He decided it would be quicker to freewheel back the way he’d come and then find a way through the roadside bush to the wide valley where he’d seen that stand of trees. As he reached the bottom of the hill he realised it might not be so easy, for although he was now in the lowest part of the road, the bush on the valley slope clung to a steep rocky outcrop.

He paused, uncertain of what to do as he looked up the hill. The rocks were even higher there, the scrubby outcrop towering jaggedly over the valley. Heights didn’t really faze him, and he was good at climbing – but that looked far too dangerous to tackle.

Danny gnawed on his lip again as his anxious thoughts whirled. The road beyond the hill snaked away from the valley in a series of sharp bends, and he would have to cycle almost to Morgan’s Reach before he could find another way down. But it would take several hours, and he didn’t have the time – not if someone was down there and unable to escape the rapidly approaching blaze.

Another quick look through the binoculars confirmed the tiny spark was still winking, but he still couldn’t make out what exactly was there. It was very frustrating. But as he wondered what on earth to do, his anxiety became tinged with a rising doubt he couldn’t ignore. The fire was at the southern end of the valley, the day was closing in as the smoke masked the sun and it would take some time to navigate his way down the rocks and then walk to that distant stand of trees. But if the soldier was down there – if he was injured – he couldn’t just leave him.

Danny made up his mind and quickly hid his bike beneath the spreading fronds of a giant fern and scattered dried leaves and bits of twig over it to make sure it couldn’t be seen from the road. Then he hitched the water-bag and binocular straps over his shoulders, pushed his way through the trees and bushes that clung to the craggy rocks and planned his route down.

His heart was thudding and he could feel the sweat trickling down his back as he carefully eased over the edge and found the first foothold. As he inched his way down, he had to force himself to keep a slow but steady pace. It was vital that he didn’t try to rush, for although this outcrop wasn’t as high as the other, it was still steep, and the rocks were proving to be unstable.

What he hadn’t counted on was the large and deadly king brown snake which suddenly appeared from a hole beneath the thick root he was clinging to. The flat head and forked tongue were inches from his hand, the eyes evil as it poised to strike.