body of the watch. He took hold of the control-arm and moved it again to the left. The gyroflyer lurched and dived and Juliusâs stomach somersaulted.
âWeâll find some open ground to land and then itâs back to our realm to sort out this Jack Springheel cove,â said the professor, as they sped above the sharp rooves of the Grackack city. âDo you see any clear space, gentlemen?â
Juliusâs eyes were darting back and forth from the rapidly descending dial to the rapidly approaching ground below. There were only narrow streets and tall chimneys belching out black smoke.
âOver there, Professor,â said Mr Flynn, pointing to a main thoroughfare. It was too early in the morning to be crowded and it looked just wide enough for the gyroflyerâs blades.
âExcellent, Danny,â said the professor, dipping the flying contraption in that direction. âHold on tight. Landing a gyroflyer is not a skill I have completely mastered.â
The few Grackacks on the street scattered as the gyroflyer plunged towards them. It hit the ground with such force that it bounced into the air again, sending Juliusâs carpetbag catapulting from his lap. The professor slumped forward like a rag doll. With the wind knocked out of him Julius braced himself as well as he could as he watched the ground coming closer a second time. Moments later the gyroflyer connected with the street once more. This time it did not bounce as much but the blades hit a building on the side of the street. The force of the collision sent brick, wood and glass scattering as the flying machine turned to the right and embedded itself in a shop window.
Juliusâs hands were trembling too violently to unbuckle the straps holding him in. As the dust around the crashed craft began to settle, he saw what he took to be the shopâs proprietor, wearing a white apron and holding a sweeping brush, staring at the flying machine where his window display should have been. Strange looking fruits and vegetables were strewn everywhere and a upturned barrel of pickles was oozing its contents across the floor. Just be thankful he canât see you, Higgins. An apology probably wouldnât go down very well.
Mr Flynn expertly unbuckled his straps. âLetâs be off before we cause any more mayhem.â He then leaned across the dazed professor to undo Juliusâs strap. âWeâll have to make a quick exit, as they say in the music hall.â
âHow? Where to?â
âWeâll do a bit of temporal travelling.â
âWhat?â
âA time-jump, Julius. Just a small one.â
CHAPTER 10
Thursday 6th July, 1837
5:03 AM
âDid you say time-jump, Mr Flynn?â said Julius.
âThat I did,â said Mr Flynn, shaking the professor gently by the shoulders. âThe professorâs out for the count. Weâll have to jump to home base and then decide what to do.â
The Grackack shopkeeper leapt out of the puddle of pickles forming around his feet and let out a cry of anger and despair. He kicked the gyroflyer so hard that Julius felt the jolt. Other Grackacks were arriving at the scene, getting in the shopkeeperâs way. One was surreptitiously pocketing vegetables. The watch remained in the air, an armâs length from Juliusâits blue light protecting them from the Grackack vibration field, for the time being.
âWhatâs home base, Mr Flynn?â asked Julius to distract himself from the time-jump question.
âBest not worry about that, for now. Iâll explain it when we get there. Just donât panicâ¦no matter what happens next. Iâd like to have the time to explain it, but I donât soâ¦here goesâ¦â
âBut, hang on, waitââ
Mr Flynn held the professorâs hand out as if it were a rag dollâs and tapped his finger twice against the side of the pocketwatch.
âHere we go. Hold hands like youâre
Doug Beason Kevin J Anderson