by Bentley, Sue
“Where are we going?” he mewed curiously, bounding after her.
“To Callum’s room!”
Lorna tiptoed quietly across the hall and opened Callum’s bedroom door. There was a lumpy shape in his bed. It was okay after all, then. But as she drew closer, she could see that the shape beneath the comforter looked odd.
“Callum?” she whispered, reaching out to shake him gently, but her fingers sank right down into the soft blanket. Throwing it back, she saw the bunched pillow and rolled clothes.
Lorna gasped. “He’s gone! And I think I know where—night fishing with Sam and Larry. He’s going to be in terrible trouble. We have to go after him, Flame!” As if to underline her words, there was another flash of lightning and a crack of thunder.
Lorna quickly pulled her jeans and sweater on over her nightgown.
Downstairs, she grabbed a hooded raincoat and thrust her feet into rubber boots. Scooping Flame up, she slipped him inside the coat and dashed outside.
Rain was lashing down as she splashed across the farmyard and hurried toward the small jetty, where Seagull was moored. Another dazzling flash of lightning lit up the narrow sea channel, and Lorna gasped with horror.
In that brief glimpse, she had seen a tiny orange shape battling with the wind and the waves. There were three people inside it.
“It’s Sam and Larry’s dinghy!” she shouted to Flame above the noise of the storm. “They’re trying to row across to Seal Island. And Callum’s with them!”
Chapter
* EIGHT *
Lorna’s first thought was to dash back to the house and wake everyone up, but that would waste precious time.
The thought of that tiny helpless dinghy on the rough sea made her shudder. “We have to do something—now!” she shouted to Flame above the wind.
Flame nodded. “Follow me!” He streaked toward Seagull, trailing sparks like a tiny comet. Lorna didn’t hesitate. She ran after the brave kitten and quickly got on board. Flame scampered straight into the cabin. Lorna felt a familiar warm tingling down her spine as the biggest silver sparks she’d seen yet began glowing in Flame’s fluffy amber-and-white fur.
Leaning forward, Flame opened his mouth wide and puffed out a twinkling fountain of bright blue glitter toward Seagull’s control panel. For a moment all the controls and the ship’s wheel gleamed in the dark and then looked normal again. To Lorna’s astonishment, the boat’s powerful engine rumbled to life and all the lights came on.
“I think it would be best if you drove. Fingers are better at turning a wheel,” Flame purred, holding up his tiny paws.
“Er . . . okay.” Lorna gulped, feeling scared and nervous, but she trusted Flame and knew that he’d never let any harm come to her. “I’ll untie the mooring rope.”
As soon as she came back into the cabin, Lorna took the wheel, and Seagull seemed to slip away from the jetty all by herself. “This is easier than I thought,” she said, glancing at Flame, who sat peering out at the choppy, white-capped waves.
Thunder roared and lightning flashed, but Seagull powered through the sea, moving ever closer to the tiny dinghy. Almost there, Lorna thought. Hang on Callum, we’re coming!
As the motorboat drew alongside the dinghy, Lorna saw Flame raise a tiny paw, and then she felt Seagull’s engines slow and the boat came to a full stop, staying put exactly as if she had dropped anchor. Lorna dashed out onto the deck. Holding on to the handrail firmly, she leaned over and looked down through the rain. In the dinghy below her, three scared white faces peered up. She saw that all the boys were wearing life jackets.
“Dad, I’m sorry . . . ,” Callum began, looking up at the motorboat. “Whoa! Lorna, what—”
“Never mind that now. Quick! Grab the ladder and climb up,” Lorna ordered.
For once, the boys didn’t argue. Callum and then Sam climbed aboard Seagull. Lorna helped them up and then reached down to Larry. Just as Larry stepped onto the deck, a big wave crashed against the dinghy and flipped it over. A gust of wind then took it and carried it away until it was just a tiny orange dot against the angry sky.
“We could have been in that,” Sam gasped, horrified.
“Don’t think about it. You’re safe now. I’m taking you back to shore,” Lorna said. She took the wheel and as the terrified boys gazed out to sea where the dinghy had once been, Flame magically gunned Seagull’s engine to life. “We’ve got them, Flame. And it’s all thanks to you!” she whispered.
“You are welcome,” Flame purred, settling close by her as the motorboat swung around and headed back toward the jetty.
Sam and Larry huddled together, shivering under Hugh’s spare raincoats. Callum came and stood next to Lorna at the wheel. “I n-never . . . knew you could drive a . . . b-boat,” he stammered, sounding impressed, even though his teeth were chattering.
“Oh, I’m full of surprises,” Lorna said, her eyes gleaming. If only he knew!
“Thank goodness you are, or we’d be in a bigger mess now—or worse. Dad’s going to ground me for a year when he hears about this!” Callum said miserably.
“Not if he doesn’t find out. Everyone was asleep when I left, despite the storm. I don’t think they’d have heard Seagull’s engine. If we’re lucky, we’ll be able to creep back in before they wake up,” Lorna said.
“Really? You’re amazing, Lorna!” Callum said, beaming at her.
