“Certain! We learned that before Earl made his attempt. Hassan remains, for some reason; Hassan and one other—the one who drives the car.”
“But the slipper?”
“If Hassan remains, so does the slipper!” From the knapsack, which, as you will have divined, did not contain a camera, she took out an electric pocket lamp, and directed its beam upon the hedge above us.
“There is a gap somewhere here!” she said. “See if you can find it. I dare not show the light too long.”
Darkness followed. I clambered up the bank and sought for the opening of which Carneta had spoken.
“The light here a moment,” I whispered. “I think I have it!”
Out shone the white beam, and momentarily fell upon a black hole in the thickset hedge. The light disappeared, and as I extended my hand to Carneta she grasped it and climbed up beside me.
“Put on your rubber shoes,” she directed. “Leave the others here.”
There in the darkness I did as she directed, for I was provided with a pair of tennis shoes. Carneta already was suitably shod.
“I will go first,” I said. “What is the ground like beyond?”