A little knowledge 3/5

Her Father came to meet her as she arrived home. "You look tired my girl, I think you ought to stay at home for the next few days."

Jennifer Jane agreed that she was tired and would love to have a good rest from flying brooms. "I think I'll have to find some way of padding my broom handle. It's not at all comfortable to sit on for long flights."

"I don't see any reason why I couldn't adapt a bicycle saddle to clamp onto the handle," said Dave "but what I was really thinking would be nice, is for you to give a 'thankyou' present to Fern for finding your charm bracelet. If it wasn't for her, the witches would never have thought of looking for you in another world and you would still be somewhere out there completely lost!"

"Whatever could I afford to give her that she'd like?”

"You know she was thinking of buying herself a camping dinghy?" Jennifer Jane nodded, "well I thought that if you don't mind spending some of the gold coins you brought back from your last adventure, then we could tour round the boatyards and see if we can find something suitable to give her as a present."

"Would the gold be worth enough to buy a boat?"

"I'm sure it would be. Gold was used as a coinage in the last world you visited but here it's worth far more than the face value of the coins. You have a good rest today. Then as soon as I can, I'll go and see what I can get for your gold. When I've got the money we can start looking at second hand sailing dinghies. How does that sound?"

Jennifer Jane nodded her head enthusiastically. She couldn't speak because she was yawning too much. She went into the sitting room, curled up on the sofa and was asleep in less than a minute.

Dave explained to Mary what they'd agreed to do. "If there isn't enough money, I'll make up the difference,” he said, "after all it's well worth it to have our daughter home again. I don't think she realises how lucky she was to get out of that adventure in one piece!"

He went out early the next Saturday morning and was soon back with a large smile on his face. "The Jeweller gave me quite enough money for a good second hand dinghy. He couldn't recognise the country of origin but thought they might have an antique value, as well as the value of the gold itself. When Jennifer Jane wakes up, we could all go for a sail in 'Misty Magic' and check out Pope's yard to begin with."

And that's exactly what they did. Dave spotted a small three-quarter decked, clinker built dinghy, almost as soon as they tied up to the quayside. It had been freshly varnished and looked very smart. Rather unusually, the mainsail had a long yard attached halfway up the luff.

"It's called a sliding gunter rig," he said, before Jennifer Jane could open her mouth to ask the question, "the yard is normally upright like an extension to the mast, so that in effect the mast gets shorter if you have to reef the sail in bad weather. The whole rig fits inside the boat as well, which can be handy if you want to put it on a trailer."

He went off to see the foreman, while Mary and Jennifer Jane looked over the dinghy.

"That's a good thing for a cruising dinghy," said Mary pointing to a tackle beside the centre board case. "There's an iron centreboard to help keep the boat stable, so you need to have a tackle to raise and lower the plate."

Dave came back with the foreman. "We've agreed a price and he'll throw in an awning and a pair of boom crutches, so Fern'll be able to rig a tent if she wants to when she's anchored. If you'd both like to sail the lugger over to Fern, I'll follow in the dinghy and we can give it to her right away."

Jennifer Jane and her Mother waited, while Dave went off to sign the paper work. Two of the workmen came down with a roll of canvas and the scissor-like crutches. They stepped the short mast and put the dinghy in the water.

"Is this for you Miss?" asked one of the workmen.

"It's going to be a present for a friend of mine," said Jennifer Jane.

"Nice little boat this," he said with a smile, "you've got a very lucky friend."

The little fleet set off and was soon sailing up the winding creek towards the goblin boatyard. As usual Norman came to the quayside to help them tie up. Jennifer Jane explained the reason for their visit, while Norman cast a professional eye over the dinghy.

"Still varnished I see, that's a good sign that the hull's sound. Looks absolutely ideal to me, I think it's exactly what she was looking for. Fern," he called, "come over here and give us your professional opinion of this little craft."

Fern climbed down a ladder from the deck of the new brig, which the yard was building for the Davy Jones' Shipping Company.

She politely shook hands with Dave, gave Mary a kiss and asked Jennifer Jane if she was feeling well after her rescue from world four hundred and fifty three.

Then she stepped down into the dinghy and started to check the boat and its' equipment carefully. After a thorough examination, she got back onto the quay.

Jennifer Jane got the impression that she was a bit upset as she spoke to Norman.

"Hull's in good condition for it's age, all the rigging's sound, rather old fashioned design but very solid. Make a good boat for single-handed cruising. I don't know what was paid but as far as I can see, the condition is as perfect as one could hope."

Norman and Dave burst out laughing. Mary smiled rather more kindly but Jennifer Jane couldn't keep quiet any longer.

"It's yours", she said, "as a thankyou for helping find me when I was lost in that horrible world."

Fern appeared rather bewildered and looked first at Norman and then at Dave.

"It really is yours if you like it," said Dave, "I think it's just what you'd been hoping to find when you had the time to spare."

"You can bring it up the slipway on the rollers if you want to work on it," said Norman "and I think you'd better have the rest of the day off to play with your new toy."

Fern protested that she hadn't done anything to deserve such a wonderful gift but Mary took her to one side and explained why the family was so grateful.

The Bell family went aboard their lugger and sailed back to the river. Fern stood on the quayside waving to them, until they were out of sight.

"I think she was a bit overwhelmed," said Mary, "she told me that she couldn't believe her eyes when she first saw it. Apparently it was exactly what she'd hoped to be able to find. She may not show it too much but she really is very grateful."

"Right then," said Dave, as they approached the house after mooring 'Misty Magic', "gardening for the rest of the day for me."

"I must catch up on some shopping," said Mary, closely followed by Jennifer Jane saying she would like to try out her broom, with the new saddle that her Father had fitted for her during the week, after making a special visit to the Witches' Home.