The Summer Vacation

By Bryan Hall

Justin and Chloe are spending their summer vacation with their grandparents in Wattling Lock. They aim to get involved with the animals and help their grandmother run the market stall. While exploring old wrecks in the river backwater, Chloe hears a soft voice radiating from the wheelhouse of an old tugboat. Always inquisitive, she looks inside and feebly calls, Is anyone there? but there is no reply. This spooked her as she stood alone in the dimly lit cabin and sent shivers running up and down her spine. Was it her imagination or was the Nene Queen enchanted? She persuades her father and grandpa to salvage the boat and gets the whole family involved in the rebuilding project. With their help, Sam turns an old tugboat into a magical pleasure boat in time for Chloes birthday. Barnaby has a special surprise for her that is the start of a thrilling new adventure. A family outing to the local steam rally with their friends Annabelle and Toby was an awesome occasion. Justin is beaten in two of the games by Annabelle and has to perform a forfeit, but did he let her win? A cruise down the river for a picnic turned into a pleasant surprise as the village cricket team was playing the Lords Taveners. The men revive old memories with their school pals while the youngsters are introduced to some famous stars.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Nov 12, 2013
• ISBN: 9781491876572

Book preview

51905.png

Finding The Nene Queen

J USTIN STOWED HIS luggage in the trunk of the car and joined Chloe on the back seat. They were going to spend their summer vacation with their grandparents at Wattling Lock.

After a short journey they scrambled out of the car to be greeted with a welcome embrace from their grandparent’s Sam and Sarah.

Although they see them most weekends this was no ordinary visit. This would be for the next six weeks and a whole new adventure to look forward to.

Justin was shaking his grandfather’s hand as he said, I am so excited to be staying at Wattling Lock. This is a fantastic place to spend our holidays, and we love being here with you and Grandma.

Sam replied, Thank you Justin, it will be our pleasure having you here for the summer holidays. We are looking forward to spending some quality time with you.

Chloe was clutching her grandmother’s arm as she said, This is going to be a wonderful vacation for us. We have wanted to spend the whole summer break with you for ages.

Sarah smiled sweetly as she replied, You are always welcome here. I am sure you are going to enjoy your stay with us, I know we will.

Justin and Chloe love staying at their grandparent’s quaint old cottage. They have frequently spent short breaks there, but never stayed more than two weeks. Their parents Steve and Liz stood smiling in the background as the children talked excitedly to their grandparents. For the time being they were completely forgotten, which is normal whenever they visit Wattling Lock.

After the initial excitement had subsided the whole family walked slowly up the winding garden path. As usual it was Justin and Chloe doing most of the talking while their parents brought up the rear. At the end of the path stands the lock keeper’s cottage, the whitewashed walls are covered in hundreds of red and pink roses and topped with a newly thatched roof.

At first sight it’s reminiscent of a picture postcard scene from ‘Ye Olde Worlde’ times, similar to the ones you would find on an expensive box of chocolates. The picturesque cottage is over 250 years old and a well known landmark along this stretch of the river. It’s not unusual for the boating fraternity to stop and photograph the beautiful old cottage as they pass through the well groomed lock.

Sam’s lovable dog Ginnie was waiting to greet them at the other side of the wicker gate with her ears pricked and furiously wagging her tail, she was pleased to see them.

She is a German Shepherd-Afhgan crossbreed with a docile temperament, and loves greeting everyone that calls at the cottage. Ginnie has formed a close bond with Justin and Chloe; she was only a puppy when they started school, so they have literally grown up together.

As usual, she was excited to see them and wanted something to carry in her mouth, and was disappointed when nothing appeared to be forth coming from either of them. Sam gave her his hat to carry and she led the way into the cottage. Once inside she would walk around to everyone and show them the hat while giving a soft whimper. If you tried to take it, she would walk away and lie on her bed with the hat right in front of her nose.

Once they were seated around the table Justin told his father, I am really looking forward to spending the next six weeks here. We can’t wait to experience the hustle and bustle of the local market again. There are so many things we can do here.

