Poppy was thoroughly enjoying herself at the farm and had almost forgotten about everyone back at the hotel. After supper Mrs Meadowsweet had run her a hot bath and now she was sitting by the kitchen fire wearing one of Mrs Meadowsweet’s rather large frilly nighties. While the adults sat around the table chatting, Poppy concentrated on doing a jigsaw. Just as she was slotting the last piece into place, she heard an unfamiliar and rather loud noise coming from outside so she decided to go and investigate . . .
Chapter Eleven
CIRCLING ABOVE THE farmhouse, fighting its way through the blizzard, with its floodlights shining down through the darkness, was a bright red emergency helicopter.
Poppy ran into the middle of the farmyard and waved up at the pilots, wondering who on earth they were looking for.
Perhaps Honey has got worse! she thought.
Then she noticed that the helicopter was looking for a place to land. The noise was deafening and the motion of the blades was blowing her around. Poppy ran inside again.
“Dad!” she cried. “Come quickly! There’s a huge helicopter landing out here.”
“Are you sure?” asked Dad, following his daughter outside to see someone getting out of the helicopter and coming towards him.
“We’ve had an SOS call,” the man explained. “We heard that some people, including a little girl, were missing – in trouble in the snow. There’s an abandoned digger up by the bridge but we haven’t seen any people between here and there. We’re looking for Poppy Cotton, James Cotton and a Mr Atkins.”
“That’s us!” called Dad.
Poppy looked confused. She had thought that she and Dad were the rescue heroes, yet now a rescue helicopter had been sent for them!
“Climb in. We can take twelve at a time. We’ve some people to take to Camomile Cove General Hospital after this. A Honey Bumble and a Mr Crowther,” the rescue man told them. “So we’ve got to hurry.”
“Honey’s my best friend,” said Poppy. “Is she going to be all right?”
“We’ll get her to hospital in no time and then she’ll be just fine,” said the man reassuringly.
“Just wait while we grab our things,” said Dad. “Come on, Farmer Meadowsweet, you and your wife should come too. It’s safe and warm at the hotel and if I don’t bring you back with me, Sally will never forgive me! She’s worried about you both, out here on your own.”
They could hardly hear each other, the helicopter was so loud, but the Meadowsweets nodded and went inside for their things. They quickly laid out food for their animals and packed up all they could carry from their fridge and larder.
“Be back in a day or two!” said Mrs Meadowsweet to her pets.
“Wow, this is amazing!” said Poppy as she strapped herself into the helicopter and it lifted off into the air. “A true adventure!”
Just then, they all realized that she was still wearing Mrs Meadowsweet’s nightie.
“Now who’s wearing a silly outfit?” said Dad.
Everyone laughed.
What had taken Poppy, Dad and Mr Atkins almost a whole day took the helicopter a matter of minutes, and before long they were landing in the field next to Peppermint Pond and the Hedgerows Hotel.
Even though it was getting late and was still extremely cold, most of the villagers had come out, all wrapped up, to see it land. Mum was standing at the front of the crowd with tears streaming down her face. She watched as Poppy and Dad climbed out of the helicopter. Everyone cheered. Then they cheered some more when they saw Mr Atkins and Farmer Meadowsweet and his wife emerge. But the biggest cheer was for all the food they had brought from the farm!
Honey and Granny Bumble were helped into the helicopter, along with Mr and Mrs Crowther. They were all going to the hospital. Poppy waved at Honey, wished her luck, then rushed into Mum’s arms, and Dad hugged them both. Mum held them really close.
“I’ve been so worried about you two – that is the last time I let you go on an adventure together!” she said, smiling, relieved to have them back in one piece.
As Poppy made her way towards the hotel, she noticed someone waiting for her by the main entrance. It was Grandpa. She slipped her hand into his and squeezed it. She saw him brush a tear from his eye.
“My rescue princess is back safe and sound – at last!” he said.
THE END
THE RESCUE PRINCESS
AN RHCP DIGITAL EBOOK 978 1 407 09829 6
Published in Great Britain by RHCP,
an imprint of Random House Children’s Publishing
A Random House Group Company
This ebook edition published 2014
Text copyright © Janey Louise Jones, 2008
Illustrations copyright © Random House Children’s Books, 2008
Illustrations by Samantha Chaffey
First Published in Great Britain
Young Corgi 9780552557016 2008
The right of Janey Louise Jones to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
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