The Amazing Airship Adventure (4 page)

Chapter 7: Chasing the Bomber

Steven the cab driver cracked his whip, and he made his horse gallop as fast as she could go. Jimmy and Emma felt like the cab they were in might fly off the road, at the speed Steven was going.

“Don't lose them, Steven,” Emma called.

“I'm doing the best I can, miss, but he's got a four wheeler pulled by two cob horses. I've only got my Bess here, and she's going as fast as she can!” Steven called back. “Don't worry, ma'am, I won't lose him.”

“Yeah, but I might lose my lunch,” Jimmy said, while holding his belly. He wasn't used to fast motion and was feeling a little sick.

The two horse-drawn carriages continued to fly through London, past cathedrals and towers, swerving between bus carriages and people walking along the street. As they traveled, the mad bomber continued to get further and further away. Finally, they moved away from the busy streets of London and out into the countryside. Tree branches smashed against the side of the cab, and Bess gave an occasional loud, “Neigh!” But she didn't let up. The four wheeler in front of them remained in sight. They swerved along a forgotten, muddy road, and then suddenly, they could see a massive, pointed structure in front of them.

“What is that?” Emma asked.

“I know exactly what it is,” said Jimmy. “It's a big top tent.”

Steven brought the carriage to a halt with a loud “Whoa!” He made sure they weren't close to the tent, so no one in the tent would see them. The twins watched the four wheeled carriage, with S.H. on its side, stop right in front of the circus tent. Two big, gruff men got out, opened the doorway flaps, and the carriage disappeared into the tent.

“You did it, Steven!” Emma called out. She climbed out of the cab and gave the thin driver a big hug.

“Now, Miss,” Steve said, turning a little red, “none of that mushy stuff. I owe you two kids for helping me dad out when he was in a jam, and no one else would believe he was innocent. You need something, you just ask me, okay?”

“I do have one more favor,” Emma continued. “I need you to go back to town and tell Sherlock Holmes what we've discovered. Tell him about the chase, the tent, everything, and bring him back here.”

“Of course, miss I…Wait a minute,” Steven said, “What are you two up to? I can't leave you here all alone.”

“We're just going to keep watch,” Jimmy said, looking up at the 18 year old driver.

Steven's green eyes twinkled, and he gave a nod. “All right! If I know I can trust anyone, it's you two.” With that, Steven called out to Bess, and the cab flew off back to London.

The twins watched the cab take off and waved goodbye to their trusted friend. Then, Jimmy said to Emma, “Come on, let's go see what's in that circus tent.”

Emma laughed, “But, I thought you said we were just going to keep watch.”

“Of course we are,” Jimmy grinned. “We'll keep watch as we walk into that tent. And we'll keep watch as we discover just who that mad bomber is.”

As the twins crept through the woods to the circus tent, they updated each other on what had happened when they were separated. Jimmy told Emma about the news office. In fact, he was still dressed in his outfit.

Emma told Jimmy how they found the mad bomber's carriage.

“I found Steven, and we started combing the streets of London, looking for that cab. As fortune would have it, we discovered his cab parked in front of an apothecary. Just as I was about to get out and investigate, the mad bomber got back into his carriage, and took off into the streets. Steven was able to follow him, and when he turned past the news office, we stopped to get you.”

“Why would he need medicine?” Jimmy wondered.

“Let's find out,” Emma said. They had made their way to the circus tent. It was tied down in many spots, but the twins lifted a flap and were able to sneak in.

What they discovered amazed them. There were no lions, no clowns, and no trapeze wires in this tent. Instead, laying out on the big top ground was none other than the barrel shaped airship!

Chapter 8: Sabotage!

The twins couldn't believe their eyes. The airship lay before them, its large metal frame bobbing up and down slightly, while its body was tied to the ground.

“That's how it's been kept hidden,” Emma whispered to Jimmy, so no one would hear them. “I wondered how an object as big as that ship could be kept hidden. Of course, under a tent! That's why no one has seen it, and the newspapers think it is a hoax.”

“Well, the coast is clear,” said Jimmy. He pointed to the lower base of the airship, where the pilot sits. “That bottom part, which looks like a carriage, is called the gondola. It's where the mad bomber controls the airship. Come on! Let's get a closer look.”

Jimmy took off before Emma could stop him, and she reluctantly followed. They went to the body of the airship, below the barrel frame, and they were surprised to see how much it really looked like a cross between a carriage and a boat.

“Let's go in,” Jimmy said, finding the door to the device unlocked.

“Jimmy,” Emma snapped in a harsh whisper. “What if someone sees us? We should wait for Sherlock Holmes to get here.”

“He might not make it in time,” Jimmy stated, as he walked into the gondola, and turned towards the airship's control room. “Wow! Look at this!”

