Swashbuckling Skiff
written by Helen Farrall
With credit to Chase the Ferroequinologist
In summertime, Arlesburgh Harbor is one of the busiest places to be!
Seagulls called as they flew over the quayside, amongst a line of boats.
There are so many wonderful things for vacationers to see and do, from yellow sandy beaches…
Thomas whistled as he left the beach by Harwick with Annie and Clarabel.
…to train rides along the harbor…
Duck left off his first slip coach at Maritime Museum, then whistled as he carried on with the next two.
…and even Skiff's Railboat Tours! Every day, Skiff will take visitors on a tour around the harbor and show them all the wonderful sights there is to see.
"Come along, everyone!" he called, as he set off from the top station. "You're really going to enjoy this next bit!"
Skiff loves this job best of all and is always most pleased traveling to wherever his rails may allow!
"Wheeeeeee!" Skiff wailed happily.
He turned steadily around the next bend, allowing the wind to flow swiftly past him. Then, he gasped.
However, there is another sight that Skiff always gets pleasure from seeing...
"Look! Look over there, Captain Joe! They're little sailboats, just like me!"
He thought for a moment, then smiled, going slightly red.
"Only…they've got their faces up in the water!"
Joe laughed.
"I don't think those boats have faces, Skiff! And certainly you're much more than just some ordinary sailboat!"
Whenever Skiff traveled on his route around Arlesburgh, he would often see a long line of boats racing about the harbor waterfront! He found this one of the most beautiful sights of all, and would watch in awe and amazement as the boats go by!
"Wow!" Skiff marveled, eyeing the boats racing in sight. "Would you look at that? That one sailboat's in it for the finish line this time!"
But Joe just chuckled and sighed.
"Come along, Skiff!" he encouraged. "We still have tours to give!"
"Oh," Skiff thought, caught slightly off-guard as he continued along. "Right!"
But nevertheless, he continued to watch the race go on along the waterfront.
One day, Skiff was having a rest before his afternoon run around the harbor. He took the time to watch the boats race by about the quayside.
"Oi, watch it!" one boat driver shouted.
"Watch it yourself!" the other snapped back, as they glided against one another.
Skiff tried hard to not to chuckle, than looked up, hearing a familiar whirring sound.
"Good day, chaps!" Harold greeted.
He gently touched down onto the quayside and watched as Captain's driver threw a line around a nearby cleat.
"Caught it!" he shouted.
"Phew!" the lifeboat sighed.
Skiff watched the commotion with surprise.
A man taking part in the races had hurt his hand, and Harold was due to take him to hospital!
"Thank you, Captain!" the man expressed with relief, as the driver helped him aboard.
Harold's pilots gathered round to assist in the injured man's aid to the helicopter's interior.
"What's going on?" Skiff wondered.
"No cause for alarm, Skiff!" Captain assured him.
"No indeed!" Harold chuckled in agreement. "Just getting one of these boaters to medical aid! Hurt his hand! Quite fatal, apparently!"
"Seemed like it when I came for him!" Captain pointed out.
"Oh," Skiff thought, slightly shaking.
He sighed, regaining his composure.
"I see these boats go by every day! They're just fascinating, aren't they? What are they all there for anyway?"
Harold smiled.
"That's the regatta!" he explained. "Lots of boats and races there! I hover over and pitch in in case I'm needed! Unless of course Captain is available to take this man to hospital himself!"
Captain beamed.
"Indeed!" the lifeboat heartily agreed. "That man may not be the only one today that needs rescuing!"
Skiff looked at Harold with awe and wonder.
"Don't you ever wish you could take part in the regatta, Harold?"
The helicopter chuckled.
"Why, the very thought!" he remarked. "As much I love racing engines, I feel as if I could be just as much of a match for the boats!"
Skiff glanced at him, puzzled.
"But my duty lies with the safety of the Island! Otherwise, I'd gladly give those boaters a run for their money! In hindsight, the railway is more on my route! Must be off now! Goodbye, Skiff!
"Wow!" Skiff marveled, watching the helicopter take off.
He pondered for a moment longer, peacefully deep in thought.
