He travelled the whole night, and with the first light of day he decided to stop and find a place to hide. He stopped at a deserted crossroads and looked around. Through the trees growing along the road he saw a field and a river in the distance. Near the river he noticed the ruins of a deserted boat-house.
He lifted his stolen bicycle on his shoulder and crossed the field to the river. He approached the ruins of the boathouse. Tall grass growing around the door showed that nobody was using the house.
He opened the door and frightened away a rat, which quickly ran into the darkness. He saw a flight of stairs which led to a loft, and he climbed up carrying the bicycle with him. He found himself in a small room with a little window, which gave him a clear view of the approaches to the house. So if some people were coming to the house, he would see them.
Christian was satisfied. He sat down on the floor and ate some cold bacon and bread and cheese. The whole morning he was looking out of the window, but saw nobody. In the afternoon he slept a few hours.
When night fell, he set off again, and in the morning he was near Cambridge.
On the wall of a newspaper stall there was a newspaper. Christian stopped his bicycle and looked through the front page. There was a photograph of him and a text under it:
The police are looking for Captain Arthur Christian to interview him in connection with the shooting at Reading.
Christian is tall, blond, blue-eyed, with a short beard.
He is armed. The police think he may be near Cambridge.
Christian was alarmed. He decided that he must find a hiding-place at once. He could not remain in the streets during the day.
227 He rode on again. Soon he saw a large poster:
BURKHOLDER'S FAIR
228 There was a picture of the Brains and a text in red letters:
Five pounds will be given to anyone who asks a question which the Brains cannot answer.
Below the poster gave the address of the place where the Fair was located.
Christian looked around. There was a long, partly broken fence along one side of the street. Behind the fence he saw a garden and an old shed. The garden was grown with weeds, and it was clear that it was not used. Christian looked around again to make sure that nobody saw him, then took his bicycle and got into the garden through a crack in the fence.
There was a lock on the door of the shed, but Christian easily broke it and got inside. He sat down on the floor and ate some food, which still remained, in his bag.
During the day he slept. In the evening, when it was dark, he left the shed and rode to the place where the Burkholder Fair was located.
- 15 -
229 Jo came out of the kitchen after a late supper and walked towards her trailer. There was no moon, and the stars were covered with clouds. There was nobody around.
230 Then she heard a soft voice: "Jo."
231 She recognized Christian's voice and stopped.
232 "It is not safe for you here," she said in a whisper. "The whole area is watched by plain-clothes men."
Christian smiled.
233 "I know." He looked down at the dwarf-woman. "Jo, I didn't kill Miller."
234 "Of course, you didn't," she said quickly. "I never believed that for a moment. Tell me how I can help. Doctor Fox was here this morning I know where he is now. But the police are watching him."
235 Christian pointed to a light, which was coming from one of the trailers.
236 "Are the Brains at home?"
237 "I think they are," she answered. "What are you going to do?"
238 "I am going to speak to them," he said. "I am sure that they murdered Miller"
239 "Be careful, Sailor!"
240 Christian pressed her hand.
241 "Don't go near the Brains," he said. He turned and walked to the Brains' trailer.
242 He noiselessly approached the door of the trailer, put his piece of wire into the lock and opened the door.
243 And again - he saw nobody!
244 Christian stepped inside and locked the door after himself. He sat down, looking at the door and holding his automatic gun ready. This time he was going to wait till the Brains returned.
245 Minutes passed. Christian thought about Fox and Jo: they both believed in him and were ready to help. It was good indeed to have such good friends. Then he thought about the Brains. Maybe now, just at this moment, they were murdering another man, and soon they would return with their murder weapon..
246 He didn't notice how his eyes closed. He heard some movement and opened his eyes. The Brains were standing before him - but he was sure that the door had not opened. For a long moment the Brains and Christian looked at each other.
Christian pointed his gun at them.
247 "You know why I am here," he said. "Speak - and remember that I can shoot you."
Suddenly Victor, the leader of the Brains, raised his hand. He was holding his murder weapon in it..
248 Christian jumped to his feet, quick as lightning, caught Victor by his hand and pressed it hard. The weapon fell to the floor, and Christian kicked it under the bed. He pointed his automatic at the Brains again.
"All right-speak!"
249 The Brains were standing and looking at him. Then Victor said quietly: "We must leave."
250 "You are not going to leave..." Christian did not finish.
251 Each Brain touched the black crystal at his waist - and disappeared. The captain was alone in the trailer, not believing his eyes. It was impossible...
252 Fox was right. They could not be human.
253 He put his hand under the bed and took out the weapon of the Brains. It was made of some hard metal.
254 It was very important to send the weapon to Miller's chief as quickly as possible. Military Intelligence must understand who their enemies were: beings who could disappear into nothing. But he did not know if the people in Military Intelligence would believe him...
