276

You bring your magnifying device to bear on the bridge and focus on the thin man. The stick he is holding has a forked cleft at one end, and he appears to be attempting to catch snakes, probably for food. You hand your glasses to Rickenbacker to let him observe the man’s strange behaviour.

‘What do you think?’ you ask.

Rickenbacker shrugs. ‘I can’t see no gun and he looks harmless enough. I say we go ’n’ check him out.’

Slowly you drive towards the bridge, your eyes fixed on the man’s movements. You are little more than thirty yards away when suddenly he sees you coming and dives to the ground. He reappears seconds later, brandishing a rusty shotgun, which he fires once in the air. You can tell by its dull report that there is something wrong with his ammunition. Immediately you stop the roadster and reach instinctively for your gun.

‘Don’t you come any nearer, you damn punks,’ he screams, as he dodges from the cover of one bridge support to the next. ‘I’m warning you. I’ve got an anti-tank rocket, and I’ve mined the road. You come any nearer an’ you’ll be blown to kingdom come. Now turn round an’ get outta here before I get angry.’

There is a long pause, and then Rickenbacker says: ‘He’s bluffing … he’s scared and he’s playin’ for time.’

If you wish to try to talk with this loner, turn to 3.

If you decide to leave the roadster and approach him with stealth, turn to 127.