“Now the next day for Lonergan is August 28th,” Bony continued. “At the end of this day, the entry was: ‘Got to Big Claypan. Feed not too bad. Nothing in traps at Halfway Boozer. Brought the traps on and planted them for next trip. Weather been quiet and clear, but looks like rain tonight.’ Still no chord?”

Easter shook his head, and Bony read the next entry:

“ ‘August29th. Intended to camp at Lost Bell tonight, but was stuck up by a trap at the Three Saltbushes. Had to track the trap for more than a mile to where the biggest dog I ever got dragged it before he give it the works. Norain come. Feed hanging out pretty well here at Three Saltbushes, but water in the soak dried up. Last night…’ the vital night, remember, Easter, he spent at Big Claypan… ‘Last night around five in the morning waswoke up by a helicopter. Could see the blades against the sky it was that low. Sort of proves my suspicion I heard a plane when I was camped at Bumblefoot a long time back.’ ”

“Helicopter!” breathed Easter. “Out there on that night of August 28th-29th, the nightthe woman disappeared.”

“Where was the train at five o’clock that morning?” Bony asked.

“At Forrest being searched. Is that all about the helicopter?”

“There is no later mention. Lonergan goes on to report that he trapped a dog at Curley’s Hate, and found a trap sprung at Pigface Valley. How many helicopters loose in your district?”

“Not one. Some at the testing ground. They sent a machine over to join in the search for the girl. Stayed two days. That was a week after we began looking for her.”

“They have two machines at Maralinga, and those machines were grounded from August 24th to September 6th, when one of them was despatched to hunt for the missing woman. When can we start for Mount Singular?”

“Mount Singular! Oh, any time. Inside an hour if you want.”

“Make it inside three hours, Easter. I have to send telegrams to Adelaide.”