Тридцять дев’ять ступенів

           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.