Charles and the others are in search of an engineer called Alec Campbell. As they near the
settlement where they believe him to live, Hubert is attacked by Campbell himself. He is thrown from his horse and hurts his back. Campbell's companion Lettie, an old woman, helps him back to the settlement which is in a church. The others catch them up on the way. Lettie doesn't realise that the death happened - she thinks that there has been a Communist uprising, and that she never sees her son because he is now a guerrilla freedom fighter.Greg
had already passed through - Campbell hadn't liked him either - he wants nothing to do with their great plans, just to be left alone.
The settlement is lead by a man nicknamed 'Queenie' due to his beekeeping knowledge - there are hives in the church grounds. Due to his background, as an engineer with the Electricity Board, Campbell has been named 'Sparks'. Queenie sees him as useless (his job is to collect wood with Lettie).
They stay at the
settlement, during which time Charles keeps on at Campbell about his duty to humanity - to get the hydro-electric plants in Norway working, a task at which Greg had failed. Campbell believes that mankind is better of as they now are - he despises his previous life in the rat-race.
To help earn his keep, Charles attempts to repair an old disused water pump at the front of the church. Meanwhile, Frank questions the others in the settlement
about Campbell's past to learn more about him. Lettie reveals that he has nightmares, and misses his wife, Rita.
Charles decides he needs some lifting tackle to help him in his task - they try a nearby engineering works - Campbell comes along to help. Charles attempts to engage his interest in the machinery there, but fails again.
Frank forms a theory about Campbell's character. This is that he resents the system in which he had to strive
to work his way up, just to have everything snatched away from him by the death. Frank suggests that they may be able to feed Campbell a strong drug (obtained from mushrooms) to bring his troubles to the surface and help him defeat them.
Jenny doesn't like the idea of drugging Campbell, and is given a last chance to use her womanly wiles to persuade him to come with them. She fails, but realises that Campbell's attitude to his dead wife is
key to his problem.
Frank feeds the whole settlement a bogus worm repellent potion one evening, and puts the drug in Campbell's drink. When he reacts, they say he must be having a allergic reaction, and take him back to his room.
Campbell is delirious, and as he rambles, takes Jenny to be his wife - he is guilt-ridden that he'd been away from home when the death struck, and instead of going home to his family had continued to work to try
and sort out the chaos which reigned at that time. He'd got home too late, and found Rita already dead. Jen stays with him while he sleeps it off.
Frank thinks things are going well, as Campbell is confronting his guilt about failing his family. However while he is left unattended for a short time, Campbell escapes and climbs the church tower intending to jump. Charles follows him and manages to overpower him. Jen feels guilty for putting
him through such hell.
While Campbell rests, Queenie asks Charles if he'll act as a go-between between him and the leaders of a local settlement to help them get together. Frank lets Alec know they are all going.
As they prepare to leave, Campbell appears, miraculously cured and raring to go and put the world right. He suggests they make their way up to his native Scotland where there are plenty of hydro-electric generating plants, in an
attempt to get power back to this country.
Before they set off, Charles tests his repaired pump. They all watch as he pumps the handle, expecting success - however no water emerges. Charles gives a wry smile and, for a change, admits defeat.
