Doris obeyed without demur. Tressidar, with his pistol ready for instant action, crouched behind the body of the car.
Evidently some harmless individual was approaching. They could hear footsteps crunching on the hard gravel road, but still, the sub. could afford to take no risks of a treacherous onslaught.
"Halt!" shouted Tressidar as the man came within ten paces. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"
The stranger, a big, hulking fellow, halted promptly enough, and in broad Scotch declared that he was only a shepherd on his way home.
"And I'm a naval officer," announced the sub. "I call upon you in the King's name to render assistance. Is your sight good? Can you hear well?"
Receiving a disjointed affirmative reply from the almost dumfounded shepherd, Tressidar continued:
"That's capital. Now, I want you to stand here and keep a bright look-out. There are two suspicious characters knocking about. They are not armed—at least, with firearms, for I've taken the only pistol they possessed. Directly you spot them—that is, if they make up their minds to come back—let me know as quietly as possible. Eh, what's that? You hope they do? Good man! You are a tough customer to tackle with that heavy stick of yours."
The Scotsman, a brawny specimen in spite of his years, for he was nearly sixty, nodded his head with a confidence that assured the sub. of a reliable and energetic ally. Leaving him at his post, Tressidar returned to the car.
"I fancy I heard firing," he remarked.
"Yes," agreed Doris. "I saw flashes. See, there they are again."