Not to be left out on sentiment, Chloe declared, Wattling Lock is my favourite place, living in town is no comparison to all this wide open space. You can easily lose yourself and completely forget where you are, it just seems timeless here.

Her mother smiled at this statement and said, If that is all it takes to make you happy, you are bound to have a great vacation with your grandparents.

When Sam retired from the Royal Navy fifteen years ago they took the vacant lock keepers post at Wattling Lock. He had captained several battle ships while travelling the world, but this is where they decided to put their roots down. They were born and raised locally and still surrounded by most of their original school friends. Like most country folk they are a happy friendly couple, always ready to give a helping hand to anyone who is in need of help. Sam is an imposing figure with a large white beard and a loud booming voice. He is always smiling, and everyone instantly takes to his friendly and jovial manner.

Sarah is a motherly type of person with a happy disposition, and firmly believes you should practise what you preach. She is very considerate and caring to the people in the community who frequently seek her advice. Their cottage has a warm and inviting feeling as soon as you enter the door. The kettle will be singing on the side of the AGA, ready to make a pot of tea for the frequent callers. Today the table was already laid out with homemade bread, cakes and scones that she had spent the morning baking.

Sarah loves baking and cooking the old fashioned way, the coal fired AGA range works to perfection, and is the envy of everyone who sees it. Whenever there’s a family gathering she will bake one of her wonderful fruit cakes, they are so delicious nobody can resist having at least one slice. Sam’s favourite treat is her mouth watering country scones. Made from an old recipe it produces a light textured scone that requires a thick layer of homemade butter, smothered with strawberry jam and topped with a spoon of thick fresh cream.

Steve’s favourite bite has always been her coconut tarts. The base is short crust pastry filled with strawberry jam, and topped with a generous helping of desiccated coconut blended with pure honey to just melt in your mouth.

Sarah also makes a wide variety of jams from the fruit trees in the garden, and honey from the beehive in the meadow.

She also bottles a good selection of fruit and vegetables and something special just for Sam. His ideal lunch is a chunk of bread and cheese, smothered with homemade chutney accompanied by pickled walnuts and a pickled egg. He loves a real traditional ploughman’s lunch!

Last spring Sam bought a Jersey cow to make their own butter, cream and cheese. They already had fifty chickens to provide them with a plentiful supply of eggs, now they are almost self-sufficient throughout the year.

With a complete range of domestic and culinary skills, Sarah is not unlike the original Mrs Beaton who wrote the first book on recipes and household management in 1861. She firmly believes you can’t beat the old fashioned cooking techniques that have been tried and tested over the years.

Sarah frequently declares, Whatever you are baking, the old fashioned recipes will produce the best results. They are far superior to today’s modern cook book methods.

Using the same recipes and cooking techniques, she continues to do things the same way her mother taught her as a young girl. Amazingly, she keeps all of the recipes in her head and never uses a set of scales. She learned to measure by feel and sight and can judge ingredients down to the last ounce, and believes advance preparation is the key for successful baking. With an abundant supply of ingredients at her fingertips she can turn a simple meal into a feast fit for a king.

Whenever there’s a social event taking place in the village, Sarah is called upon to bake some of her wonderful cakes. The village folk look forward to these occasions, as it creates a bit of friendly rivalry among the Woman’s Institute cake making fraternity. They get to enjoy an afternoon of samples from an abundant supply of homemade cakes they can purchase. Whenever she is asked about the ingredients, she runs through the list quoting a handful or a large handful, half a pack of butter or a large half, a good cupful of sugar and a good pinch of spice. Without precise weights, the recipes are useless to anyone else!

One day someone asked why her ingredients weren’t in ounces, she casually replied, I can guesstimate everything because I have used them hundreds of times, and they always turn out perfect for me!

