This is the first time that the Knolly Estate has allowed the great man's memoirs to be published. What follows is the sixth chapter of 'The African Adventure'.

In Continent 3

I heaved open the door of the warehouse which objected on its salt rusted hinges, not locked but unused for a while I thought. The Sun was high in the sky and so daylight flooded in to reveal a veritable Aladdin's cave of props, scenery and costumes. But there in the centre of it all was a decorated wagon on which sat a wicker basket and a voluminous amount of coloured silk.

I laughed and whooped letting my voice echo around the building.
'You feeling all right Knolly... Oh my goodness it's huge!' said Bertie as he stepped in with Felicity behind him.

I turned and gave Felicity a kiss on the cheek.

'See what a little incentive does?'

She gave me a sour look and then smiled.

'What do you want me to do now then?'

'Get up on that cart Felicity and make sure everything's there that ought to be. Bertie, nip outside and see if you can find a pair of horses to haul this thing out of here and up to Mrs Grey's... come along, spit spot.'

Bertie looked at me with his head to one side.
'Spit spot! I tell you, Knolly, that Poppins woman she's got a lot to answer for...' he said and then was gone.

How right he was. Mary Poppins, wonderful woman, bit headstrong but very useful with children and finding a chimney sweep when you needed one. I gave Felicity a leg up but forgot how light she was and she consequently landed with a loud thump. Luckily her response was muffled by a quantity of balloon silk and then I began to rummage around the rest of the contents of the warehouse.

The things that Kite and his entourage had collected together was astounding; all sorts of trick boxes, theatrical swords for swallowing and thrusting into willing sequinned assistants. Oh yes, those costumes were there, a bit nibbled by the local rat population and obviously the better parts of the costume collection had been found uses by Mrs Grey's 'young ladies'.

I made my way towards the back of the warehouse. Strange and exotic masks peered out at me from the gloom and even more erotic costumes adorned rails along the walls, some with large man made holes in. Here were also an interesting assortment of footwear and different length of whips. I vowed to keep Bertie away from this assortment and tried not to dwell on what Kite and his entourage would have used them for. I also discovered empty cages, used for Kites macabre collection of misfits, who knows where they had gone. How glad I was that my friend Merrick was not around to see them. Then, beneath numerous billboards promoting his various tours I found what I was looking for.

'Never seemed to throw anything away, so we should be in luck.' I muttered to myself. 'How are you getting on Felicity, is everything there that we need?' I called over.

'Seems to be. There's a few holes where the rats and mice have had a go at the silk, but the basket and fire burner seems fine and the ballast bags are all here. Ohhh... look I've even found the costume I wore as Ping's assistant...' she replied holding something spangly in the air.
'You wore that? Weren't you cold!' exclaimed Bertie walking back in through the door.

'Ah, Bertie, you're back. I thought this may come in useful.' I handed him a coiled length of rope.
'Its all right, Knolly, I've borrowed the dray horses and there still in harness.'

'It's not for the horses. It's that elastic rope you mentioned. Now lets get the way cleared for the wagon and get the nags attached.'

It took us a while to clear a space, then coax the horses into the warehouse (why Bertie didn't open the big doors in first place...) and hitch them to the balloon wagon. Felicity was of little help except to suggest we get a bucket or two to clear up some of the mess, whereupon I pointed out that no amount of manure is ever going to help the gardeners out here.

We loaded the wagon with a few more odds and ends from Kite's collection and I'm damn sure that Felicity took the opportunity to update her wardrobe and then got underway. We must have made a queer site as we made our way up the main strip back to the saloon. Bertie and I tried to shrink down, but Felicity was loving every moment and treating the whole thing like a parade.

Pulling up outside our 'home' we found Mrs Grey waiting on the stoop.

'Mr Knolly, I see you and Mr Harrison-Harrison will be on you way soon then and you managed to get Felicity to give away one of her secrets,' and she waved her hand at the wagon.

'Oh Mrs Grey', Felicity cried out, 'I'm sorry, but I'm going with them... isn't it glorious? I'm so exited.'

Mrs Grey looked over towards Bertie and myself but said nothing, the look spoke volumes.

'Well good for you my girl, but you're not away yet and times running so you'd best get ready for this evening.'

