The Rings of Poseidon Read Online Free PDF Page A

course," said Alicia, "but who on earth
are all these? I recognise Alan Wainwright of course, but ... the
rest?"
    "Ah well, " said Steve, emerging from the
driver's seat of the Landrover to unload, "you've got yourself some
more volunteer labour."
    "Yep," chimed in Frank, "Four members of the
Orkneys Archaeological Society."
    "Really? Every bit of help is welcome." She
glanced across to the digging. "You possibly know the two girls
from Kirkwall, then. They're here on holiday. Well, you'd better
unload your things and unpack your tent or whatever. You can put it
next to the other tent." she turned to Frank. "There's a room for
you and for Alan in the caravan on the right. If you wouldn't mind
giving Steve a hand with the unloading after you've straightened
out your things we can all take a break."
    "Sounds fine by me." said Frank amiably, and
added to Steve, "I'll be right with you."
    The American was only seconds inside the
caravan, or so it seemed, before he was out again and helping Steve
to unload. Once everything was stored appropriately, they turned
their attention briefly to the four volunteers. With continued
laughter and more giggling, two more tents were put up alongside
the first. Steve surprised the gigglers, and to some extent Frank
as well, by rigging up an extension cable which not only lit up the
area between the two caravans, but also provided a light inside
each tent.
    "It will go off when I turn the main lights
off and you won't have any control of it in the tents, but it's
light," he told them.
    "It's beginning to look like a gold-rush boom
town, " said Frank, "but where's this drink or whatever they're
going to have when they take a break?"
    "I'll get right onto that," said Steve. "You
may as well go over, take a look at the holes in the ground and get
your orders from Alicia."
    Alicia felt as if she were in charge of a dig
of some importance, and wouldn't have thanked Steve for his remarks
about 'holes in the ground', had she heard. Her own team was
complete, in addition to which there was a team of three adults who
seemed to know what they were doing, engaged by the university to
do the labouring, the two female volunteers who had been on Hoy
doing some work of their own prior to turning up at the site and
the four who had come over on the ferry with Frank and Alan. There
was a prospect of getting more work done and with the general air
of business she felt less resentful towards the whole
assignment.
     
    "If Gill and Manjy and two of the volunteers
continue to look for an entrance - just continue the trench along
this wall," she jabbed at an aerial photograph, "Andy with Jamie
and Thomas can take two more of the volunteers. If you start by
taking a trench across here," she jabbed again at the aerial photo,
"we can see whether or not this is the outline of a house. The
third team can consist of Frank, Alan and the other two volunteers.
I want to talk first to Frank about the general lie of the land,
but the team can continue the trench inwards and see whether or not
there is a passageway. We'll have one long session until around six
o'clock then stop for food. If we go steadily without rushing we
should get a lot done."
    Alicia watched with some pleasure as her gang
trooped across the field to the dig, and settled down to work
according to her directions and according to good archaeological
practice.
    "Do you want me to dig for a while?" asked
Steve. "I've unpacked your computer, the power line from the farm
is in place and there's no other work for me in the next hour or
so, before I start to get something ready to eat."
    "The vehicles have been serviced, have they?"
Alicia wanted to know.
    "Well they've been checked over. They don't
need any servicing. All in order. And the generator," answered
Steve.
    "Then by all means lend a hand with the
digging. Join Gill and Manjy, they're a bit light on men in their
team," said Alicia, beckoning to Frank to join her in the
cabin.
    "Right."
    Alicia eyed Frank