Worse Things Happen at Sea!

  “Snatcher kept the puppy under a close watch and on the third day noticed the dog was sniffing the air at lunchtime. From the larder Snatcher took a covered dish and lifted the lid. The very moment he did, the little dog attacked him savagely. But instead of Snatcher being cross, he seemed very happy. I didn’t discover what had been in that dish until later.

  “Instead of Snatcher being cross, he seemed very happy.”

  “So we’d discovered a fabled cure. He wrote to the plant collector who’d forwarded the parcel to us, and soon a much larger package arrived. We set about refining its contents and making a syrup so we could control the dosages.

  “I did ask him about the behavior of the puppy, and he told me not to worry. I know now that it was the side effects that he wanted to exploit.

  “Then we started human trials. The results were remarkable. No illness seemed able to resist our Black Jollop. Our patients were people Snatcher found in the villages around Ratbridge. After a few days one or two of them came back, and Snatcher would see them alone. After these consultations the patient left contented, so I left it at that.”

  “And how did you learn the truth about the side effects?”

  “One morning when I was working alone and I found a book on the work bench in our laboratory. There was a marker in its pages. So I sat with a cup of tea and read. The volume was a book of fairy tales and legends featuring cheese.

  “The volume was a book of fairy tales and legends featuring cheese.”

  “Among the stories I found one that told of a distant island where a giant cabbage grew. Under its shade lived a happy people who used the tree for medicine, but found that it also made them crazy for cheese.”

  The doctor turned to Marjorie. “The point is, in the story the people took another plant to save them from the madness. So there might be a cure.”

  “But that is just a storybook.”

  “Yes, but it is that very same legend that told of our original plant as well.”

  “True. I think you might have something,” said Marjorie.

  “And you knew of the terrible side effect and still went along with Snatcher’s plan. That is truly appalling,” Willbury snapped angrily at the doctor.

  “Yes. I’m afraid so. I just couldn’t face the idea of returning to the vet’s, so I kept my mouth closed and went along with him. As part of his plan there was the spa, and I was given center stage. I just couldn’t resist it.”

  “You are a truly awful man. You went along with Snatcher and his scheme knowing that it might be causing people harm. Shocking! Didn’t you swear the Hippocratic oath?” Willbury asked.

  The doctor dropped his gaze to the floor, looking very ashamed.

  Arthur had listened very hard and now wanted an answer to his own question. “So you think that the plant in the story that cures the lust is real?”

  “Yes, I do. It all adds up.”

  “In evolution there is quite often a symbiotic relationship between one organism that is poisonous and another that has learned to live alongside it that produces an antidote or anti-venom,” added Marjorie.

  “Well, if that is the case, I guess we have to go to the island to see if we can find the cure.”

  “No doubt about it.”

  The doctor then looked a little worried. “What do you want me to do?”

  “I think you’d better join Fingle in the bilges. Snatcher is going to wonder why we are still heading toward the island and may guess you’ve told us something.”

  As the doctor was taken off, Arthur spoke to Marjorie. “Do you think it’s true?”

  “Yes, I do. Now all we have to do is find that island.”

  “Now all we have to do is find that island.”

  Cheese Conservationists Bring in New Breeding Stock!

  Members of the RWCA are bringing in new cheeses to help rebuild the local population. We applaud this move, but ask, “Will our cheeses be the same?”

  “The cheeses we’re importing are from South Wales, and while paler and not so well scented, are close biological cousins of our local cheeses and should breed easily with them.”

  The sea became very rough.

  chapter 26

  SOUTH TO THE HORN

  Even running with full sail and the boiler steaming twenty-four hours a day, it took another week for the ship to reach Cape Horn. As the ship sailed south, it became colder, and colder, and the sea became very rough. Arthur had not really thought very much about how the ship might hold up to high winds and weather, but now he was amazed by how well she coped with the huge rolling seas. The crew were also showing what fine sailors they were under their captain Tom.

  As the weather worsened, it became increasingly difficult to work out their position. There was no sun for Marjorie to make a reading from, but she knew they must be very close to the coast of Patagonia. She was constantly nervous and jumpy, as there was the danger that they could run aground at any time, and frustratingly little she could do to make sure they stayed safe.

  Then came an albatross. The crew spotted her gliding just feet over the surface of the giant rollers. Soon she was flying alongside them, barely moving her vast wings as she did.

  Gliding just feet over the surface of the giant rollers.

  “Bit windy, isn’t it!” she called.

  “Yes!” shouted Tom through cupped hands.

  “We must be mad to be out in this!”

  “Yes!” yelled Tom again.

  “Where are you going?”

  “To the Pacific—we hope. We haven’t been able to get a good bearing because of the weather.”

  “Yes, it’s terrible. Always is around here.”

  “And I thought the weather in England was bad,” muttered Kipper from under his sou’wester. The wind was so strong now that it felt as if it was blowing the rain right into his skin.

  “Well, must love you and leave you!” called the albatross cheerily. With the tiniest movement of her wings, she wheeled to the right and started to swoop out across the waves.

