The second attempt 7/8

Fern could see Jennifer Jane's figure quite clearly through the translucent panels of the box.

"Some of you may have seen this unbelievable feat of magic before," continued the magician, "the young lady is still inside the box as you can see, when I turn off the light in this box she will be transported instantaneously to the other box, where the light will come on and my helper will emerge unharmed."

He made a sweeping gesture to turn off the light in one box and turned on the light in the one on the other side of the ring. Jennifer Jane did not reappear! Another gesture and the lights came on in both boxes at the same time. There was no one to be seen in either box. The audience waited expectantly for an explanation. Mephisto didn't seem at all upset.

"To amaze those of you who have seen this illusion before, I have decided to add a further level of mystery. I will now enter the second box and return with my assistant."

The light in the first box went out as he stepped into the second. Then the light in that box switched off and the audience held it's breath expectantly. Nothing happened! No more lights came on and after a long pause, the RingMaster stepped into the arena. The house lights came on and both boxes were found to be completely empty.

It was obvious to Fern that the Great Alfredo didn't know what to say at first. However he made a rapid recovery. "I'm sure you are all as baffled as I am by this stupendous illusion. May I suggest that those of you wishing to know the outcome, return tomorrow to discover the answer."

He waved his arms in the signal to end the show and the band struck up for the closing parade of performers. Fern left her seat and ran to be amongst the first to join the queue for the bus back to town. She was beginning to suspect what had happened and needed to get back to the Witches' Home as soon as possible. Jennifer Jane had been kidnapped again.

She needn't have worried. As she ran down to the old tide mill where she'd moored her dinghy, she could see Jennifer Jane and an adult waiting by the boat. As she approached she recognised Abigail. She was too much out of breath to ask any questions but was very relieved to see her crew safe and well.

"Jennifer Jane's safety spell worked," explained Abigail, "she turned up in the guard room as soon as the wizard used his spell. He wasn't a human conjuror at all, we think he was the same wizard who kidnapped her a few weeks ago and that he recognised her just by chance. I think we ought to take Jennifer Jane back to the circus and reassure Alfredo. I suspect that the wizard is miles away by now. Once he realised his spell had gone wrong, he'd want to get as far away as possible."

Alf was a bit upset by the news that he'd probably lost his best act, but very relieved to see that Jennifer Jane was alright. She explained that the trick had worked but she'd turned up outside the tent, which was true in a way. She hadn't wanted to walk back into the ring, since she was supposed to turn up in the second of the glass boxes.

"I think the conjuror must have run away when he realised something had gone wrong and that I hadn't arrived where he'd intended."

Alf looked as if he thought that there was a lot more to it than that but of course no one could tell him the truth, even if he'd been prepared to believe it.

"I suppose I'll have to have a notice printed cancelling the Mephisto act owing to illness", he said. "It's a pity, I'm going to lose a lot of money, he was the best draw I've ever had. Are you certain you don't know how he did that vanishing trick?"

Jennifer Jane assured him that she had no idea.

"We thought we'd put your mind at rest about Jennifer Jane's disappearance," said Abigail, "now we'll be off while those special buses are still running. I think we'll take her straight home to her parents in case of any further accidents."

Which is exactly what they did. Abigail asked Fern if they could all come in Jayjay and please would she set sail at night when nobody would be around to see what she was going to do. She had looked up a rarely used spell in the Witches' Home library and as she twiddled her fingers, the dinghy and it's crew arrived in the fog just beyond Pope's yard in Attersea creek. There was just enough moonlight to avoid hitting the riverbanks as they slowly made their way upstream to the giant's pool.

"I'll come with you and explain what's happened to your parents," said Abigail, "it's only fair that they know what's been going on."