Part 7 (2/2)

'Don't argue with him, Doctor,' Gaddis said, his eyes fixed on Dobbs. 'Once he gets like this, there's no reasoning with him.'

'Reason, sir, has nothing to do with parading across the countryside with a pair of sticks in front of you,' Dobbs snapped back.

'I've observed as much myself,' the Doctor replied. But Dobbs was not sure which of them he was agreeing with.

'So let us instead decide what we should do in the absence of a reliable compa.s.s. Hmm?'

'You can do what you like, Professor,' Gaddis said. 'Despite your blinkered comments, I intend '

'I think,' the Doctor interrupted loudly, 'that we should go for a walk.'

They both stared at him. 'Go for a walk,' echoed Dobbs.

The Doctor nodded. 'That's the spirit. Yes, exactly. To see if we can discover the extent of this natural seismic phenomenon. Don't you think?'

'You two do what you like,' Gaddis said again. 'I intend -'

'To see how far the fissure extends that way? Off towards Ambleton?' the Doctor finished for him. 'Very wise. The Professor and I shall see how far towards the dam it reaches. Won't we?'

This last was addressed squarely at Dobbs. He blinked, frowned. He tried to think of a response. But in all honesty this did seem like the best plan. 'Of course, Doctor,' he said. 'Just what I was about to suggest myself. We shall observe this phenomenon and measure it as best we can. Then meet back here to compare notes at, when shall we say, noon?'

'An excellent plan, Professor,' the Doctor said clapping an arm round his shoulder and leading him along the edge of the thawed snow. 'See you later, Mr Gaddis,' he called back.

Professor Dobbs did not bother to look back. He did not particularly want to see if Gaddis was mirroring their progress, walking back beside the fissure. He was not interested in what Gaddis might be doing. And he regretted that for the rest of his life.

The fissure narrowed to a crack as they progressed. After about half a mile, it petered out, the light covering of snow rea.s.serting its supremacy over the landscape.

'Have you ever encountered anything similar, Doctor?' Dobbs asked as they stood at the end of the fissure and looked back along its length.

'Not that I recall.'

'What do you suggest now?' Dobbs was not used to deferring to others, particularly anyone younger than himself. But the Doctor exuded a sense of experience, of confidence.

'It would be useful to get an overall impression,' the Doctor said. 'If we could see it from above...'

'From above?' Dobbs frowned. 'Really, Doctor, unless you have a hot air balloon readily accessible I doubt whether that would be possible.'

'Oh I don't know.' The Doctor was looking past Dobbs, staring into the distance. 'A vantage point would suffice, I think.'

Dobbs turned to see where the Doctor was looking. 'A good thought,' he conceded. 'From the top of the dam we should be able to examine the extent of this trench.' He peered into the distance. There seemed to be some movement on top of the dam, tiny dots of colour moving back and forth behind the railings that ran along its length. 'I do believe there is someone up there already,' he declared. 'Sightseers, perhaps?'

'Soldiers,' the Doctor said.

'Soldiers? But why? What can they be doing?' Dobbs turned back to the Doctor. But he was gone. He looked all round in a sudden panic, had the Doctor vanished into thin air? But no, he was striding out across the frozen landscape towards the dam.

'Why don't we ask them?' he called back to Dobbs as he went.

Dobbs hefted his walking stick and followed.

From the top of the dam the figures were two small black dots, ants making their way across the snowy moorland. Colonel Wilson watched the tiny figures as they approached. He was leaning on the iron railings that ran along the top of the dam. The metal was cold even through the leather of his gloves.

'Do you know them?' he asked Captain Brookes. The figures grew closer and there could no longer be any doubt that their destination was the dam.

Brookes produced a set of field gla.s.ses and examined the two men through them. Then he handed the gla.s.ses to Wilson. 'Can't say that I do, sir.'

'Nor I,' Wilson agreed as he watched them reach the base of the dam. The younger man started up the service ladder set into the side of the structure, close to the rock wall that delineated the cutting through which the river had run. 'Griffiths!' he shouted, waving the sergeant over. He pointed at the figures making their way up the ladder. The older man was being left behind by his more agile partner. 'Find out who they are and what they want, would you?'

'Of course, sir.'

Leaving Sergeant Griffiths to worry about the newcomers, Wilson turned his attention back to the work. Another hour, would you say?'

'The lads are just double*checking the last section, sir. Then we have to pack up the equipment. Two hours at the most.'

On the other side of Brookes, Wilson could see the first of the two men climbing off the ladder to stand on the walkway at the top of the dam. He was talking with Sergeant Griffiths, pointing out across the moors, back in the direction he can come from. As they conversed, the older man heaved himself up beside them, almost exhausted, the air misting as he breathed out heavily.

Wilson sighed, and made his way along the dam.

'Bracing isn't it, Colonel,' the younger of the men called out as he came within earshot. The man's long hair was blown back from his face by the wind and his jacket was billowing out behind him.

'It is indeed, sir,' Wilson agreed, surprised that the man recognised his rank. 'A couple of the men have lost their caps in the reservoir. It's actually quite calm now, but it can kick up a fair storm when it sets its mind to it. Quite bracing if you happen to be hanging over the side on a rope, I can tell you.'

'I'm sure.'

'May I ask your business here, sir?' Wilson said. Though he was prepared to be civil and polite, he was not really in the mood for a chat about the weather. He nodded a dismissal to Griffiths, and the sergeant seemed relieved to be on his way.

'Do we need any?' the man asked. 'And do you need to know if we do? I a.s.sumed this was public property.'

Wilson regarded the man closely. His tone was not unpleasant, and his eyes were alive with intelligence. Maybe it was just his manner that made him seem insolent. 'Your business is your own, of course, sir,' Wilson conceded. He had to be careful, he had no idea who this man was or what position he might hold. He did not recognise either of the men as locals, and that in itself marked them out. 'But we are currently checking this structure to ascertain whether its integrity has been damaged by recent events. Under the circ.u.mstances...' he let the implications hang.

The man c.o.c.ked his head to one side as he listened. Then he nodded towards the dark gash of the fissure than ran across the landscape below them. 'By recent events, I take it you mean that.'

'And the tremors, sir, yes.' He decided on a different approach. 'May I at least ask you your names?'

It was the older man who replied. He seemed to have got his breath back now after the climb. His voice was authoritative, but tinged with respect. 'Of course. I am Professor Isaac Dobbs of the Royal Society, and this is...' He waved a hand in the air as if hoping the name would come to him. 'The Doctor,' he said at last, his tone suggesting that this much was self*evident.

'We're very interested in recent events, as you call them,' the Doctor said quickly as Dobbs finished. 'In particular we wanted to take a look at that fissure from up here. Get an idea of the size and shape of it.' He leaned closer to Wilson. 'Make deductions and test a.s.sumptions,' he added knowingly.

Scientists, Wilson could cope with. He was an engineer himself by profession an engineer and a soldier so he had an appreciation of the sciences. 'I see, Doctor. Well, please help yourself to the view. My men are just finis.h.i.+ng, but if we can offer any help or insight which might be of a.s.sistance, please do ask.'

'You're very kind,' Dobbs a.s.sured him.

'Is it safe?' the Doctor asked.

'Sorry, sir?'

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