The Great Galloon and the Pirate Queen by Tom Banks Read Free Book Online

talking.
    â€˜Clamdigger! Are we glad to see you! We need to find the Captain!’
    â€˜We heard the Sumbarooners talking!’ said the pink one, which Abel knew was related to the Countess, and so should be treated with grudging respect. He dropped the harness to the ground, and stamped a foot to get their attention.
    â€˜I am the superior officer here!’ he barked at the children.
    â€˜Oh, cod liver oil,’ cursed the pink one. Ranterson or some such, wasn’t it?
    â€˜Hello, Able Skyman Abel,’ said the furry blue one with the absurd little horn sticking out of its head.
    â€˜Hello, Able Skyman Abel indeed.’ Abel stepped out of the harness, and pushed his way through the circle of people to stand in front of the two small Gallooniers. ‘I’m terribly sorry, Mr Clamdigger, but it turns out that you will simply have to gird your loins and abseil into the boats yourself – I cannot be expected to do every little thing. Screw your courage to the sticking place, as they say, and get down there. It looks like I must take Strangely and Rallentando to see the Captain.’
    â€˜Yes, sorry, Clamdigger, we need to go straight away,’ said the scruffy girl-child sincerely. ‘You’ll have to make do without Skyman Abel’s help.’
    â€˜Sorry?’ said Clamdigger, who was halfway over the rail. ‘Oh dear. We’ll have to get by somehow. Abseiling party, take the strain, lower me gently, two tugs for faster, three to bring me back up, follow in pairs, on my call, three, four, go!’
    The group of onlookers, now looking even to Abel’s eyes like a well-drilled work party, had their backs to them, and were calmly going about their business.
    â€˜Worry not!’ called Abel. ‘I shall be back to oversee the towing later!’
    No-one responded. Probably awestruck, Abel decided.
    â€˜Well then, Stumpy and Razmatazz, what’s this nonsense you’ve made up about listening in to the Sumbaroon? It won’t do, you know, making things up just to get in the Captain’s good books.’
    And with the warm feeling that something could surely be made of this to help ensure his promotion, Abel put an arm on each child’s shoulder, and led them towards the Captain’s cabin.
    â€˜Good grief,’ said the blue one.

    Down in the Captain’s cabin, Stanley and Rasmussen were locked in. On the way there, they had told Abel all about the Sumbaroon, and the Great Brown Greasy Rococo River. Once in the cabin, he had sat them down, and pretended to go off to the toilet. As he had left, he had locked the door behind him, and called through the keyhole.
    â€˜Let’s see who gets promoted now then, eh?! I don’t know how you know it – I won’t be repeating all that poppycock about hearing the Sumbarooners talking! Ha! But I can’t wait to tell the Captain where his brother is going!’
    Rasmussen had shrugged, put her feet up on the Captain’s desk, and helped herself to some ship’s biscuits out of the Captain’s personal biscuit barrel.
    Stanley was a tad more concerned.
    â€˜I don’t care who tells the Captain where the Sumbaroon is heading, as long as
someone
does, and soon,’ he said.
    â€˜Abel will,’ said Rasmussen, spraying crumbs across the Captain’s desk. ‘He thinks he’ll get promoted.’
    â€˜What to?’ said Stanley. ‘Able Skyman isn’t even a thing, he just made it up. What next, Squadroon Leader? Bloon Leftenant?’
    â€˜Major Gasbag,’ said Rasmussen, idly flicking through a big book on the Captain’s desk. ‘What’s an “Atlas”?’
    â€˜Book of maps,’ said Stanley, searching round the doorframe for any hidden key, or secret handle.
    â€˜Urgh!’ said Rasmussen. ‘Been there, wiped my feet on that!’
    â€˜Maps! Not mats!’ said Stanley.
    â€˜Ooh!’
    Stanley heard the shuffle and