"How lovely it would be to partake in the regatta! Wouldn't you think so, Captain?"
Captain chuckled.
"I would have thought you'd know by now what it's like having your face up in the water, Skiff!"
"Oh, ermm…"
Skiff blushed a bit, as Captain went on.
"I must admit, though, it happens to me more often than not when I'm out taking part in rescues! However, I'm sure being a sailboat would enable me to be more cautious as I go about the sea!"
"But, still," Skiff reminded him. "The thrill of being able to fly along the water! Surely, my hull could prevent me from getting my face up in it!"
But Captain just chuckled.
"You're useful in your own way, Skiff!" he reminded him. "And that's here, giving railboat tours around the harbor!
Skiff smiled, taking Captain's words to heart as he watched the lifeboat set off.
"Goodbye, Skiff!"
Skiff was left deeply pensive in thought.
"Maybe Captain's right!" he halfheartedly decided. "But still, how marvelous it would be to race around the harbor against all the sailboats!"
He proceeded to watch the boats race about, then felt a jolt.
"Oh!" he winced.
"Come along, Skiff!" Joe called. "It's time for our next tour!"
Skiff beamed, as he trundled sturdily along.
"While we're at it, let's see what these other railboats can do!"
Joe chuckled.
"Still thinking about the other boats, are you?"
"Oh, but it's the regatta, Captain Joe! And it's all such a wonderful sight! Makes me wanna…dive right in and join them!"
Joe chuckled once more, as he got him going towards the top station.
"Sounds like you've been spending lots of time with the boats as it is, Skiff!" he pointed out.
"Does it?"
Skiff felt rather confused, whilst his passengers boarded his mass.
"Come on, Skiff! Let's go!"
"I'm on my way, Captain Joe!"
He got a slight start at his wheels and moved gradually along when he heard a familiar whistle.
"Duck!"
"Hello, Skiff!" the Great Western engine greeted, as he entered the station.
"Slow down, Duck! You're entering a station!"
But Duck only chuckled.
"Watch and observe, Skiff!"
"Woo-hoo!" the slip coaches behind him called out.
Duck released the third slip coach at the platform, who smiled while he was off in a flash.
"Wow!" Skiff marveled.
He proceeded on his way around the harborside, watching the boats as the passengers chattered from aboard.
"Look over there! On the horizon!" one exclaimed, pointing towards the water.
"They're little boats!" another observed.
"And all they're all trailing alongside one another!" put in a third!
Skiff laughed.
"It's the regatta! Harold told me all about it! Sailboats all racing against each each other! Watch! Watch! I'll try and overtake that one!"
But he felt a jolt as Joe tugged on his rope.
"Easy does it, Skiff! We don't want to upset the passengers!"
Skiff sighed.
"No," he wholeheartedly agreed.
Then he looked across at the sailboats.
"I'll catch 'em later!" he quietly remarked.
He proceeded to watch Duck release the second slip coach at the platform by Maritime Museum.
"See you two on the return journey!" the second coach called out.
Duck smiled and continued on.
Skiff smiled and carried on with his own tour.
"However does he do it?" he wondered. "Those coaches of his seem so…distinctive!"
Towards the end of Skiff's journey, he flew along the line by the quayside and found himself matching up with the first two sailboats in front!
"Look, Joe!" he shouted out. "I'm catching up!"
Joe laughed.
"Right, you are, Skiff!"
"Oh, oh, and we're closing in for the finish line! Just a little, Joe! Please!"
But Skiff found himself coming to a gradual stop, while all the other boats raced past him.
"Easy does it, Skiff! That was the final stretch of our route!"
"Oh," Skiff thought.
He gazed for a moment in wonder, then laughed.
"You have to admit though, I was pretty close that time!"
Joe laughed.
"Right you were, Skiff!"
Skiff sighed, observing the boats return to their stations, then watched as Duck backed the other two empty slip coaches down onto the third.
"Are you okay, Skiff?" he wondered. "You look in deep thought!"
"I'm watching the regatta, Duck! It all looks so wonderful, doesn't it?"
Duck took a moment to watch the boats himself.
"Oh, yes. Wonderful!"
