The Querulous Effect by Arkay Jones

in peace without instructions and debates?”
    â€œHumph! Whatever it is, it seems to be catching anyway,” snorted Ella. “I’m going to feed Toby.” With that she grabbed a piece of toast and made for the door.
    â€œI’ll help you,” Jay called out after her, rising to his feet.
    â€œDon’t bother!” shouted Ella as she opened the door. “I’m perfectly capable of doing it myself, thank you very much!”
    As Jay sat down again with a thump, Tim looked up from his second bowl of cereal and raised his eye-brows. “Women!” he said.
    Just over half an hour later the team re-assembled. With everyone in a better mood, they set off through Granger’s Meadow to the Grumpett’s cottage. On arriving, the Prof knocked on the door and with a click of the latch, Mrs. Grumpett emerged.
    â€œGood morning, Professor,” she smiled. Then she wiped her hands down her apron and, much to Jay’s amusement, ruffled Tim’s hair. “Hello again, you two. How you’ve grown, Timmy, since the last holiday. And you too Ella, quite a young lady now.” Ella looked pleased at these predictable observations. Tim felt quite the reverse. ‘Timmy’ was not a name he currently favoured.
    â€œAnd who is this young gentleman?” continued the beaming, Mrs. Grumpett, looking at Jay.
    â€œI’m Jay,” he said. “How do you do?” Then he could not resist adding, whilst looking with a big grin at Tim, “One of Timmy’s friends.”
    Tim gave him a withering look which clearly meant ‘not for long if you go on like that.’ But all this passed Mrs. Grumpet by. She just purred, “How lovely.” Then she called over her shoulder into the cottage, “Ernie, the professor is here with the children.”
    Mr. Grumpett squeezed out past his wife with his cap and boots already in place. He grunted goodbye to his wife and then led the group towards the river, the children in front and the professor behind, carrying the equipment. When Mr. Grumpett was safely several yards ahead, explaining to Jay and Ella the best way to catch rabbits, Tim dropped back to walk alongside the professor.
    â€œIs everything alright this morning, Prof?” he asked, his earlier annoyance having mellowed to concern. “What exactly are we looking for at the river?”
    â€œWell, to be honest, I am a bit worried this morning,” said the Prof. “As you know, I have always been very careful with my experiments. Very careful. That’s why they have taken me so long. In particular, since I have been using all sorts of insects and plant species in my work, I have been extra careful to ensure that any modifications I make cannot be passed from one species to another. I have to make sure that any genetic modification I achieve is ‘locked in,’ as it were. It must not escape or cross into another species. Establishing that absolute control is what has been taking all this time before I could announce my results publicly to the world at large.”
    The professor stopped walking and stood still for a moment. He was wondering whether to say any more. Indeed, he was wondering whether he had said too much already. But he had every confidence in Tim’s good sense and it was good to talk it through. He looked down at Tim and continued. “Then, last night, Ernie Grumpett caught a fish in the river. A fish with unusual properties that made me think that possibly – only possibly mind – something I have done has affected the water in the river or the vegetation or the insects that the fish eat. I can’t see how. I really can’t. But I must find out. So, today, we’re going to see where Ernie caught that particular fish and take some samples I can analyse. If I have caused some problem, then it’s up to me to find the answer.”
    Ernie and Jay were some way ahead and stopped to look back and wait.