The sky was blue and Ham Covert felt more relaxed than he had in months. Must be the country air, he thought, as he drove his rental car over the old roads. The slower more scenic roads that surround Stafford, England, show years of taming the rocky soil to pasture and farming. The drive to Bristol was one he knew and always enjoyed. Lots of pasture with cattle and sheep grazing. All is right with the world he thought and he was not going to let the mission of his trip enter into his thoughts for at least a couple of hours.

The young detective recalled the trip to Bristol during his childhood. He could again vision the S.A.Great Britain. He must have been about eleven years old then and the sight of the huge iron ship fascinated him. How did it stay afloat? The question kept running through his childish mind at that time. When the children were taken aboard the sip, they wee told how it was the first propeller driven iron ship in history. "She had served as a luxury liner, a troop carrier and a cargo vessel." The captain on board had told the group of school children. Some things you never forget and to Hamp the ability of the iron ship to stay afloat was one of those things.

A haze which Hamp recognized, meant that he was approaching water. He drove straight to the docking area and parked his car. Tourist were lining up to see the old ship. He didn't have time to take a tour and started straight to the Port Authority office at the corner of the dock. As he walked to the office his eyes caught a glimmer of a flash. He looked up toward the houses all line up on the top of the hill overlooking the harbor. Again he saw a flash reflection, like a mirror reflecting in the sunlight. In today's "Computer Times" why would anyone be flashing a mirror? The flashing stopped, huh? Was it because he was looking up at the source?


A young lanky man sat with his feet propped up on the painted desk his hands busy operating a hand held computer game. "Can you tell me where I can find the Harbor Inspector?" asked Hamp.

"He's on break. Can I help you?" asked the young man, without looking up from his game.

"When do you expect him back?"

"Couple of minutes. Have a seat, he will return shortly. "

"I think I will just go outside and take another look at the old iron ship."

"Yeah, it's a piece of iron junk OK," replied the man still intent on his game.

Hamp thought abut the saying "Today's kids," but actually he wasn't much older than the man at the desk. Anyway, he wanted to walk down beside the ship again, for old times sake. The water sloshed up against the old ship, and the dank smell of the water entered his nostrils. People continued to walk up the gang plank to board. It does look like it could use a new coat of paint he thought. As he turned to walk again toward the Port Office, he saw a flash, like a mirror reflecting in the sun. This time he was facing the houses on the hill and behind the flash he could plainly see the outline of a human figure. Just as suddenly, the shape and apparent mirror disappeared. Maybe kids signaling to each other he thought.

Back in the office, Hamp was met by the same young man. This time he was sitting very erect at his desk and informing him that the Harbor Master had returned and was waiting in his office to see him.

"Thank you very much," said Hamp.

"Allan Jones," said the tall man getting up from his desk and extending his hand to the Detective.

"Hamp Covert, out of London," replied Hamp.

"Heard you were on your way down."

"Really, I thought my whereabouts were undercover and quiet."

"Let's just say you are known within the police network."

"Yeah, I guess so. Do you also use mirrors to flash here in the harbor? I saw a figure using one on my arrival and again when I walked out to look at the ship Great Britain."

"No," laughed Jones, "we are a little more sophisticated than that, now with our computers and communication systems."

The two men sat down to go over some papers that Hamp had brought with him. The papers from J had given descriptions of suspects Scotland Yard was looking for.

"You notice that one bad trait these suspects have is __they seem to be "Torches."

"I maybe be able to put a little light on that. The first day I arrived in Stafford. I witnessed a huge fire of a Tudor home just outside the town. It certainly did appear to have been a set fire. The Fire Marshall's are still working on the case. One witness to the fire reported that two men and a young boy were seen leaving the house as the flames started. Of course they also are said to have been the people renting the place, so they could have just panicked."

"Any description of the men and boy. Physical characteristics?"

"Not that I know of, but I haven't really looked into the case yet."

The two men continued to go over the file sent from London. "London seems to think their might be some suspects here in Bristol, huh? Said the Harbor Master.

That's what it reports and that is why I came down to talk to you. I don't think these people would be doing much traveling over the roads around here. The easier way for them to get in and out ofBristol would be by water or train," said Hamp.

"That's true. I will do my part in letting you know anything I find suspicious."

"Thank you, you have my e-mail and code numbers, so let me hear from you anytime. Meanwhile I will take a look around the shops here at the docks."

"Be my guest," said the Harbor Master walking out of the office into the sunlight with the young detective. "You know, I have been thinking while we went over the files, about what you said when you first arrived---something about a flashing light. See that house on the rocks overlooking the harbor, the blue one. One of our local business men lives there, an Importer from Bombay, India