The ... Flying Beetle

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 267, 10 November 1934, Page 8 (Supplement)

The ... Flying Beetle

By GEORGE E. ROCHESTER.

The Story So Far: Sir Jaspar Halnes heads a gang , or fpies who are working , to bring about Hie downfall of ttia British Empire. .The Flying: Beetle, a black-masUed aviator, vows to destroy the gang. Learning that a new British super-cruiser is to undergo tests In Scottish waters, Halnes decides to He hidden at Bolda Island, off the roast, or Scotland and there sink the vessel with the aid or a submarine. To protect hlmseir rrom the Flying Beetle lip. engages the services or a fast plane and an experienced fighting pilot. Mating- that he is going- cruising in southern waters, Sir Jaspar dismisses young Harry Davies, who has been his secretary for some time. Brian Howard, cousin to Davies, is a member of the jmtish Intelligence Corps. Suspicious of the owner of Bolda Island, the Admiralty send Howard to investigate neforo the super-cruisor undergoes her trial. In tho disguise of Proressor Chalmers an old scientist, Brian Howard maKes his way to Scotland and arranges with a fisherman, one Angus Macbride, to take him out to Bolda Island. CHAPTER X. Brian was not uneasy about his identity. The villagers had accepted him for what he appeared to be ■without comment. They saw many such in the course of a year, and their interest in them went no further than the amount of "siller" they were prepared to leave in Dunehiel before they migrated south again. The morning dawned fine and "warm, and it was just six o'clock when Brian stepped aboard Angus Macbride's small fishing coble. He had a large suitcase containing a. complete change of clothing, and also a small tent of the squatter type, which he intended to make his headquarters whilst on the island. In addition, ho had a large tripod camera and accessories, with which to take and develop photographs of the gulls. Brian knew the value of looking Carefully to details when engaged on investigation work, and he was determined to live the part which he had undertaken when he assumed the role of professor. There was a light breeze blowing off-shore, and, hoisting the big brown mainsail and jib, Angus reclined in the stern sheets with an arm on the long-handled tiller and sucking stolidly at a black, stumpy clay pipe.

The coble made good headwayTinder the favourable conditions, and Brian revelled in the sweet, clean tang of the morning air. Hβ tried to engage Angus m. conversation, but the latter, dour-faced and grimly sullen, answered only in monosyllabks.

So Brian gave it Tip at length and fell to speculating on his task. Truly it seemed simple enough. He had

ascertained that Bolda Island was absolutely void of human habitation, nor, as far as any of the villagers could recollect, had it ever been inhabited. It was about mid-day when they ncared the island, which Brian noted was about a mile in diameter and roughly circular in shape. Beach there seemed to be none, but, rather to Brian's surprise, Angus never hesitated or seemed at a loss where to make a landing. Ho ran in with jib only, skilfully avoiding outcroppings of rock that rose wickedly just above the surface of the calm, rippling sea.

"You've been her* before, then?" asked Brian, more for something to say than out of curiosity. "Aye!" grunted Angus, staring ahead with lowering brows. "You're a surly customer," thought Brian, then added aloud: "Well, I wish to. stay here a -week. Can you arrange to call for me here a week to-day?" Angus looked at him sharply. "A week's a gey 'ang time t' spend here by yersel , , ma mannie," he growled. "What do you mean?" "I mean that ye'll mebbe's bo scairt oot o' yer head afore th' end o' a week," replied Angus after a pause. "Eubbish!" snapped Brian. "There's nothing here to scare an intelligent man." Angus chuckled, but there was no mirth in his eyes. "A well, ye'll knaw best, I hev nae doot," he replied; "but there's summat gey pecooliar aboot Bolda Island, as ye'll mebee's find oot afore lang, maister." "I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about, my good man," snapped Brian. "Will you kindly explain ?" Angus was silent for a moment, then said slowly: "I canna explain, nor naebudy else. I on'y knaws that there's nary a sowl in Duuchiel that wud stay here one neet, let alone a week. Man, d'ye no ken there's ghosties, an' banshies aboot Bolda Island?" Brian threw back his head and laiighed. "Oh, so that's it, is it?" he replied. "Why on earth didn't you tell me this before we left Dunchiel—you or some of the other fishermen?" "We didna want tae lose th' siller for the jo'rney," replied Angus candidly. "Man, if we had telt ye then, ye might not hev come, d'ye see ?" The explanation was' plausible enough, but Brian had the feeling that Angus was not pleased lie had decided to stay a week, and was

