День триффидов

           Cokerstartedtomarkoutnewareasofsearch.Wewatchedhimwithoutenthusiasm.ItwasStephenwhosaidwhatallofus,including,Ithink,Cokerhimself,werethinking:

           "Lookhere,we’vebeenoverallthegroundforacircleofsomefifteenmilesbetweenus.It’scleartheyaren’tintheimmediateneighborhood.Eitheryourinformationiswrongortheydecidednottostophereandwenton.Inmyviewitwouldbeawasteoftimetogoonsearchingthewaywedidtoday."

           Cokerlaiddownthecompasseshewasusing.

           "Thenwhatdoyousuggest?"

           "Well,itseemstomewecouldcoveralotofgroundprettyquicklyfromtheair,andwellenough.Youcanbetyourlifethatanyonewhohearsanaircraftengineisgoingtoturnoutandmakeasignofsomekind."

           Cokershookhishead."Nowwhydidn’twethinkofthatbefore?Itoughttobeahelicopter,ofcourse—butwheredowegetone,andwho’sgoingtoflyit?"

           "Oh,Icanmakeoneofthemthingsgo,allright,"saidtheradiomanconfidently.

           Therewassomethinginhistone.

           "Haveyoueverflownone?"askedCoker.

           "No,"admittedtheradioman,"butIreckonthere’dnotbealottoit,onceyougottheknack."

           "H’m,"saidCoker,lookingathimwithreserve.

           StephenrecalledthelocationsoftwoR.A.F.stationsnotfaraway,andthattherehadbeenanair-taxibusinessoperatingfromYeovil.

           Inspiteofourdoubts,theradiomanwasasgoodashisword.Heseemedtohavecompleteconfidencethathisinstinctformechanismwouldnotlethimdown.