brilliant flash of light.
Gavrok gave a rattling laugh and headed for the fighter.
Blades of sweet young grass and stalks of clover were crushed under the heavy wheels of the Vincent. The Doctor had turned off the main road and was now bouncing his way across an open meadow. The only other inhabitants of the field were a couple of sheep and a goat tethered in one corner. Mel’s face revealed her perplexity.
‘Why are we stopping here, Doctor!’
‘In order to lengthen the odds against us. May I borrow your ribbon, Mel?’ Mel handed her pink ribbon to the Doctor who leaned down and killed the engine as they reached the goat. The goat gave them a disdainful look through its yellow eyes and then carried on chomping the grass.
Hawk and Weismuller were leaning against the Morris.
Hawk had a look of dull disbelief on his face. Billy, Delta, Ray and Goronwy stood in silence as Weismuller outlined their scuffle with the Bannermen in minute detail, going over and over the same points umpteen times. Puffing himself up before his captive audience he gestured away over the brow of the hill towards his attackers.
‘Sure we tried to fight our way out, but there was just too many of them,’ said Weismuller waving his arms about.
‘You should see what’s left of the radio and tent. Noth’n’, but a hole in the ground. Their leader was about seven feet tall, a realy ugly-looking guy. But I gave it to him straight.
"Look!" I said, "we’re working for the President of the United States of America. You mess with us and you mess with him ." We could tell that shook him up a bit. So anyway there we were surrounded by these jokers, staring death in the face.’
‘OK, Weismuller I think they get the picture,’ said Hawk, a little embarrassed by Weismuller’s make-believe show of bravado. ‘All I know is that they’re not Americans!’ said Hawk triumphantly. ‘No Yankee would carry on like that!’ he said, glaring at the others, daring them to contradict him.
Ray was getting exasperated. ‘But we’ve already explained who they are!’ she cried.
‘Yeah, Lex. Kinda like hitmen from Mars,’ Weismuller said.
Hawk rounded on him with a look of sheer disbelief on his face. ‘You too, Weismuller? Well, let me tell you something – whoever they are, I plan to get even.’
‘Listen!’ said Goronwy. Everyone fell silent. They could hear nothing at first, then it came faintly across the moors
– the thump of the big Vincent. Soon it came into sight.
Burton and Mel, although still whey-faced, were looking excited as the bike slewed to a stop before the others.
‘You got them out, Doctor!’ cried Ray.
‘Well done Doctor,’ said Delta, who knew that it was no simple task to outwit the Bannermen.
‘Yeah, well done Doc,’ Billy joined in as he circled his bike checking for signs of damage.
‘Thank you, but we’re not home and dry yet,’ replied the Doctor, his usual realistic self. ‘We only have a couple of minutes. Ray said that you might have some honey in store, Goronwy?’
‘Only about ten thousand jars, Doctor,’ Goronwy said with some satisfaction.
‘Excellent!’ said the Doctor, springing out of the saddle.
‘Ray and Billy come with me and Goronwy. Mel, could you please get everyone ready to move out. I have just one last thing to do.’
Goronwy led the Doctor into the barn, followed by Ray and Billy.
‘Hey! Would someone mind telling me what is really going on around here,’ said Hawk.
‘Oh! Don’t start that again,’ Mel cried. ‘We’ve told you a trillion times already. Come on. Let’s just do as the Doctor says.’
‘I don’t want any more of your fairy stories. I just want you to level with me,’ Hawk whined.
‘Shut up Hawk. Remember one of our functions is to observe and take note. We’re trained to draw our own conclusions,’ Weismuller whispered to Hawk confidently.
He had almost begun to believe his version of their struggle with the Bannermen and was feeling
Gavrok gave a rattling laugh and headed for the fighter.
Blades of sweet young grass and stalks of clover were crushed under the heavy wheels of the Vincent. The Doctor had turned off the main road and was now bouncing his way across an open meadow. The only other inhabitants of the field were a couple of sheep and a goat tethered in one corner. Mel’s face revealed her perplexity.
‘Why are we stopping here, Doctor!’
‘In order to lengthen the odds against us. May I borrow your ribbon, Mel?’ Mel handed her pink ribbon to the Doctor who leaned down and killed the engine as they reached the goat. The goat gave them a disdainful look through its yellow eyes and then carried on chomping the grass.
Hawk and Weismuller were leaning against the Morris.
Hawk had a look of dull disbelief on his face. Billy, Delta, Ray and Goronwy stood in silence as Weismuller outlined their scuffle with the Bannermen in minute detail, going over and over the same points umpteen times. Puffing himself up before his captive audience he gestured away over the brow of the hill towards his attackers.
‘Sure we tried to fight our way out, but there was just too many of them,’ said Weismuller waving his arms about.
‘You should see what’s left of the radio and tent. Noth’n’, but a hole in the ground. Their leader was about seven feet tall, a realy ugly-looking guy. But I gave it to him straight.
"Look!" I said, "we’re working for the President of the United States of America. You mess with us and you mess with him ." We could tell that shook him up a bit. So anyway there we were surrounded by these jokers, staring death in the face.’
‘OK, Weismuller I think they get the picture,’ said Hawk, a little embarrassed by Weismuller’s make-believe show of bravado. ‘All I know is that they’re not Americans!’ said Hawk triumphantly. ‘No Yankee would carry on like that!’ he said, glaring at the others, daring them to contradict him.
Ray was getting exasperated. ‘But we’ve already explained who they are!’ she cried.
‘Yeah, Lex. Kinda like hitmen from Mars,’ Weismuller said.
Hawk rounded on him with a look of sheer disbelief on his face. ‘You too, Weismuller? Well, let me tell you something – whoever they are, I plan to get even.’
‘Listen!’ said Goronwy. Everyone fell silent. They could hear nothing at first, then it came faintly across the moors
– the thump of the big Vincent. Soon it came into sight.
Burton and Mel, although still whey-faced, were looking excited as the bike slewed to a stop before the others.
‘You got them out, Doctor!’ cried Ray.
‘Well done Doctor,’ said Delta, who knew that it was no simple task to outwit the Bannermen.
‘Yeah, well done Doc,’ Billy joined in as he circled his bike checking for signs of damage.
‘Thank you, but we’re not home and dry yet,’ replied the Doctor, his usual realistic self. ‘We only have a couple of minutes. Ray said that you might have some honey in store, Goronwy?’
‘Only about ten thousand jars, Doctor,’ Goronwy said with some satisfaction.
‘Excellent!’ said the Doctor, springing out of the saddle.
‘Ray and Billy come with me and Goronwy. Mel, could you please get everyone ready to move out. I have just one last thing to do.’
Goronwy led the Doctor into the barn, followed by Ray and Billy.
‘Hey! Would someone mind telling me what is really going on around here,’ said Hawk.
‘Oh! Don’t start that again,’ Mel cried. ‘We’ve told you a trillion times already. Come on. Let’s just do as the Doctor says.’
‘I don’t want any more of your fairy stories. I just want you to level with me,’ Hawk whined.
‘Shut up Hawk. Remember one of our functions is to observe and take note. We’re trained to draw our own conclusions,’ Weismuller whispered to Hawk confidently.
He had almost begun to believe his version of their struggle with the Bannermen and was feeling
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