The pirates of Attersea 6/8

Dave was carrying a shopping bag in one hand, and an outboard engine in the other. He also had a big smile on his face as he came back over the drawbridge to rejoin Abigail and Jennifer Jane.

"Back to the lugger as soon as Jonah joins us," he said, "then I've got a plan to sort out those pirates."

Abigail looked at him sternly.

"No firearms in this world," she said, "even if the goblins use them and I haven't seen that engine! I'm going to come with you to make sure you don't break the rules."

"Oh good," said Dave, "I was going to ask you to help with my plan anyway."

He started to explain what he was hoping to do while Jennifer Jane went off to try and find Jonah. She found him on the lawn by the river arguing with some of the witches.
"I thought this side of the Witches' Home was in the other world and I've let the pigeon go. It's very important because Dave wrote some instructions to the goblin boatyard as part of his plan to defeat the pirates and now you tell me the Witches Home isn't really in his world at all."

"That's right," said one of the witches, "but it is connected to Jennifer Jane's world through the wishing fog. Your pigeon has to fly into it from this side of the Home. It can't do anything else."

"So I've got to rely on the pigeon wishing it was home in it's loft, to be sure that the message gets delivered."

"Quite correct," said another of the witches, "you should really have gone with Dave and let the pigeon go when he got home."

"I couldn't stand the thought of flying on a cloud driven by that crazy snowman," replied Jonah. "I prefer to keep my feet on the ground, or a good solid deck but it seems I always have bad luck when I'm in this world."

"Keep your fingers crossed," said the first witch, "Jennifer Jane will make sure it all comes out right in the end. She usually does!"

"Come on Jonah," said Jennifer Jane, Dad's waiting and Abigail is going to come with us."

Jonah went back through the Witches' Home feeling a bit better knowing that a witch was going to help sort things out. They rejoined Abigail and Dave and together they walked back towards Lurgin's bridge.

Jennifer Jane shouted the answer to her riddle before Gordon could ask for it. “To go with his pigsty!"

As usual Gordon was muttering to himself as he wrote it all down in his book but there were more urgent things on hand, so they didn't stop to listen to him.

Jonah's crew had put the lugger back in the water and Dave went aboard at once and put his carrier bag in the cabin. Then he fitted the outboard engine into it's well at the stern.

"All aboard," he grinned and gave Abigail a steadying hand as she stepped onto the side deck.

"Abigail and Mary in the cabin please, Jonah and I will set the sails and Jennifer Jane can steer while we head for the wishing fog."

The crew of the Black Cat lined the schooner's rail and gave a cheer as the little lugger sailed off and disappeared into the wishing fog of Timber Creek.