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 27: Back to Normal

The boys had hot showers, then a feast, and felt much better. The children were sitting in the bright airy day room on board the aircraft carrier. They even had a small balcony overlooking the flight deck. The children watched, fascinated, as aircraft were steam-catapulted off the front and planes landed at the back. It really was like a busy floating airport.

Peter Wilson had gone off with Bill and some of the ship's officers, so the children were left alone. After the boys had changed, they sat with the girls on the balcony in the hot sun. They boys had already told their story to the girls twice.

"Now, tell us what happened to you after you left the submarine," said Jack, lounging back with a cold drink and enjoying the sun. "Golly, this sun feels nice after being inside the beastly island for so long."

"Well," said Dinah, "After we left you, the sailors were ever so nice to us. They took us to a small waiting patrol boat. Then we slept in a nice cabin through the night. This morning, a helicopter picked us up and transferred us to this aircraft carrier. They said that as soon as they could, they'd get us a flight off the carrier and back home."

"Then," said Lucy-Ann, "we were just lazing around worrying about you three when an officer came in to say that you'd been rescued, and here you are."

Just then Bill walked out onto the balcony. "Hi kids," he said with a grin. "How are you enjoying your cruise?"

"Oh Bill, it's beautiful," said Lucy-Arm, her blue eyes shining. "Especially now we're all together again."

"Bill," asked Jack seriously. "Did you catch those men?"

"We've caught most of them," said Bill. "And MI6 have leads on the others, thanks to that little black book Philip found, and the notes that Dr. Wilson gave to us. We'll get them."

"What were they doing?" asked Dinah.

"They were international terrorists, people who like to use weapons to terrorize law-abiding people. They used the island as a base to build weapons and them smuggle them to people who would use them to get what they wanted."

"What about Big Bertha'?" asked Lucy-Ann.

"Arnold, the ring leader, got too greedy. Big Bertha was an experimental long range missile designed to reach targets many many miles away. And that is where Peter Wilson, the scientist, came into it. Peter was a brilliant scientist working for our government, when we all thought he died in an aeroplane crash. In reality, as you know, he hadn't. He had been kidnapped by this gang to help them perfect Big Bertha. Dr. Wilson has spent the last two years imprisoned on this island. His wife and family are happy he's alive and well and are looking forward to seeing him when he arrives in London."

Bill paused and then pulled something out of his left pocket. "Do you remember this?" he asked the children.

Jack nodded. "Yes, that's that fragment that we found at Eagle Grange."

"Yes, it is. MI6 have confirmed that it's a fragment of a missile from this gang."

Jack voiced the children's thoughts. "But why would they want to blow up Eagle Grange?"

"We don't really know," said Bill. "But I can guess. It seems that the owner of Eagle Grange, from whom we let the house, has disappeared. The information in those papers that Dr. Wilson gave to us suggests that the owner of Eagle Grange is involved. lt is possible that the gang thought the owner had switched sides and was working with the police and decided to get rid of him. After all, he did let a house to the wife and children of a high ranking police detective! At least that's what Scotland Yard and MI6 are telling me." Bill looked thoughtful.

There was a knock at the door. Bill opened the door. "Time to go, Mr. Cunningham," said a deck steward.

"Oh Bill, what about Morris? I can't take him with us!" said Philip in alarm.

"Don't worry, Philip. The Navy will see that Morris is returned to an island he can live on. Come on, we're going home. Have you ever been catapulted off an aircraft carrier before?"

A chorus of voices filled the room. "No, really?" – "You're kidding!" – "Golly, what will the boys at school say." – "Pop goes the weasel." That last one was Kiki of course!

"Oh, Bill, I hope we have a good pilot. I've had enough of aeroplane adventures for a lifetime," said Lucy-Ann.

"He's the best," said Bill with the familiar twinkle in his eyes. "Come on, let's get down to the flight deck."

Bill led the children, and Kiki of course, to a twin engine aircraft that was sitting on the flight deck. The aeroplane was larger than Bill's. The children exclaimed when they got on board.

"Look at this, a movie projector!"

"And look at all the food!"

"Wow, look how much room there is back here. Are we the only people on board?" asked Philip in wonder.

"Yes," said Bill. "Now fasten your seat belts and hold on to Kiki, it's going to be a fast takeoff." Bill got on board the aeroplane, sat in the pilot's seat and put his headphones on. Mike took the co-pilot's seat.

The children looked at each other in surprise. Was Bill actually able to fly this aeroplane off the aircraft carrier?

Bill looked back and saw their surprised faces. He grinned. "Don't worry. I've spent a lot of time flying off carriers. This is old hand to me. It's more fun than flying out of airports. Oh, how do you like my new aeroplane?"

"Bill, is this really yours?" asked Lucy-Ann in delight.

"It is for work, but I'm sure we can fly it for fun sometimes too," said Bill grinning wildly. "My superiors were so happy to get Dr. Wilson back and most of the gang, they pulled a few strings with MI6 and managed to get me this beauty. I've had my eye on it for a while. The head of MI6, a person mysteriously called 'M', used to be flown around in this. Or so they tell me. Now, are you ready? Let's go!"

Bill set the brake and the opened up the throttle. The children could feel the aeroplane shudder under the power of the engines. Suddenly the plane shot forward at an incredible speed. The children were pushed right back into their seats and couldn't move. Soon the aeroplane was climbing normally and the children looked back and saw the aircraft carrier becoming a speck in the distance.

"Is that the island?" said Philip after a while, pointing to the left. "I think it is. Look, there's the other island that we tried to sail to. Golly, there's not much left of ours." The children pressed their faces to the window, trying to see what was left. The aeroplane flew on, headed for England and home.

"Oh," said Bill over his shoulder, "your mother will be meeting us at the aerodrome, and then we're going to fly up to my old home like we originally planned. Your mother too!"

Lucy-Ann hugged her knees. They were safe – and off to Bill's old home! And Aunt Ally would be with them too! What could be better? "I'm glad we're going home," she said happily. The others agreed with her.

"But all the same," said Philip, still looking back at the island, "I really enjoyed our adventure. It's too bad the island has been blown up. I would like to have gone back and explored those tunnels."

"What a pity," said Kiki, who as usual was on Jack's shoulder. "What a pity. God Save the King."

Oh Kiki, you always get the last word!

The End

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