chosen that particular time to visit her mother’s family in the Highlands, Hamish persisted in his argument.
“Nevertheless, MacArthur, I don’t think it’s a good idea for Arthur to leave us. It’s too risky now that Amgarad has been seen on the hill. Lady Ellan would be the first to tell you so! Master,” he sounded anguished, “there are too many questions that remain unanswered! How did Amgarad break out of Jarishan? Why is he here? Is Lord Rothlan’s power returning? Ibeg you; please keep Arthur here in the hill. This has been his home for hundreds of years. I’m sure Lady Ellan would agree.”
But the MacArthur, annoyed perhaps at the implication that his daughter knew better than he did, was adamant. “If we can get Arthur to Loch Ness,” he said flatly, “then he’s going! And if it’ll make you any happier then you can take the firestones into your care the minute Arthur leaves the hill! But he
is
going, Hamish.” He put his hand on the top of his head. “I’ve had that dragon up to here!”
The Ranger then chipped in. “Actually, I think I can solve the transport problem,” he said. “A farmer friend of mine often grazes his sheep on the hill. He’ll be bringing a flock down tomorrow and he owes me a few favours. There’ll be no problem about us having the use of his transporter for a few days. It’s a massive thing!”
“Hang on a bit, Dad,” interrupted Neil. “Before we make any plans, hadn’t we better tell Arthur? After all, he might not like being shut up in a big lorry and bumped over half of Scotland!”
“Don’t you worry about Arthur!” said the MacArthur grimly. “He’s going whether he likes it or not. Did you say that the transporter will be free tomorrow, Ranger?”
“Aye! Tomorrow afternoon.”
“Then,” said the MacArthur, “if everybody is in agreement, I suggest we plan ‘Operation Arthur’ for tomorrow night!”
12. Operation Arthur
It was a dark night, for which Sir James was profoundly thankful. As he and the Ranger stood beside the enormous transporter, waiting for Arthur to appear, Sir James shifted impatiently on his feet. “I wish they’d get a move on,” he muttered, looking round.
The Ranger too surveyed the scene with some misgiving, for the side of the hill was more than a trifle crowded. Apart from the flock of sheep that had been off-loaded from the transporter, the slopes were also home to a mass of MacArthurs who were being regimented here and there by their agitated chief.
Sir James eyed the proceedings apprehensively. “I don’t like the look of this,” he said to the Ranger. “It’s busier than Piccadilly Circus up here! What on earth is the MacArthur up to?”
The Ranger swept an eye over the ranks of the MacArthurs. “I don’t know,” he said slowly. “You’d almost think he was expecting trouble!”
Sir James muttered something under his breath.
The Ranger’s lips twisted in a smile. “How is everything going at the distillery?” he asked in an attempt to divert Sir James’s mind from the anxieties of the present.
Sir James’s face brightened. “Jamie,” he answered, sounding considerably more cheerful, “is just finishing things off for me. He’s done a wonderful job. We’ve managed to retrieve most of the whisky; so much so that I doubt if anyone will be able to tell that there was ever any discrepancy.”
“Pity he’ll miss seeing the dragon, though,” remarked the Ranger.
Clara rushed over to them, brimming with excitement. “Arthur’s coming now, Dad. And he’s really something. Look … there he is!”
The dragon emerged from the tunnel, his brilliant colours caught in the light of the MacArthurs’ torches. They watched as he moved forward across the hillside, flexing his wings in joy at being above ground. As he felt the breath of the cool night air, the dragon lifted his great head, stretched his powerful wings and flapped them experimentally.
“Dear goodness,” gasped Sir James in
“Nevertheless, MacArthur, I don’t think it’s a good idea for Arthur to leave us. It’s too risky now that Amgarad has been seen on the hill. Lady Ellan would be the first to tell you so! Master,” he sounded anguished, “there are too many questions that remain unanswered! How did Amgarad break out of Jarishan? Why is he here? Is Lord Rothlan’s power returning? Ibeg you; please keep Arthur here in the hill. This has been his home for hundreds of years. I’m sure Lady Ellan would agree.”
But the MacArthur, annoyed perhaps at the implication that his daughter knew better than he did, was adamant. “If we can get Arthur to Loch Ness,” he said flatly, “then he’s going! And if it’ll make you any happier then you can take the firestones into your care the minute Arthur leaves the hill! But he
is
going, Hamish.” He put his hand on the top of his head. “I’ve had that dragon up to here!”
The Ranger then chipped in. “Actually, I think I can solve the transport problem,” he said. “A farmer friend of mine often grazes his sheep on the hill. He’ll be bringing a flock down tomorrow and he owes me a few favours. There’ll be no problem about us having the use of his transporter for a few days. It’s a massive thing!”
“Hang on a bit, Dad,” interrupted Neil. “Before we make any plans, hadn’t we better tell Arthur? After all, he might not like being shut up in a big lorry and bumped over half of Scotland!”
“Don’t you worry about Arthur!” said the MacArthur grimly. “He’s going whether he likes it or not. Did you say that the transporter will be free tomorrow, Ranger?”
“Aye! Tomorrow afternoon.”
“Then,” said the MacArthur, “if everybody is in agreement, I suggest we plan ‘Operation Arthur’ for tomorrow night!”
12. Operation Arthur
It was a dark night, for which Sir James was profoundly thankful. As he and the Ranger stood beside the enormous transporter, waiting for Arthur to appear, Sir James shifted impatiently on his feet. “I wish they’d get a move on,” he muttered, looking round.
The Ranger too surveyed the scene with some misgiving, for the side of the hill was more than a trifle crowded. Apart from the flock of sheep that had been off-loaded from the transporter, the slopes were also home to a mass of MacArthurs who were being regimented here and there by their agitated chief.
Sir James eyed the proceedings apprehensively. “I don’t like the look of this,” he said to the Ranger. “It’s busier than Piccadilly Circus up here! What on earth is the MacArthur up to?”
The Ranger swept an eye over the ranks of the MacArthurs. “I don’t know,” he said slowly. “You’d almost think he was expecting trouble!”
Sir James muttered something under his breath.
The Ranger’s lips twisted in a smile. “How is everything going at the distillery?” he asked in an attempt to divert Sir James’s mind from the anxieties of the present.
Sir James’s face brightened. “Jamie,” he answered, sounding considerably more cheerful, “is just finishing things off for me. He’s done a wonderful job. We’ve managed to retrieve most of the whisky; so much so that I doubt if anyone will be able to tell that there was ever any discrepancy.”
“Pity he’ll miss seeing the dragon, though,” remarked the Ranger.
Clara rushed over to them, brimming with excitement. “Arthur’s coming now, Dad. And he’s really something. Look … there he is!”
The dragon emerged from the tunnel, his brilliant colours caught in the light of the MacArthurs’ torches. They watched as he moved forward across the hillside, flexing his wings in joy at being above ground. As he felt the breath of the cool night air, the dragon lifted his great head, stretched his powerful wings and flapped them experimentally.
“Dear goodness,” gasped Sir James in
Similar Books
