The pirate cannon 6/7

Jennifer Jane suddenly remembered the main reason for the family's day out. "Could you make cannons?" she asked.

"Make you a repeating shot gun, an anti-tank rifle, or anything you want, short of an atom bomb," Fundin replied, "but we wouldn't because we don't believe in that sort of thing."

"Somebody made some cannon for a group of goblins who became pirates on the Therdle"

"Wasn't us," said Fundin.

"There were six cannons on wooden trolleys complete with gunpowder and a supply of cannon balls."

"Gunpowder could have been Chinese dwarfs, they've always been keen on fireworks but we wouldn't make the trolleys, we don't do woodwork."

"I didn't think there were any Chinese dwarves," said Jennifer Jane.

"Of course there are," Fundin replied, "where do I live?"
"In England of course"

"That makes me an English dwarf, so what would you call a dwarf who lived in China?"

"I see what you mean," said Jennifer Jane.

Another dwarf came over, "Excuse me," he said, "I couldn't help overhearing you talking about fireworks and cannon."

"Well I'm blowed," said Fundin, "silly of me not to put two and two together. The Roman Candle projectors!"

"That's right," said the second dwarf. "Six Roman Candle Projectors for a group of goblins who wanted to give some friends a spectacular fireworks party."

"They wouldn't have made very good cannon," said Fundin, "they were meant to be put upright in holes in the ground and project fireballs two hundred feet up in the air."

"Abigail will be relieved," said Jennifer Jane, "she was afraid someone had been deliberately making illegal guns. I must get back to let her know she needn't worry any more."

Fundin took her back to the trapdoor leading up through the giant's floor. He banged on the slab with a hammer to let the giant know he was coming up and then he and Jennifer Jane climbed through. The giant was waiting for them.

"I've been thinking while you've been down there," he said, "I've never eaten a chicken before, they're far too small. If you can make this magic box work, I think I'd like my first few payments in chickens please."

Jennifer Jane promised she'd see to it immediately, found her broom and flew off as quickly as possible to the Gate. She signed herself back in and rushed off to find Abigail.

Her Mother and Abigail were still gossiping. Jennifer Jane and a young apprentice wizard arrived at their table at the same time.

"The Timber yard made the trolleys"

"The dwarfs under the local giant's castle made the guns, only they were for fireworks not cannon balls," said Robert and Jennifer Jane at almost the same time.

Jennifer Jane's Dad came into the Refectory and joined them.

"I've just sailed back to the giant's pool and come straight here. Any news about the trolley makers?"

Jennifer Jane and her Mum told their stories.
"Thank goodness," said Abigail, "at least they weren't made deliberately as guns. We'll have to be a bit more careful and have a word with the dwarfs about misuse of their products."

Jennifer Jane told Abigail about the starving giant and her proposed solution to his problem.

"Sounds fairly obvious," said Dave, "what you want is a funnel. Put the small food in at the small end and take the enlarged food out at the other. Of course the bit in the middle will have to be magic."

Abigail laughed. "Robert, off you go to the timber yard carpentry shop again and tell them what we want." She looked at Dave. "Giants are roughly twenty times our height, so I guess a twenty times enlargement would be in order."

"Depends how you look at it," said Dave. "Twenty times the linear dimension sounds O.K. but that's eight thousand times if you think in terms of volume."

"Right, you understand the problem Robert? Then go to it lad!"