Everything would be all right now. Colonel Crowther would take control – he would know what to do.
“Miss Edith, what an unexpected surprise.” He smiled at her and, although he looked a little flustered, Edie felt better already. “And Master Smith and young Miss Smith too.” He nodded to Gus and Greta. Then his eyes darted towards the fallen photographs in the ditch. “Pick those up,” he said, clicking his fingers at Donny. “Now, what’s all this about spies?” He stared over the top of Edie’s head at Len.
“A load of nonsense, that’s what. These kiddies have got the wrong end of the stick,” said Len. Edie was amazed how calm he still seemed, even under the colonel’s steely glare. She didn’t feel half so relaxed. She kept glancing furtively towards the bench where Karl was hiding. She couldn’t help it. Gus was pacing up and down clutching his tummy, looking just as sick as she felt. They’d have to tell the colonel about the hidden airman soon enough. But, first things first, they had to deal with Len and Donny – it wouldn’t be safe to reveal Karl until the two brothers were gone.
“You have to arrest the Snigsons, Colonel,” she said. “Can you call for back-up from the Home Guard?”
Len laughed. “Tell them, Colonel,” he said, as Donny dropped the muddy photographs on to the table with the map. “Tell them how it was you that wanted all this stuff.”
“You wanted it, Colonel?” said Gus. “Whatever for?”
Colonel Crowther cleared his throat. Edie saw his eyes sweep across the map as if taking it all in.
“The colonel was helping us,” said Len. “Not that it’s any of your business.”
“The railway tracks were built right across our land and we weren’t never paid one penny for any of it,” said Donny. “The colonel told us to measure the boundaries of our fields, then bring him maps and pictures of where the railway line runs and he’d help us with our claim.”
“So you’re not spies?” said Edie slowly. Their story seemed to make sense. She felt a hot blush creep up her cheeks. How had she got it so wrong?
“No!” Len snorted. “We are not spies.”
“Honest, we’re not,” said Donny and he looked her straight in the eye. She half expected him to salute and swear on “scout’s honour”.
“Wait.” Gus was standing over the map. He had laid the photographs out in a long line. “That doesn’t make sense.”
“Business matters never do make sense, especially when you’re just a boy,” said the colonel, striding over to the table. “I suggest you go back to playing trains. Leave us grown-ups to our dreary paperwork, eh?” He began to stuff the loose photographs into the satchel. “Roll this thing up, will you? Quick as you can.” He tapped the map with impatient fingers as Donny fetched the long leather case.
“Wait,” said Gus again. “It’s all wrong.” He held up one of the photographs so the Snigsons could see it too. “This picture is of the station.” He picked up another. “And this shows the meadow below Three Chimneys… Why would Colonel Crowther ask you to take photographs of these places in a dispute about your land?”
“Exactly,” said Edie, suddenly understanding Gus’s point. “Those tracks are nowhere near your farm. They can’t have anything to do with your claim.”
“Er.” Donny scratched his head.
“How do we know what these fancy lawyer-fellows need,” said Len with a shrug. “We just collected what the colonel told us to.”
“Quite so!” The colonel shifted his feet. Edie saw his eyes dart towards the satchel full of papers yet again. He kept glancing at them in exactly the same way she and Gus couldn’t help stealing guilty looks towards the bench where Karl was hiding.
Why was the colonel behaving so strangely? He was jumpy as a rabbit. Gus was right. There was no reason for him to ask the two brothers to find maps and pictures of the entire railway line, just to prove something on one corner of their land.
“I think the Snigsons are telling the truth,” she said quietly. “You’re the one who wants all this information, Colonel. But it’s not for the railway company, is it?” As soon as the words were out of her mouth she knew they were true.
“Now listen here,” the colonel said, wiping his forehead with a red-and-white spotty handkerchief. “Time for you boys and girls to run along home.”
Edie edged around the table towards the satchel full of precious papers. Colonel Crowther wanted those documents desperately – so desperately that fresh beads of sweat were already breaking out along his brow.
“It’s you, Colonel,” she breathed. “You are the spy.” Her hand shot out to grab the satchel.
But the colonel was quicker.
“Little devil,” he cried, grabbing her wrist as he spun her round. His arm was across her throat in a headlock before Edie could even try and wriggle free. He was pressing down so hard on her windpipe, she couldn’t even scream.
“Steady on!” gasped Len Snigson.
“Let her go!” roared Gus, tugging at the colonel’s sleeve.
“Hilfe!” Greta opened her mouth and screamed. “Hilf uns, Karl. Hilf uns, bitte!”
“German?” Len spun round and stared at her.
“Why’s she speaking Jerry-language?” gasped Donny.
Edie just had time to register the look of shock on everybody’s faces, before the German airman jumped out from under the bench where he had been hiding.
Chapter Twenty-one
Capture
Karl had not taken more than two steps before the Snigsons leapt into action.
They grabbed one arm each and flung him back against the wall of the carriage.
“Don’t!” screamed Greta. “Don’t hurt him. He’s our friend.”
The colonel let go of Edie and sprang to the door. For an old man, he could move fast.
“Looks like I’m not the spy here after all. We have some little German brats in our midst,” he said, blocking the way out. Edie gasped as she saw that he had a pistol in his hand.