The control room was much like the bridge of a ship that would sail through the ocean. There was a steering wheel at the helm, although it was at a level for someone sitting instead of someone standing. Just next to the steering wheel was a bike pedal device. The mad bomber was pedaling on it when he threw the rock into 221B Baker Street. There was another steering wheel to the side of the pedals, just above the floor.

“Why are there two steering wheels?” Emma wondered.

They control different parts of the airship,” Jimmy explained. “The wheel at the front steers the ship to the left and right in the air, much like the controls of a steam ship. The side wheel is the elevator. It positions the ship to move up or down.”

“That makes sense. It is more complicated than I expected. What about the pedals? Are the pedals used to power the airship?” Emma asked. “It seems like they wouldn't generate enough power.”

“They don't,” Jimmy explained. He showed Emma how wires from the bike pedals led down to a battery connected to the flood light. “The bike pedals are used to charge the blinding light the mad bomber uses to scare people. Remember, it made the crowd in the street scatter, and it blinded mom and dad.”

“Oh, I remember,” Emma said with a shake of her head. “It's not a memory I shall soon forget. But if this pedal is for the flood light, what is powering the airship?”

“Two things,” Jimmy explained. “There is a gas inside the barrel above us that is most likely hydrogen. It gives the airship the lift it needs, like a balloon lifting off into the sky.”

“That gives the ship the lift,” Emma nodded, thinking it through. “What propels the ship?”

“If we go to the rear of the gondola, we'll find a steam engine that powers the ship,” Jimmy explained. He brought Emma to the back of the gondola, where there was a separate small room. Jimmy opened the door and pointed to a large steam engine, with wires going off to the left and right of the ship. Emma looked out the windows. She saw two propellers on the side wings connected to the engine wires.

“Now, it all makes sense!” Emma said. “We need to go and stop this bomber from destroying London.”

“Wait, let's look at the engine. We might be able to-”

Just then, a loud cackling laughter was heard as a man opened the door to the airship.

“Quick, we need to hide,” Emma said. She saw a small closet off to the side of the engine room. Before hiding, Jimmy grabbed some of the engine wires, moved them around, and then jumped into the closet with his sister. They closed the door, just in time, as three men entered the engine room.

The twins could see the first man was the mad bomber, and Jimmy saw that he clearly was not Sherlock Holmes. The man removed his deerstalker hat, and he ruffled his hands through his scraggly gray hair. He was short and stocky, had piercing, wicked black eyes, a wrinkly forehead, and was missing a chunk of the top of his left ear. The henchmen were muscular, bald, and covered in tattoos.

“Wait until Sherlock Holmes and his brother see what I have in store for them,” the mad bomber said and held up a small bundle of dynamite sticks taped together. “Now that I have the final ingredients from the apothecary, the dynamite is complete. The Holmes brothers will be at 221B Baker Street, expecting me to collect the ransom. Instead, I will toss this dynamite to them and Boom!” the bomber said and threw his arms up in the air, acting like an explosion. His two henchmen laughed.

“But boss,” one of the henchmen said, “Why don't we collect the money? You had them bring a million pounds to the house.”

“Moron!” the bomber yelled at the henchman. “Don't be so stupid! Once I blow up Sherlock Holmes and his brother Mycroft, then everyone will know my power. We can have as much money as we want. We can take over London. We could even take over the entire world!”

The twins gasped in horror at the mad bomber's plan.

“Now,” the mad bomber continued, “It is time. Hand me my escape pack,” he said to the shorter of the two henchmen, who handed the mad bomber something that looked like a backpack. “Ready the tent!” he called to them, and the two henchmen left the aircraft.

“What are we going to do?” asked Emma. “If we leave, they'll see us.”

“I know,” Jimmy said. “We might be able to-”

Jimmy was interrupted by the loud roar of the steam engine. The twins opened the door to the closet and peeked out. No one was in the engine room. “Quick! Let's go!” Jimmy exclaimed.

The twins got out, just to see that they were too late. Jimmy and Emma felt a shifting under their feet as the airship lifted into the air.

“Oh, No!” Emma called. She and Jimmy looked out the window. They saw the henchmen pull back the top sheets of the big top tent. The airship continued upwards and upwards into the sky, heading to London, heading to destroy Sherlock Holmes!

Chapter 9:An Amazing Escape

As the airship lifted further and further into the sky, Jimmy and Emma saw the tent below them get smaller and smaller. It felt like the ship was going to touch the sun, when suddenly, it paused in the air and began moving forward through the clouds, heading straight for London.

“We have to stop the bomber!” Emma stated. “We have to save London!”

“Don't worry about London,” Jimmy said, pointing to the steam engine. “I reversed some of the wires, just give it a second and-”

BANG! Huge sparks shot out of the side of the steam engine. It sputtered and stopped working. Jimmy and Emma ran back to the closet as they heard the mad bomber approaching. Before closing the door, Emma gave Jimmy a thumbs up for destroying the engine.