The same story applies to her Christmas puddings, ever since she was a young girl she has used the same recipe her mother and grandmother used. The formulas for these old recipes were handed down to her when she was about twelve years old. Her grandmother claimed they had been in the family for over a hundred and fifty years, making them around two hundred years old now! Sarah still has all of the original recipes that were written on odd pieces of paper, she keeps them locked in an old sewing box with the intention of writing a book of these tried and tested recipes one day!

Her bottled fruit and preserves are made using the same old recipes and techniques. She makes a generous supply for the church garden parties, and the local Woman’s Institute ‘bring and buy’ sales. Sarah has been the chair person of the W. I. for the past ten years, and takes great pride in helping the village folk raise funds for good causes locally. She has devoted a great deal of time to her charity work, raising huge sums of money to become the top fund raiser in the county. Sam claims she is so good at extracting money from difficult people; she could get blood out of a stone!

Sarah was busy in the kitchen making the drinks while everyone was sitting at the table talking. It wasn’t long before she appeared from the kitchen with a large pot of tea and a jug of homemade lemonade. Placing them in the centre of the table she sat down and said, Please help yourselves to the food while I pour your drinks.

Steve was keen to inform his parents, Justin and Chloe are excited to be staying on their own at Wattling Lock this year. I am sure they are capable of giving you a hand with some of the yard work, so make sure they earn their keep, he joked.

Liz said, "They are sensible children, so we asked them what they wanted to do over the summer holidays. Both wanted to spend the whole six weeks with you this year, there is so much to do here, and they adore having Ginnie around them.

Chloe also said she had missed her friends Annabelle and Toby, and was anxious to meet up with them again."

She took a sip of tea, and then continued speaking, I am afraid we have been so busy setting the new factory up over the past year. Getting things running smoothly has been rather hectic and very time consuming to say the least. Steve doesn’t think we will have time for a family holiday this summer, so we decided it was time to let them find some independence on their own.

She smiled at them and continued, They are always keen to learn something new, and we believe there’s no one better to guide them. We have always advised them to think things through before making their minds up, so this holiday is entirely their decision, she concluded.

Sarah replied, We completely agree with you. It will be our pleasure having them here and if they need any help they only have to ask.

The family continued chatting over the afternoon tea for about an hour. After finishing several plates of food and homemade lemonade, Justin and Chloe were anxious to get outside. They were waiting for the right opportunity to leave the table when their mother received a telephone call.

She said, I am sorry to break the party up, but we have to rush back to the factory as soon as we have finished tea. An important load of metal is arriving at six o’clock. Your father has to unload the lorry tonight as the driver wants to catch the next ferry back to the continent. Enjoy yourselves in the fresh air and we will speak to you before bed time. We won’t see you before next weekend, so please follow your grandparent’s advice.

Unfortunately, their grandfather hadn’t noticed how impatient they were getting, and carried on talking to their father.

He eventually turned to the children and said, You remember the field that borders onto the back of the cottage, I believe you pitched your tent in there one summer.

Justin looked at his grandpa and queried, Do you mean the field with that big oak tree in the middle, or the smaller one?

Sam explained, The large one outside our back yard and the smaller one right next to the house are now one field. I have lost count of the times I asked Johnny Roberts to sell me that field over the years. We had almost given up hope, and then out of the blue last Christmas he said we could have it. We have always wanted a plot of land to keep a few chickens and a cow on. Unfortunately, the field was only two acres and we wanted a bit more land, so he removed the dividing fence. Now it’s all one field running well past the cottage, and includes that old cow shed that was falling down.

He smiled at the two youngsters and continued, Your grandmother was over the moon when the sale went through at the end of March. Now we own a four acre grass field with a new modern cowshed. We have already bought a cow and fifty chickens, and your grandmother is keen to increase the livestock as soon as she gets everything running properly.

They didn’t take in much of the conversation, they were anxious to leave the table and get outside instead of paying attention to the details. At last, their impatience was beginning to show, but before they could leave the table their grandfather had something important to say.

Now don’t forget water can be dangerous. Just follow the simple guidelines I have given you each time you have been here, and you will be perfectly safe.

