Faked Passports gs-3

by Dennis Wheatley

  "Is it hurting much?"

  "Yes; like hell " Gregory was leaning against a tree and re drew a hand wearily over his eyes. "If we'd had to run another half mile I should have fainted again, I think. As it is, I'm about all in."

  "We'd better shake down here for the night, then."

  "I suppose we must, although I'm damned if I like it. We're till much too near that road for comfort. I'm good for a last effort but I don't think we'd better risk trying to get deeper into this wood in the darkness. otherwise we may move round in a circle and walk right out of it again. Let's look about for a spot that's clear of these accursed blackberry bushes."

  Charlatan got out his lighter and flicked it on. The tiny flame only lit the surrounding gloom sufficiently to show his face caked with sweat and congealed blood where low branches had scratched it.

  "I can improve on that," said Gregory, taking a box of hatches from his pocket. "It's the first time I've had cause to be thankful that owing to their tax on matches the Nazis don't allow lighters in their country."

  As the match flared they could see that the wood about them was very dense and the ground almost entirely covered with undergrowth. Proceeding cautiously they made their way towards a place where the trees were not quite so thick and found that the break was caused by a shallow gully.

  "This'll do," said Gregory; "in fact it'll have to, as the longer we show a light the greater our danger."

  Side by side they sat down in the ditch. It was quite dry and soft from the accumulation of leaf mould and leaves which lad covered it through the years. Gregory eased his tired limbs, propped his back against the bank and produced his cigarettes. They shielded Charlton's lighter and lit up. As the flame was licked out the surrounding darkness closed in about them once more, seeming blacker than ever. After smoking in silence for a little they recovered somewhat from their exertions and began to feel the cold. Charlton remarked upon it bitterly.

  Gregory grunted. "Well, its November, remember, and we're dammed lucky that there's no snow. They had snow in the war zone over a fortnight ago, and that's hundreds of miles further south than this place. On my last trip into Germany I came through the Maginot and Siegfried Lines disguised as a German private, and my God the cold was fierce! This is nothing to it."

  Charlton turned his head towards the spot where Gregory’s; cigarette glowed in the darkness. "You're the hell of a tiger, aren't you, making your way through war zones and starting revolutions and one thing and another "

  `I suppose I am," Gregory grinned. He was feeling better again now that he could sit still and rest his wounded shoulder. 'It's not that I'm particularly brave certainly no braver than to airman like yourself who takes a hellish risk every time he flies over enemy territory; it's just that I get a lot of kick out of pitting my wits against those of other people. But, to be quite honest, I never take a chance of getting hurt unless I absolutely have to."

  "Nonsense! " Charlton laughed. "What about to night when you had the bright idea of lamming me over the head with the heel of your shoe in order that you could crash the plane and get back to that girl of yours?"

  "Oh well, that was rather different. You were quite right when you said that I was in love with her; and anyone who's in love is crazy."

  That's a good excuse but I've a feeling that you're the sort of chap who would have acted just as crazily if it had been some job of work which you felt you had to get on with, instead of a woman, that made you so anxious to get back to Berlin." "Perhaps. Just all depends how important the job was; but you can take my word for it in the normal way I'm an extraordinarily cautious person. `He who fights and runs away ‘that’s my motto. By sticking to it I've managed to live through the hell of a lot of trouble to the ripe old age of thirty nine."

  "Well done. Methuselah Then you're fourteen years ahead of me. But I bet I'll never live to make up the leeway not with this filthy war on."

  "Since you feel like that to night's little affair may yet prove the best thing that could have happened to you. If we are caught you'll be interned, and safe for the duration."

  "Thanks. But the idea doesn't appeal. I'd rather continue to lend a hand against little old 'Itler. Besides, if we're caught, what about you?"

  "Oh, I'll be shot; because I'm not a member of one of the fighting Services but a secret agent."

  "Aren't you a bit scared? I mean our chances don't seem up to much, do they?"

