A plan put forward by the Professor had been adopted. It was simply this.
Rolto's navigator would show them where his captain had been put down.
They would then go on to Glensalich Castle for a rest and start their inquiries from there. The landing would be made at night in the hope of avoiding observation. Borron, having unloaded his passengers would not wait, but get out of sight before daybreak. He would return every second night, at midnight by Earthly time, to see if there was any news of Rolto.
Vargo was emphatic that Rolto should not be allowed to remain on Earth even if he wished to do so. The consequences of what he had already done might be serious.
The Professor agreed. With all this talk of war and hydrogen bombs going on the people would only have to be told that a Martian had landed to complete the confusion,' he asserted bitterly. 'Even now they don't know what to be-lieve, and would find it hard to recognize the truth if they saw it.'
Just as well, perhaps,' breathed Toby.
To see his own familiar globe again was to Rex one of the most unreal of his experiences. He was half afraid it would not be in its usual place, and was more than a little relieved to find that it was, with the well-known continental outlines where they should be.
Rolto's navigator, standing beside Borron, guided him down just as the sun was sinking into a haze that hung over the Atlantic Ocean. The shades of night were already falling over Northern Europe and the British Isles.
It was soon clear that the ship was bound for Scotland. 'Thinking about this as he gazed down at the Moray Firth from his window it occurred to Rex that with land and water so clearly defined from a great altitude there was nothing surprising about the navigator finding his way back to any particular spot. They went on down, the land appearing to float up towards them until, at the finish, so well had Rolto done his spying, the landing was made - as Vargo had fore-cast on the hill beside Glensalich.
It would not be easy to describe Rex's sensations as he found his feet once more firmly planted on his own world. It felt like home, due no doubt to the conditions in which he had been born atmospheric pressure, weight, smell and the same old man-in-the-moon looking down from above.
The baggage and equipment were soon unloaded and piled in the heather.
Vargo asked if the crew could help to carry it to the house.
The Professor said no. He thought it would be better if the ship didn't tarry in case some prowling poacher or reporter came along.
'My house has been under observation for some time,' he said. 'It would be more prudent not to wait. Remember the arrangement. Midnight every second day, but keep clear if you see red lights. 'We won't say goodbye as we shall be meeting again so soon.'
Vargo went back into the ship. The doors were closed. The Professor, Tiger, Toby and Rex, stood silent as with only a faint hiss it shot into the clear night sky, soon to be lost to sight. Then, as if the moment did not call for words they walked in silence down the hill into the corrie, each busy with his own thoughts.
Judkins' ultra imperturbability nearly broke down when he let them in, for as he told them presently, he never ex-pected to see them again.
Is everything all right?' asked the Professor.
'Yes, sir. There has been no trouble at all. One or two reporters have called, and a man from Scotland Yard with a representative from the Air Ministry; but I told them you were away on holiday, which I think you will agree was no less than the truth, and they took their departure satisfied that no funny business as it pleased them to call it was going on. I'll run your baths and prepare some food.'
Judkins had turned away, but came back as if he had re-membered something. Unfolding a newspaper flat on the table, and pointing to a picture, he went on: I suppose you wouldn't know anything about this, sir?'
An attentive silence fell as the others found themselves staring at a portrait of Rolto.
It was broken, by the Professor. What what is all this about, Judkins ?'
he stammered, in a voice which Rex hardly recognized.
Judkins stared back at them, obviously having had no idea of the effect his question was to have. 'Well, sir,' he explained, it seems that this man was arrested as a suspicious character loitering with intent to commit a felony. According to the paper he was taken to Inverness where he told the Chief Constable that he was looking for food. As he spoke with a strange accent he was asked where he had come from and if he had a passport. He said he knew nothing of passports, and at first refused to give any account of himself, but later claimed that he had come from Mars. That was why I mentioned the matter to you, sir.'
'Go on, Judkins. Where is this man now?'
'The paper says that when he insisted that he had come from Mars he was sent to prison for contempt of court.' Great heaven!'
gather the police are making inquiries about him, and it was for that reason his photograph was published. There is a suspicion that he may be an enemy spy.'
Rex, who had been reading the paragraph in the paper, concluded the story. 'The Inverness police want any person able to identify this man to communicate with them.'
`The wretched fellow is telling the truth,' the Professor informed Judkins. 'He may have come here from Mars but his actual home is much farther away. He is Rolto, the Minoan spaceship captain who abducted the Group-Captain when we were on Mars - and later tried to drive our ship into Jupiter. You will remember the incident.'
'I do indeed, sir.'
I don't think you ever saw the man close at hand.'
`No, sir. If I remember rightly he had an ambitious project for taking control of Earth.'