"And by the way, you look so splendid flying along the line with those coaches of yours!"
Duck chuckled.
"Why, thank you, Skiff! They're slip coaches, for the record! Meaning that they can stop at stations without an engine having to stop, otherwise they'd go bump into the back of me!"
"Ooh!"
Skiff winced at such a thought, then regained his composure, looking across at the coaches behind him.
"I must say, though, they do seem rather diverse!"
The three coaches chuckled flatteredly.
"What a charming little sailboat, that one!"
"He is quite the character!"
"Indeed! High spirits too!"
Duck smiled.
"Diverse is quite the word, actually!
Skiff was puzzled.
"It is?"
"Why, yes, if I'm being rather precise; these Slippies are ones I take out when bringing passengers here to Arlesburgh!"
The coaches giggled quietly.
"He called us Slippies!"
"Fitting!"
"Capital!"
"That is when I'm not taking Alice and Mirabel out on my branch line!"
"Wow! You must be very lucky to have jobs that give you so much variety, Duck!" Skiff marveled.
Duck raised an eyebrow with confusion.
"Whatever do you mean, Skiff?"
"Well, I do enjoy giving railtours around the harbor on a regular basis more than anything! Captain Joe says it means that I'm not just some ordinary sailboat! But sometimes, I long for the chance to experience something else for a change!"
Duck looked puzzled.
"What could possibly be more special for you than to give railtours, Skiff?"
"Hmmm…" Skiff thought suggestively. "I don't know, maybe…take part with all the other sailboats in the regatta?"
His thoughts were caught off by Duck chuckling aloud with amusement.
Skiff raised an eyebrow.
"What's so funny, Duck? It's not a joke!"
At that moment, the guard blew his whistle.
"Sorry, I don't have enough more time to chat, Skiff! But you take care of yourself, you hear?"
Skiff watched with disbelief as the train left the station, the coaches, chuckling behind Duck.
"He's a funny little sailboat too!"
"Knows how to tell a good joke!"
"I'd say!"
"Think harder 'bout that wish, Skiff!" Duck encouraged aloud. "I promise, you'll feel much better once you do!"
But Skiff remained puzzled.
"How could a small and able sailboat like ME taking part in the regatta be so BAD…?"
While he waited for his next tour, Skiff continued to marvel at all the sailboats that rushed by on the horizon.
"Woah, woah, woah, easy!" one sailor stammered.
"Woooooo!" another wailed, as he overtook him.
The other sailboats glided after in pursuit, as Skiff watched from afar.
"Amazing!" he marveled. "Makes me wanna…jump in and be just like them! If only I could be a racing sailboat too!"
He gasped at the sound of a whistle and release of steam from nearby.
Oliver chuckled, as he halted with his goods train at the platform.
"What's so funny, Mr. Oliver?" Toad wondered.
Oliver beamed at Skiff.
"Oh, Skiff," he expressed soothingly. "Don't you find it a little strange that a railboat like yourself would even think about racing?"
"But you railway engines think about all the time!" Skiff insisted. "Harold said so!"
"But that's totally different, Skiff!" Oliver suggested. "We're stronger and more capable, and our rails can take us along much firmer ground! You're just a small sailboat and…"
Toad sighed.
"Excuse the disruption, Mr. Oliver, but…"
Oliver raised an eyebrow with surprise as he went on.
"…begging your pardon, Mr. Skiff, what makes you wonder about racing?"
"But Toad, haven't you ever wished you could do anything else other than being a brake van?"
"Hmm…"
Toad thought hard for a moment, then laughed.
"Well, as it happens, there was a time when I desired to have forward-thinking views…"
Oliver rolled his eyes at the thought.
"…and when the chance came…,"
Before Toad could finish, his guard's whistle blew.
Oliver tooted as he got a run at his trucks.
"Come along, Toad! We have more goods to deliver! Goodbye, Skiff!"
Skiff smiled as he watched the train disappear, then side soothingly as he looked back out at the horizon.
"They're all so remarkable!" he observed.
Skiff went on, thinking about the regatta all day…
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
The MC of the competition stood at attention amongst the sailboats.
"On your marks! Get set! Go!"
