William

"I'm William," the man says, moving forward into the light. You introduce yourself. "And that's Claudia."

"I know who you are, eh?" He sounds Canadian. "I was up in the wheelhouse. With the radio." He jerks a thumb upwards. "The snowmobilers should be all right, by the way."

"Oh good," Claudia says.

"Lost quite a few toes, of course."

"Of course."

"Nunatsiaungitok."

"Pardon?"

"It's Inuit," William explains. "It means 'it is not a nice country.'"

"How true," says Claudia. "Well then." She turns to the top crate, next stack over. "You say the answer is in this one?" She has a crowbar in her hand.

An Access Excellence Science Mystery sponsored by Genentech, Inc.
Copyright © 1997 Genentech, Inc.; all rights reserved.