“Why, do his best to assist the authorities! The latter are not so blind as they lead the public to believe, I assure you,” laughed Collins, who, having learnt all he could from the ex-schoolmaster, devoted the remainder of the afternoon to angling, and with fair result.
Next day he strolled, at about ten o’clock in the morning, in the direction of the Manor Farm, apparently taking a morning walk. When he had gone about a quarter of a mile, he met the man Cator in a golf suit and cap, accompanied by the stranger who had come from London two days previously, and a third man, tall, elderly, with a short, greyish beard, and rather shabbily-dressed.
As they passed, Collins felt instinctively that the grey-bearded man, having eyed him closely, made some remark to his companions which caused them to turn back and look after him. The air-mechanic was, however, too discreet to turn himself, but went on and, walking in a circle, gave the Manor Farm a wide berth.
That evening, however, as soon as it grew dark, he approached the place, taking up his position at the same spot where he had stood with his master and Miss Beryl—a point from which he had a good view of the long, low farm-building.
He sank down into some undergrowth which concealed him and lit a cigarette, there being nobody near to smell the smoke. It was eight o’clock when he arrived there, and the time passed very slowly. Now and then the dogs in the yard barked furiously, once at hearing his footsteps, and again when somebody opened the back door of the farmhouse and came outside. Now and then a horse neighed, and once a dog barking far away set the two watch-dogs barking in response.
The hours went by, but Collins, lying on his back sometimes smoking, sometimes dozing, kept a most patient vigil.
Suddenly, however, just before midnight, as a glance at his watch revealed, he heard the sound of a car coming up the hill. He sprang up and listened. It was coming up behind him—up the byway which led through the wood to the farm!
His heart beat quickly. Pryor had been right. A lorry visited the Manor Farm every three days.
Suddenly he caught a glimpse of the oil side-lights, and a few minutes later a big motor-lorry, heavily laden, approached and backed towards the wide doors of the farm-building. The driver having blown his horn, Cator and his visitor came out, and, when the doors were unlocked and wheeled open, the lorry was backed right into the building.
At once all three men began unloading the lorry, whereupon Collins crept up to ascertain what was being taken out.