The Aeroplane of Adventure

©2009 David Marlor

This novel is based on the characters created by Enid Bylton in the Adventure Series. In this regard, it is the ninth adventure and follows The River of Adventure.

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Chapter 3: Not Again

"I shouldn't think Bill would be very keen to take us night flying after what happened last time. Still, I think we should ask him," said Philip.

So the next morning, after breakfast, the children approached Bill about the possibility of going for a night flight in his new plane. They half expected him to say no at once, but to their surprise, he thought it was a good idea.

"Actually, I was just talking to your mother. She wants us go up to my old home on the coast and she'll meet us up there in four days' time. You'll love it Jack – there's lots of birds. And Philip, the wildlife is unbelievable – better than Craggy-tops. And Lucy-Ann and Dinah, there's miles of beaches, coves and caves to explore. You'll really like it up there. I've always wanted to take you. My old home is in a lonely part of the coast up in Scotland. Flying would be fun – I still want to take you up with me. But I need to talk over the night flight idea with your mother first. She still hasn't really forgiven me for what happened the last time."

After an ice cream and catching up with news, Bill said he should really go and see their mother. He got up and grinned all round at them "If I get my way, how about we leave tonight and do a spot of night flying? What do think?"

The children were speechless. Jack found his voice first. "Oh, Bill, that would be wonderful. We really need to get away from this place. I can't stand the thought of that burned-out house anymore."

It took some time for Bill to convince Mrs Cunningham that the children would be perfectly safe flying up to his old home. She was very nervous about them flying through the night, after what happened last time. Bill had promised her that there was no way it could happen again and he would make sure the children got in the right aeroplane!

So they arranged to leave that night. Bill said he had to go and get the plane ready. He would send a car for them tonight at 11:00 PM. and it would take them straight to his aircraft. "And mind, no getting in the wrong plane this time," he said with a twinkle in his eyes. "You'd better buy a cage for Kiki. Here, take this money and buy yourselves some new clothes."

Philip, Jack, Dinah, Lucy-Ann and of course Kiki too spent the day shopping for new clothes with the money that Bill had given them. They bought pairs of good walking shoes, long pants, shorts, and bathing suits. They also bought new torches, batteries and some candles.

"Bill said we should also get some rubber-soled shoes for messing about in, rugs, sleeping bags, and rain coats. Oh, Jack, do you have enough film for your camera?" Jack had, but he bought some extra batteries for his torch. Philip wanted to take some strong rope and some canned foods.

"Whatever for?" asked Lucy-Ann in surprise.

Philip grinned at her. "Oh, you never know when it will come in useful, Lucy-Ann. Jack here might get stuck on a cliff trying to photograph a young bird about to fly. Jack, don't forget your field glasses and everybody make sure you have a good torch. Bill said there was no electricity at his old home."

"Oh, it does sound exciting," said Lucy-Ann. "What do you think, Kiki? We going to go flying, just like you do."

"God save the King," said Kiki as she tried to untie Lucy-Ann shoelaces. "God save the King."

At dinnertime they all went down to the hospital to say goodbye to Aunt Allie. She was in good spirits and wished them Bon Voyage and promised to get well and see them in a few days' time.

"Oh, children, do be careful," said Mrs. Cunningham. "Bill promised that you would get in the right plane. Don't get mixed up in some awful adventure. Really, since you've met Bill, you've had, what, eight hair-raising adventures? Look at my gray hair."

"We'll be careful, Mother," promised Dinah, giving her a hug.

The children went back to the hotel to pack and get ready for the night flight adventure Kiki wasn't very happy about going in her cage and Jack became exasperated with her.

"You really are a naughty girl," he said. "Come on, Kiki, you have to go in the cage. lt's only until we get to Scotland, then I'll let you out again. You've been in these before." It took all four of them to finally get Kiki into the cage. She sat sulking in the corner. "Poor Polly. Poor Polly," she muttered to herself. "Poor Polly. Pah! Pah!"

By 11:00 PM they were all standing in the hotel lobby with their new duffel bags and clothes, ready to go.

"Here's the car," said Jack who was watching. "Philip, it's one of those new Morris Minors."

"Morris Minor," said Kiki, who loved rhyming words, "Morris, Morris Minor. Pay the Bill."

The boys looked closely at the car. It was brand new and the black paint shone in the light from the hotel windows. They were soon packed into the car and motoring towards the aerodrome. It really wasn't very far. The plan was to take off at midnight and fly through the night to Scotland. Bill was the pilot and Mike, a friend of Bill's, would be the co-pilot. The children had met Mike before and they liked the young pilot. He joked with them and was always ready to laugh.

