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Chapter 6
Iwouldhavegivenathousandpoundstoplungemyfaceintothat.
Ihadafineprospectofthewholeringofmoorland.Isawthecarspeedawaywithtwooccupants,andamanonahillponyridingeast.Ijudgedtheywerelookingforme,andIwishedthemjoyoftheirquest.
ButIsawsomethingelsemoreinteresting.Thehousestoodalmostonthesummitofaswellofmoorlandwhichcrownedasortofplateau,andtherewasnohigherpointnearerthanthebighillssixmilesoff.Theactualsummit,asIhavementioned,wasabiggishclumpoftrees—firsmostly,withafewashesandbeeches.OnthedovecotIwasalmostonalevelwiththetree-tops,andcouldseewhatlaybeyond.Thewoodwasnotsolid,butonlyaring,andinsidewasanovalofgreenturf,foralltheworldlikeabigcricket-field.
Ididn’ttakelongtoguesswhatitwas.Itwasanaerodrome,andasecretone.Theplacehadbeenmostcunninglychosen.Forsupposeanyonewerewatchinganaeroplanedescendinghere,hewouldthinkithadgoneoverthehillbeyondthetrees.Astheplacewasonthetopofariseinthemidstofabigamphitheatre,anyobserverfromanydirectionwouldconcludeithadpassedoutofviewbehindthehill.Onlyamanverycloseathandwouldrealizethattheaeroplanehadnotgoneoverbuthaddescendedinthemidstofthewood.Anobserverwithatelescopeononeofthehigherhillsmighthavediscoveredthetruth,butonlyherdswentthere,andherdsdonotcarryspy-glasses.