After they took on board his warning, Justin said, I know we are surrounded by water, but there is no way we will be taking any unnecessary risks.

Their grandfather replied, I know we can count on your good sense, I am only telling you to be mindful of the dangers.

They kissed their parents goodbye and said, We will speak to you at bedtime, see you next weekend!

The next minute they were rushing outside into the sunshine with Ginnie right on their heels playfully barking at them.

Justin stood looking around before casually saying, It is so quiet here, with nothing but wide open space and spectacular scenery. There are no houses to be seen for miles, only the river meandering through all of this beautiful countryside. It’s so peaceful here the only sound you can hear is the water running out of the lock gates, I love coming here.

Chloe nodded in agreement, This is a fantastic place to spend our vacation. We can enjoy ourselves doing all the things we said we wanted to do last year, and it won’t be long before we meet up with Annabelle and Toby again. I have been looking forward to that since Easter.

She sounded a little melancholy as she continued, I really miss Annabelle during school term. We never quarrel and get on so well together, we are more like sisters than best friends.

Justin was thoughtful for a few moments, I suppose you could say I have missed both of them for different reasons. I think Annabelle is a really nice girl, but Toby always seems to sell himself short. I think he needs someone to help him through whatever hang ups he appears to have.

He looked a little wistful as he continued, It will be nice to touch base with them again and see how they fared at school last term. I always find it fascinating to hear what they managed to achieve, or failed to achieve, he joked. We are definitely going to enjoy our vacation; with so many options to choose from we will be spoilt for choice.

For the last four years they had spent two weeks of their summer vacation with their parents at Wattling Lock. This is the first time they will be spending the whole six weeks with their grandparent’s. More importantly, they will be on their own and not chaperoned this year. Justin is looking forward to celebrating his thirteenth birthday while he is still on holiday; his parents have promised him a big party before they return to school. He is almost six feet tall, with a well built physique that’s topped with a mop of blond hair. Although he has a charming manner, you can tell at a glance he’s also fiercely independent.

Justin is clearly following in his father’s footsteps by attending the same private school that will lead to a future at university. Field sports play a very important role in his life. Although he is a keen soccer player, he plays in all of the sports teams and is the overall house captain. Whether it’s in the class room or on the playing field, he has the natural ability of a born leader and never gives less than 100%.

Justin is never quick to give his opinion and likes to carefully think things through, but when he is ready to speak, he knows exactly what he is going to say. People will listen to his opinions because he speaks eloquently and covers all angles of the subject he is discussing. His whole demeanour makes him appear much older than he actually is, but he knows how to hold an audience. His school is only a short bicycle ride from their home and conveniently next door to Chloe’s school, so they cycle there together most mornings.

Chloe will be celebrating her twelfth birthday in three weeks time. She is the spitting image of her mother, statuesque and very attractive with long blond hair and blue eyes. Like Justin, she also excels at school. A keen participant in all the usual sports, but volley ball and net ball are her real passions, and has been the captain on both teams for the past year. She is already five feet nine inches tall and definitely following in her mother’s footsteps.

Chloe knows exactly what she wants and how to get it, a typical ‘daddy’s girl’. However, this will be their first experience of total independence, and they are both excited at the prospect.

Justin is usually the decision maker, but he is also very protective and considerate towards his younger sister. He usually decides what they are going to do next and Chloe will go along with his ideas, well, most of the time she will. Unless she decides to dig her heels in, then he has a hard task shifting her stance. He must have had a lot of practice just lately, because he seems to have mastered the art of gentle persuasion. As they walked slowly down the river bank, Chloe was some way behind him with Ginnie close by her side when she called out, Where are we going Justin?

He replied without bothering to look back, I want to explore those old wrecks in the river backwater.

They continued walking as he said, We decided it would be nice to have a closer look at them last year, so that’s where we are heading now. I asked Daddy if we could check them out, and he said it was OK provided I make sure everything is safe first.

