Chapter 13: The Doctor's Gambit

The blue wooden box was on the cart, like a fairground attraction in transit. The two soldiers at the reins glanced around, faintly embarrassed at transporting what looked like a toilet shed. Captain Smit though was all smiles. He went up to the Master who was leaning on a gatepost and waved proudly at the blue box.

'It's done, sir!' said Captain Smit. 'We're ready to go.'

'Your men don't seem to share your enthusiasm, captain,' said the Master. 'Are they not sharing in your good fortune?'

Captain Smit went pink in the face. He opened his mouth to protest, but the Master raised a hand.

'I don't care,' he said. 'You have your business and I have mine. The only question that interests me is: Can you transport this box from here to the town hall without losing it?'

'Sir, you can rest easy. That box is in safe hands.'

'Yes, I've heard that before.'

'We are five armed men, sir. I can assure you…'

'Shut up, captain, and listen.' The Master looked at Smit with dark eyes. 'Listen very, very carefully to what I'm about to say.'

On the other side of the canal, Cornelis was peering out from around a corner. The Doctor sat with his back against the wall, twiddling his thumbs and staring into space.

'The dijkgraaf is saying something to the captain,' said Cornelis.

'Hmm.'

'What do you think he's saying, Doctor?'

'If I know the Master, he's putting the fear of God into the man. Thinks it will make him more vigilant or something.'

Cornelis looked down at the Doctor, his face wracked with worry and confusion. The Doctor's nonchalance only seemed to make it worse.

'Are you really going to steal that box, Doctor?'

'It's not stealing if it's mine.'

'But why's it so important?'

'Because it's a magic box, Cornelis.'

The Doctor looked up and saw the expected look of disbelief in the Dutchman's eyes. He smiled.

'Cornelis, if you can help me get inside my box, I will prove it to you.'

Cornelis looked at the ground, not wanting to be rude. He glanced back around the corner. And jumped.

'Doctor! They're leaving!'

The Doctor leapt to his feet and joined Cornelis in peering around the corner. On their side of the canal, a wagon stacked with barrels passed and blocked their view. The Doctor jumped out to see around it and caught sight of the Master disappearing down the short alleyway behind the iron gates. The cart with the TARDIS and its escort were already some way down the street on the other side. As the barrel wagon trundled on, Cornelis came to stand next to the Doctor. Amid the noise of the city, there was the distant sound of a TARDIS taking off.

'Doctor, that sound!' said Cornelis. 'It's the same as…'

'I know, Cornelis. I know.' The Doctor sighed. 'Pity. It would have made things easier if the Master had accompanied the cart. Still, he's not one to leave an undefended piece on the board.'

The Doctor took out a handkerchief and wrapped his sonic screwdriver and Amy's cellphone within it. A nearby house had window boxes brimming with flowers and, in one of them, the Doctor planted his little package.

'What are you doing?' said Cornelis.

'Putting Plan B into action,' said the Doctor, shaking the earth off his hands and turning to Cornelis with a big smile. 'Now I need a girl. Cornelis, where can I get one?'

Captain Smit sat proudly on his horse, leading the cart and his men. He scanned the civilians ahead of him looking for potential trouble, but part of his mind was thinking of how he would spend the money he was about to make. He already had one gold sovereign in his pocket and the rest would be paid upon the safe delivery of the blue box. When he and his escort turned onto the Rosengracht—the canal street which ended at the back entrance to the town hall—he reflected on how this was the easiest money he had ever made.

'Captain! Captain Smit, sir!'

Captain Smit looked to where the shout came from and saw a man hurry towards him. It was a civil servant from the town hall, a thin-faced man who had the colour of someone who spent his life in dark rooms. However, the face was familiar. Captain Smit raised his hand for the escort to stop.

'Cornelis Dekker, sir,' said the man as he approached the captain. 'Secretary to the Dijkgraaf.'

Captain Smit felt a sudden misgiving.

'And how can I help you, Mr. Dekker?' he said.

'I have new instructions from the dijkgraaf,' said Cornelis. 'Urgent instructions.'

'Go on.'

Cornelis lowered his voice. 'The dijkgraaf has just received news that the contents of the box might be forgeries. He needs to know the truth immediately.'

'How?'

'There is an expert who can confirm the authenticity of the contents.'

Captain Smit sat back on his horse.

'And where is this expert?' he said.

Cornelis turned and waved a hand. Two figures stepped out of a doorway and walked towards them—a man and a young woman. The woman had strawberry blond hair, freckles and dressed cheap and fancy, like one of the working girls who stood in doorways and invited sailors on leave to spend their money. But Captain Smit merely glanced at her. His interest was on the funny-looking man in the outlandish clothes.

' ,' said Captain Smit, smiling. 'You do know I was instructed not to let anyone near that box?'

'Yes, captain,' said Cornelis. 'That's why the dijkgraaf sent me, so you would know you have his authorisation.'

Captain Smit nodded and leant forwards to address the funny-looking man.

'You're a clever man, Doctor!' he said.

'Oh,' said the Doctor, taken aback. 'You've heard of me?'

'The dijkgraaf told me to watch out for one man in particular. And he described you, sir. Your hair, your clothes, right down to the…' Captain Smit patted an elbow. The Doctor looked at the elbow patches on his jacket. Smit continued: 'And he said, quote: "Under no circumstances whatsoever are you to let the Doctor near that box." Unquote.'

Captain Smit looked round at his men. They smiled back, witnesses to his being too smart for this foreigner. The Doctor looked pensive and the civil servant looked like he was about to cry. Only the girl seemed unaffected—she looked like she had no clue what was going on.

'It was clever of you to use the dijkgraaf's secretary,' said Captain Smit to the Doctor. 'But not clever enough. So, unless you want to try something else, we'll be on our way.'

Captain Smit kicked his horse forwards and waved for his men to follow. The Doctor, Cornelis and the girl stood and watched as the cart carrying the TARDIS trundled past. The Doctor looked at it with mournful eyes.

'I'm sorry, Doctor,' said Cornelis.

'Nonsense,' said the Doctor. 'Not your fault at all. I should have seen this coming. We'll just have to think of something else.'

'Does that mean you don't need me anymore?' said the girl with the freckles. The Doctor nodded and Cornelis proceeded to pay her. 'Talk about easy money,' she said. 'I didn't do anything.'

'And you did it beautifully,' said the Doctor. He looked curiously at Cornelis's purse. 'I don't suppose you have enough there to bribe the captain?' he said.

'He's already been bribed,' said the girl as she pocketed the money.

'What an outrageous thing to say!' said Cornelis, offended.

'Oh, grow up, darling,' said the girl. 'It was obvious! Takes one to know one, if you know what I mean,' she added to the Doctor. Then, she frowned. The Doctor was looking at her as though she were the most marvellous thing he'd ever seen.

'Young lady! Cornelis! Follow me!' he said and he dashed off down the street in pursuit of the cart.