Free An Old Captivity by Nevil Shute Page A

show like this who can’t do anything to help. It’s all adverse, if you understand me. You add to the risks without getting anything for it.”
    The secretary said: “I understand what you mean. Let me have a talk with Sir David, Mr. Ross. It may be that she could go out by boat.”
    The pilot nodded. “That would be much better, if she’s got to go at all. The photographer will have to go by boat in any case, even if it means he’s got to stay there all the winter till the next boat comes to fetch him home. After all, Mr. Lockwood is the only one who’s really pressed for time.”
    “I don’t suppose Miss Lockwood could stay in Greenland all the winter, Mr. Ross.”
    The pilot thought that that would be the best thing that could happen to her, but didn’t care to say so.
    Hanson picked up his papers and went through to the inner office to consult his chief; presently Ross was called in. Sir David looked him up and down. “Mr. Hanson tells me that there’s a difficulty about Alix,” he said.
    Ross said: “Taking her makes the flight a good deal more difficult, sir. It adds to the load, and so cuts down the fuel that I can take off with. And on this job I’ll want all the range I can get.”
    The manufacturer stared at him. “Do you mean the aeroplane won’t be big enough to do the job?”
    The pilot hesitated. “That’s more or less what it comes to.”
    “Well, get a bigger aeroplane.”
    Ross was at a loss for a moment. Sir David saw his difficulty, and leaned forward on his desk. “See here, Mr. Ross,” he said. “You’ve just got to revise your plans, and that’s all there is to it. There was one passenger—now there are two. I’ve decided that Alix is going with her father, and that’s all about it. If the alteration means I’ve got to spend more money, work it out with Mr. Hanson and let me know how much more. But don’t come up with any silly nonsense that it can’t be done, or I’ll get another pilot. I tell you that straight.”
    The pilot met his eyes. “It’s making a difficult job more difficult,” he said. “You’d better realise that, sir. It’s not altogether a matter of the weights, nor the size of the machine.”
    The secretary shifted slightly.
    Sir David said: “I see. You mean it’s Alix herself.”
    Ross nodded. “I don’t think Miss Lockwood is very well fitted to go on an Arctic expedition, sir.”
    “In fact, you won’t take her?”
    “I’d like to think that over for a bit. It’s going to add to my difficulties to take any girl on the trip. If you pile too much on me the flight may be a failure, and we’ll all be sorry then.”
    “She gave you a bit of the rough side of her tongue, I suppose?”
    The pilot smiled. “She did, but I wouldn’t let that worry me. The trouble is, she doesn’t believe in the flight at all. She thinks it’s useless and extravagant. As a matter of fact, she thinks I’m doing all I can to swindle you. And I tellyou straight, sir, I don’t much fancy having that at my elbow all the way.”
    “I see.” The manufacturer was silent for a minute. “Why didn’t you talk like this at first, instead of coming out with all that stuff about the aeroplane not being big enough?”
    The pilot smiled. “I didn’t know how you’d take it,” he said simply.
    The older man grunted. He eyed the pilot for a minute. “I want Alix to go on this trip,” he said. “My brother’s not a young man, and the girl’s offered to go with him. She’s got a good heart, Mr. Ross.” The corners of his mouth twitched ever so slightly.
    The pilot considered the position for a moment. He wanted to be reasonable. “I’ve told you that I’d like to have a bit of time to think it over,” he said. “Would you agree to leave it open for a week or so? I’ll go ahead and make my plans upon the basis of two passengers. If I find it’s really going to make things too difficult to take Miss Lockwood, I’ll come and tell you so in good time. Then