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| - The other two were surprised when Purple didn’t start that sub at once, after all the three knew speed was essential to get away. Instead Purple prepared to get out into the water. “Aren’t you getting us away at once?” Blue Tentacles asked shaking with agitation. “The battery’s flat, I’ve got to recharge it.” Purple explained. “You don’t need to get into the water for that, there should be a generator onboard this boat.” Brown Tentacles pointed out. “There isn’t a generator in this ancient machine.” Purple added and both drew in their tentacles with fright. “There’s no problem,” Purple calmed them, “the generator from the master’s boat is still in the water. That’s a powerful generator and it won’t take long to recharge the battery of this small boat.” So the battery was connected to the generator but it took time before Purple could get the rickety old indicators to function properly and show that power in the battery was rising. The old tramp started telling Blue Tentacles where they would go next, “When we reach the harbour we’ll get onto a big ship and I’ll take you to a lagoon by a huge river delta, it’s wonderfully muddy there.” the tramp explained. Blue Tentacles got excited about going somewhere muddy and Blue repeated what he’d told Purple. Well perhaps other servants had already told him about it but Brownie wanted the boy to like him and listened sympathetically as if he’d never heard the story before. “Can I really enjoy all the caves and all the mud that my companions liked so much when they were on holiday?” Blue asked. “Yes, our whole life will be one long holiday.” The tramp assured him. Purple wondered if one long holiday with no work and no education would really be best for the boy but was more concerned about getting away. So Purple struggled to make the communications device work and finally got an indistinct signal. As far as the three could tell the hunters had gained on them while they were waiting in the cave, that was expected but it frightened young Blue Tentacles. Then they found out how much the villain Slithery Tentacles frustrated suitor to Young Blue was prepared to do to get his foul heart’s desire. The wealthy scoundrel’s agents had even checked painstakingly and found out the tramp was missing as well. Brown Tentacles, the tramp got frightened at that, mercifully the signal got blurry when the speaker described the drooping frills Brownie had round his mouth and along his tentacles but young Blue Tentacles heard a bit and began to remember that other Centaurians thought his beloved tramp was both old and ugly. Purple was concerned that he couldn’t find out clearly how near the hunters were, static kept interfering with the signal, under his breath Purple cursed the broken down old machine. Taking care that the others couldn’t hear him in his mind Purple cursed the broken down old tramp who’d got them fixed with that machine, Purple longed to have his smooth running baby back but knew that was impossible. After a wait that was longer than Purple had expected the battery was fully charged. Purple fetched the generator from the water then at last the three were on their way. Even Blue and Brownie could tell this sub was much slower than the earlier one but the journey was dreadfully uncomfortable as the contraption kept jerking them and couldn’t run smoothly. The other two crouched on the deck and tried to see what the boat’s radar showed while Purple struggled to get a clear picture through the static. Then all three gaped in horror! Something large was rushing down the same tunnel where they were and gaining on them. “Can’t you go faster?” Brownie pleaded urgently. “There’s no more speed in this wreck!” Purple almost screamed.
* Chapter 7 A Fright and More
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![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)