'Hey, you lot.' Jake came up with a group carrying a crated Vickers.
'Bring that along this way.' They paused in understanding until Jake
made unmistakable signs, but at that moment a captain of the guard
hurried up to intervene. After one shouted exchange Jake realized that
the language barrier was insurmountable. The man was obstinate and
time was wasting.
'Sorry, friend,' he apologized. 'But I am in a bit of a hurry,' and he
hit him a roundhouse clout that ended the argument conclusively and
sent the man flying backwards into the outstretched arms of two of his
men.
'Come along.' Jake pushed the guards with the crate towards where the
cars stood. The thought of Sara lying out there in the valley was
driving him frantic. He imagined her bleeding slowly to death, her
bright young blood draining away into the sandy soil and he hustled the
two men forward through the press of animals and human beings.
As he came up, Gregorius was swinging the crank handle on Miss Wobbly
and the engine caught and ran smoothly as Vicky eased back the
ignition.
'Where is Gareth? 'Jake shouted.
'Can't find him,' answered Gregorius. 'We'll have to go in one car,'
and then both of them swung round at the familiar bantering laugh.
Gareth Swales was leaning nonchalantly against the side of the car,
looking as unruffled and calm as ever, his hair neatly combed and the
tweed suit as immaculate as if it had just come from his tailor.
'say,' smiled Gareth, crinkling his eyes against the drift of blue
smoke from the cheroot between his lips. 'Big Jake Barton and his two
eager ducklings about to take on the entire Italian army.' Vicky's
head appeared in the driver's hatch.
'We've been looking for you,' she shouted furiously.
'Ah,' quoth Gareth lightly. 'We will now hear from the Girl Guides
Association.'
'Sara is out there.' Gregorius ran to Gareth. 'We are going to fetch
her. You and I will take the one car, Vicky and Jake the other.'
'Nobody is going anywhere.' Gareth shook his head, and Gregorius
seized the lapels of his suit and shook them urgently. 'Sara. You
don't understand she's out there! We have to fetch her.' say, old
lad, would you mind unhanding me, 'murmured Gareth and removed
Gregorius' hands from his lapel. 'Yes.
We know about Sara, but--2 Vicky yelled from the driver's hatch.
'Leave, him, Gregorius. We don't need anyone who is afraid-' and
Gareth straightened up abruptly, his expression grim and his eyes
snapping.
'I have been called many things in my life, my dear young lady. Some
of them justified, but nobody has ever called me a coward.'
'Well, there is always a first time, buster,' shouted Vicky, her face
crimson with anger and streaked with dirt, her blonde hair ruffled and
hanging into her eyes and she pointed one quivering finger at Gareth,
'and for you this is that first time!' They stared at each other for a
moment longer before Lij Mikhael strode between them, his dark face set
