“Phew-phee-ooh!” went Cambor.
Yes I know that’s not much like what a whistle sounds like, but it’s the best I can do. Really.
“Phew-phee-ooh!” went Poolbear again.
(Try it. It’s not that bad.)
Poolbear was calling his penny-farthing bicycle, Snaffkins.
“Ooh!” said Drindel Zildith with a big grin. “A bike ride! How nice!”
And sure enough, weaving through all the Zildiths partying away, here came Snaffkins.
Remember what a penny-farthing bike looks like? You don’t? OK then, go to http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_4/brent/pennyfarthing.gif
“Mmmm” said Cambor, looking at the bike as it stood there in front of them. “Do we have to, Poolbear Zildith? Can’t we just walk and find out what Dot wants to know? I mean… the book forest… it’s only a little walk, after all!”
Dot was amazed to see Snaffkins wobble a bit, then go “Ting ting tiiiinggg…” on his bell. It was a sad kind of a sound, which trailed away.
Then he fell over.
All the Zildiths seemed to be used to this kind of behaviour – they just moved out of the way as poor Snaffkins fell, making a space so he could lie there with his big wheel spinning, going “Clack... clack… clack… ” while his little back wheel went round too, going “Click… click… click… ”
“Now look what you’ve done, Cambor Zildith” said Poolbear, wagging his finger angrily at his friend. “You’ve hurt his feelings!”
Cambor let out a huge sigh, and the dragons on his cloak, who’d all gathered in a corner of it so they could see what was going on, giggled and hissed at each other.
“Really, Poolbear!” he said. “You spoil that bike! Honestly!”
“Say it!” said Poolbear. “You’ve got to say it, Camby! Be nice! You know you are really!”
Cambor let out another huge sigh, emptied the glass he was holding (which immediately filled up again with a drink coloured deep purple), and took a delicious-looking little gold and blue tart off one of the flying trays. Then:
“Best bike!” he went, with a huge effort. “Bikey-wikey-wikey! Good wheels! Special saddle! Bikety-wikety-wikety!”
Wizzie giggled – it was obvious that Cambor really hated what he was doing. Mr Mouse let out a VERY large squeak of mouse-laughter - and got a look from Cambor which would have turned him into a small pile of mouse-ash, if looks were more than just looks, and could be death-rays too.
But it seemed to work!
“TING-A-LING-A-LING!” went Snaffkins, jumping up again. “TING-A-LING-A-LING-A-LING-A-LING!!!”
He was obviously a very happy penny-farthing bike once again.
And off they all went, deep into the book forest.
Yes... I know… how do you get SIX people – Dot, Wiz, Drindel, Poolbear, Cambor AND Cruncher – Mr Mouse doesn’t really count, he’s just too little (PLEASE don’t tell him I said that) – all onto a penny-farthing bike?
Well, all anyone had to do to get a ride on Snaffkins, was to give that little push with their feet, and like magic, a new seat and handlebars appeared. And, what’s more, just like before, you didn’t have to do anything to get on.
Up you went – whether the seat came out of the crossbar, or over the little wheel at the back, or even went “zzzztthhh” and came out in front of the handle bars. Cruncher got that one, OF course!
“This is a RIDE!” he said. “Think I’ll fix me some of this for my cyber-bike!”
(Snaffkins did a little shudder when he said this – cyber bikes NOT being good news in Phargon – apart from Cruncher’s, that is!)
So, with the Children of the Casement gliding along behind them on their silver wheel shoes, Dot and her friends went into the Book Forest to find out the meaning of the word ‘Acclaim’.
Of course, she already knew what it felt like to have an ‘Acclaim’.
Now she would find out what the word meant.
And, she realized as they plunged into the cool depths of the forest, much much more!!