“What is this?!” The mad bomber screamed as he looked at the engine. “It's ruined! I'll never be able to fix this now! But who could have…”

The mad bomber reached for the handle of the closet, and with a quick turn and a yank, he flung the door open, discovering Jimmy and Emma.

“So, brave fools are you?” he said, and he laughed at the twins. “You really think you've stopped me? You really think I can't build another airship and attack London again?”

“You're not going to build anything unless you land this airship!” Jimmy said sternly.

“Get the airship on the ground before it's too late for all of us,” Emma added.

The mad bomber let out an evil cackle of laughter. “It might be too late for you, but not for me!” he sneered at Jimmy and Emma. The mad bomber pointed to the pack he wore on his back. “This is my escape route. Too bad there's only one.”

The bomber ran over to the main door, threw it open, and dived out into the sky. Emma couldn't believe the man had jumped off the airship! The twins both watched the mad bomber fall faster and faster to the Earth. Then, suddenly, his backpack opened, and what looked like a large blanket emerged.

“It's a parachute!” Jimmy said. “I've heard of them, but I've never seen one in person. I'd love to see one up close.”

“There won't be a chance to see one at all if we don't get off this thing,” Emma snapped. “We have to get this airship on the ground, without crashing it.”

“Any ideas?” Jimmy asked.

“I have one,” Emma said. “If we tear some holes in the airship barrel, we can release a small amount of hydrogen. As long as it doesn't leak too fast, we should be able to get this ship safely back on the ground.”

“Great idea!”Jimmy smiled. He found a knife among some of the tools in the back of the closet.
This will work perfectly
, he thought to himself and then ran to the airship door. “I'll have to climb out there,” he explained, pointing to the top of the gondola. “Wish me luck!”

“Be careful,” Emma said, “Make sure you hold on tight to the ladder rungs on the side of the ship. If we hit a gust of wind…”

“I know. I know,” Jimmy nodded grimly. “I'll try to be as fast as possible.”

Jimmy put the blade of the knife between his teeth, grabbed a ladder rung, and climbed out onto the airship. He tried not to look down, but at one point, he couldn't help it. He was miles above the ground. If he fell….he shuddered at the thought.

The boy climbed the final rung and could now feel the smooth, rigid, barrel body of the ship above him. Jimmy carefully removed the blade from between his teeth, clenched the knife in his hand, and slashed the fabric with all his might. FWISH! Came the sound of the hydrogen seeping out of the airship sack. Jimmy cut several more holes and could feel the hydrogen flowing out of the barrel.

Suddenly, the airship gave a lurch as a gust of wind smashed into it. “Whoa!” Jimmy called, and the knife fell out of his hand, smacked against the side of the gondola, then plummeted down through the clouds. Jimmy clung onto the rail as he slipped and lost his footing. He held on with all his might, his feet dangling in the air. Jimmy kicked his feet out, searching for a rail, feeling his grip slipping away. If he didn't get a foothold soon, he would fall and then..Finally, his feet found a rung, and Jimmy was able to hold himself up. He gave a loud sigh of relief and began moving back toward the door. He had to get back inside the airship, quickly. If another blast of wind hit, he might be a goner.

Taking the last few, final, ladder steps, Jimmy got back to the doorway. Emma grabbed his hand, and she pulled him back into the safety of the airship cabin.

“Are you okay?” Emma asked. “When that wind hit, I wasn't sure if you'd make it.”

“Neither was I, but I'm back inside, in one piece,” Jimmy gave a slight smile. “What more could I ask for? Now, we just have to wait for the hydrogen to leak out.”

While the airship began its slow descent, the twins explored the airship cabin. Jimmy took notes on how the two steering wheels were used to control the ship. Emma opened all the compartments and doors, finding hidden supplies of food and water. She even found a hidden bay underneath the floor. There, Emma pulled out a strange, large, triangular shaped device.

“Emma, we have a problem!” Jimmy yelled to his sister. Emma ran over to Jimmy and saw the big problem. Directly in front of the airship was a large windmill. If they crashed into it, the airship would surely explode!

Jimmy clutched the steering wheels, trying to turn them, but he couldn't change course fast enough. “I can't stop it, Emma!”

“Don't worry, Jimmy, I found another escape route.” She pointed to the folded triangular object.

“It's a glider,” Jimmy grinned. “Emma, you just saved our lives!”

Within seconds, the twins were in front of the gondola doorway, strapped into the giant wing. The airship was moving closer and closer to the windmill, faster and faster it approached.

“It's now or never,” Emma called. “1..2..3!” With that, the twins jumped off the ship and soared into the air.

They just made it. With a violent BOOM! The airship crashed into the windmill. Flames erupted into the sky.

“Uh-Oh!” Jimmy shouted to Emma. Some sparks had landed on the glider. Fire burst out on the left side of the wing.

“Hang on!” Emma called. She swung the glider straight at a forest of trees as the fire began to engulf the hang glider.