Chapter 1

Pontypandy - Summer 1975

The sun had barely risen, when I pounced on my twelve-year-old brother's bed, waking him abruptly.

"Oh, Sam! Don't do that!" Charlie growled crossly.

"But it's our last day of the summer holidays, and I don't want to waste a second of it!" I protested. I jumped off the bed and ran over to the window. "It's a beautiful day, and I want to go fishing!"

Groaning sleepily, Charlie sat up. "All right, all right! I'm up… I suppose dad and granddad have already gone out to sea?"

"Yes, but they said we could borrow their fishing gear. I thought we'd try fishing from the old pier today."

"But dad said we're not to go there anymore, because it's too dangerous!"

"Well, I haven't seen anything dangerous about it. Just because something's old, that doesn't mean it's dangerous."

"But dad said-"

"We don't have to go to the end of it."

Charlie sighed in defeat. "Oh, all right. Is breakfast ready?"

"Yup! Mum made pancakes with stewed strawberries. I've already had mine!" And with that, I dashed out of the room, heading towards the stairs. Unfortunately, in my haste, I misjudged the top step, and I tripped over. Before I could stop myself, I went tumbling head-over-heels all the way down the stairs.

My fall was only stopped when I collided with the wall opposite the base of the stairs. I wasn't hurt at all, so I promptly sat up. As I dusted myself, I saw a pair of familiar feet appear beside me.

"Muuum!" Charlie yelled from upstairs. "Sam fell down the stairs again!"

"I know, Charlie!" mum called back in reply. "I heard him coming."

I started to laugh. That is, until mum grabbed me by my upper arm. She pulled me to my feet.

"Sam, when I banned you from sliding down the bannister, I didn't mean that you should find an alternative way to slide down the stairs!"

I resumed laughing hysterically. Sighing, mum scooped me up into her arms, and she carried me away down the hall. I stopped laughing when I realised where she was taking me. Oh, no! Not her examination room, again!

Our mum, Mary Jones, was the only nurse in the whole town of Pontypandy, but she worked alongside the elderly Dr Roberts. Our dad, David Jones, and granddad, Tomos Jones, were fishermen, so they spent most of their time out at sea. Because our parents were so busy with their jobs, Charlie was often left to look after me, since I was the youngest at only eight-years-old.

Mum laid me down on the stainless-steel examination table. "Right… Now you just lie there for a few minutes until you've settled down." She shook her head when she felt my pulse in my wrist. "It's not even eight o'clock, and you're already hyper! I'll just make sure you haven't broken anything."

"I'm fine, mum," I insisted as I sat up. "It didn't hurt."

Mum frowned thoughtfully. Then she cupped my chin in her hands. "Did you hit your head?"

"No… Can I go fishing now? Please?"

"Oh, all right," mum reluctantly agreed. "I suppose you'd better go and burn off some of that boundless energy of yours, before you go back to school tomorrow. Your lunch is on the bench. Just don't go near the old pier. It's too dangerous."

I gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "Thanks, mum! Tell Charlie I'll meet him on the beach!"

"Stay safe!"

After I'd collected granddad's fishing tackle from the garden shed, I made my way down to the beach. It was just across the road from our house, and the old wooden pier jutted out from the nearby rocks. In the distance beyond the pier, I could just see Pontypandy Island. Charlie and I knew the island better than anyone else in town, along with most of the other areas in and around Pontypandy. Other people might get lost, but not me and Charlie.

Gazing out to sea, I saw a familiar figure strolling along the beach.

Oh! It's Fireman Steele! Perfect! I haven't played a practical joke on him in ages. I think my last joke scared him too much, and he's been avoiding me. Hehe! I hope he likes this one!

Sitting down in the sand, I quickly bent a rusty fish hook so that it fitted around my left index finger. From one side, it really looked like I'd impaled my finger on the hook.

And now, for the piece-de-resistance!

Opening up my lunchbox, I dipped a finger into the strawberry jam on my sandwich. I then spread it around the fish hook on my finger, to make it look like blood. Hehe! That should trick him! Now, time for the best acting job in history!

"OW!" I screamed, and I clutched at my finger. "Help me, please! Someone!"

I smirked when I saw Fireman Steele start to run over to me. Yes! He fell for it!

"What have you done to yourself this time, young Sam?" Fireman Steele asked me anxiously when he reached me.

"Ow! I got a fish hook through my finger!" I exclaimed, hoping that my tears looked convincing.

Fireman Steele took hold of my left hand. "I see. Let me take a look. Hmm… That does look rather nasty, and… Just a moment! That isn't blood! That's…"

I tried to pull my hand free, but Fireman Steele held onto it firmly, and he pulled the hook off. His expression changed from concern to anger.

"You've played a joke on me, Samuel Jones! How dare you!" He tightened his grip around my wrist.

"Ow! Hey! Let go of my wrist!" I exclaimed as I struggled to get free.

"Give me one good reason why I should?" Fireman Steel growled crossly. "Your pranks have gone too far lately! I really should take you across my knees and give you a good hiding!"

"No! Please, don't!" I begged desperately. "I didn't mean any harm! It was just a joke!"

"I'll give you 'jokes', you little imp!"

"Sam!" Charlie called from the top of the sand dune. "Come on! We need to get going, or there'll be no fish left for us!"

I finally managed to wriggle free from Fireman Steele, and I snatched up my fishing gear before making a run for it. Fireman Steele didn't bother chasing after me.