They were soon gazing at a jumble of old boats and wrecks all around the jetty, there must have been at least a dozen tied together with old rope and netting. Justin walked cautiously onto the jetty and noticed several part rotten planks dotted about. He jumped up and down a few times until he had covered the whole area before calling, Alright Chloe, I think it’s safe provided you avoid all the rotten bits.

Chloe told Ginnie to lie down and ‘stay.’ She has always been an obedient dog, although Sam claims she is almost human and understands every word that you say.

They were soon scrambling across the wrecks. He had been instructed to cross in the centre of each boat where they are tied together to avoid falling between the gaps.

Chloe called after him, You haven’t said what we are looking for Justin. Exactly what are you hoping to find?

His answer appeared to be a little evasive as he casually replied, Maybe we will find something exciting, but I won’t know what until I see it.

Chloe was peering at an old tugboat when she was startled by a strange noise. She thought it was a faint voice, and it appeared to be radiating from the wheel house! Always curious, she climbed down and entered the cabin. Looking around she saw nothing unusual, although it was empty there was litter and dusty cobwebs everywhere. Then she noticed something on the floor, a dirty brass nameplate was lying among the rubbish. The writing was barely visible because the plate was covered in a coat of thick black dust. Chloe used her hand to lightly rub some of the dirt off and saw it had a name engraved on it.

Suddenly all kinds of visions rushed into her head as she wondered about the boat. After thinking about several possibilities, she called Justin to get his opinion, Come quickly and see what I have found!

He was completely out of breath when he entered the cabin and asked, What have you found?

She showed him the name plate, "This old boat is called The Nene Queen. Can we make this our den for the summer holidays?" she asked while pleading with her big soulful eyes.

Justin looked a little surprised, but after looking around the cabin and the rest of the boat he said, I suppose it does look the part, although it’s only an old tugboat it will certainly be unique. Let me have a scout around the other wrecks first and then we can decide. From what I have seen, I don’t think there is another boat as good as this one, he reluctantly conceded.

With that statement he left the cabin to check out the remaining old wrecks, he was exploring them for the first time and was clearly intrigued. His grandfather had instructed him to be careful as some of the timbers would be rotten. Justin has been well drilled by his father regarding all safety aspects on his visits to their factory. He has taught him to weigh the pros and cons up first, and then double check everything again before making the final decision.

This knowledge has made him more aware of potential dangers. He definitely wouldn’t allow Chloe to take unnecessary chances, whether it’s around the water or anywhere else for that matter. When they are out together he takes the lead and she relies on him to come up with the right decisions for both of them. He is very mature for his age and can weigh things up very quickly, and usually gets it right first time.

Chloe has always relied on his better judgement, but should he get something wrong he is big enough to take full responsibility. Justin likes to emulate his father’s way of thinking when it comes to decision making, he is always clear and decisive. Chloe secretly admires his self confidence and positive attitude, and would be the first to admit there is no way she could do any better!

51921.png

I did hear a voice

J USTIN WAS ENGROSSED in looking to better the tugboat , although it was obvious there was nothing exciting to look at.

There were several complete boats, but they all had large areas of rotten decking and were definitely unsafe to walk on. He could see there was nothing that would make a better den, not to be deterred he persevered until he had checked all of the wrecks just to satisfy his curiosity.

Meanwhile, Chloe was having a last look around before getting ready to leave. Suddenly she heard a faint voice call out, Please don’t leave. Please stay!

This really startled her as she looked around to see where the voice had come from. Is someone there? she called feebly while peering into the gloomy corners of the cabin.

Bravely she whispered once more, Is someone there? but there was no reply. This made her feel a little scared standing there alone in the dim light of the wheelhouse. She felt really spooked when a shiver ran up and down her spine. Now she was beginning to wonder if it was just a figment of her imagination. She was feeling totally confused, but knew it was silly because there was no one there; she was lost for an answer. After gathering her thoughts, she decided her imagination was running riot and hastily left the cabin. She was totally bewildered by what had just transpired when she joined Justin back on the jetty.

