“I approve your watchfulness, but you happened to be watching in the wrong direction,” said Cliff, brushing dirt from his hunting clothes.  “Well, they are getting warm, old man.  They have eliminated Riverside as a probable hang-out for the mystery plane, and—­” He waved a hand significantly while he stood his shotgun against the bole of the tree.

“Some one saw us land in this valley,” he added.  “Luckily they do not suspect Mateo yet.  I saw him going down the flat and sent him on to tell the patrol a lot they already knew.  He saw the plane come down, but has not been able to find the exact spot.  He thinks it took the air again.  His ninos told him of a big bird flying east.  Great boy, Mateo.  Great kids.  Did they see me coming?”

“Sure they did.  Rosa’s eagle eye spotted a rock or two rolling down and came and told me.”

“Good girl, Rosa.  The car’s over in another valley, parked under a tree very neatly and permanently and in plain sight.  Its owner is off hunting somewhere.  By its number plates they will never know it.  Good old car.”

“You seem tickled to think they’re after you,” Johnny observed, rolling a cigarette by way of manifesting complete unconcern.  “What’s the next move?”

“Get me across without letting them see where we come from.  Can you fly at night?”

“Sure, I can fly at night.  Don’t the Germans fly at night all over London?  I won’t swear I’ll light easy, though.”

“There’ll be a moon,” said Cliff.  “I’ve got to get over, and I’ve got to light, and I’ve got to get back again.  There are no if’s this time; it’s got to be done.”

“A plane chased us, day before yesterday,” Johnny informed him, fanning the smoke from before his face and squinting one eye while he studied Cliff.  “It was a long way off, and I got down before it was close enough to see just where I lit.  It came back yesterday and scouted around, flying above five thousand feet up.  To-day I saw two of them sailing around, but they didn’t fly over this way.  They were over behind this hill, and high.  We’d better do our flying at night, old-timer.”

“You can dodge them.  You’ve got to dodge them,” said Cliff.

“If I fly,” Johnny qualified dryly.

“You’ve got to fly.  You’re in to your neck, old man—­and there’s a loop ready for that.”  Then, as though he had caught himself saying more than was prudent, he laughed and amended the statement.  “Of course, I’m just kidding, but at that, it’s important that you make this flight and as many more as you can get away with.  There’s something to be brought back to-night—­legitimate news, understand, but of tremendous value to the Syndicate.”  He reached into his pocket and drew out an envelope such as Johnny had learned to associate with money.

“Here’s two thousand dollars, old man.  The boss knows the risk and added a couple of hundred for good measure, this week.  When you land me over there to-night I’ll give you this.”  He smiled disagreeably.  “I think you’ll fly, all right—­for this.”