Faked Passports by Dennis Wheatley Read Free Book Online Page B

so sore from the nobbly branches that they were forced to abandon their hiding-place and come to ground.
    Freddie, who found garden-produce most unsatisfactory fare for a November day spent out in the open, suggested that they should pay another visit to the farm-yard for the purpose of stealing a chicken or a goose, which they might later roast over a wood-fire, but Gregory shook his head.
    â€œIt’s quite on the cards that the people who were hunting us this morning have left a certain number of pickets scattered about the wood, for today at all events. If we light a fire the sight of it or the smell of the smoke might give us away; but the idea of roast goose positively makes my mouth water so we’ll see what we can do about that tomorrow.”
    â€œGood God!” Charlton exclaimed. “We shall freeze in this climate if we have to spend another night without anything warm inside us.”
    â€œI’m sorry, old chap, but we’ve got to stick it. My fault entirely but I daren’t move on yet. This shoulder of mine is giving me hell and I’m afraid I’d only pass out on you if I attempted a cross-country march tonight.”
    Charlton stared at him with sudden concern. “Yes; you’re looking pretty flushed; I believe you’re running a temperature.”
    â€œI am,” Gregory replied.
    â€œThen—then perhaps we’d better give ourselves up. I can’t possibly look after you properly while we’re in hiding like this and your wound will only get worse if it doesn’t have skilled attention.”
    â€œIt’s nothing much, you saw that yourself when you bathed it this morning; only a little round hole through the fleshy part of the shoulder. One of the muscles is torn but it’ll soon heal up providing I don’t exert myself for a day or two. If we can lie doggo in this wood for another forty-eight hours I’ll be all right. Anyhow, I’m damned if I’m going to chuck my hand in. Come on, let’s try to find a new hide-out while daylight lasts.”
    About six hundred yards from the house they found a small ravine, which was even more thickly covered with undergrowth than the rest of the wood, where they would be well concealed from anyone who did not walk right on to them, and sitting down in it they made themselves as comfortable as they could. Gregory lay back and closed his eyes in an attempt to sleep but his wound pained him too much and he could only hope thatlying still might cause his fever to abate. Charlton sat beside him, miserable and dejected but keeping his ears strained for approaching footsteps so that they should not be caught unawares.
    The afternon drifted by and shadows began to fall. No sound disturbed the stillness and Freddie thought that Gregory was asleep until he roused up and suggested that they might as well make their evening meal. They ate a few more of the pears and some celery but having tried the raw carrots threw them aside as too unpalatable. A swig apiece from Gregory’s flask completed the unsatisfactory repast, after which they settled down again into an uneasy silence. The evening seemed interminable as although the November day had drawn to an early close an occasional glance at the luminous dials of their watches showed them that they still had a long time to go before it could be considered night.
    Towards nine o’clock Gregory became light-headed and began to mutter to himself in delirium. Freddie was at his wits’ end. There was nothing that he could do to aid his companion or allay the evidently rising fever. With his fellow-fugitive in such a state he felt that there was little chance of maintaining their freedom for any length of time but he knew how determined Gregory was not to give in while there was the least hope of escape, and now that the possibility of reaching Holland had been dangled before his eyes he was doubly reluctant himself to take any step which would