  "Frankly, no. We're faced with two major liabilities which are going to make it extremely difficult for us to get clean away. Firstly, my wound, which prevents our travelling swiftly. I'm afraid it's very inflamed and there's no doubt that I ought really to lie up for at least two or three days without moving at all. Then there's the fact that you can't speak German."

  "Our clothes are a bit of a give away, too."

  "Yes. At a push I could pass in a crowd, since this is a German officer's greatcoat that I'm wearing; but your leather kit won't be easy to laugh off, as they're certain to be looking for two English airmen. Fortunately, though, they didn't see us at all clearly so they can't issue our descriptions and, of course, they haven't got the faintest idea of the identity of the people in the plane that they shot down."

  "Perhaps tomorrow we may run across some farm labourer whose things I could buy or, if necessary, take off him by force," Charlton suggested.

  "Yes; or we may be able to beg, borrow or steal a change of clothing."

  "The devil of it is that first thing in the morning those damned soldiers and the police will be beating these woods with bloodhounds."

  Gregory shook his head. "No, I don't think so. They'll beat the woods all right, but not with bloodhounds. For a bloodhound to be any help you've got to give it some article of clothing that's been worn by the person you re hunting, so that it can get the scent, and they've got nothing of that kind in their possession. Anyhow, time enough to face to morrow's troubles when to morrow comes. Let's try to get some sleep."

  They stretched out in the ditch side by side, pillowing their heads on their handkerchiefs spread out over scraped up piles of leaves. The silence of the wood was broken only by the occasional scurrying of small animals in the undergrowth as they went about their nightly business. Once Gregory spotted a pair of tiny bright eyes gleaming at him out of the blackness but at his first movement the little animal scampered away in quick alarm. The cold was intense and they would have suffered from it severely if both of them had not been very warmly clad. As it was; it kept them from sleep for some time although they buried their hands in their arm pits and their faces deep in the turned up collars of their coats; but at last they dropped off from sheer exhaustion.

  When they awoke the pale light of the chill November dawn was just filtering through the naked branches of the trees. Cold, cramped and stiff, they sat up to peer about them. From the gully in which they lay they could not see more than a dozen yards in any direction or any sign of a break in the wood.

  Charlton shivered and said miserably: "Oh God Then it wasn't a nightmare We really were shot down and are on the run."

  Gregory gave an "Ouch " of pain as he moved. His wound had set stiff during the night and as he lifted his left arm a violent pain ran through his shoulder.

  "You've said it " he replied through gritted teeth. "It's no dream you're having, but a lovely, real life adventure."

  "Adventure be damned What wouldn't I give for a cup of tea, breakfast and a hot bath "

  "Why not wish for caviar, a suite at the Ritz and Cleopatra smiling at you from a large double bed, while you're about it?" said Gregory. "You're just as likely to get one as the other."

  Standing up. Freddie Charlton stretched himself. His fair, boyish face now showed little of the strain that he had been through the previous night, youth and vitality having quickly restored him to his normal physical well being, but his grey eyes were anxious as he stared down at Gregory.

  "Well? You're the Führer in this little show; so you'd better think of something. We ca
n't stay here for ever without food or drink. What D’you suggest that we should do?"

  Gregory wriggled a large flask out of his hip pocket. "He who drinks, dines," he misquoted gravely, "and this is very good brandy and water. Take a pull to warn yourself up. It's much too early to expect me to do any thinking yet, though. My brain doesn't start to tick over until after ten and, unless my watch has stopped, it's only about six thirty; which is a revolting hour for any civilized being to be awake at all."

  Freddie looked at Gregory curiously. He was often up at six himself and would long since have broken his neck flying if he had not had his wits about him just as much at that hour as later in the day. He was not certain if Gregory was seeking to impress him, by an apparently casual contempt for the danger they were in, or if he was a lazy, cynical devil who refused to be hurried into action as was in fact the case but he refrained from comment.

