into the ballroom?
She shuffled her way back to the other side of the table and peeked out. She couldn’t see Miss Crabb anywhere. The double doors to the corridor were at the far side of the dance floor. She could see Rory near them, still being whirled around by Petunia Galoshes-Gallop.
Here goes , thought Elspeth. She clung on to Lazlo and darted out from under the table, snatching Rory’s hand as she passed him and shoving him in front of her through the double doors. They went flying off down the corridor before anyone could get a proper look at them.
“Thanks, Elspeth!” Rory puffed as they raced along the corridor. “It looks like we’ve lost Crabb for now—”
BOOF! Before he could finish his sentence, Elspeth and Rory turned a corner and banged into something. Something knobbly and pointy and tall.
Elspeth looked up in horror.
It was Miss Crabb.
18
The Knobbly Shape of Miss Crabb
Miss Crabb grabbed Elspeth and Rory by their shoulders, digging her fingers in so hard it made them wince.
“Gotcha,” she said softly.
Gladys Goulash plodded up and plonked herself behind them so Elspeth and Rory were stuck between their enemies. There was no way out.
Miss Crabb dragged them up some stairs and on to the empty windswept deck. Gladys Goulash clutched Elspeth and Rory by the hair to stop them from running away and Miss Crabb stood before them, her arms folded.
Elspeth could feel Rory quivering with fear next to her. The wind whistled around them and rain started to fall.
“Nice try, Elspeth,” said Miss Crabb. “But you’re not smart enough to outwit me. Hand over that recipe now, or I’ll dangle you over the side of the ship until you do.”
Elspeth’s mind raced. Would anyone come to their rescue? She had to give Cassie time to release Poppy and Pippy and tell the captain what was going on. If she could stall Miss Crabb for long enough, perhaps they would be saved…
“Before we talk about the recipe,” Elspeth said, trying to sound calm, “tell me where my parents are. You know, don’t you! You lured them away with a phone call saying I was abroad.”
“I don’t know where your parents are,” sneered Miss Crabb.
“Yes, you do,” interrupted Gladys Goulash.“You told them to look for Elspeth in Australi—”
“Shut it, you gibbering goat!” Miss Crabb hissed. She gave Gladys Goulash her most evil stare, and Gladys was silent.
Australia! Elspeth thought.
“And I know you broke into my house and stole the recipe,” Elspeth added.
“So what?” Miss Crabb said. “You won’t be telling anyone about any of this, you stupid child. I’m going to get that recipe back, and get rid of you and your pesky friend once and for all.” She started moving closer, with an evil glint in her eye.
“Keep a lookout, Gladys Goulash,” she ordered, and then she pounced.
Elspeth squealed, but before she had time to squirm away, Miss Crabb had flipped her upside down.
Suddenly Elspeth Hart was dangling over the side of the HMS Unsinkable , staring in terror at the sea below.
19
Peril on the HMS Unsinkable
While Miss Crabb was dangling Elspeth over the side of the ship, Cassie burst into the ballroom. She’d released Poppy and Pippy, and they were now trailing after her, looking very confused. She marched straight to the front of the room and tapped the captain on the shoulder.
“I have something very important totell you,” Cassie said to the captain.
Captain Steel smiled kindly at Cassie. “I’m afraid I’m about to dance with Baron Van Der Blink, young lady,” she said. “Can it wait?”
The Baron gave a bow and held out his hand.
“No, you’ve got to listen, it’s important!” Cassie said, following them on to the dance floor and trying to grab the captain’s arm.
“Buzz off, you little pest,” said Baron Van Der Blink, looking down at her impatiently.
They twirled away into the crowd. Cassie looked around and decided there was only one thing for it. She shoved
She shuffled her way back to the other side of the table and peeked out. She couldn’t see Miss Crabb anywhere. The double doors to the corridor were at the far side of the dance floor. She could see Rory near them, still being whirled around by Petunia Galoshes-Gallop.
Here goes , thought Elspeth. She clung on to Lazlo and darted out from under the table, snatching Rory’s hand as she passed him and shoving him in front of her through the double doors. They went flying off down the corridor before anyone could get a proper look at them.
“Thanks, Elspeth!” Rory puffed as they raced along the corridor. “It looks like we’ve lost Crabb for now—”
BOOF! Before he could finish his sentence, Elspeth and Rory turned a corner and banged into something. Something knobbly and pointy and tall.
Elspeth looked up in horror.
It was Miss Crabb.
18
The Knobbly Shape of Miss Crabb
Miss Crabb grabbed Elspeth and Rory by their shoulders, digging her fingers in so hard it made them wince.
“Gotcha,” she said softly.
Gladys Goulash plodded up and plonked herself behind them so Elspeth and Rory were stuck between their enemies. There was no way out.
Miss Crabb dragged them up some stairs and on to the empty windswept deck. Gladys Goulash clutched Elspeth and Rory by the hair to stop them from running away and Miss Crabb stood before them, her arms folded.
Elspeth could feel Rory quivering with fear next to her. The wind whistled around them and rain started to fall.
“Nice try, Elspeth,” said Miss Crabb. “But you’re not smart enough to outwit me. Hand over that recipe now, or I’ll dangle you over the side of the ship until you do.”
Elspeth’s mind raced. Would anyone come to their rescue? She had to give Cassie time to release Poppy and Pippy and tell the captain what was going on. If she could stall Miss Crabb for long enough, perhaps they would be saved…
“Before we talk about the recipe,” Elspeth said, trying to sound calm, “tell me where my parents are. You know, don’t you! You lured them away with a phone call saying I was abroad.”
“I don’t know where your parents are,” sneered Miss Crabb.
“Yes, you do,” interrupted Gladys Goulash.“You told them to look for Elspeth in Australi—”
“Shut it, you gibbering goat!” Miss Crabb hissed. She gave Gladys Goulash her most evil stare, and Gladys was silent.
Australia! Elspeth thought.
“And I know you broke into my house and stole the recipe,” Elspeth added.
“So what?” Miss Crabb said. “You won’t be telling anyone about any of this, you stupid child. I’m going to get that recipe back, and get rid of you and your pesky friend once and for all.” She started moving closer, with an evil glint in her eye.
“Keep a lookout, Gladys Goulash,” she ordered, and then she pounced.
Elspeth squealed, but before she had time to squirm away, Miss Crabb had flipped her upside down.
Suddenly Elspeth Hart was dangling over the side of the HMS Unsinkable , staring in terror at the sea below.
19
Peril on the HMS Unsinkable
While Miss Crabb was dangling Elspeth over the side of the ship, Cassie burst into the ballroom. She’d released Poppy and Pippy, and they were now trailing after her, looking very confused. She marched straight to the front of the room and tapped the captain on the shoulder.
“I have something very important totell you,” Cassie said to the captain.
Captain Steel smiled kindly at Cassie. “I’m afraid I’m about to dance with Baron Van Der Blink, young lady,” she said. “Can it wait?”
The Baron gave a bow and held out his hand.
“No, you’ve got to listen, it’s important!” Cassie said, following them on to the dance floor and trying to grab the captain’s arm.
“Buzz off, you little pest,” said Baron Van Der Blink, looking down at her impatiently.
They twirled away into the crowd. Cassie looked around and decided there was only one thing for it. She shoved
Similar Books
