As they ascended, Beryl, gazing down, saw below a few faint lights to the south-east, and knew that there lay the important town of H——, blotted out at even that early hour of the evening, for the lights visible would have only indicated a village in pre-war days.
In the sky further eastwards toward the sea was a slight tremor of light showing that searchlights were already at work testing their beams, and making oblong patches of light upon the clouds.
At ten thousand feet up, as the altimeter then showed, it was intensely cold, and the girl buttoned up her fur-lined coat and fastened up her wind-cuffs. The roar of the engine was too great, of course, to admit of conversation. Ronnie had not switched on the silencer, as it impeded speed, and after a long flight it might choke just at the very moment when its services were most required.
Due north in the increasing darkness went “The Hornet,” skilfully handled by the most intrepid of air-pilots, high over town, forest, and pasture, hill and dale, as the hours crept slowly on.
Suddenly, however, Ronnie turned the machine, and began to circle over a few scattered lights. Then Beryl recognised his uncertainty. Time after time he searched for the railway line to York, but though both of them strained their eyes they could not pick it up again.
Hence they were compelled, much to Ronnie’s chagrin, to make a descent in a big grass-field, where, in the blackness, they made a rather rough landing, and presently inquired their whereabouts of some villagers.
To their amazement they found that beneath the hill where they had descended the railway line actually ran. And it was on account of the long tunnel they had missed it.
So, ascending once more, they struck again due north by the compass, and finding the line, flew along it over Doncaster to York. Then, still continuing northwards, they reached Thirsk Junction, until five minutes later as they were approaching Northallerton, intending to strike westward and follow the line to Hawes, “The Hornet” developed serious engine trouble, and Ronnie was forced again to descend, planing down into an unploughed field.
For half-an-hour, aided actively by Beryl, he was occupied in making a repair. It was then past eleven, and the girl expressed a hope that they would be at the rendezvous by midnight.
“It will really be too bad if we arrive too late,” she added apprehensively.