  Marjorie looked up suddenly from the chart she was studying. “Before you go!” she shouted after the disappearing bird.

  For a moment it seemed as if Marjorie’s call would be lost in the wind, but then the albatross glided back round toward them.

  “Yes?”

  “Are we going in the right direction?”

  “No.”

  “WHAT!”

  “No, you want to go directly south for about fifty miles. Otherwise, you’ll bump into land.”

  “OH!” shouted Marjorie, looking rather stunned. “Thank you!”

  “No problem. Have a nice day!” And with that, the albatross was off over the waves and gone.

  Tom turned the ship directly south guided by the compass on the bridge, and they sailed on until Marjorie thought it was safe to turn west.

  Tom turned the ship directly south.

  A day later, the weather finally cleared enough for Marjorie to take a reading, and she announced they were indeed in the Pacific and it would be safe to head northwest toward their destination.

  Arthur spent most of his time with Willbury below deck, as the rolling seas and strong winds had grown very tiring, but to everybody’s surprise, Fish was now spending every moment he could on deck. It didn’t matter what the weather was like. Fish was always there. And when he was not by the wheel, he was to be seen standing on the bow and leaning into the wind. He seemed to have fallen in love with the ocean. When Kipper had first noticed this, he disappeared for a few hours and returned on deck with an oilskin box cover he’d made for Fish. This Fish now wore proudly as he took on the elements.

  He was to be seen standing on the bow and leaning into the wind.

  Onward they ran, and the weather became better with each mile farther north they traveled. Marjorie spent a lot of time looking at the maps, as she was trying to make sure they wouldn’t miss the small island. Then one evening she came to Tom as he stood by the wheel.

  “I th
ink that we’ll be in sight of the island by tomorrow afternoon.”

  “Good,” said Tom. “Just in time too, as we’ve almost run out of fuel. I’ve enjoyed being back at sea, but I shall be very happy to have my feet on solid earth again.”

  “Have you thought what we’re going to do with Snatcher and his mob when we get there?”

  “Yes . . . they’re a real problem. But it’s not just them. What about the trotting badgers?”

  “I know. Once we’re in shallow waters within reach of the island, Snatcher and his mob will be able to escape out of the window. It might be better to get them somewhere we can keep them under guard,” suggested Marjorie.

  “We could stick them under the forecastle where we store the sails!”

  “That would work. There are no windows in the sail store,” agreed Marjorie.

  Tom rubbed his head. “There is still the problem of getting them out of their cabin and up here. The trotting badgers are blocking the stairs to the cabin.”

  “We could haul them up in the net over the stern.”

  “I think you have forgotten one thing. Snatcher’s men still have their weapons,” said Tom. “And I doubt they’ll agree to just giving them up and becoming our prisoners.”

  Bert had been listening and suddenly perked up. “Well, there may be a way round that.”

  “What?” asked Kipper.

  “What?” asked Kipper.

  “Remember that old saying about keeping your powder dry? Let’s get out the hose and power up the bilge pump again.”

  “You mean dampen their ardor!” Marjorie giggled.

  “Not half,” Bert said, chuckling.

  “I don’t understand?” asked Tom.

  “If we can get their gunpowder wet, their guns will be useless.”

  “But they’re down below and we’re up here. How do we get their gunpowder wet?”

  “Holes!”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Get Kipper and Arthur up here, and have them sort out the pump and hose. I’ll go and get me toolkit.”

  By the time Bert returned to the bridge, Kipper and Arthur were dragging the end of the hose up from the deck. Bert opened his toolbox and took out a bit and brace.

  “This should do the trick.” He started to drill holes through the planking of the bridge, down through the ceiling of the captain’s cabin.

  He started to drill holes through the planking.

  “We can block these holes up with corks and tar later.”

  The wood of the deck was thick and very hard, but after an hour there were about twenty holes spread over the deck.

  “Start the pump!” shouted Bert as he pushed the hose into the first of the holes.

  “Start the pump!”

  Arthur heard cries from below as the water shot down into the cabin.

  “Have to move it about a bit and surprise them. We need to get everything nice and wet down there,” said Bert as he jumped from hole to hole with the hose. After about ten minutes of screaming from below even Bert thought that it had probably worked.

  “Turn off the pump. I think their ardor is sufficiently dampened.”

  Marjorie took the long stick and knocked on the cabin window. A very wet and disgruntled Snatcher appeared.

  “What was that for?”

  “Thought you might need a wash,” Bert replied with a laugh.

  Snatcher gave Bert a very nasty look but didn’t say anything.

  Now that Snatcher was suitably softened up, Marjorie spoke. “We are offering you the chance to cooperate with us.”

  “And if we don’t?”

  “Would you like another wash?”

  “NO! We’ll cooperate.”

  “Okay. We’ll haul you all up and put you somewhere safe away from the badgers. If you don’t try anything, we won’t harm you.”

  Bert and a lot of the larger crew members had armed themselves with old swords and clubs, and acted as guards as Snatcher and his men were lifted up over the stern and escorted to the sail store. Once the prisoners were inside, the door was bolted and locked.

