to get to Brindisi as soon as we can. Run a few miles farther; then we’ll halt to examine the car; but it goes so easily that I don’t think much damage is done.”
“All right. Are they after us?”
“There’s no sign of them. We win the trick.”
Chapter V
ACROSS THE ALPS
It was still so early in the morning that the gyro-car ran through Melun without attracting attention, except from a few market-people and a priest on the way to church. Maurice inquired the way to Sens of a wagoner, and they mounted the hill towards the village of Sivry at a speed of twenty miles an hour. On reaching level ground again George increased the speed, and before 7 o’clock arrived at the crest of the long hill descending to Montereau. The morning sun shed a brilliance over the town, which had scarcely yet awaked to activity; and as the travellers coasted down the hill, they forgot their excitement for a few moments as their eyes delighted in the spectacle of river, church, and castle.
There being still no sign of pursuit, they halted at a blacksmith’s and alighted. The clang of hammer on anvil ceased, and the smith, attracted by the sound of the engines, came to his door.
“Hé, messieurs!” he said on beholding the gyro-car balanced on its four wheels, “comment ce diable de machine se tient-il debout?”
Maurice laughingly explained, while George stopped to examine the wheels. He found that the tyre of the foremost of them was gashed. Luckily he had a spare tyre in the car, and, replacing the injured one with assistance from the smith, he was ready to set off again in a few minutes.