'Exactly, and it seems that he has not abandoned it. We met his crew on Mars on our homeward journey. They told us he had been landed on Earth so our intention was to find him. It now seems that the police have found him for us. So much the better. It will save us a lot of trouble. As soon as we have had some refreshment and a rest we will go to Inverness and secure his release if the police will let him go. Dear - dear. What strange goings on, to be sure.'
Ìf we tell the Sheriff that what Rolto says is true we're likely to be popped in jail ourselves,' averred Tiger, soberly.
'I'm not proposing to do anything of the sort,' retorted the Professor curtly. 'I only hope this folly of Rolto's doesn't lead to the exposure of our own activities. That would certainly lead to our being put under restraint; and rightly so, for the effect on the community at large might well be devastating. But let us have a meal and get some sleep.
In the morning we will start for Inverness.'
It was three o'clock the following afternoon when, in a hired car, they reached the capital of the Highlands. They went straight to the Chief Constable, in whose office the Professor acted as spokesman.
'I see in the newspaper, sir, that you are anxious to have information about a man giving the name of Rolto,' he began, after having introduced himself and the party.
The officer confirmed that this was correct. Can you help us?' he inquired.
I can indeed,' declared the Professor. `May I ask where he is now?'
Ìf he hasn't gone already he'll be going to the lunatic asylum.'
The Professor nearly dropped his spectacles.
'The police doctors have certified him,' went on the Chief, smiling tolerantly. Àll he can talk about is a lot of wild nonsense that he lives on a star and that he came straight here from Mars.'
The Professor sighed, shaking his head sadly. 'Poor fellow. That is what he believes, and while he is humoured he is quite harmless. I have an establishment at Glensalich Castle for those unfortunate people who, while not dangerously insane, suffer from hallucinations. This man who calls him-self Rolto is convinced that he is a Martian and talks always of returning to that planet.'
The Chief's eyebrow's went up. Glensalich? Isn't that the place where people have claimed to have seen these so-called Flying Saucers?'
The Professor nodded. 'Now you have seen one of my patients you will understand wh
y.'
The Chief laughed. Ìt explains a lot. I always did take these Flying Saucer yarns with a pinch of salt. If I know anything, your patient will have to wait a long time for a spaceship to take him home.'
'We won't hurt his feelings by telling him that,' said the Professor, sympathetically. 'As you may imagine, he eluded his guards and made off.
If you will return him to my care I will accept responsibility for him and give you an undertaking that he won't worry you any more.'
'Certainly you may take him,' agreed the Chief. I shall be glad to be rid of him, for to tell the truth I wasn't quite sure that we'd done the right thing. Nor were the doctors, because in some respects the man not only appeared sane but showed a remarkable degree of intelligence.'
'People who are not quite right in the head are often like that,'
returned the Professor casually, as the Chief pressed a bell and gave orders for Rolto to be brought.
When he came into the room, looking tired and worried, Rolto's behaviour should have convinced the police officer that all the Professor had said was true. With a cry of joy, or relief, he ran over and took the Professor's hand. 'Your people are barbarians!' he exclaimed. They locked me up. They said I was a criminal. 'What is a criminal? I have never heard of such a man. We have none in Mino.'
There - there,' said the Professor kindly. 'Poor fellow. I'm afraid you've had a bad time.
Let this be a lesson to you and never run away again.'
I will stay on Mars,' declared Rolto. The people here are all mad. They said I was a liar.
What is a liar?'
'A liar,' replied the Professor, 'is a man who does not tell the truth.'
'But I told the truth.'
Of course you did.'
'Why should a man not tell the truth? Are there people on Earth who do not tell the truth?'
Quite a lot.'
Rolto looked shocked. 'How terrible. Now I understand some of the things I have seen.'
So do I,' put in Tiger. I see you are wearing my other suit.'
'It was only for a little while, and you weren't using it,' was Rolto's excuse.
'We can talk about that when we get home,' said the Pro-fessor kindly.
'Home! So you will take me back to Mars?'
Of course. The ship is waiting. Come along.' The Pro-fessor and the Chief exchanged winks.
One more ordeal awaited Rolto, and that was the car journey to Glensalich; for the man who could flash through space at velocities that defied the imagination was terrified by what he thought were near-collisions on the road. How-ever, the castle was reached safely, and there, while they were waiting for Borron to bring his ship to the rendezvous, he regaled them, often to their amusement, with the story of his adventures on Earth. It was clear that these were just as frightening to him as were those his listeners had experienced among the planetoids.
It was equally clear that Rolto had seen all he wanted to of Earth. He could not get away from the awful place fast enough. It was beyond his belief that anyone would wish to stay there.
And so it came about that when, in due course, as arranged, Borron brought his ship to Earth, Rolto Mino, the first man from Space who aspired to explore Earth, lost no time in going aboard.
The last farewell said, the Tavona sped away on its time-less, weightless course for home, leaving the Professor and his friends, strangely subdued, to make their way down the bill to the things they knew and understood.
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