He immediately sensed there was something wrong as he said, You look like you have just seen a ghost, he joked.

Then he realised Chloe wasn’t laughing, he put his arm around her shoulders and reassured her there was nothing to be afraid of. From her first day at school he had always been on hand to help with any problems she encountered. Over time it became natural for him to help and guide her through moments like this. Although they have their own circle of friends, there is a close bond between them that could never be broken. They rarely have a serious disagreement and do so many things together they are practically inseparable. If you saw them when they were dressed up, you would think they were at least sixteen because they look so adult. The whole family are over six feet tall, so they take after their parents and grandparents in many ways.

However, Chloe doesn’t have Justin’s self confidence or his resolute determination. Although she is grown up in many ways, she can get very emotional at times. He frequently declares she is a bit of a day dreamer with a vivid imagination. Ginnie seemed to sense there was something strange about Chloe’s behaviour as she sat close by her side. With her ears pricked and staring at her with those big brown eyes, she was almost asking if there was anything wrong!

She reached down and stroked Ginnie’s head before blurting out, I am sure I heard a voice in that cabin!

Justin gave a soft laugh at this sudden outburst, That was just the creaking of the timbers and ropes that hold these old wrecks together. They are continually moving around in the water every time we move about on one of them. I am positive it was the wood and ropes straining together as I jumped from boat to boat. I must have created those odd noises, but it most definitely wasn’t a voice you heard, he stated rather forcefully.

Chloe looked a bit sheepish, shrugged her shoulders and nervously said, I suppose you are right. That was silly of me, but I was sure I heard a voice calling out to me!

He looked hard at her as she appeared to be uneasy after his abrupt response, Are you sure you are alright after that frightening experience. You look a bit pale and I am a little concerned about you.

Chloe tried to hide her embarrassment, I am fine. It was just one of those silly things that stick in your mind, and somehow I convinced myself it was real. After listening to your explanation I am fine now, so let’s go home, she quietly told him.

Taking hold of his arm she smiled at him as he continued to watch her closely, he was uneasy about her faltering response.

They lazily strolled back to the cottage with Ginnie leading the way as usual. Whenever she got too far in front, one of them would call her name or whistle. She would stop and stand there wagging her tail waiting for them to catch up, then off she would go again. They were excited about their visit to the old boats, both agreed it would be fun to return tomorrow and have a better look around the tugboat.

Justin casually said, I will ask Grandpa if the boat is safe for us to be on first. If he says it is, we can make it our den for the summer holidays.

He gave her a long piercing look before asking, Is that what you want to do?

She paused before replying, Yes, I think that will be a great idea. None of our friends have a boat for a den, so that should make us leaders of the pack.

Justin was studying her face as he nodded in agreement, That boat will make a unique den alright, and that will definitely qualify us as being pretty special. Is that what you want to do?

He looked at her while raising his eyebrows for a response.

She gave him a long quizzical look, I thought this was something we wanted to do together. This is not just for me. Provided you are happy, then I am too!

Justin laughed, Of course I am happy with that. After all, it was your idea. I am merely going along with something you want to do for a change. I only want to be fair!

She gave him a questioning stare, Really, you want to do this just for me? In a minute you will be telling me that pigs can fly, and burst out laughing.

Justin was stunned by her response. I think that is a little unfair to say the least. I always give you every consideration, he indignantly stated.

After a long pause he looked at Chloe and thought he had better amend the statement, Well I do most of the time!

They stopped walking, and as their eyes met they burst out laughing again.

Chloe said, That is nearer the truth, thanks for being honest!

When they arrived back at the cottage, their parents had been gone for some time.

Their grandfather casually enquired, Have you had a nice time exploring those old wrecks?

Justin looked at his grandpa and asked, How on earth did you know we had been on those boats?

He gave a soft chuckle as he held up an old brass telescope, I have to keep an eye on you to make sure you are safe and following the rules about the water.

Chloe gave Justin a quick glance before asking, "Grandpa, what is the story about that old boat called The Nene Queen?"

