A DISCOVERY AND A SECRET!

Toby is in the garden with Erik and Robin , they are telling him off for sending Gunther to see Sir Walter wearing the Dragon Puppet!

Toby hangs his head feeling just a little bit ashamed at tricking the friendly Gunther " Nothing happened!" says Toby
" But It easily could have " Says Erik sternly " Sir Walter could have chopped off poor Gunther head! Then what would you have said!"

Erik moves away hoping that Toby's learned his lesson while a much kinder hearted Robin pats Toby's shoulder in sympathy!

Erik suddenly calls out and points towards the bushes " Look ! Something is hidden under that bush!"
The other turn to look where Erik is pointing.

" Come on!" says Erik totally forgetting Toby's misdeed " Lets go see what it is !"

Telling Toby to keep watch , Erik and Robin try to move the object into the open.

Toby soon forgets all about keeping watch and helps the others pull the object out into the open .
" Look's like some lady's shopping basket " says Robin checking it over
" But why is it under this bush right at the back of the garden? " questions Erik

" Maybe someone stole it and hid it here to collect later !" wonders Robin " although it looks new and unused "

" I'll climb inside and check to see if there's a purse or anything to say who owns it!"

Erik climbs in and has a good search " The baskets completely empty "  he tells the others " I think your right Robin and it's new "
" Well why would someone leave a new unused basket here? " asks Toby confused

" Maybe so someone can find it!" says a voice from the path. Due to Toby no longer keeping watch Hattie's managed to walk right up on the boys without them noticing!

" Who? and Why? " questions Erik " Do you know Hattie? "
" Yes actually I do " replies Hattie
" Well! " asks Toby " Don't just stop! Who? "
"Yes " carries on Robin " and why? "
"Duncan " says Hattie, the boys look confused " Before he went to his new home in Wales , he decided to hide the basket here for someone else to make use of it "
" What was he going to use it for ? " Erik asks impatiently
" I believe he said Hot air Ballooning!" says Hattie turning to leave " Well I cannot stop "

and she's off striding back up the path " I only came this way to see what all the huffing and puffing was about !"
" Hattie ! Come back and tell us more " demands Erik , but Hattie does not stop and is soon out of sight!

Giving up on getting any more out of the now vanished Hattie the boys look at each other their minds all working nineteen to the dozen! Hot Air Ballooning !
Erik's the first to speak " We could..."
Robin almost talks over him " For Duncan's sake .."
" We cannot just leave it!" joins in Toby
The boys all look at each other their faces filling with big happy grins.

Erik climbs out the basket " Right if we are going to do this we must keep it a secret NO ONE  and I do mean NO ONE can know! So lets swear on it" he puts his hand on the side of the basket and Toby and Robin quickly add theirs.
" Now repeat after me " says Erik solemnly " I swear on the life of the person I hold most dear, never to tell another living soul about this basket and the adventure we are going to have ballooning " The boys all repeat the words , then spit over their shoulders.

"Right " says Erik " lets hide it back under the bush while we make our plans"
The boys pull and push until the basket is once again hidden from easy view.

" I cannot wait ! " Exclaims Erik hugging Robin's shoulder " You can look up all about ballooning and then let us know what else we need to make it work "
" I know we'll need a very big balloon to help lift us all in that big basket " says Robin his brain busy on the project in hand
" And sand bags " pipes in Toby " They always have sand bags round the sides !"

Someone watches as the boys wander back down the path talking about what they will be needing quite loudly for a secret!!

Hattie whose doubled back round while the boys were hiding the basket , watches them leave pleased that Duncan's dream of using the basket for hot air ballooning may finally come to pass!



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About three years ago if not longer I saw this basket and immediately thought it was just the right size for some Gregors to use for hot air ballooning, so I purchased it and it's been waiting ever since , like quite a few of my other items , for me to get round to using it, So yesterday I remember all about it and have now set the wheels in motion.....so now to fulfil poor Duncan,(who was going to be my adventurer) dream of flight!


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