255 Christian walked up and down the trailer, thinking. Then he sat down at the table and wrote an account of what had happened at the Cross Keys, how he had got the Brains' weapon, and how the three Brains had disappeared before his eyes.
256 He smoked one of his black cigars while he was reading what he had written. Then he put his account and the weapon into a cardboard box and left the trailer. In the darkness of the night he walked noiselessly to Jo's trailer. He knocked, and Jo opened the door.
257 "Can you take this package to Fox?" he asked in a low voice. "Tell him to send it to Miller's chief. Tell him also that I shall be hiding at Girton: he knows that I have friends there.
258 "I'll go now," said Jo. "Good luck, Sailor."
259 Christian went to the place where he had left his bicycle and rode off. Early in the morning, when it was still dark, he arrived at the village of Girton.
260 He got into his friends' house through the back door. It was quiet in the house, and breakfast was prepared on the table. Christian ate, then lay down on the bed which had been prepared for him.
227
Он должен убраться до появления полиции. Это абсолютно необходимо остаться на свободе, пока он не докажет свою невиновность. Да, тут больше нечего было делать, Кристиан решил: он должен исчезнуть.
228
Он быстро и тихо пошел в свой трейлер и собрал вещи. Он заглянул под подушку, как и следовало, ожидать пистолета там не было. Не было сомнений, это Умники повесили на него убийство Миллера.
229
Он раздумывал, где скрыться. Это не может быть его яхта, он был уверен, полиция посетит ее. Это не может быть Фокс, полиция знает, что они друзья. У него были друзья, которые могли спрятать его, но он хотел оставаться неподалеку от Ярмарки, это его единственный шанс доступа к Умникам. Да, Ярмарка отправится в Кембридж утром - Буркхолдер решил найти новое место после визита разведки.
231
Он взял рюкзак и покинул трейлер. Он пошел на кухню. Там он взял пустой мешок и положил туда провизию, которую смог найти. Закинув мешок за плече он покинул кухню.
232
Полиция знает номер машины Миллера, поэтому ее нельзя использовать. Он быстро пошел по тропинке. В свете луны он увидел женский велосипед у забора. Без колебания он оседлал его и поехал по направлению к Кембриджу.
233
Он ехал все ночь, и с первыми лучами солнца он решил остановиться и поискать место для укрытия. Он стоял у заброшенного перекрестка и осматривался. Сквозь деревья, растущие у дороги, виднелось поле и в отдалении, река. У реки он заметил полуразрушенная лодочная станция.
234
Он поднял украденный велосипед на плече, и пошел через поле к реке. Он приблизился к дому. Высокая трава росла перед дверью, ясно, что место было заброшенно.
235
Он открыл дверь, испуганная крыса быстро скрылась в темноте. Он увидел лестницу ведущую на чердак он взобрался туда и притащил за собой велосипед. Он оказался в меленькой комнате с небольшим окном, через которое отрывался вид на подходы к дому. Т.е. если люди будут подходить к дому, он увидит их.
236
Кристиан был доволен. Он сел на пол и съел немного холодного бекона и хлеба с сыром. Все утро он смотрел в окно, но никого не увидел. Днем он поспал несколько часов.
238
На доске объявлений он увидел новую газету. Кристиан остановился и посмотрел на первую станицу. Там была его фотография и текст под ней:
239
Полиция разыскивает Капитана Артура Кристиана для беседы по поводу перестрелки в Рединге.
240
Кристиан - высокий голубоглазый блондин с небольшой бородой. Он вооружен. Полиция полагает, что он может находиться около Кембриджа.
241
Кристиан встревожен. Он решил, что он должен найти укрытие немедленно. Он не должен оставаться на улице в течение дня.
246
Кристиан оглянулся. Длинный, местами, поврежденный забор огораживал одну сторону улицы. За забором он увидел сад и старый сарай. Сад зарос сорняком, ясно было, что он заброшен. Кристиан оглянулся опять и убедился, что никто его не видит, затем он взял велосипед и прошел в сад через пролом в заборе.
247
Дверь сарая был закрыта, но Кристиан легко сломал ее и вошел внутрь. Он сел на пол и немного поел, из своих запасов.
248
В течение дня он спал. Вечером, в темноте он покинул сарай и пошел к Ярмарке Буркхолдера.
249
Джо вышла из кухни после позднего ужина и пошла к своему трейлеру. Луны не было и звезды были скрыты облаками. Вокруг никого не было.
254
- Конечно, - сказала она быстро. - Я не верила этому ни минуту. Скажи, чем я могу помочь. Доктор Фокс был здесь утром, я знаю, где он сейчас. Но полиция следит за ним.