Read Online The Monster Within by Darrell Pitt - Free Book Online Page B

it to find two
propulsion pipes. ‘Piercing one of these would release pressure from one side, giving
the other side more power.’
    ‘Meaning we could turn the ship?’
    ‘In a rough fashion. There’s only one problem.’ Jack tapped the hot pipe. ‘There’s
no way to break through this.’
    Lightning flashed again. ‘Jack!’ Scarlet said, staring out the window. ‘That mountain’s
right in front of us. We’ll be on it in a minute!’
    ‘We need to turn to portside.’
    ‘Wouldn’t turning left be more sensible?’
    ‘Portside is left!’
    The mountain filled the front window. Jack looked around desperately. They couldn’t
turn the ship, but if they could increase the drag on one side…
    ‘Wait!’ he said. ‘The windows. Breaking the windows should swing us around.’
    He looked about for something to smash the glass. The seats in the back were set
into the floor. There was nothing to use as a weapon. Except—
    The bucket!
    Snatching it up, he slammed it against the glass. Once. Twice. It cracked, and air
poured into the cabin. The airship swung wildly, throwing Jack and Scarlet off balance.
    Bazookas! Jack thought. That’s done it!
    They had missed the mountain, but another was now looming on their left.
    ‘We need to land,’ Scarlet said.
    ‘Really? I thought we might have a little party—’
    ‘Don’t be silly!’ Scarlet peered upwards. ‘If we could pierce the balloon, we would
slowly descend.’
    ‘Or drop like a rock.’
    ‘I’m not suggesting we pulverise the bag, just punch a small hole in it.’
    Jack felt his pockets. ‘I don’t have anything I can use,’ he said. ‘If only Mr Doyle
would have let me carry that knife—’
    ‘Then you would have cut your hand off,’ she said. ‘I have an idea. This worked in
one of the Brinkie Buckeridge books.’
    ‘Not Bubblehead now!’ Jack cried.
    ‘This will work! Now turn and avert your eyes.’
    ‘What?’
    ‘Turn around!’
    Jack did as he was told. He heard some ripping and a satisfied grunt from Scarlet.
    ‘You may turn back around.’
    She now had a long white bone in her hand. ‘It’s from my corset,’ she said. ‘The
end should be sharp enough to pierce the balloon.’
    ‘As long as we can reach it.’
    A wild wind was still driving through the broken window. Jack knocked away the jagged
glass around the edges. Then he climbed up on the console and stuck his head out.
Stray drops of rain whipped against his face. The winds were gale force. He wasn’t
looking forward to this. ‘Hang on to my feet.’
    Climbing through the gap, he gripped the frame and steadied himself on the outside
of the gondola. The balloon was only a few feet above his head. Reaching up with
the corset bone, he stabbed at the balloon. Missed. Stabbed again. The bone bounced
harmlessly off the fabric.
    Come on , he thought. Break! Break!
    The next time he struck, it cut through the fabric and hydrogen started to escape.
    Yes!
    The airship bucked as another blast of wind struck its starboard side. Jack carefully
reached for the window. The rain was falling harder now. At least the gas would slowly
leak from the balloon, causing them to gradually drop from the sky. As long as they
didn’t crash into anything in the meantime—
    Jack slipped, skidding down on one knee. Scarlet screamed.
    He tried grabbing the window frame, but missed, now slipping sideways. His head crashed
into another window, and cracked it. His hands raked the outside of the ship, trying
to grab hold of something.
    Scarlet, holding onto his legs, dragged him back through the window and they fell
in a heap on the floor.
    ‘Well done,’ Scarlet congratulated him. ‘Next time I’ll tell you how Brinkie did
it in The Adventure of the Flying Steamtruck .’
    ‘I can hardly wait.’
    Scarlet’s eyes widened. ‘Look out!’
    Jack turned as lightning illuminated the landscape. They were in a valley, filled
with rock and sand. A desert. They had descended rapidly and were about