'I've got some things up here on the wagon' she replied.

'Well I'm sure Mr Harrison- Harrison will bring them up later. Now get down from there and get washed up, you're filthy.'

With this Felicity skipped down and went running into the saloon full of smiles. Mrs Grey watched her go and then turned to us.

'As for you two gentlemen I suppose you'll want to put this lot somewhere for safe keeping?'

'If it's no problem to you Mrs Grey' I said, 'we'll put the whole lot round the back in the stable yard and then Bertie can take the horses back to the brewery.'

She nodded 'I'll come over and see you presently then.'

We trotted round the back and unhitched the horses with ease this time.
'What do you think she wants to see you for Knolly?' asked Bertie.

'Hmmm... Oh most likely to find out when we're off I 'spose.' Bertie nodded.
'We'll want these again then?' He pointed at the horses. 'Only I'll need to tell the lads.'

'Yes I think so, but I need to think about that. I'm pretty sure we'll have to go a bit inland first to launch.'
'Right then, won't be long... giddy up there.'

With Bertie gone I started to unfold the balloon and see what damage the rats had actually done. There was a cough below me and I turned and looked down from the cart at Mrs Grey.

'She's not going with you... is she?' she asked.

'That's what I like about you Mrs Grey. Always direct, no beating about the bush and you're right of course. I think that if she really wanted to leave she would have been gone by now and, despite what she says, she likes it here and I know she'll be safe.' Mrs Grey smiled.

'I'm glad you said that. She's too good an asset to lose and I don't think she's ready for bigger cities yet. What Kite did to her has left its mark on her. Berties going will hurt her, but she'll get over it. Have you told him yet?' I shook my head.

'No. I'll tell him tonight, but he won't like it. All I ask from you, Mrs Grey, is that you find some way to keep Felicity occupied when we go.' She smiled.

'That will not be a problem. Just let me know. I'll be sorry to see the pair of you go, though. Anyway, are you going to be out here long 'cos the customers will be turning up soon.'

'Sure, I'll wait for Bertie and then test it a bit... be done in an hour or so.'

I felt awful. How was I going to tell Bertie that it was just going to be us? Shaking myself from my reverie I got to work once more on the balloon. The damage was minor. I was sure that we could get Mrs Grey's girls to help with the sewing and we had plenty of spare scraps of material. I soon had the basket righted and the silk spread over the wagon itself and the stable yard. I stood back and looked. Now what sort of fuel does its burner apparatus use and how much can we take with us I thought.

'Ye Gods, it's a bit bright and gaudy isn't it!' I jumped and turned to see Bertie grinning at me over the fence.

'Bertie, how long have you been there?'I was trying not to sound as if I had something to hide.
'Long enough to see that you're stuck' he said as he climbed over. 'Lord above Knolly, let's take stock here. You are no Montgolfier... do you know how to fly a balloon?'

'Oh, Bertie, you know how to wound. Look, man, it can't be that difficult can it? I can fly a kite and, anyway, who studied meteorology at school eh?
'We've been through a lot together, Knolly, but being able to say warm wet winters and westerly winds... in Serbo-Croat is one thing...' I gave him the benefit of one of my hard stares and he tailed off.

'Look, Bertie, I know it's risky and, once again, our lives will be at the mercy of the elements and all that, but we've got to go now. You can work the burner thingy can't you? You were always helping Hobbes with his flying machines...'
'But... they were just experimental models.'

'Well... think of this as a really big experiment.'
'Hold on, Knolly, we're forgetting something. We'll have Felicity to help and she's been up before.'

'... Ah, I forgot to tell you didn't I?'
'Tell me what? Is this what you meant by later... IS IT!'

'Bertie calm down. I know you're fond of the girl, but she's not for you. Face it, man, if she really wanted to leave she could have done so by now. Look, she knew where the balloon was, she could have used it. She doesn't want to go... she's waiting for Kite to come back. Deep down you know that as well as I do.'
'Damn you, sir, damn you for always being bloody right. You used her and used me!' he shouted as he took a step closer to me.

'Um yes...'

It then went very dark...

The Great Knolly Archive

14.04.05 Front Page

Back Issue Page