"I've busted it up very quietly and cut my hand, but now you're here and it's nearly dark I'll crawl up through the heather and spread it about by hand. It would be grim if we didn't throw it in the right places... I don't think we could be seen now, do you?"

David shook his head.

"All right, Tom. It's worth risking I think but I'm worried about those girls. We ought to be in Clun now, you know, and they'll be waiting for us."

"It's hard luck for them, David, but they'll understand, I'm sure. Have you thought what we're going to do when we do get into this place?"

"Have a look round and then ask them to open the doors so that we can walk out," David laughed. "Go and do your stuff with the broken glass if you're going and if you lose your way back whistle the call. Buck up!"

Twice, while David was waiting, he thought he heard an unusual sound. The first was undoubtedly the clink of glass on stone, and the second was a rustling which might have been made by someone moving about in the ditch. He wondered if it was Tom and whistled softly but the answering call, when it did come, was from above his head and to the right. Before he could signal again Tom rolled over the edge and clutched at the heather to check his fall.

"I've chucked the broken glass up the track all right. I bet that will do the trick... I say, David, as I was crawling back I could have sworn I saw something or somebody moving about along there just below the top of the bank... I'm going to have a scout round... You stay here, David, in case the van comes..." and he slid down the bank and slipped off into the shadows of the ditch.

David began to think that this adventure belonged entirely to Tom, for he had never known his friend to be so enterprising and excited.

Then he heard the throbbing of a heavy car or lorry in the distance, and at the same time Jon whistled the peewit call which he answered as loudly as he could. Next he saw twin headlights between the trees and the shadowy shape of a large van lurching down the track towards him. Wishing that Tom had not dashed off like that and hoping that he would have the sense to come back, David crawled forward a little nearer to the track and remained hidden behind a stunted hawthorn tree. As the lorry came nearer the headlights were switched off, and a spotlight low down by the left-hand front wheel suddenly sent a long clear beam along the rough track. David almost cried out with exasperation for, even he could see the pieces of broken glass glinting in the strong light. Then he heard a shout and the headlights went on again.