Something surely must have happened! Why did not Teddy show us his
light?
The time was quite correct. We were only ten minutes late. I knew my
friend too well to put his silence down to mere forgetfulness.
No. Something had happened!
Both of us strained our eyes into that black, cavernous space below, as
we hovered in mid-air full of hesitation and perplexity.
There was but one thing to do, namely, to make our way back, for a
landing there was quite impossible, scarcely anything being
distinguishable save a small winding stream. Besides, I was without
knowledge as to whether the wind had changed since I had left the farm.
It probably had.
Suddenly, flying as low as I really dared, I struck out a little to the
south making a complete circle of Stockhurst, but avoiding Mayfield. I
had no desire to rouse the town again by the noise of my exhaust, for in
those days of Zeppelin peril the throb of aircraft engines was always
alarming, and more especially at night.
Three times did I circle round, but failed to attract Teddy's attention.
Suddenly Roseye nudged me and pointed eagerly down to the left. Her
quick eyes had detected a tiny white light showing, which looked like
short and long sparks.
My heart gave a bound. Yes, it was Teddy!
Yet we were now so high again, to avoid the surrounding hills, that his
flash-lamp only looked a tiny point of light.
He flashed some message in Morse, but I only got a few letters.
Would he repeat it? We both watched breathlessly, as I headed the
machine in his direction.
Yes!
Again the light spoke in the "longs" and "shorts" of the Morse code,
which both Roseye and I could understand.
Together we read it.
"_Return in an hour_," he signalled.
Why? I wondered. What could have occurred?
Somehow, by the appearance of his light, I thought he must be signalling
in secret, and not in the open.
He would expect some acknowledgment from me, telling him that I
understood.
Therefore I elevated our searchlight so as to shine upward, instead of
below. Then, touching the lever, a long beam of white light shot
skyward for a second.
Afterwards I shut it off, and made straight away due southward by the
compass, greatly puzzled.
What could possibly have happened?