Chapter 10
The strange “Silver Cane”
Eventually they came across a clearing with a huge oak tree in the middle; it was so tall that it was impossible to see the top of it. The roots at the bottom were showing above the ground and they were massive. Mr. Keeper lifted his silver cane and muttered some words which Tommy didn’t understand. Esmeralda calmed Saber down by stroking her back and removing some thorns from her coat, which had caught on her from the undergrowth, as they had travelled along.
Suddenly the roots of the tree parted sufficient to reveal an entrance which they all went through, Saber taking the lead of course as usual. It closed again after they were through, without a sound. It was much the same as when they had arrived, down some steps to where a sort of platform was, and lit by the walls, which gave off some form of light. Mr. Keeper walked up and down impatiently while the others kept quiet.
“Late again this one,” he said, “the only station I have any trouble with,” he continued, “I really must sort it out when I have the time to do so.”
Suddenly there was a rush of fresh air and a whooshing sound as their means of travel arrived. It looked similar to the transport that they had come down on earlier. They all clambered inside; Mr. Keeper pressed a few buttons and spoke into a microphone,
“HOME BASE!” He shouted as if to say that he was annoyed at being kept waiting.
He smiled at the others as he took his seat, as if to reassure them that he wasn’t really angry, but liked to be in charge at all times.
Esmeralda smiled at Tommy who having glanced at Mr. Keeper, smiled back. The doors quietly closed and they were on their way again.
As the doors opened on their arrival, Mr. Keeper got up from his seat with the aid of his silver cane and gave a stretch and a sigh.
“A little bit stiff, after all that activity, must be getting old.” He said.
The others laughed as they followed him onto the platform; saber was close behind this time.
“How old would say he is,” Tommy whispered in Esmeralda’s ear.
“Well…he’s a great deal older than me, he never seems to change in all the years I’ve known him,” she replied quietly. “Something I will explain to you later.”
The doors of the carriage closed again and their transport was gone. Mr. Keeper waived his cane and a door opened, which they all went through to find themselves back where they started, in the large dining room.
Tommy was quick to notice once more that the door they came through was no longer there, also as they all passed by the oval mirror, once again there was no reflection except for Mr. Keepers silver cane.
“Come we must have some refreshments after that ordeal,” said Mr. Keeper as they walked back down the long dining room, “after all we have earned it today,” he continued.
Malcolm was already at the table waiting politely for instructions from Mr. Keeper who suggested that they have tea and biscuits, which bought a huge grin to Tommy’s face as they all sat down.
Saber chose to lie down beside Tommy this time; Malcolm as usual was quick to return, bowing to Mr. Keeper as he set the tray down on the table, a tray of all kinds of chocolate biscuits.
He proceeded to pour from a very large teapot into the china tea cups that he had bought in. Malcolm bowed low to Mr. Keeper again as he left the room having been told that he had done well and would not be required for the rest of the day.
“God bless the forest,” said Mr. Keeper, raising his cup.
“Aye”-, said Esmeralda.
“Aye”-, said Tommy.
And all three began to sample the chocolate biscuits and tea while Saber slept at Tommy’s feet.
Tommy looked around the room again as he ate his biscuits and suddenly noticed that the big clock on the wall was 5 minutes past 10. That ain’t right. He thought to himself. It chimed 10 o’clock just before we all left for the emergency with the reindeer, something’s not quite right here. Esmeralda noticed Tommy’s concern and asked him if anything was wrong.
“Oh it’s just that the clock seems to have stopped, and I can’t imagine Mr. Keeper having a clock with the wrong time, it’s so important to him.”
Tommy spoke in a low voice to her so as not to let Mr. Keeper hear what he was saying.
“Ah!” replied Esmeralda, “now that needs some explaining to you I must say,” she pointed out to Tommy, whilst smiling mischievously and at the same time, catching Mr. Keeper’s eye.
“Oh please tell me what amuses you, Esmeralda if you will excuse me for asking,” Mr. Keeper said apologetically; “I didn’t quite catch what you were saying, sorry I was miles away so to speak, did I miss something?” he asked.
“Well,” replied Esmeralda, “Tommy has noticed that the clock hasn’t moved on much since we left, and thinks it must be broken,” she chuckled.
“I’m sure you would like to explain it to him, as he is concerned about you not knowing the correct time,” she said to Mr. Keeper.
Tommy looked on sheepishly now and wished he hadn’t bought the subject up, but Mr. Keeper soon put him at ease again as he leaned forward on the table towards Tommy, moving some cutlery to one side as he did so.
“Well, Tommy, I ‘m pleased with your observations,” he said in a nice way. “There’s not many, that would have noticed the time being wrong. And your quite right, it is so important to me as you say in my running of the forest,” he went on.
“The thing is, the clock is precisely correct at all times of the day or night,” he added with a satisfied smile and a rather puzzled look from Tommy.
“I’ll try to explain it the best I can.”