  As night fell, the sky cleared and a warm westerly breeze came up.

  “We are all set for the island,” said Marjorie as she finished taking a reading from the Southern Cross.

  Escorted to the sail store.

  Arthur followed Fish’s gaze and saw a tiny speck.

  chapter 27

  LAND HO!

  At first light there was a cry from the masthead.

  “Land ho!”

  Arthur ran to the forecastle to look. Fish was already there and was pointing into the distance. Arthur followed Fish’s gaze. Straining to see, he could just make out a tiny speck, but it was too far away to see what it was. Kipper arrived to join them, carrying a large telescope.

  They took turns having a look at the approaching island. When it was Arthur’s turn, he was surprised at how powerful the telescope was. The speck was transformed to a clearly visible island, and he could see that most of it was green. They were really there at last!

  The ship drew closer to the island. Arthur and Tom climbed the rigging to get to the crow’s nest. They wanted to get the best view possible. For the next hour the island grew bigger. As they got closer, Arthur could see waves rising and breaking some distance from the island.

  “Why are the waves breaking before they reach the island?”

  “Quite often there is a ring of coral that runs around islands. It’s called a reef, and the waves break when they hit it,” said Tom.

  “Well, how do we get to the island, then?”

  “If the seabed is uneven, there can be a break in the reef. We’ll have to look out for one, as there may only be one place we can get through.”

  Arthur scanned the breaking waves and saw that there was indeed a place where the waves didn’t seem to be breaking. He pointed it out to Tom.

  “There!”

  “Very good, Arthur.” Tom called down to the deck. “There is a break in the reef.”

  “There is a break in the reef.”

  “What direction?” called back Kipper, who was now on the wheel.

  “Ten degrees to starboard.”

  Kipper changed course and made for the passage.

  Then Arthur spotted two of the crew on the forecastle, each dropping weights on ropes on either side of the bow.

  “What are they doing?”

  “Checking the depth of the water,” said Tom. “We don’t know these waters and could run aground. The ropes have knots in them six feet apart. Six feet is called a fathom, and they call out the number of fathoms when the weight hits the seabed.”

  He watched the sailors checking how much line they were paying out each time they dropped the weights, then calling back to Kipper.

  Kipper continued steering the ship toward the break and instructed the crew to lower some of the sails.

  At about a hundred yards from the break Kipper ordered the rest of the sails to be dropped. The ship slowed and slid smoothly through the gap in the reef. From Arthur’s position up in the crow’s nest he could see the reef under the water, stretching out in a ring parallel to the beach. Inside the reef the waters became very calm, and the ship moved almost silently toward the shore.

  Arthur looked toward the island. A thick green canopy started after a wide sandy beach. Arthur gazed into the jungle. Somewhere in there was the plant they needed! Arthur felt a bubble of excitement start up inside him. At last it seemed that they would really be able to find the antidote and cure everyone who had been poisoned by the Black Jollop—including Grandfather!

  As the ship drew closer into land, more and more of the crew gathered on the deck below them.

  “I think we had better get down there too,” said Tom. “We don’t want to be last in.”

  “Last in?”

  “Yes, as soon as the anchor is dropped, anybody who hasn’t got a job to do has to jump in the sea. It’s a bit of a tradition.”

  The ship had slowed
almost to a stop a few hundred yards from the beach when Kipper called for the anchor to be dropped. As the anchor found a hold on the seabed, the ship slowly swung its bow into the wind and came to rest. Then there was a cry.

  “Last one in is a moldy old goat!”

  Arthur and Tom were still some way up the rigging when the cry went out, and they stopped for a moment to watch as bodies flung themselves over the side.

  “I think we’d better jump from here if we’re not to be last in,” said Tom.

  He then took a leap and shouted, “Geronimo!” as he plummeted into the bright blue water. Arthur was not so sure. He kept climbing down, trying to pluck up the courage to jump.

  “Come on, Arthur!” shouted Tom. “There’s hardly anyone left to jump!”

  Screwing up his courage, Arthur leaped and, following Tom’s lead, shouted, “Geronimo!” He hit the water and was surprised at how warm it was. As he surfaced, he saw the faces of friends all around him.

  Then somebody shouted. “Kipper is an old goat!”

  Everybody in the water turned to look. Kipper had appeared in a strange orange-and-blue knitted bathing suit and was about to jump from the side of the ship.

  “Always last.” It was Tom, who was a few feet from Arthur in the water.

  Kipper jumped, and there was another cheer. Then Arthur noticed Fish standing on the handrail at the side of the ship. He couldn’t believe his eyes. The boxtroll jumped!

  For a second the boxtroll disappeared below the water but then bobbed straight to the surface.

  “I can’t believe it!”

  Tom spoke. “Thought that would surprise you. Kipper filled all the spare space inside his box with corks. Now he will float like one.”

  Arthur laughed and swam over to Fish. He had never seen Fish look so happy. The boxtroll was now paddling around gurgling and wailing with joy, and even splashed at Arthur as he came close.