The horn blew and the boats started off, as Skiff watched from afar.
"Wheeeeee!"
He glided along the rails alongside the boats, laughing giddily while his passengers marveled and held on for dear life!
"Faster, Captain Joe! Faster!"
But Joe just chuckled.
"Take it easy, Skiff! We aren't running an actual race!"
"Ah, but it's just as fun to pretend!"
Joe smiled.
"Kudos to that!"
He allowed Skiff to go a little faster, nevertheless keeping a cautious grip on his rope.
"Woohooooo!"
Skiff shut his eyes tight and took a deep breath…
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Skiff opened his eyes and found himself being surrounded by a stadium of people around the waterside, all clapping and cheering as he sped alongside the other sailboats!
"Wooooow!" he marveled, as he overtook the first two boats. "They're all cheering!"
He sped up alongside the boat third behind and beamed.
The driver watched with disbelief.
"Woohooooo!" Skiff cried out, speeding ahead in front. "Let's see what else this little railboat can DO!"
He proceeded to glide along past the second sailboat.
The crowd gasped and awed.
"Marvelous!" the MC cried. "And with a glorious effort, the little railboat toils behind in second place! Let's see if he'll actually make it to the finish line!"
Skiff toiled further along, panting heavily as he caught up just inches behind the first boat.
"By GOLLY!" the driver gasped.
He pulled the noose tight, but it wasn't enough as Skiff glided up alongside, giggling at him.
The driver honked the horn loud.
… …
"GAHHHHHHH!" Skiff wailed.
He looked at the commotion along the waterfront.
The passengers clapped and cheered from aboard his mass.
"Oh," Skiff murmured with realization.
"Come on, Skiff!" Joe chuckled. "That's enough sailing for one day!"
Skiff sighed and carried on alongside the waterfront, watching the boats all the way.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
"And the winner is…Skiff the Railboat!"
The crowd all clapped and cheered as a 1st place medal was placed over Skiff's mass.
"Wow!" Skiff marveled. "ME! A winner!"
He beamed brightly as the crowd continued to cheer when…
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Skiff woke with a start, amongst the cheering passengers on the platform, to a familiar toot.
"Oliver!"
"Hello again, Skiff! Still daydreaming about the boats, are you?"
Isabel and Dulcie were baffled.
"Huh?"
"What now?"
Skiff sighed.
"Yes, I was! I can't help it, Oliver!"
The Great Western engine chuckled.
"Surely you can!"
"But, Oliver, you don't understand! Just how wonderful it would be to go gliding along the water along with all the other sailboats!"
"He-ahem!"
"Hmmm…"
The coaches pretended they hadn't heard.
Oliver raised an eyebrow at them, then expressed a look of sympathy at Skiff.
"Honestly, Skiff, I think you've got your head a little too far up above your mass today! I'd be careful if I were you!"
He waited as Dulcie's guard blew his whistle and took off.
"What drivel!" the latter coach expressed.
"What was he on about anyway?" Isabel demanded, chuckling a bit.
"Something to do with the regatta, Isabel!" Oliver admitted. "Too much business about those boats if you ask me!"
Skiff shot a sour look as he watched them leave, while Joe made his way over.
"Never mind, Skiff!" he encouraged. "The passengers are almost done with their lunch break! Afterwards, we can get another run at it! Maybe the fresh sea air will brighten your spirits a little!"
Skiff smiled lightly, but nevertheless looked ahead at the boats sailing along the water.
"They're all sailing along together…" he thought.
He observed for another instant, then expressed a look of determination.
"I bet I can go just as fast, if yet faster! Ugh…"
He inched slightly forward with his wheels, imagining himself racing steadily beside them.
"Ugh…ugh…"
His brake was hard on so he couldn't inch much further.
"Just…a little…closer!"
He scrunched his eyes slightly as he advanced when…
"Woahhh!" he wailed.
His daydream venture was suddenly disrupted by the sound of an emergency whistle!
"Huh?" he wondered.
He watched as a lifeguard on duty, walked from the top station and down the ramp with a sign in his hand.
The Regatta Judge sighed.