The strange “Silver Cane”
Eventually they came across a clearing with a huge oak tree in the middle; it was so tall that it was impossible to see the top of it. The roots at the bottom were showing above the ground and they were massive. Mr. Keeper lifted his silver cane and muttered some words which Tommy didn’t understand. Esmeralda calmed Saber down by stroking her back and removing some thorns from her coat, which had caught on her from the undergrowth, as they had travelled along.
Suddenly the roots of the tree parted sufficient to reveal an entrance which they all went through, Saber taking the lead of course as usual. It closed again after they were through, without a sound. It was much the same as when they had arrived, down some steps to where a sort of platform was, and lit by the walls, which gave off some form of light. Mr. Keeper walked up and down impatiently while the others kept quiet.
“Late again this one,” he said, “the only station I have any trouble with,” he continued, “I really must sort it out when I have the time to do so.”
Suddenly there was a rush of fresh air and a whooshing sound as their means of travel arrived. It looked similar to the transport that they had come down on earlier. They all clambered inside; Mr. Keeper pressed a few buttons and spoke into a microphone,
“HOME BASE!” He shouted as if to say that he was annoyed at being kept waiting.
He smiled at the others as he took his seat, as if to reassure them that he wasn’t really angry, but liked to be in charge at all times.
Esmeralda smiled at Tommy who having glanced at Mr. Keeper, smiled back. The doors quietly closed and they were on their way again.
As the doors opened on their arrival, Mr. Keeper got up from his seat with the aid of his silver cane and gave a stretch and a sigh.
“A little bit stiff, after all that activity, must be getting old.” He said.
The others laughed as they followed him onto the platform; saber was close behind this time.
“How old would say he is,” Tommy whispered in Esmeralda’s ear.
“Well…he’s a great deal older than me, he never seems to change in all the years I’ve known him,” she replied quietly. “Something I will explain to you later.”
The doors of the carriage closed again and their transport was gone. Mr. Keeper waived his cane and a door opened, which they all went through to find themselves back where they started, in the large dining room.
Tommy was quick to notice once more that the door they came through was no longer there, also as they all passed by the oval mirror, once again there was no reflection except for Mr. Keepers silver cane.
“Come we must have some refreshments after that ordeal,” said Mr. Keeper as they walked back down the long dining room, “after all we have earned it today,” he continued.
Malcolm was already at the table waiting politely for instructions from Mr. Keeper who suggested that they have tea and biscuits, which bought a huge grin to Tommy’s face as they all sat down.
Saber chose to lie down beside Tommy this time; Malcolm as usual was quick to return, bowing to Mr. Keeper as he set the tray down on the table, a tray of all kinds of chocolate biscuits.
He proceeded to pour from a very large teapot into the china tea cups that he had bought in. Malcolm bowed low to Mr. Keeper again as he left the room having been told that he had done well and would not be required for the rest of the day.
“God bless the forest,” said Mr. Keeper, raising his cup.
“Aye”-, said Esmeralda.
“Aye”-, said Tommy.
And all three began to sample the chocolate biscuits and tea while Saber slept at Tommy’s feet.
Tommy looked around the room again as he ate his biscuits and suddenly noticed that the big clock on the wall was 5 minutes past 10. That ain’t right. He thought to himself. It chimed 10 o’clock just before we all left for the emergency with the reindeer, something’s not quite right here. Esmeralda noticed Tommy’s concern and asked him if anything was wrong.
“Oh it’s just that the clock seems to have stopped, and I can’t imagine Mr. Keeper having a clock with the wrong time, it’s so important to him.”
Tommy spoke in a low voice to her so as not to let Mr. Keeper hear what he was saying.
“Ah!” replied Esmeralda, “now that needs some explaining to you I must say,” she pointed out to Tommy, whilst smiling mischievously and at the same time, catching Mr. Keeper’s eye.
“Oh please tell me what amuses you, Esmeralda if you will excuse me for asking,” Mr. Keeper said apologetically; “I didn’t quite catch what you were saying, sorry I was miles away so to speak, did I miss something?” he asked.
“Well,” replied Esmeralda, “Tommy has noticed that the clock hasn’t moved on much since we left, and thinks it must be broken,” she chuckled.
“I’m sure you would like to explain it to him, as he is concerned about you not knowing the correct time,” she said to Mr. Keeper.
Tommy looked on sheepishly now and wished he hadn’t bought the subject up, but Mr. Keeper soon put him at ease again as he leaned forward on the table towards Tommy, moving some cutlery to one side as he did so.
“Well, Tommy, I ‘m pleased with your observations,” he said in a nice way. “There’s not many, that would have noticed the time being wrong. And your quite right, it is so important to me as you say in my running of the forest,” he went on.
“The thing is, the clock is precisely correct at all times of the day or night,” he added with a satisfied smile and a rather puzzled look from Tommy.
“I’ll try to explain it the best I can.”