BAD JASON'S DOWNFALL. 10

Bad Jason grew more wicked every day. He lurked in the reeds on the edge of the swamp waiting to pounce on animals smaller than he was and carry them off to eat in his den. He stole and smashed up other animals property, he got drunk and mixed with a crowd of crocodiles as bad as he was, so that the peaceful members of the brigade said that he was becoming as big a menace as his father, Toothy Ted. 

A family of Triceratops lived on the edge of the swamp. Triceratops are enormous animals, covered with armour plating with three horns on their heads and bony frills round their necks. They look so fierce that no animals mess around with them, certainly not bullies like Bad Jason, but this family of Triceratops was always kind and helpful, and never bullied smaller animals. Sophie and Sonya often went to play with the younger Triceratops whose names were Kelly, Leah and Megan. 

One morning as Bad Jason was lurking at the edge of the swamp, he heard them chatting together, and stayed to eavesdrop.

“It must be fun to be able to fly like you.” Kelly was saying to Sonya and Sophie.

“We've been on the parachute trampoline at Hideaway Island, but I don't think that it's quite the same thing.”

“What about building a huge balloon?” asked Sophie” With a basket hung underneath for you to sit in, then you could fly over the swamp.”

“That would be great fun,” the three Triceratops said. Bad Jason thought, 

“Yes great fun for me to steal it and fly wherever I like, making trouble.”

The five friends worked hard to make the balloon and the basket. When their Mums and Dads saw how well they were doing, they joined in to help, and Mr. Moonlight came and gave them advice about pedals and steering wheels and how to use swamp gas to fill the balloon.

When it was finished Kelly, Leah and Megan painted the words.

“Triceratops Express.” round the balloon and all the animals stood back and admired it.

“We will make our first flight tomorrow,” Leah said, “I hope you will all come and watch.”

“Yes of course we will,” they all replied. 

Bad Jason lurking in the reeds heard everything, and decided that he would get there before them all, and steal the balloon in the morning.

The balloon was tied down safely for the night and the brigade went home to their beds. Kelly Leah and Megan woke up very early, and after breakfast took their parachutes down to the swamp. (Triceratops don't need crash helmets.) As they got closer to the balloon, they were horrified to see that Bad Jason was inside the basket and cutting through the last rope that pegged it to the ground. With thunderous roars they lowered their heads and charged at him. Unfortunately they were too late. Bad Jason was already soaring across the swamp. They felt like crying when they saw their beautiful balloon “Triceratops Express.” being stolen by that rotten crocodile. Higher and higher it rose, but Bad Jason had no idea how to control it, and it began to sway wildly. He clung to the basket and pressed all the pedals. He turned the steering wheel one way and then the other which only made matters worse, and then he saw two Pteranadons in the distance, they were flying straight at him. In a panic he pressed all the pedals at once and swung the steering wheel wildly, the basket tipped up, and out he fell, cartwheeling through the sky until he crashed onto the rocks below, and was very badly injured. 

  
Sophie and Sonya, for they were the two Pteranadons, rescued the balloon, and brought it down safely down to where their friends were waiting. After making some repairs Kelly, Leah and Megan took off whilst the brigade cheered. They flew the balloon beautifully, and soon became experts at maneuvering it. Megan said it was almost as good as having wings.

Several weeks later Crocobilly and Crocadilly were taking their morning swim when they noticed a crocodile on the bank. He slunk away when he saw them. He had a wooden leg, and a cruel iron hook in place of one of his front claws. He wore a patch over one eye, but by the wicked gleam in the other one they knew that it was Bad Jason.