第85节

dillac would have to stay out east until this

time next year- or maybe the year after. We couldn't afford to wait

that long."

'Why not?"

'Because I'm due to die before the Yellowing." He saw the look of

shocked surprise on Steve's face. 'I'm not kidding. I was with

Cadillac when he read it in the stone - right where it's going to

happen."

'And... do you believe it?"

Mr Snow shrugged. 'He also said you'd be back in the time of the New

Earth - and here you are. Sure, I believe in prophecy but who wants to

listen to bad news?

You keep telling yourself- "He's a beginner. Maybe he got the name

wrong, or the date". To be honest I didn't take it seriously. If I

had, he'd be here and you'd be about to take a boat trip."

'So you sent him last year - with Clearwater to protect him."

'Yes. They were going to hand over the arrowhead, do whatever had to

be done then hitch a ride back on one of Yama-Shita's wheel-boats."

It was getting worse by the minute. 'Do you have any way of

communicating with the Iron Masters in between these boat trips?"

'Not directly, no. But I am in touch with the Sky Voices."

'Yes, of course,' said Steve. Terrific. 'But apart from that, you've

received no actual message saying they had arrived safely."

Mr Snow threw up his hands. 'We have the confirmation. Yama-Shita

brought us the rifles. He is a man of honour whose word can be relied

on. The same is true for all the Iron Masters. They have never

reneged on a deal."

'But - as I understand it - the deal was to deliver a plane and its

crew in exchange for rifles. They didn't promise to return the pilot

and passenger."

'True." A mischievous gleam crept into Mr Snow's eyes. 'You're sharp,

Brickman. A real shyster."

Steve had never heard the word before but it didn't sound like a

compliment - in spite of the tone of admiration.

Mr Snow's frown returned as he picked up the main thread of their

conversation. 'Cadillac and Clearwater were aware of the situation. I

left it to them to explain things. The Iron Masters are intelligent

people." He paused to tug at his beard. 'I really didn't think

there'd be a problem."

Steve's heart sank as his master plan, already in tatters, was finally

torn to shreds. 'You're insane, you know that?! I mean ... how could

you be so ... irresponsible?/The whole future of the clan is at stake

and you...! Nobody ever comes back from BethLem!

Isn't that what they say?!

'Not in the ordinary way, no but -' 'Christopher Columbus I What a mess

I' Mr Snow motioned him to stay calm. 'Look, let's not get too

overwrought about this. We've got three more days before the boats

leave. We'll be talking to Yama-Shita again. They're on board his

ship - I'm sure of it."

'Then why hasn't he brought them ashore?"

'Good question. You know what I think? I think he's holding them

back. You see, he knows we're unhappy about the rifles so he's.

trying to pressurise us into accepting them."

'It's possible,' mused Steve. 'I hope you're right."

'Well, there's nothing we can do about it. We'll just.

have to wait and see what happens." Mr Snow settled down wearily,

wrapping his travelling fur around him.

'Mother Mo-Town! This noise is terrible isn't it? And so many

people!

This is what it was like in the Old Time.

Wherever you turned there were human beings jammed shoulder to shoulder

from horizon to horizon and living on top of each other in stone trees

that reached all the way up to the sky! No wonder the world went

mad..."

Steve squatted on his own furs close by. 'What's going to happen if

Cadillac and Clearwater are not on Yama-Shita's boat and you die at the

end of the summer as predicted?"