Davina Dupree's Bizarre Birthday Balloon Ride Read Free Page B

trip with Hugo and Hattie, seeing as their parents had to pull out at the last minute due to work commitments.’
    â€˜Well that was kind of you,’ Mr Duffy said. ‘But a shame you had to miss out on your fun. Oh well, I’m sure there’ll be other festivals. And those two monkeys need someone to watch over them.’ He nodded in the direction of Hugo and Hattie, who were trying to climb up the side of the balcony.
    â€˜Get down this minute,’ Amy yelled, standing up. ‘Do you want to fall overboard?’
    Hugo and Hattie jumped backwards and shook their heads, giggling.
    â€˜They try and behave with a tiny bit of common sense for the rest of the trip,’ Amy said. She sighed. ‘Look, why don’t we all go to my cabin; I’ve brought some art and craft activities with me, let’s go and choose one to do for the rest of the morning.’
    I leaned back in my chair as the trio traipsed off down the stairs. As I watched the crimson sky magically turn purple then blue, I felt so peaceful and thought I could happily live up here forever.
    But seconds after that thought had floated through my mind, Giles, let out a loud yell and the balloon shot upwards!
    Arabella and I jumped up and turned round, to see the usually calm and smiling Giles tugging on the clasps at the ends of the burners, his brow furrowed.
    â€˜Can we do anything to help, Giles?’ I asked. The poor thing was beginning to sweat.
    â€˜The burners are jammed, I can’t turn the fire down,’ Giles said through gritted teeth, pulling on one of the clasps with all his might. ‘I just don’t understand. This balloon passed five different safety checks before we set off; there’s no way this should be happening.’
    â€˜What happens if you can’t turn the fire down?’ Arabella walked over to where Giles was standing and stared at the clasps.
    â€˜Then I won’t be able to control the hot air that takes us up or down,’ Giles panted. ‘Basically, the balloon will keep rising up and up.’
    â€˜Oh no,’ I said, looking around wildly. ‘Can anybody help?’
    â€˜Eh?’ Mr Duffy shouted from his table. He wore his usual toothy grin and was dusting millions of croissant crumbs off his old coat. ‘What’s the matter? Speak up girl.’
    â€˜Giles can’t turn the burners down,’ I shouted, aware that my voice was coming out as a scream. ‘Can you think of anything that might help, Mr Duffy?’
    â€˜Oh yes, I think I might just have something that will help,’ Mr Duffy cackled as he held on to the table edge and heaved himself up. ‘Hold on there, I’ll be back in a tick.’ He tottered off towards the staircase, Crackers close behind him.
    â€˜Where’s he going?’ Arabella said. She’s usually quite calm in a crisis but even her voice sounded strained; the idea of floating up and away into outer space was clearly freaking us both out.
    Time seemed to slow down as we watched Giles get a hammer from his tool kit and bash a clasp side-on. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more helpless in my life, Diary. I wondered if Mr Duffy was losing his marbles and had actually gone for a nap. But I shouldn’t have doubted him, a few minutes later his white crop of hair appeared at the top of the stairs and before long he was hobbling towards us.
    â€˜Here you are Giles, spray a bit of this on the clasps,’ he said, Crackers close at his heels.
    â€˜What? I don’t have time for silly ideas at the moment, Mr Duffy,’ Giles sounded much more short than usual. ‘This is a real crisis.’
    â€˜Which is exactly why you should spray some of my magic gel on your clasps, you young fool,’ Mr Duffy retorted.
    â€˜Fine,’ Giles snatched the bottle Mr Duffy was offering in his outstretched hand. He pumped a good amount onto one of the clasps. ‘If we go up much higher we’ll