Read Online Floods 6 by Colin Thompson - Free Book Online

of sand, just showed a blank screen.
    Most scientists think they are Very Important People with Tunnel Vision, which means thatalthough they tell everyone they are developing and discovering new and exciting things, they are actually just developing new and exciting names for things that everyone already knows about. 39 The scientists on the beach at Port Folio were exactly like that. It never occurred to them that magic might have something to do with the castle, because scientists don’t believe in magic. As far as they were concerned, every single thing in every single place had a proper scientific explanation. If it didn’t, then it obviously didn’t exist – even if, like the wonderful sandcastle, they could see it with their own eyes.
    When their twenty-five different bits of equipment showed them blank screens, they assumed that all twenty-five were faulty.
    â€˜They must have been dropped or got wet on their way here,’ said the chief scientist, who then ordered all twenty-five to be replaced.
    â€˜These ones must have been dropped or gotwet too,’ he said when the second lot showed blank screens.
    Winchflat went along to the sandcastle every day and watched the scientists.
    â€˜Excuse me,’ he called over the barrier. ‘I think I can help you.’
    â€˜Move along, sonny,’ said one of the Port Folio policemen, who were now on a twenty-four-hour guard around the sandcastle.
    â€˜But I can explain it all,’ Winchflat insisted.
    â€˜If you don’t go away right now, sonny,’ said the second policeman, ‘I’ll have to arrest you.’
    â€˜Really?’
    â€˜Yes,’ said the third policeman.
    â€˜I don’t think that would be a very good idea,’ said Winchflat and clicked his fingers.
    Immediately all the seagulls on the beach gathered in a huge flock and dive-bombed the three policemen with such accuracy and attention to detail that in less than five minutes every square centimetre of their uniforms had changed from Official Policeman Blue to Unofficial SeagullGuano White With Black Streaks.

    â€˜See, told you so,’ said Winchflat. He clicked his fingers again, which made the seagulls call for reinforcements before they all dive-bombed the four scientists.
    â€˜We’re going to the funfair,’ said Betty when the family arrived at the sandcastle to check on the scientists’ progress. ‘Are you coming, Winchflat?’
    â€˜No thanks,’ said Winchflat. ‘I’m having too much fun here.’
    â€˜There’s a circus too,’ said Satanella. ‘With performing animals.’
    â€˜I might come along later,’ said Winchflat as his team of precision seagulls swooped down to give the policemen and scientists another coat.

    Witches and wizards shouldn’t really be allowed to go to funfairs because they turn them into unfairs. No matter how much the sideshow owners cheat, and they all do, wizards can always win the big prize on the top shelf that no one is ever supposed to get. If the last coconut you need to knock down is glued in to the shy, wizards just unglue it. If themechanical arm starts to move towards the five-cent whistle, wizards just concentrate and make it pick up the really good wristwatch. Of course the sideshow owners don’t realise this is being done by magic because, like scientists, and most humans, they don’t believe there is such a thing as magic.
    Betty’s favourite thing at funfairs was the big dipper. The bigger and dippier the better, but even the wildest ride in the world could always be made better with a bit of magical help.
    â€˜I think I might be very sick if I went on that,’ said Ffiona, looking up at the huge wheel towering almost fifty metres into the sky.
    â€˜No you won’t,’ said Betty. ‘You’ll love it.’
    And just to make sure nothing went wrong, she got her mother to do the I-Will-Not-Puke-Ever-At-All-Spell