ill at forty miles an hour into the main street of
Blakeney. Ten minutes later, when the car followed, a mob of men so
completely blocked the water-front that Ford was forced to stop. His
head-lights illuminated hundreds of faces, anxious, sceptical, eager.
A gentleman with a white mustache and a look of a retired army officer
pushed his way toward Ford, the crowd making room for him, and then
closing in his wake.

"Have you seen any--any soldiers?" he demanded.

"German soldiers!" Ford answered. "They tried to catch us, but when I
saw who they were, I ran through them to warn you. They fired and--"

"How many--and where?"

"A half-company at Stiffkey and a half-mile farther on a regiment. We
didn't know then they were Germans, not until they stopped us. You'd
better telephone the garrison, and--"

"Thank you!" snapped the elderly gentleman. "I happen to be in command
of this district. What are your names?"

Ford pushed the car forward, parting the crowd.

"I've no time for that!" he called. "We've got to warn every coast town
in Norfolk. You take my tip and get London on the long distance!"

As they ran through the night Ford spoke over his shoulder.

"We've got them guessing," he said. "Now, what we want is a live wire,
some one with imagination, some one with authority who will wake the
countryside."

"Looks ahead there," said Birrell, "as though it hadn't gone to bed."

Before them, as on a Mafeking night, every window in Cley shone with
lights. In the main street were fishermen, shopkeepers, "trippers"
in flannels, summer residents. The women had turned out as though to
witness a display of fireworks. Girls were clinging to the arms of their
escorts, shivering in delighted terror. The proprietor of the Red Lion
sprang in front of the car and waved his arms.

"What's this tale about Germans?" he demanded jocularly.

"You can see their lights from the beach," said Ford. "They've landed
two regiments between here and Wells. Stiffkey is taken, and they've cut
all the wires south."

The proprietor refused to be "had."

"Let 'em all come!" he mocked.

"All right," returned Ford. "Let 'em come, but don't take it lying down!
Get those women off the streets, and go down to the beach, and drive the
Germans back! Gangway," he shouted, and the car shot forward. "We warned
you," he called, "And it's up to you to--"

His words were lost in the distance. But behind him a man's voice rose
with a roar like a ro