“She’s okay for a girl,” Sam said quietly.
Lorna grinned. That was probably all the thanks she was going to get!
Seagull reached the jetty safely and glided smoothly to a stop at her mooring. As the engine switched off automatically, Lorna jumped out and tied her up.
“Thanks, Lorna!” Sam and Larry mumbled, before scampering up the jetty and shooting off home.
Callum pulled at her arm impatiently. “Come on, we’d better hurry. If Mom and Dad wake up and find us gone, we’re both toast! Flame will follow us.”
“Okay, I get the message!” Lorna said. The two of them began jogging toward the garden as quickly and quietly as they could.
Chapter
* NINE *
To Lorna’s relief, there were no lights on at the farmhouse. She, Flame, and Callum quickly slipped inside.
“Who . . . who’s there?” Ruth’s small, scared voice came out of the darkness of the stairwell.
“It’s only me and Lorna!” Callum hissed back. “Hush! You’ll wake Mom and Dad.”
“I thought it was burglars!” Ruth whispered, coming down the stairs. “Why are you two creeping around?”
Callum grabbed his sister’s arm and pulled her into the kitchen. “Come in here and I’ll tell you everything!”
Lorna let Callum explain about how she had rescued him, Sam, and Larry from the dinghy. Ruth listened in amazement, her eyes widening as Callum finished speaking. “I should have known that Sam and Larry had something to do with this!” she said grumpily. “You could have all been drowned. You’re a complete idiot, Callum! And Lorna’s been fantastic, even though you’ve been so mean to her.”
“I know you’re right,” Callum said, looking subdued. “Dad tried to warn me, but I was too stubborn to listen. Tonight’s changed all that. Sam and Larry are history from now on, as far as I’m concerned.” He turned to Lorna. “I’m really sorry I’ve been such a pain. I’m going to make it up to you by making this the best vacation we’ve all had together. You’re a completely amazing cousin.”
Lorna blushed hard. “Thanks. That’s okay.”
Ruth gave a relieved smile. “Thank goodness things are back to normal. I know what we need now.”
“What?” Lorna and Callum chorused in whispers.
“A group hug!”
“Yuck! Do we have to?” Callum screwed up his face and made pretend gagging noises. They all hugged while trying to muffle their giggles.
After
they broke apart, Ruth yawned. “We’d better go back to bed. Come on, Callum.” They trudged out of the kitchen.
“I’ll come up in a minute. I’m just going to get a drink,” Lorna said. She waited until her cousins had gone upstairs before bending down to stroke Flame. “Thanks again for everything. You’ve been fantastic tonight,” she whispered.
“I am just happy that I could still be here to help,” Flame purred, rubbing himself against her hand and gazing up at her with bright emerald eyes. Lorna bent down to pick him up and then laid her cheek against his silky fur. As she breathed in his sweet kitten smell, she felt a big surge of affection for him.
Flame’s enemies were still close, and they wouldn’t stop looking for him. For his own safety, he might have to leave suddenly. And if that happened, Lorna knew that she was going to have to be very brave and let her magical friend go.
Lorna woke suddenly the following morning. Pinkish dawn light was just beginning to creep through the curtains. She stretched out her hand to stroke Flame, but there was just a tiny warm dent in the comforter where he had been lying.
A cold feeling came over her as a suspicion rose in her mind. She quickly got up and padded downstairs.
“Flame! Where are you?” she whispered, checking the hall and kitchen.
Suddenly a bright silver flash came from the living room. Lorna rushed inside. A magnificent, regal young white lion stood in front of the sofa. She had almost forgotten how impressive and beautiful Flame was as his real self. His white fur glinted with thousands of sparkling points of light.
An older gray lion with a wise, kind face stood next to Flame.
And then Lorna knew for certain that Flame’s enemies had found him, and he was leaving for real this time.
“Prince Flame. We must hurry,” the old gray lion rumbled.
Lorna felt a deep pang of sadness. “I’ll never forget you, Flame!” she said, throwing her arms around Flame’s neck.
“You’ve been a good friend. Be well, Lorna. Stand back now,” Prince Flame said in a deep velvety roar.
As Lorna backed away, there was a final flash, and bright silver sparkles whirled around the two lions like a snowstorm, crackling to the carpet at Lorna’s feet. And then the two big cats were gone.
Lorna bit back her tears, glad that Flame was safe. At least she’d had the chance to say good-bye to him. “Take care, wherever you go,” she whispered.
Her hand brushed against something in her jeans pocket. As she reached inside, her fingers closed over something cold.
A slow smile spread over Lorna’s face as she took out the pebble shaped like a curled-up kitten. It would always be a wonderful reminder of the marvelous magic kitten who had shared her island adventure.
*About the Author*
Sue Bentley’s books for children often include animals or fairies. She lives in Northampton, England, and enjoys reading, going to the movies, and sitting watching the frogs and newts in her garden pond. If she hadn’t been a writer, she would probably have been a skydiver or brain surgeon. The main reason she writes is that she can drink pots and pots of tea while she’s typing. She has met and owned many cats, and each one has brought a special sort of magic to her life.