  Having taken a couple of big gulps from the flask he exclaimed: "Ah, that's betters" and, handing back, went on: "Well, last night we decided that our first job must be to get some other sort of kit by robbing a labourer or a cottage or something, so the sooner we start moving the better."

  "That's the idea; but I'm not doing any moving for the time being," Gregory replied. "As you're feeling so energetic, by all means go and have a look round, but for God's sake don't get yourself lost so that you can't find your way back to me. Otherwise, as you can't speak any German, you'll be completely sunk. Incidentally, you might keep a look out for a pond or a stream where I can bathe this wretched wound of mine before it starts to go gangrenous."

  "Right," Freddie nodded, and he set off through the trees.

  He was away for nearly an hour and when he got back he found that Gregory was sound asleep again. On being woken. Gregory explained that he considered that his time was best occupied in getting as much rest as possible. He then inquired the result of Charlton's expedition.

  "I've found a stream not very far from here where you can bathe your wound," replied the airman, "but the water is absolutely icy. It sent cold shivers down my spine when I had a dip in it."

  "D'you mean you stripped and went in?" Gregory asked, aghast.

  "Yes. What is there so surprising about that?"

  "Well, cleanliness may be next to godliness, in which case I rank with the Twelve Apostles when I'm leading a normal existence, but if you take my tip you'll go dirty while we're on the run. Nothing is calculated to lower one's powers of mental resistance so much as the immersion of the body in ice cold water. Still, I suppose you're one of those hardy blokes. You must have missed the radio announcer this morning when you did your daily dozen."

  Freddie flushed slightly. "I believe in keeping fit. A chap can't keep fit without regular exercise."

  "Rot said Gregory.” From my infancy upwards I abhorred all ball games and for the past twenty years I haven't lifted a finger that I didn't have to, yet my muscles are like whip cord you once start you have to keep it up, young feller; and think of the hours that wastes in a lifetime! If you don't, you suddenly go flabby and are fit for nothing by the time you're my age. But lets skip it. What else did you find?'

  "I went back to the road and there's a row of cottages about half a mile along it, to the left, but they're on the far side, on the open grassland, so I didn't dare to go nearer them for fear of being seen."

  "How far are we from the road?"

  "About 150 yards. After I'd been to the road I worked my way back again to find out how deep the wood was; at a rough guess I should say it's a good mile and a half from here before you come out on the other side."

  "What sort of country lies beyond it?"

  "There's a big open space with more grassland and a bit of rough, then more woods running up a slope to westwards. Just on the edge of this one, though, there's a fair sized country house, so we'd probably be spotted from that if we tried to advance across the open."

  "Well, we won't for to day, at all events. But we must find a better place than this where we can lie doggo as it's pretty certain they'll send out troops to beat this wood for us. First, though, you'd better lead me to that stream you found."

  Gregory got slowly to his feet and together they ploughed their way through the thick undergrowth until they reached a shallow pool formed by a little rippling brook beside which Gregory sat down and. Charlton helped him to remove his greatcoat. The blood from the wound had dried stiff on his jacket so Freddie had to cut the cloth away with his penknife and the next twenty minutes were exceedingly painful ones for Gregory.

  He sat there without uttering a sound while the airman gradually soaked off the pieces of cloth and shirt which had adhered to the wound, bathed it clean with the cool spring water, bandaged it with the torn off tail of Gregory's shirt, got the remains of his jacket on again, his greatcoat over it, and made a rough sling out of his own muffler to carry the arm that was affected. By the time he had done Gregory was grey faced, sweating profusely and near to fainting, but afterwards he sat quite still for about ten minutes, had a cigarette and then declared himself ready to set off again.

  Freddie Charlton was considerably impressed by Gregory's stoical resistance to the acute agony that he must have suffered. He could not yet make up his mind as to whether he liked him or not, but it was abundantly clear that his lean, cynical companion possessed an ample supply of both mental and physical courage and he could not help realizing that he might have been infinitely worse off had he had many other men that he could think of with him in this desperate situation.

