“First to the right at the top, and then out of the town as fast as you can,” came the Duke’s voice from the back.
He had judged rightly; a minute later they came out into the high street As they turned a sudden shout went up from some men with lanterns fifty yards to the left, but their voices were lost on the night air as the great car went speeding out of the town.
“That was a picket, sure enough,” Rex grinned. “Those guys wouldn’t be standing in the street at half past two in the morning just for fun!”
“Yes, the hunt is up.” De Richleau sat back with a sigh. “May we be as lucky at Vinnitsa.”
“Don’t like Vinnitsa,” said Simon. “We’ve got to cross the bridge there.”
“If we manage that, there is still the frontier,” De Richleau spoke gloomily. “Have you got any plan about that?”
“I had,” Simon announced, “but by knocking Richard on the head you’ve put paid to it. He was to have met us at the cross-roads about a mile to the west of Mogeliev — land his ’plane in the nearest field, and taxi us over one at a time. Lord knows how we shall manage now.”
They had entered wooded country once more, and the way was a succession of steep gradients alternating with sharp, down-hill bends. In the twisting and turning road it was difficult to see far ahead; the headlights on the trees were trying and deceptive, but Rex seemed to have a genius for judging the bends and twists. The low car roared through the tunnels formed by the over-hanging trees. A dozen times it seemed that they must crash into some vast tree trunk looming up in front of them, but they always swerved in time, hunting down the miles that lay between them and Rumania.
They entered Vinnitsa at four o’clock. All three braced themselves, for they were certain that if a serious attempt was being made to stop them it would be here. It was useless to try side-roads this time, for there was only one bridge. The car flashed through the streets of the sleeping town, awakening thunderous echoes. A sharp slope led down to the narrow bridge; there were lights ahead, and little dark figures clustered at the bridge-head — their worst fears were realized.
Rex had to make a quick decision: should he stop, or risk charging through them? If he did the latter and chains had been drawn across the road, they would crash; even if there were no chains and he knocked down a man, the car passing over his body would be thrown out of control and might plunge into the river below. He decided to slow up.