, and then make for the main line and get
back to the south. It seemed to me that the sooner I got in touch with
the Foreign Office man, Sir Walter Bullivant, the better. I didn't see
how I could get more proof than I had got already. He must just take
or leave my story, and anyway, with him I would be in better hands than
those devilish Germans. I had begun to feel quite kindly towards the
British police.

It was a wonderful starry night, and I had not much difficulty about
the road. Sir Harry's map had given me the lie of the land, and all I
had to do was to steer a point or two west of south-west to come to the
stream where I had met the roadman. In all these travels I never knew
the names of the places, but I believe this stream was no less than the
upper waters of the river Tweed. I calculated I must be about eighteen
miles distant, and that meant I could not get there before morning. So
I must lie up a day somewhere, for I was too outrageous a figure to be
seen in the sunlight. I had neither coat, waistcoat, collar, nor hat,
my trousers were badly torn, and my face and hands were black with the
explosion. I daresay I had other beauties, for my eyes felt as if they
were furiously bloodshot. Altogether I was no spectacle for
God-fearing citizens to see on a highroad.

Very soon after daybreak I made an attempt to clean myself in a hill
burn, and then approached a herd's cottage, for I was feeling the need
of food. The herd was away from home, and his wife was alone, with no
neighbour for five miles. She was a decent old body, and a plucky one,
for though she got a fright when she saw me, she had an axe handy, and
would have used it on any evil-doer. I told her that I had had a
fall--I didn't say how--and she saw by my looks that I was pretty sick.
Like a true Samaritan she asked no questions, but gave me a bowl of
milk with a dash of whisky in it, and let me sit for a little by her
kitchen fire. She would have bathed my shoulder, but it ached so badly
that I would not let her touch it.

I don't know what she took me for--a repentant burglar, perhaps; for
when I wanted to pay her for the milk and tendered a sovereign which
was the smallest coin I had, she shook her head and said something
about 'giving it to them that had a right to it'. At this I protested
so strongly that I think she believed me honest, for she took the money
and gave me a warm new plaid for it, and an old hat of her man's. She