A broad smile creased his face, "That tugboat used to haul barges up and down this river for well over twenty years. When Captain Tom Ball traded on the river with her, she was a very important boat around this part of the country. Everyone knew about her exploits.

Unfortunately, Tom died after a long illness about five years ago. None of his family wanted that old boat so they scrapped her and pushed her into the backwater. She is rotting away like all the other wrecks, and that’s a pity because that boat has a lot of history attached to her."

They were interrupted by a cheery voice calling from the kitchen, Would you like some supper before you go to bed?

Sarah was in a jolly mood as she brought in hot chocolate for Sam and herself, hot milk and a selection of cakes for Justin and Chloe, plus a treat for Ginnie because she is never left out when food is around! She smiled at the two youngsters and declared, This is the first day of your holidays and I hope it will be as exciting for you as it will be for us.

They all sat round the table chatting and telling silly stories for ages. Joining in with their conversations was literally spell binding for them. After a while Justin said, We are so happy to be back in the countryside again, and hopefully experience some new adventures while we are here.

He was looking thoughtful as he continued, Although it’s not far from town, the cottage and river seem like they are in another world. With so much wild life around, it will be great just being outside all day. Spending the whole vacation here is like a dream come true, we have been looking forward to this for ages.

After an hour of their grandparent’s laughing and joking, Sarah said I think you ought to be in bed by ten o’clock each night, we retire somewhere around that time. But, we are usually up and working by six o’clock every morning.

Justin looked at Chloe and raised his eyebrows for a response. That time sounds alright to me, and we can always go to bed earlier if we are tired.

Their grandmother continued, We want you to enjoy your stay here and not smother you with hard and fast rules, so the time will be flexible. We usually eat breakfast around eight o’clock unless there is something special that Sam has to do. That time should suit both of you unless you want to visit the market with me. Then breakfast will be ready by seven o’clock.

Justin thought for a moment before agreeing, That’s fine with us, we are up long before seven o’clock on school days. We will get up at the same time while we are here so we don’t get out of our normal routine.

They both thanked their grandparent’s before kissing them goodnight and heading for bed. This was the start of a vacation that would be totally different from previous years.

Chloe couldn’t contain her excitement, when she reached her bedroom door she said, This is what we have wanted to do for a long time, and Grandma will allow us to do far more things here. This is going to be a thrilling vacation.

Justin gave her a quizzical look and said, You haven’t forgotten we have to respect our grandparent’s wishes have you? We can have a good time, but we can’t take advantage of them.

She was taken by surprise and gasped, Of course not. I meant there are loads of things we can do here that we can’t do at home. I can’t believe you thought I would do something like that!

He laughed at her feeble protest, Alright, I apologise. I was only pointing out that we don’t want to start off on the wrong foot. Don’t forget, I know how you think, he grinned.

Chloe said Goodnight, and closed her bedroom doors.

Next morning the sound of a boat leaving the lock woke both of them long before seven. When Justin looked out of his window, he could see his grandpa was still busy working on the lock.

They were soon dressed and downstairs with a cheery greeting, Good morning Grandma, as she cooked breakfast in the kitchen. Ginnie was already sitting by Sam’s chair waiting for her usual breakfast titbits. It wasn’t long before he joined them in the kitchen. Chloe gave him a big smile, Good morning Grandpa, how are you this morning?

Just fine and what would you like to do today? he asked while looking directly at Justin.

Before he had a chance to reply Chloe spoke first, "Can we explore The Nene Queen? I love that boat it has a sort of mystical feeling about it!"

He gave her a broad smile, You have really taken a shine to that old boat. I suppose that’s not a bad thing because we will always know where you are.

Justin asked his grandfather, Do you think it’s safe, because we would like to make it our den for the summer holidays.

He paused and stroked his beard before replying, I don’t see any reason why not, but you will need some torches and a broom so you can give it a good clean first. There must be loads of rubbish laying around the deck and inside the cabin, so you will need your old clothes on. Have you brought some with you?

