The Great Galloon and the Pirate Queen by Tom Banks Page B

Another of Clamdigger’s many recent improvements around the Galloon was a tiny little outboard motor-propeller for the weather balloon, so that it was nowadays not entirely at the mercy of the winds. Cloudier had the tiller of this little put-put engine in her other hand, and she used it to steer them towards the waterfall as they fell slowly towards the cliff face.
    â€˜Woah!’ said Cloudier. ‘I mean … how exquisite they are!’
    She pointed at the waterfall, where little fishes, like bejewelled ribbons, were clinging to the rock face, and occasionally making heroic upwards leaps against the current. They seemed able to stick to the rocks like sticky tape, but nevertheless their efforts must have been exhausting.
    â€˜Tinselfish!’ said the Captain.
    â€˜Beautiful things!’ said Ms Huntley.
    â€˜Indeed,’ said the Captain, and the look they gave each other gave Cloudier such a shock that she didn’t even think of writing a poem about the beautiful fish and their uphill struggle.
    â€˜Erp …’ she said uselessly, and then had to jerk the handle of the little outboard motor sharply, as a shape came flying out of the mist below them. It was one of the FishTank’s hooked cable-arms, searching for a purchase on the rock.
    â€˜Not meant for us, I don’t think!’ said the Captain, as they lurched away from the cliff.
    â€˜No – but we should be careful nonetheless!’ said Ms Huntley. ‘Here it comes!’
    As the cable found a purchase on the mossy rocks, the rest of the FishTank came into view. They were so close they could hear the whirring and clanking of hydraulics as it hauled itself against the relentless current. It was a shiny thing, almost as beautiful as the tinselfish, its overlapping panels shining as it shrugged the water off. Almost before they had seen it, it was past them, as Cloudier had to flash the burner to bring them alongside again.
    â€˜ISABELLAAAA!’ the Captain suddenly yelled, making Cloudier and her mother jump out of their skins.
    â€˜Meredith!’ snapped Ms Huntley. ‘I know this is hard! But if she were able to hear you, she would not be able to do anything about it. We must remain calm.’
    â€˜I have remained calm for many months, as my brother holds my beautiful bride against her will! How long can any man hold these things inside? I must save her!’
    And to Cloudier’s astonishment, the Captain seemed ready to leap from the balloon onto the FishTank, where he would certainly be thrown off by the current and dashed against the rocks below.
    â€˜Up, Cloudier!’ called Ms Huntley.
    â€˜No! Keep her steady!’ said the Captain.
    Cloudier, without so much as a moment’s thought, brought the balloon up and away from the FishTank.
    â€˜Cloudier!’ said the Captain, aghast. But then he turned and saw the looks on the faces of his companions, and was quiet.
    â€˜We can’t let you blunder into a foolish accident,’ said Cloudier’s mother calmly. ‘You will be no use to Isabella if you are smashed to pieces down there.’
    She pointed down to the base of the falls, where the churning water and razor-sharp rocks meant certain death for anyone who fell in.
    â€˜No, of course, you are right. We need a plan …’ said the Captain. ‘Thank you as ever, Harissa, Cloudier, my moments of …’
    â€˜Enough! When we are safe back onboard the Galloon, just the three of us, then you may say what you wish …’ said Harissa.
    â€˜Four of us,’ said the Captain. ‘Isabella will be there too.’
    â€˜Of course,’ said Ms Huntley. Cloudier saw her look at her feet, as she did when she wasn’t saying everything she wanted to say.
    â€˜Look!’ said Cloudier.
    The FishTank was almost level with them again, and was now very nearly at the top of the falls. But it had stopped, its two cables clinging to rocks right at the