Elspeth Hart and the Perilous Voyage Read Free Page A

tell him we’re going totap-dancing camp in Southampton.”
    “I know… Let’s write a VERY convincing note,” Elspeth said.
    “Yes!” said Rory. “Good idea, Elspeth. Follow me.” They dashed down the hall and into Mrs Snitter’s study.
    Rory grabbed a fountain pen, a sheet of writing paper and a handwritten to-do list that was sitting next to the phone:

    Very carefully, copying his mum’s handwriting, Rory wrote a note:

    Rory paused for a minute, chewing the end of the pen and thinking.
    “One more thing,” said Elspeth. “We might need some food.”
    Rory nodded. “Yes. We’ll need plenty of chocolate for Lazlo, too. It’s the only thing that keeps him quiet.”
    He started writing again.

    “That’s the sort of thing she would say,” Rory said. Then he added a big squiggly signature. “Now what?” he asked.
    “Now we give Mr Tunnock the note and tell him to be ready to set out straight after lunch tomorrow,” said Elspeth.

5
Straight After Lunch the Next Day
    Rory and Elspeth climbed out of the car at Southampton docks. When they had given Mr Tunnock the note that morning, he had simply read it, nodded slowly and gone to make their sandwiches. After lunch, they’d climbed into the family limousine and Mr Tunnock had driven them all the way to Southampton insilence. But he did look slightly suspicious now they had arrived.
    “I trust you have all you need?” he asked. Elspeth had her rucksack and Rory had a satchel with him. Mr Tunnock looked around the docks. “Where are the other children?”
    “Don’t worry, they won’t be far away. This is definitely the meeting place,” Elspeth said confidently.
    “Yes, thanks Tunners,” Rory added. “No offence, but it’s not cool to be seen with the grown-up who dropped you off. We’d rather go and find everyone by ourselves, if that’s OK.”
    Mr Tunnock nodded and gave them a solemn wave as he started the car.
    As soon as he had driven off, Elspeth and Rory turned and gazed up at the vast bulk of the HMS Unsinkable .
    It was white and shiny, as long as three football pitches and even taller than Rory Snitter’s house. I’m sure you can imagine, dear reader, how very tiny Elspeth and Rory felt as they stared up at the majestic ship sitting in the dock. There were people everywhere, waving from the deck and saying tearful goodbyes. A man on the gangway was checking tickets as people boarded.
    “Elspeth, how are we going to get on board without being seen?” Rory asked, tucking Lazlo into his shirt pocket.
    Elspeth had been wondering the same thing. But before she could reply, a stretch limousine squealed to a halt beside them, making them both leap out of the way.
    “We’re late, Albert! We really are frightfully frightfully late!” shrieked a largewoman in a tweed suit, flinging herself out of the car. “They’ll sail without us and we’ll miss our best chance of becoming friends with Lord and Lady Spewitt! Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!”
    “Yes, yes, Petunia,” said a tired-looking man, following her towards the ship. He waved at the porters. “I say, you there! Bring our trunks in, will you? Cabin 12A and be quick about it.”
    The couple hurried up the gangway as a porter hauled their luggage out of the limo.

    Elspeth stared in astonishment. They were the biggest trunks she had ever seen. Wait a minute … she thought. You could fit a grown man in there!
    She grabbed Rory’s hand and started to run. As soon as the porter was looking away, Elspeth opened the biggest trunk and clambered inside, pulling Rory in after her and letting the lid close softly.
    There was a horrible smell of mothballs, but a small crack in the side of the trunk meant they had a little light and just enough air. Elspeth dragged a heavy ballgown over their heads.
    “Just stay very still,” she whispered.
    “Easy for you to say,” said Rory. “Lazlo hates being cooped up – you know that.” Rory squirmed to the side a bit and dug a piece of