trying to frighten him out of it. After liis interview with Sir Douglas Malcolm, Brian's mind was extremely susceptible to anything calculated to arouse his suspicions as to Bolda Island. He determined to put his theory about Angus to the test. "I might even stay a month, if I find it sufficiently interesting," he said, watching the Scot closely from behind his tinted glasses. "You're a- fule if ye dee," growled Angus. "Man, amh't I tellin' ye that Bolda Island is nae place for a man for mair than a neet? Mair than one iieet'll drive a buddy daft, an , I'm 110 tli , man tae hev browt ye here wi'oot tclliu' ye. I cudna lie snug i' ma bed o' ncets wi , ye here by yersel', an' .I'm gangin tae call for ye i , th' niornin'." "Well, you'll be wasting your time if you do," replied Brian. "I intend to "stop here at least a week, and please let that be clearly understood. Ghosties and banshies won't scare me; in fact, I should rather welcome the opportunity of seeing one at close quarters." Angus cast an angry glance at him, and the next moment he ran the coble neatly alongside a rough, natural landing stage carved by the sea out of the solid, rock. In silence he helped Brian to carry his kit ashore. Then he held out his hand and muttered: "Ye'd best pay me noo an' hae done w'it." "No," replied Brian. "I will pay you when you have returned for me and landed me back in Dunchiel." Angus' eyes flashed. "Yc'll pay me noo!" he growled. "I'm jio takin' ony chances o' not gettin , ma siller!" "Do yo;j mean, that you think I would refuse to pay you?" demanded Brian. "Nae," replied Angus elowly; "but I dinna think ye'll bo alive tae pay me, if so be ye're bent on stayin' here a week." Without more ado, Brian handed over the money. "You're a superstitious fool, my man!" he said sharply. Angus turned towards his coble. "Am I?" he sneered over his shoulder. "It's ye that ifi the fule, maister, an' ye'll find my wor-rds are true. I'll call for ye i' th , morn in'." With that he stepped into his boat and shoved off, and Brian was alone on Bolda Island.

Thoughtfully Brian made his way inland, looking , for a suitable place in which to pitch his tent. The ground rose in a gradual slope from the landing stage, and after about a quarter of a mile's walk he discovered a sheltered plateau covered with short, crisp turf. For an hour he laboured, moving his kit and erecting his tent, then, after a meal of tinned meat and bread, he set out to explore. lie was perfectly convinced that Angus did not wish him to spend a longer time than necessary on the island. Logically, Angus must have some reason for wishing so. He could understand legend and tradition having a great hold on the simpler fisher foTk, but Angus did not strike him as the type of man that would worry

unduly as to -whether or not an elderly professor was being scared out of liis wits. No, Angus had, seemed a bit over-anxious, and Brian was convinced that something lay behind it. ./ The island was rugged and undulatiand covered with the crisp, firm turf more typical of that found in the vicinity "of sand dunes than on a rocky island. He found on the western, or seaward, side of the island another very deep-looking natural cove. It was,spoiled, however as suitable for boats by a reef, which completely blocked tho entrance about a cable's length from the shore. The rest of the coastline was sheer rock, and the nesting place of thousands of gulls.

Nothing whatever rewarded his search, and ho did not see the remotest sign of any previous human habitation, so towards nightfall he regained his tent, and after another meal he turned in and was., soon sound asleep. The next morning he awoke to find' the sun streaming in the open door of his tent. He rose, and, running down to the spot where he had landed the previous day, he stripped and dived in. For 20 minutes he swam briskly, then, drying himself, dressed and lit a fire, over which., he cooked his breakfast. The rest of the morning he spent in securing as many photographs as possible, and it was when he was so engaged that he saw Angus' coble making for the ieland. He put his photography outfit in his tent, then sauntered down _to meet • the surly fisherman, arriving at the landing stage- almost simultaneously with the coble. "Good morning, Angus," he said pleasantly. "Mornin , ," grunted Angus. "Are yc ready?" "No; I intend to stay a week," replied Brian. "I told you I did." "Man, dinna be sieh a daft fulel" urged Angus. "I tell ye—" "Now , look here, Angus," cut in Brian, "would you like to earn five pounds?" Angus' eyes glinted. "Aye, I wud that!" he retorted. "Well, I'll give you five pounds here and now if you'll tell me the truth." "Th , truth?" repeated Angus. "Man, ye dinna male' yersel' verra plain!" "I mean I will give you five pounds if you will tell me exactly why you don't want me to slop on this island any longer than a day." "Man, I'm a-tellin' ye," protested Angus. "Yc'll git scairt oot o' yer wits wi'—" He got no further, because Brian turned on his heel and walked away, remarking over his shoulder: "You are telling liee, my man, a,nd I have no time to listen to you." Angus watched him for a moment, then said: "Gie me th' five pounde an' I'll tell ye th' truth!" Brian smiled internally, and, turning, retraced his footsteps. "I'll give them to you when you tell me," he said. (To be continued.)