might do
something more than stare. There was a telegraph-office not at all far
away.

As I sped down that hill and swung round away from the sea at the foot,
I did a heap of quick thinking. As things had turned out I dared not
make for any place of concealment far off the highroads. Now that
there was a probability of the hue and cry being raised, or at least of
a look-out being kept for me, the chances of successfully slipping up
the valley of some burn without any one's notice were enormously
decreased. I had but to glance round at the openness of the
countryside to realise that. No; on the highroads I could at least run
away, but up in the moors I should be a mere trapped rat.

Then I had the bright thought of touring in zigzag fashion round and
round the island, stopping every here and there to address an
inhabitant and leave a false clue, so as to confuse my possible
pursuers. But what about my petrol? I might need every drop if I
actually did come to be chased. So I gave up that scheme.

Finally, I decided upon a plan which really seems to me now to be as
promising as any I could think of. About the least likely place to
look for me would be a few miles farther along the same road that ran
past my last night's refuge, in the opposite direction from that in
which people had seen me start. I resolved to make a detour and then
work back to that road.

I had arrived at this decision by the time I reached the scene of last
night's mishap. Fortunately my cycle was running like a deer now, and
I swept up the little slope in a few seconds and sped round the loch,
opening up fresh vistas of round-topped heather hills and wide green or
brown valleys every minute. At a lonely bit of the road I jumped off,
studied my map afresh, and then dashed on again.

Presently a side road opened, leading back towards the coast, and round
the corner I sped; but even as I did so the utter hopelessness of my
performance struck me vividly--that is to say, if a really serious and
organised hunt for me were to be set afoot. For the roadside was
dotted with houses, often at considerable intervals it is true, but
then all of them had such confoundedly wide views over that open
country. There was a house or two at the very corner where I turned,
and I distinctly saw a face appearing at a window to watch me thunder
past. The noise these motor-cycles make is simply infernal!

It was then that I fell into the true spirit for