"The competition shall continue, but high winds are due!" he announced before the drivers. "A speed limit for 10 mph is enforced to ensure safety! No boats shall go any faster than that!"
The boaters all murmured with disappointment, as the judge shook his head and walked away.
"Huh," Skiff thought. "It shan't be long before the race starts! I can just imagine myself floating along at the same speed they're going!"
He continued to inch back and forth from his post.
"Ugh…ugh…I'm only just getting warmed up before the race!"
He felt a sudden force jump aboard his mass.
"Lunch break's almost over! You about ready, Skiff?" called a familiar voice.
"I am ready, Captain Joe! Ready for takeoff! I'll be in it for the finish line this time!"
Joe chuckled slightly.
"Quit horsing around, Skiff! Surely you wouldn't want to bounce about like this around our passengers!"
"No! But it's still fun to pretend!"
Gusts of wind blew slightly along Skiff's direction, causing him to wail and shout excitedly.
"I'm serious, Skiff!" Joe expressed. "High winds are coming! We must take care!"
"Look, Captain Joe! The race is about to start!"
"On your marks!" the MC announced.
"On my marks!" Skiff rehearsed preparingly.
"Get set!"
"Ready!"
The high winds rocked his break about even farther, causing it to rattle loosely.
"Go!"
"Off in a flash!"
Skiff inched farther at the sound of the horn.
"Woah!" he wailed, caught off-guard.
The winds suddenly blew Skiff's brake loose and sent him flying along the line!
"GAHHHHHHH!"
"Stop, Skiff!" Joe shouted.
"I can't, Captain Joe!"
He gripped his wheels desperately, but it did no good.
"Woahhhh-ohhhhh!" he shouted, as he switched tracks. "Look out, Duck!"
The Great Western engine gasped.
"Oh!"
He came to an abrupt halt as the slip coaches groaned from behind.
"Oof!"
"Ow!"
"Oh!"
Duck glanced back.
"Skiff!" he shouted.
"Help!" Skiff called, rolling uncontrollably down the ramp into the sea.
Joe held on for dear life when…
SWOOSH!
"Ahhhh!" Skiff gasped.
He watched as all the other boats raced by and toiled along on their trail.
The Judge rose up from his seat and gasped!
"Oh, dear!" Skiff shivered. "I-I wasn't expecting this!"
Joe groaned as he attempted to turn his mass around the other way.
"Steer back, Skiff! Steer back!"
"I'm not able to! The wind is pushing me along and the current's too strong to turn the other way!"
He wailed giddily as he sloshed about the current, his mouth bouncing up and down in the water.
"Woahhhhh!"
He hastily spit water from his mouth as he continued along.
Skiff raced uncontrollably about the water, until all of a sudden…
"Look!" Joe pointed ahead.
Skiff gasped.
"Look out!" he called.
"GrrrrAHHHHH!" Bulstrode groaned.
The barge moved aside with his hull full of fish.
"Sorry!" Skiff blushed.
"Puh!" Bulstrode groaned, spitting water angrily from his mouth.
"T-t-that was close!"
"Please, Skiff!" Joe coughed, amongst the water splashing in his mass. "At least try to stop!"
"But the wind has knocked my brake loose, Captain Joe!"
"But…but…"
"If I may, Captain Joe, couldn't it have been doable to leave me in a siding where some buffers could've kept me safe?"
"Or you could've stopped, trying to be like the other sailboats, otherwise we wouldn't be in this mess!"
"The regatta!" Skiff exclaimed.
Joe sighed.
"Yes, Skiff! That's precisely what I mean!"
"No, I mean, the boats! They're dead ahead! The ramp, too!"
Joe gasped
"Look out!" a fellow driver shouted from affront.
"Joe!" Skiff called.
"On it!"
He quickly steered Skiff's noose tight towards the ramp in time to steer him clear from the other sailboats.
"Woah!" Skiff wailed, as he overtook the first two and flew past.
The drivers were cross.
"Hey!"
"Oi! 10 mile speed limit, mate!"
"I know!" Skiff shouted from afront.
He groaned.
"We missed the ramp!" he informed Joe.
Joe was weary.
"So I've noticed!"
Their thoughts were cut off guard by the sound of the MCs.