Then he continued, You should be safe playing on the boat as its still water tight. There might be a little water in the bottom of the boat but you won’t be going below deck as I am sure the engine must be well past repairing.

He looked at them as they waited with bated breath for him to continue, Stay in the middle of the boats when you are climbing across them and you will avoid falling into the water. Although those wrecks are in a large basin of water, it’s barely up to your knees in the deepest part, so there is no possibility of you drowning, he chuckled.

Sarah said, I have plenty of old cloths and cleaning products you can have, and I will make you a packed lunch to take along so you can spend the rest of the day there. Keep an eye on the time and make sure you are back for tea at five o’clock sharp, your grandfather likes his evening meal at a set time.

After breakfast they dressed in their old clothes ready to do some cleaning on the boat. This would be the beginning of a new adventure and they were keen to get started. Ginnie was first out of the door as they set off for the back water with Justin jabbering all the way down to the jetty.

Suddenly he said, It would be really cool if we could get that old boat running again!

Chloe had remained silent the whole way down to the jetty. Although she had Ginnie close by her side, there was a look of apprehension on her face as she lagged some way behind him. When they reached the jetty, he started climbing over the boats without even glancing back. As he dropped onto the deck he noticed she was still standing on the jetty.

Come on Chloe, we have loads of work to do, he called.

Looking at her, he realised she looked frightened and appeared to be rooted to the ground. Protective as ever of his younger sister, he scrambled back to the jetty as fast as he could.

Grasping her hand and looking into her eyes he asked, What is the matter Chloe, are you frightened of something?

Her reply was slow and deliberate as she said, I heard a voice last night when I was in bed, and it was the same voice I heard yesterday while I was in the wheelhouse.

Justin gazed at her and spoke softly, I thought I explained all of this to you yesterday. It was only the wood and the ropes chaffing together as the boats moved about in the water each time I jumped on and off them.

Chloe smiled as she said, I know it’s silly, but I am sure I heard a voice here yesterday, and again in bed last night.

As she looked at him she was feeling less apprehensive, but couldn’t contain her acute feeling of embarrassment.

He sensed something was still bothering her so he calmly replied, We don’t have to go onto the boat straight away, let’s sit down on the jetty and chill out for a while!

Chloe looked a little uneasy as she answered, Alright, but I know you think I am just being silly. I believe I heard a voice calling out to me twice, and don’t laugh because it’s not funny, she stated in the sternest voice she could muster.

I promise I won’t laugh at you again provided you look at it realistically. There are no records to substantiate any ghost stories around these boats; or on this river as far as I know, he stated almost apologetically.

It wasn’t long before she gave him a sideways glance, as their eyes met they both smiled.

Justin continued watching her before stating, "I don’t believe in ghost stories, so it must have been the Fairies talking to you," he grinned and then burst out laughing.

Chloe thumped his arm and protested, I thought you said you weren’t going to laugh at me again. I don’t think it’s funny anymore, and you are not being fair to me either.

Her eyes never left his face as she gave him that cute little pout she has perfected to get her own way. For a few moments there was total silence between them.

Eventually Justin raised his eyes to the sky and started grinning, that broke the silence as both of them burst into one of their giggling fits.

He stopped laughing and looked long and hard at her, "You should have guessed I would take the rise out of you, but I was only joking. I never thought for one moment you were talking to the Fairies," he calmly stated.

There was a long silence before he pinched her arm and said, Come on Chloe, lighten up, it’s not the end of the world.

Unfortunately this wasn’t one of his better ploys as it only served to annoy her even more! There was a deathly silence for a few moments then she gave him one of her injured looks before blurting out, I don’t think that’s funny Justin, why are you trying to make me look silly. I’ll get my own back on you, she stated.

As she stared at him, it was hard to keep a straight face. Suddenly she thumped his arm again and said, Why are you are being so mean to me Justin?

She never got a response back from him because he was still laughing. However, they would soon forget their