"I'll deal with you later, Samuel Jones!" he shouted after me.

Charlie and I sprinted down to the end of the pier.

"Whew! Thanks for saving me, Charlie!" I gasped once we'd stopped running. "I was sure he was going to spank me that time!"

"Well, it's no more than you deserve."

"Hey! You're supposed to be on my side!"

"Does it matter? Come on. Let's fish!"

"Okay. Oh, no!" I facepalmed myself. "I left my bait tin down on the beach!"

Charlie sighed. "Well, you can't have any of my worms. I spent three hours digging these fat beauties out of the garden yesterday."

"Fine!" I stormed off to go and get my bait tin. I was halfway down the pier when one of the wooden boards suddenly gave way beneath me. "Ah!" I yelped as I fell through the pier. I stopped falling abruptly when my arms reached the edge of the hole I'd just created. I was wedged up to my armpits. "Ouch! Charlie! Help me! I'm stuck!"

Charlie ran over to me. "Oh, Sam! Here! Give me your hands." Charlie tried to pull me out, but it was no good. I was stuck fast.

"Ow," I whimpered, as I struggled to breath. The tight hole was beginning to strangle my chest. "You'd better go and get help, Charlie. I can't breathe properly!"

"Okay, Sam. I'll be back soon. Stay right there!"

"Very funny!" I muttered as Charlie ran off, heading back towards our house. "I'm hardly likely to be going anywhere right now…"

…

It seemed like hours before Charlie returned with mum. She was carrying her medical bag with her. I was resting my chin in my hands while I waited for them to arrive. It was the most comfortable position I could get into at that moment.

"Oh, Sam!" mum exclaimed when she reached me. "This is exactly why we told you and Charlie not to go on the pier in the first place! You're a very naughty boy, disobeying us like that!"

"Sorry, mum," I muttered. This is so embarrassing! At least it can't get any worse…

At that moment, I heard a siren approaching. Groaning, I buried my head in my hands.

Oh no! Mum's called the cavalry! Fireman Steele will never let me forget this!

I saw the near-new, big red fire engine that the firemen fondly called 'Jupiter' park near the pier, and three firemen got down. I groaned again, knowing exactly who they were. It's Station Officer Boyce, Fireman Lucas and Fireman Steele!

The three firemen ran down the pier to where we were.

"Oh, dear, Sam!" Fireman Steele exclaimed jubilantly when he saw my predicament. "You've really put your foot in it this time, haven't you?"

I scowled crossly. I thought firemen were supposed to be compassionate?

"The wood is compressing his ribcage, because the hole isn't quite big enough for him," mum explained. "We need to free him as quickly as possible."

"Right," Station Officer Boyce said. "Lucas? Go back to Jupiter and fetch a length of rope, and the axe."

My eyes widened in horror. "You're not going to cut me in half!"

The firemen laughed.

"No, Sam," Station Officer Boyce reassured me. "Just relax, and we'll have you out of there soon."

When Fireman Lucas returned, he slipped the rope's noose under my arms. "Sam's secured now, sir."

"Excellent! Fireman Steele. Start chopping. The rest of you, stand well back, please."

I winced and looked away as Fireman Steele began chopping through the wooden plank I was trapped in. He made sure I was never in any danger of being hit by the flying axe. Minutes later, the wood had splintered enough for me to be able to be pulled free. I breathed a heavy sigh of relief when I felt mum remove the rope. Then, she hugged me tightly

"Oh, thank you, everyone!" she exclaimed with relief. She lifted me into her arms, and she sat me against her hip. "I think I'll keep him safely indoors for the rest of the day."

"But, mum! It's the last day of the holidays!" I protested.

"Exactly! And I want to ensure you actually get to school safely tomorrow."

"But that's not fair! It wasn't my fault I got stuck!"

"It is, actually," Charlie reminded me. "It was your idea to come here to fish, even though dad told us not to."

"Bigmouth!" I shouted, and I wriggled out of mum's arms.

Seeing me escape, Charlie started to run towards the end of the pier. I followed him in hot pursuit, much to the amusement of the firemen.

"You'll pay for that, tattletale Charlie!" I shouted crossly. I'd almost caught up with Charlie by the time we'd reached the end of the pier. But instead of stopping, we both bomb-dived off the end, landing straight in the ocean. When we surfaced, we both started swimming furiously.

"Argh! Leave me alone, Sam!"

"Make me!"

Grabbing hold of Charlie around his waist, I pushed him under the water for a few seconds. Mum and the firemen reached the end of the pier then, and they helplessly watched us fighting in the water.

Charlie tried to retaliate by punching me in the nose. Luckily, he missed, because I dived under the water when I saw him lining up to take a swing at me. Underwater, I grabbed hold of his legs. Twisting vigorously, he tried to shake me off, but failed. When I surfaced for air, I heard the adults talking.

"Sam! Charlie! Stop fighting at once!" mum ordered.

"No, don't stop them!" Station Officer Boyce said, grinning. "I'm enjoying this!"

"Leave me alone, Sam!" Charlie snapped angrily, just as he wriggled out of his trousers. Grabbing them, I started swimming towards the beach. "SAM! Come back here with my trousers!"

Laughing, I ran onto the beach, dragging my brother's trousers behind me. "Haha! You told me to leave you alone! And now you've got to walk home in your underpants!"

Up on the pier, mum facepalmed herself and she shook her head in disbelief, while the firemen laughed hysterically.