Chapter 4

Mabel dreamed. A dark, empty space held her and wouldn’t let go. Suddenly, a loud voice filled her ears. A voice that she’d heard before. But she couldn’t quite recognise who it was. As soon as the voice had appeared, a face appeared. A face she hadn’t seen for 5 years. Her beloved Mama’s. Her Mama drifted further and further away. Her Mama was talking to her. Her father was also with her; the moment she was born. They were both crying and soon, Mabel found herself crying too. Then, the picture disappeared. ” Nooooo!” Mabel screamed. ” Let me see them again!” she cried.

Mabel woke with a jolt. She was panting rapidly and she was sweating. ” Well, that was a rough night.” she whispered to herself. Just then, Tinker bounded in to the room and onto Mabel’s bed. ” How was your sleep?” asked Tinker. ” Fine.” lied Mabel. The both ran downstairs and planned their day. Today they were going to snatch the locket and the diamond back. Mabel ran outside. ” Hurry up Tinker! ” shouted Mabel. But Tinker had fallen asleep.

” Oi, I was taking a power nap!” cried Tinker. ” No time. We have to leave!” replied Mabel. Mabel grabbed Tinker and tucked her into her coat pocket. ” Let me out!” came a muffled voice from the pocket. Mabel ran back outside and out of Iron Wood Manor House. A moment later, the sound of an airship engine filled their ears. The airship was rising and Mabel could see Professor BlackSnake on board. He had something silver around his neck. The Locket! BlackSnake was carefully opening it and placing two diamonds inside instead of the one. The Dark Diamond and the Forever Together diamond. ” Tinker look! There’s a rope hanging down! Let’s climb it!” said Mabel.

Clambering up, Mabel’s hands began to get sore. She finally made it to the top while BlackSnake was steering the airship. But Mabel could hear him talking to someone. A voice from the dream. Not her Mama but her Dad! She glanced around the door to see her Dad tied up to the pole of the airship. She still couldn’t tell what they were saying.

” Rapscallions and thieves!” The airship was about a metre above the ground and it refused to go any higher. ” Oh come on!” shouted the Professor. Mabel ran to her locket but as she did so the wooden floor creaked. Suddenly, BlackSnake turned around and pounced at Mabel and poor Tinker. Tinker was on the edge of the ship and as soon as BlackSnake ran towards her, he tripped onto the grass below. ” Luckily, the ship is not very high at all!” laughed Tinker.

Aggressively, Mabel grabbed at the rope tied around her father and snapped it. All the rope came loose and her father pulled the rope off his legs. ” Oh, Mabel! Thankyou! Now let’s get out of here! I’ll drive.”

Mabel’s father managed to drive the airship home with Mabel, Tinker, her Locket and both diamonds. Mabel, Tinker and Mabel’s Father sat on the professor’s airship, the Silver Robin, and gazed around them. The sunset sky looked like a painting and down below field of animals and flowers made Iron Wood a wonderful place to live. As for Tinker, she climbed back in to Mabel’s coat pocket and went to sleep