Jennifer Jane meets the North wind 3/3

"That Lieutenant Moonshine must have been watching in her crystal ball," said Jennifer Jane, "so I suppose this is where the North Wind lives."

"Of course it is," whispered a voice.

Jennifer Jane looked round. Sitting by a large fire was a rather peculiar looking old gentleman. He was as big as Jennifer Jane's dad, which was quite unusual, for nearly all the fairy folk Jennifer Jane had become used to meeting, were much smaller. He had great big rosy cheeks like balloons and kind twinkly eyes. Jennifer Jane liked him at once. He was sitting in a high-backed chair beside the blazing fire, with a brightly coloured blanket round his shoulders and his feet in a bowl of steaming hot water.

"Are you Mr. North Wind?" asked Jennifer Jane politely.

"Of course I am," repeated the old gentleman. "What can I do for you, young lady?"

"My name is Jennifer Jane and Lieutenant Moonshine sent me here because I wanted to ask you some questions."

"Aha," said the North Wind, still speaking in a husky whisper, "Lieutenant Moonshine now, eh? I didn't know she'd been promoted. Still, that explains the bump when you arrived. She always was a bit hasty, that one. Now then," he went on, "what are these questions you've been to so much trouble to ask me?"

"Please can you tell me why the wind blowing round our house sounds so much like Barnacle Bill's steam whistle? And why won't his whistle go hoot any more? And who's taken it by magic? And how can I get it back again? And...."

"Wait a moment," said the North Wind, "that's an awful lot of questions all in one go, you know. I’m afraid I took Barnacle Bill's hoot. I only needed it for a day or two and I didn't think he'd miss it so soon."

"Whatever for? And please can he have it back at once? He’s very upset about it," said Jennifer Jane.

"Well now," said Mr. North Wind, "it's rather a long story I'm afraid. You see, about a week ago I went to see my friend Mr. East Wind and although I enjoyed my visit very much and we had a long talk together, I’m afraid he has a very draughty house and I caught a nasty cold."

"Of course, now I understand," said Jennifer Jane, "that's why you're whispering, you've lost your voice."

"That's right," said Mr North Wind "and then the Clerk of the Weather asked me to blow some gales for him and of course I wasn't able to oblige at first. After all, who ever heard of the wind rattling your windows and blowing round corners without making a loud noise? Anyway, I wandered around for a day wondering what to do, when suddenly I heard your friend Barnacle Bill's steam whistle. It was very nearly the sort of noise I make when I'm blowing round the corner of a house and that gave me an idea, so I borrowed the noise it made by magic."

Jennifer Jane explained how very upset Barnacle Bill was and asked the North Wind when he could give him his hoot back again.

"I'm sorry," said Mr North Wind "but as you can see, I can't leave my house with this nasty cold and I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to handle the magic."

Jennifer Jane quite saw what he meant and was just going to sit down to try and think up an idea to get over the problem, when WHOOSH, off she went again, tumbling head over heels through the air and landing with yet another bump beside Barnacle Bill's steamer.

There was an ear splitting noise coming from the steam whistle. Barnacle Bill was leaning out of the wheelhouse window smiling all over his round goblin face. He was just keeping the whistle cord pulled down the whole time and the booming hoot echoed all round the clearing at the giant's pool.

Even the giant looked happy, in spite of the noise, because he was so pleased to see Barnacle Bill smile again. Jennifer Jane left them to it. There was no point in trying to explain while all that noise was going on. Lieutenant Moonshine had obviously been listening to her talk with the North Wind and had taken very quick action to return both Jennifer Jane and the missing hoot to their proper places.

"My goodness, there's a nasty storm down in the woods today," said dad as Jennifer Jane came indoors, "I do hope it doesn't move over this way."

Jennifer Jane laughed, "I don't think there's any chance of it doing that," she said, as she went into the dining room for her tea.