"If I had to ride a push-bike out here," declared Warkworth, "I'd
barge into everything, 'cause I'd simply have to keep to the left.
And don't the motors look weird with the left-hand drive?"
The journey was over only too soon, for in less than ten minutes from
the time the car left the shipyard, Monsieur Raoul pulled up outside
a large house standing in extensive grounds that sloped towards the
river.
"There is your tent," he said, pointing to a fairly spacious marquee
pitched on high ground about two hundred yards from the house. "I
telephoned to my steward to have it pitched at once. But first let us
have dinner."
Somewhat awed, the Sea Scouts filed into a big, gorgeously furnished
room, where they were introduced to Madame de la Voie and Madame
Ledoux, Raoul's _belle-mère_.
Dignified-looking men-servants handed round the various courses, the
nature of most of the dishes being utterly strange to the Sea Scouts.
But even their unfounded misgivings failed to blunt their keen
appetites. Stolidly, and almost in silence, they applied themselves
to the food, while Mr. Armitage chatted to his host and hostess.
When at length the Sea Scouts proceeded to their shore
sleeping-quarters, they found that there was a camp-bed provided for
each of the crew, and that their kit had been stacked ready for their
use.
"We've fallen on our feet," declared Woodleigh, as he turned in.
"You speak for yourself, young fellah-me-lad!" rejoined Roche. "It
isn't usual to fall on your feet when you sleep. This is the proper
way--on one's side."
Deftly Dick dived between the sheets; the camp-bed tilted sideways,
and the next instant Roche was lying on the grassy floor of the tent.
Shrieks of laughter arose from his companions, even Mr. Armitage
joining in the mirth at the expense of the discomfited exponent of
the art of "turning in". Without a word Roche picked up his blankets
and remade the bed, then, exercising great caution, he got in again.
"Someone must have capsized me," he soliloquized. "If it weren't for
the fact that we're not in our own quarters, I'd get my own back."
Ten minutes later most of the lads were asleep. Roche drowsily turned
over, when to his surprise the camp-bed again deposited its occupant
upon the ground.
This time all lights were out, and no one saw Dick's unpremeditated
tumble. Mystified, he groped for his bedding and once more turned in.
At seven the lads were aroused by the old sea-cry of, "Show a leg and
shine!" Already the sun was pouring down upon the dew-covered canvas.
In the woods near by the birds were singing blithely.
"Been digging yourself in, Dick?" asked Hepburn.
"No--why?" asked Roche.
Alan pointed to Dick's bed. The wooden trestles had sunk a good foot
into the ground. The mystery of Dick's double eviction was solved.
The camp-bed had been placed immediately above a mole's tunnel, and,
as the earth gave way, the bed had tilted sufficiently to deposit its
occupant upon the ground.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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