The Alien Read Online Free Page B

of the fugitive, but belonged to Stephen and Ann. The pair of them were in high spirits, with flushed faces and bright eyes. They showed every sign of pleasure at the afternoon’s developments.
    â€œOnly half an hour ago,’’ Stephen said, directly he and Ann were inside the room, “I was in a filthy mood, binding about the weather, and the general upheaval here and—’’
    He stopped, careful now not to upset Colin again.
    â€œAnd now,’’ Ann said, skilfully side-stepping, “he’s on top of the world because his schoolboy hero’s turned up again. And I must say, he does seem to be very good value.’’
    â€œHi!’’ Stephen warned. “No responses from you in that direction, my girl. Boris may be only a little above himself after his trip ashore, but there’s a certain wolfish look about him now that I don’t recollect from time past.’’
    â€œYou were too young to notice it. I bet it was there,’’ Ann retorted.
    â€œMargaret’ll tell us. Was it, Margaret? Did you have to fight for your position?’’
    She turned a pale, set face to them.
    â€œSorry,’’ she said, coldly. “I’m afraid I wasn’t listening to you two.’’
    Ann and Stephen exchanged glances but wisely said no more.
    â€œWhat on earth is the fellow doing?’’ Colin asked, impatiently, looking at his watch. “Surely it didn’t take him all this time to strip and get into dry things?’’
    â€œOgden and I gave him a pretty good towelling to start with,’’ Stephen answered. “He was shivering horribly by the time we’d peeled everything off him. Incidentally, Ogden’s got a wonderful heat up in the kitchen. I don’t know why we’ve all been congealing in here with this piddling little oil stove.’’
    â€œI told Ogden to use up the fuel that was left,’’ Colin answered, severely. “No point in leaving it lying around till the house is sold. There wouldn’t be any left by then, I don’t mind betting. Not with this weather.’’
    Margaret roused herself.
    â€œHe must be dressed by now. For some time, I should think. Because you’ve been talking to him, too, haven’t you, Ann?’’
    â€œHe was telling us how he got ashore,’’ the girl answered. “Thrilling. I expect he’ll tell you when he’s quite ready.’’
    â€œD’you mean he was actually dressing with Ann there?’’
    Stephen took an impatient step towards his sister. “For God’s sake,’’ he complained, “can’t you snap out of this very corny, not to say Victorian drama? The poor devil’s had a ghastly time for twenty years. Twenty years! He’s lucky to be still alive. He’ll tell you.’’
    â€œAnd jolly lucky to get away today,’’ Ann took up the tale. “He’s been wondering if he could manage it. This is the first time he’s served on a trawler outside the Baltic, though he’s been a sailor now for about seven years. So when they put into the bay here—’’
    â€œImagine it!’’ Stephen broke in. “Fishing just outside the three-mile limit, with England there, only three miles away. They had bad visibility several days but when the gale blew out and the snow stopped it was absolutely clear everywhere.’’
    â€œThat was when he decided to have a bash at it,’’ Ann picked up her cue neatly. “He was on deck watch by himself. The others were all below except for an officer in the deck-house. When the light came on at the Head it shone on them as it moved. This made the darkness much blacker just after it passed. You know, the way it does in a car when another car’s headlights—’’
    â€œWe both know that one,’’ Colin said, dryly. “He took advantage of this to untie a raft,