The chain of coincidences 7/11

After Jennifer Jane had shown the goblins her copy of the newspaper cutting, she went off to the giant's pool. Her adventure with Professor Edwards had made her rather later than she'd intended. She had hoped to see Barnacle Bill at the same time as the giant and was rather disappointed to find that she'd just missed him.

"He's only just this minute left me to go and visit some relatives," said the giant, when she'd managed to attract his attention. "He reckoned to be away about three weeks."

So three weeks later, she towed Drawrof on its trolley towards the pool, with a copy of the newspaper tucked into one of her pockets.

She waved to the giant as she climbed into her canoe and paddled along the stream towards the wishing fog. Not for a moment did she suspect that someone was watching from the nearby trees.

She would have been even more astonished if she'd known that the watcher was 'Mephisto the Magnificent'.

Malcolm watched her disappear. Then started to put his plan into operation, a quick twiddle later, anyone watching would have seen him as an old fisherman with a grey beard. He was dressed in a dirty blue jersey and rubber thigh boots rowing his heavy old-fashioned fishing boat downstream into a fog, where he vanished from sight.

As he entered the fog he asked for the same destination as the previous boat. Sure enough when he emerged, the kid was not too far ahead, just paddling easily towards Attersea Island.

Malcolm took a chance and used the instant travel spell. He found himself in Barnacle Bill's small harbour, hidden from the river by a screen of bushes. The paddle steamer wasn't at home which was fortunate, because he hadn't really got the time to arrange for Barnacle Bill's disappearance as well.

Jennifer Jane paddled happily towards her intended meeting with Barnacle Bill. She hoped he'd be in his harbour but if not, then the tide was right to help her along to the goblin boatyard. She'd be able to show Fern and all the workers her picture, have plenty of time to see how the new brig was progressing and still work her tide home in time for supper.

She was rather surprised to see a strange boat in the harbour. It appeared to be a local fishing boat pulled up on the beach.

An old fisherman was coiling a line into a wicker basket and looked up as she came through the screen of bushes.

“Morning Miss, lovely day." He continued with his work as Jennifer Jane ran her canoe up to the shore and got out. "Nice little craft you've got there, did your Dad make it for you?"

He came over and inspected Drawrof. "Wonderful what they can do with plastics these days. When I was a lad you had to cover these things with canvas and then paint it to keep the water out. Thirsty work though ain't it! Would you like a cup of tea? I've got a thermos in my boat."

Jennifer Jane agreed that a cup of tea would be nice and offered the friendly fisherman one of her sandwiches. "They're tuna and cucumber; I think you'll like them."

For some reason, it didn't occur to her to think it strange to find an ordinary human fisherman in Barnacle Bill's secret harbour.

They chatted away for a few more minutes, eating their sandwiches and drinking the strong black tea from the fisherman's flask. There was no sugar, so it was rather bitter but she didn't like to be rude and refuse to drink it. The tuna sandwich filling helped mask the taste, so she was able to drink a whole mug full without offending the fisherman.

"Gosh I'm feeling sleepy," she said, as she finished her meal. "Please don't think me rude but I feel I must lie down and have a quick snooze."

She walked across to her canoe and took the pad from her backrest. She used this as a pillow and lying down on the shingle, made herself comfortable and was soon fast asleep.

She didn't feel a thing as Malcolm picked her up and laid her down in Drawrof. He made the painter fast to his rowing boat and set off towards the wishing fog.

"Canoe and its crew to world seven hundred and twenty four, rowing boat and crew back to Therdle in world fifty seven. Thankyou," he added politely.