Soon the blue and yellow lights of the flare-path came into view and the children could see the aerodrome. Aeroplanes of all kinds were parked along the flare-path and as they watched a large twin engine plane landed and taxied to a stop. Bill met them at the gate.

"Mike called. He's going to be a bit late. I've got to go to the weather office and then file a flight plan. You go on to the plane. There's a crate in there. Sorry, but it's a last minute thing I have to take with me to Scotland. It's full of clothes, rugs pillows, canned food. All supplies for my old home. It really is in a lonely part of the coast. There's lots of room at the back of the plane, behind the crate. Make yourselves comfortable. I'll come over as soon as I can."

"Alright, Bill," said Jack. "See you on board the plane."

The driver showed his pass and then drove the children across the aerodrome field towards the dark shadow of an aircraft. Bill had given the children the type of aircraft and call letters. Lucy-Arm read them off. "It's a DC-3, call sign Gulf Foxtrot Bravo Echo Victor, G-FBEV."

That's it," said Dinah, pointing to a plane sitting in the shadows. On the tail the letters G-FBEV could just be made out.

"Here we are," said the driver, as they pulled up to the side of the large twin engine plane. "Bill said he'd meet you on the plane. Have a good flight." The driver helped them climb into the plane with their bags. He looked at the plane and shuddered. "Better you than me," said the driver.

"Don't you like flying?" asked Lucy-Ann.

"No, miss, I don't," said the driver. "Well, to be honest, I've never flown and I don't intend to. No ma'am. I plan to keep my feet firmly on the ground. Well, good luck to you." With that the driver turned his car and drove off the aerodrome. Soon the children were alone. The inside of the plane was in darkness.

"What are you doing, Jack?" asked Lucy-Ann. Jack had crawled up to the front of the plane and pulled aside the curtain separating the cockpit from the cargo/passenger area.

"I'm just double-checking we're on the right plane," said Jack. "Yep, this is Bill's plane. See." Jack pointed to the log book next to the seat. It had Bill's name inscribed on the outside and the aeroplane's call sign G-FBEV.

"Come on, let's get comfortable." said Dinah impatiently. They went back into the main part of the aircraft.

"This must be the cargo that Bill was taking about," said Philip, looking at the large crate taking up most of the room inside the plane. "He said we could get quite comfortable behind the crate and that there'd be rugs for us to curl up on and go to sleep."

Lucy-Ann and Dinah arranged the rugs and all four sat down on them. Lucy-Ann climbed under some rugs because she felt cold and tired. She was soon asleep. Philip, Dinah and Jack sat around talking in low voices. They too soon felt their eyes closing and curled up under the rugs and fell fast asleep.

What awoke Jack, he didn't know. At first he could not for the life of him figure out where he was. Then it came to him in a flash. Of course. "We're on Bill's aeroplane, waiting for Bill. But what is that noise? Oh, it's the engines and we're bumping down the runway," thought the boy. Jack felt a thump as they left the ground.

"Bill must have seen that we were sleeping and didn't want to wake us up," Jack thought. He yawned and grinned as he heard Kiki mimicking him in her cage. Jack, awake now, decided to go up to the cockpit and say hello to Bill. He stretched and got up, a little unsteady due to the motion of the aircraft. He held his hands against the sides of the aircraft and made his way around the crate. It was quite narrow. In front of the crate was a small space before the curtained entrance to the cockpit.

As Jack rounded the crate, he could hear voices over the drone of the engines. He heard one of them clear their throat and then, when the engine pitch changed, he could hear the other voice clearly. He wasn't speaking English! And it wasn't Mike's accent, Jack was sure of that! Jack felt a little shiver run up and down his spine. He suddenly felt uneasy. Jack knew that Bill didn't have a cough, but it sounded like the cough came from the pilot's seat. Maybe Bill had decided to be the co-pilot. Jack knew that the pilot sat on the left. But no, Bill didn't have that accent either.

Suddenly, Jack felt afraid. He crept up to the curtained cockpit entrance and cautiously pulled the curtain to one side just enough so he could see in the cockpit. What he saw made his knees go weak.

Trembling, he quickly closed the curtain and made his way back to their sleeping quarters. He shook Philip urgently.

"Tufty, Philip, wake up," he whispered into Philip's ear.

Philip rolled over. "What... What is it..." he began.

"Shush," whispered Jack. "Listen, we're airborne. I just went up to the front to see Bill. Then I heard them talking in a foreign language and felt uneasy. So I peeped through the curtain. Philip, there are two strange men flying the plane. Bill is not on board."

Continues tomorrow...

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