  Yet it irritated him that Gregory should be taking things so calmly. It was now past eight o'clock so it was quite certain that by this time troops would be on their way from the antiaircraft camp to search for them, if not already in the wood. To remain where they were would expose them to imminent risk of capture and in any case he did not see how they were to avoid it for long without a change of clothes and food. At the thought of food he realized how hungry he was and said:

  "I don't know how you feel but I'm simply starving."

  "Let's make for that house you mentioned," replied Gregory, getting to his feet. "November is a poor month to try to live on the land but we might find something edible in the kitchen garden. Patching up my wound took longer than I bargained for and the search parties will be after us soon."

  "I'm glad you realize that at last," said Freddie stiffly.

  "Oh, there'll be time enough to scrounge some sort of breakfast first and to run from the Germans afterwards," Gregory grinned, parodying Drake and the famous game of bowls, as they set off.

  Most of the leaves had already fallen from the trees except where they were larch, fir or pine, of which there were a certain number, so they could see a fair way ahead of them when they were standing upright; but the undergrowth was still green and provided excellent cover ready to hand should they encounter anyone. Picking their way between the brambles they moved cautiously forward, keeping their eyes and ears alert for any sound or movement which might indicate the approach of another human being. After half an hour Freddie pointed through the trees to a wooden barn that had just become discernible. With a jerk of his head Gregory indicated that they should incline to the left and they proceeded still more warily until they reached the edge of the wood.

  Looking right they could then see a group of buildings which consisted of a small, white, two storeyed manor house, probably built in the early part of the last century', amid a number of outbuildings. No one appeared to he about and the whole place lay silent in the cold autumn morning; so Gregory began to lead the way through the fringe of the wood towards it. After a few minutes they came to the back of the nearest barn and, creeping round its side, found that it fronted on a farm yard. Half a dozen pigs were guzzling in a sty and a troop of long necked; geese were waddling importantly towards a pond. Turning right they passed behind the next barn and found a gate leading into the kitchen garden. It ran along at the back of the house and was partly orchard so they were able to advance alo
ng its far end screened from the windows by the branches of the short fruit trees.

  Gregory gave a grunt of satisfaction on noticing that some late pears still hung among the withered brown leaves and as swiftly as possible they filled their pockets with the fruit Charlton pulled half a dozen carrots from a near by bed and Gregory snatched two heads of celery. Suddenly the clatter of a pail being put down somewhere near the house broke the stillness. They started as though electrified and at a quick, almost noiseless run made off into the wood, which ran right up to the end of the garden.

  "Pears, celery and raw carrots," Freddie sniffed, as they eased their pace and drew breath. "Not much of a breakfast, is it?"

  "Might be a darned sight worse," Gregory replied. "Anyhow, before we think of eating we must try to find a good, snug hide out. The troops must be beating the wood further in by now and if we don't get to earth soon we'll be captured. Time's getting on; we've got to hurry."

  For some time they searched, hoping to come upon a shallow cave or bramble covered gully in which they might conceal themselves; but without success. The wood was curiously and depressingly uniform. By lying flat they could have hidden themselves in the bushes at almost any spot from a casual wayfarer who passed within a dozen yards, but the cover was insufficient to prevent their being seen by deliberate searchers who came nearer.

  "The only thing for it is to get up a tree," said Gregory at last. "That's not going to be easy with one of my arms out of action but we'll manage it somehow."

  Swiftly, anxiously, straining their ears for sounds of the beaters, who they felt might advance upon them at any minute now, they examined a number of conifers, since the leaves on the other trees were too few to afford them decent cover, and selected a pine which had three branches coming out from its trunk, all nearly on the same level and abut twenty feet from the ground. Climbing it was a muscle wrenching struggle. But Charlton was six feet one in height and strong; he managed to swing himself up on to a lower branch and to haul Gregory up after him; and by further efforts they succeeded in reaching the higher branches which they had chosen for a roosting place.