Page 42 - A Hero of Liége

"Certainly, Herr Policeman," said the mechanic, whom the presence of an
officer had quite reassured.

They moved off to a spot beyond the sheds. The mechanic laid his coat

upon the wire, and assisted the fugitives to mount. Then he hurried back to
the gate, entered the enclosure, and met them near the furthest shed. The
whirring of a propeller was audible.

"That's the shed," he said, pointing to the half-open door through which a

bright light was streaming. "He's at work there, running the engine."

"Very well," said Kenneth. "You had better get your coat and make

yourself scarce. You won't want to appear in this."

"Not I," said the man.

"The Herr Lieutenant will reward you," said Kenneth's companion. He

knew German officers too well to tip the man in the English way.

The mechanic slipped away into the darkness. The Englishmen went to the
shed. They opened the door and entered boldly. A man was bending over
the engine, spanner in hand, adjusting a nut on the carburetter. He had not

noticed the opening of the door or the entrance of the strangers. Suddenly
he felt a hand on his shoulder, and looking up, was amazed to hear an

officer say, through the noise of the propeller:

"Villain, you are under arrest."

Dumbfounded, he stared stupidly at the officer, and feebly protesting, stood

back from the machine. Meanwhile Kenneth had taken a tin of petrol from
a cupboard in the corner of the shed, and was filling up the tank. When this
was done, he ran his eye rapidly over the monoplane, tested the stays, and

finding all in good order, said in English:

"We'll lock this fellow in the cupboard. Then you throw the door open,
come back quickly, and get into the seat beside me. The engine is running