The Ark of Dun Ruah, Book 1 Read Online Free Page A

up into a glittering blaze. But, to Kerry’s relief, within a few moments the whole thing quietly settled down into a warm, steady and well-behaved fire.
    â€˜That fire will last for hours,’ said Simon, clapping his hands. ‘And it runs on every kind of rubbish. No need to buy any more wood or coal. It costs nothing and burns up all the old waste in the house.’
    â€˜This must be magic or trickery!’ proclaimed Pod from the rafters. ‘Open the window or we’ll all be poisoned to death.’
    â€˜Don’t worry,’ said Simon, ‘it’s science! I’ve been experimenting with gases for months and this one is perfectly safe. It’s a harmless eco-friendly gas that accelerates waste decomposition and transforms old rubbish into solid fuel. The result is a great long-lasting fire. It’s simple and cheap.’
    â€˜It is a nice fire,’ said Dot, ‘but what about the other matches in the box here? They’re all different colours.’
    â€˜See this white one,’ said Simon, pulling a tall, thin match with a long stem from the box. He struck the match and raised it over their heads. The match produced a white flame that crystallised into a solid beam of light that shone like a laser, projecting a powerful ray onto the rafters above them. ‘This one lasts for a few hours. It’s very handy if you can’t find a torch.’
    â€˜It might be useful in a power cut,’ said Kerry. ‘You know, Simon, people might be interested in your inventions if you only got rid of the nasty fireworks that go with them. What sane person would allow a box of exploding matches into their house?’
    â€˜You’d be surprised,’ said Dot. ‘That fuel-saving idea is a good one,’
    â€˜They’ll love it over in the Land of Fire,’ said Timmy. ‘I think you’ll be fam ous. But show us what the other matches do Simon. What about these orange and blue ones.’
    Timmy had perched himself precariously on the edge of the matchbox and was gazing closely in at the contents.
    â€˜Hey, be careful Timmy,’ said Simon, waving him away. ‘Some of them are dangerous. They do all sorts of useful things. But they’re not ready. I need to do more work on them. There’s not much time left before we leave for the Land of Fire. And I want to bring my best inventions with me.’
    Simon snatched up his box of matches and exited through the back door.
    â€˜Don’t wait up for me,’ he called.
    â€˜I worry about that boy,’ said Pod, now perched on Kerry’s shoulder, his head tilting to one side. ‘If it wasn’t for me that shed would be burned down long ago. I don’t know how many times I’ve found it on fire and raised the alarm. If I wasn’t around to watch over him we’d all be dead …’
    â€˜Then come with us,’ challenged Kerry. ‘If you want to keep him alive, come with us to the Land of Fire.’

CHAPTER 4
    The Ark of Dun Ruah
    Corkscrew Harbour was situated in a narrow, winding creek. It was close to midnight when Kerry, Simon, Pod and the swiftails followed the coastal path from Kilbeggin to the harbour. Kerry marvelled at the endless twists and turns the brightly lit estuary took on its way to the sea. A large ship was docked at the quayside with the name ‘Ark of Dun Ruah’ painted on its side. A queue of passengers waited to board. Kerry looked around at her travelling companions.
    Three very small men were conversing loudly at the quayside. They had red faces with long noses and very large ears. They were dressed in faded lumber shirts and trousers that barely reached down to the top of their boots. The discussion was growing louder and Kerry could see angry fists raised in the air. One of them made several rude exclamations and snorts. The others shook their fists at him and stamped their feet.
    â€˜What an odd-looking bunch,’ whispered