"Oh, dear, folks! This is a surprise! Skiff the Railboat has just entered the race…"
Captain gasped from nearby as he helped a swimmer to safety.
"…and he's already overtaken two of four, toiling along in third place!"
Skiff was rather startled.
"Oh," he thought, chuckling a little.
All of a sudden, Skiff found a journey quite fun, but Joe was not quite as amused.
"Focus. Skiff! We must find our way out by the ramp when we're near to it next!"
"Oh, right," Skiff chuckled.
"Steady, now!"
He steered the noose straight as they went around the harborside.
"Ending the second lap here is the little railboat toiling the red sailboat here in 2nd place!" the MC shouted.
"Look, Joe! The ramp!"
"Hold tight, Skiff! I'll steer us!"
Skiff wailed to the side towards the red sailboat.
The driver gasped.
"Golly!" he expressed, as Skiff raced past.
"Sorry!" Skiff shouted.
"We missed it again, Skiff!" Joe called, gripping the noose.
Skiff sighed with dismay, then chuckled.
"At least we passed the second to last sailboat, though!"
Joe groaned.
"You and those sailboats, Skiff! Don't you ever…?"
"And taking 2nd place in the lead is the little railboat himself!" the MC continued. I'm telling you, folks! This might be an interesting finish!"
Skiff wailed excitedly as he splashed about the water around the harborside!
"Weeheeeee!"
The driver of the boat in front heard him wailing from behind and looked back, before spluttering with disbelief.
"No way!"
He watched the 10 mph sign cautiously, but gradually went a little faster.
The crowd from the boats gasped in awe, as the MC went on.
"Looks like a tight conclusion here! The boat in green is about to reach the finish line and it looks as if the little railboat it's not too far behind!"
"Not this time!" the driver expressed confidently, as he pulled the noose tight.
"The ramp!" Skiff shouted, as they saw it dead ahead.
"I'll steer us over!" Joe called.
The crowd gasped as Skiff steered over to the side of the harborfront.
"We're nearing the finish line, folks!" the MC called. "This ought to be a race like one we never had!"
The driver panted heavily as he pushed the boat further on inches from finish line when…
SWISH!
"Sheesh!" the driver expressed.
SWOOP!
"Got him, Harold!" Captain shouted, as Skiff passed the finish line.
His driver pulled the rope firmly around Skiff's sail, as the other three sailboats passed over the finish line!
"And the winner is…Skiff the Railboat!"
The crowd went wild, and clapped and cheered.
The Judge rose up with disbelief.
"What?! Impossible!"
The driver of the green boat dropped his rope in a fit.
Joe and Captain's driver worked together to tie the rope around Skiff's mass so that Harold could lift him safely back onto the rails. He was surprised to see a crowd of passengers waiting for him.
"Thank you, Harold!" Skiff expressed. "And Captain!"
"No problem, Skiff! Easy as you go now!" Captain replied.
"I must say, guess you did get a chance to partake in the regatta after all!" Harold jokingly remarked. "And you won too!"
Skiff chuckled slightly, going red.
"Yeah, I don't it's something I'd fancy doing again!"
"Indeed you won't!" Joe calmly reprimanded. "Honestly, Skiff, what were you thinking?"
"I'm sorry, Captain Joe! I spent so much time thinking about the regatta that I didn't think it all through with pretending to venture out and be a racing sailboat! At least with the winds being as high as they were knocking my brakes loose!"
"Surely," Joe agreed. "We can do something about that! I'll just check them again to make sure before we can continue!"
Skiff sighed.
As Joe checked over Skiff's brake, Duck came into view with his passenger train.
"Skiff!" he whistled. "Thank goodness you're alright!
"Thank you, Duck!"
"I say, though, what happened?"
Skiff smiled.
"Well, you see, Duck, I was watching the regatta! I imagine myself flying along the water like them, and by the time the race started, the high winds picked up and knocked my brake loose, so it sent me flying along into the water after them!"
"Oh," Duck expressed, listening on.
"I will admit: it didn't seem half bad racing against the other sailboats!"
Duck chuckled.
"Really?"
"But… I think I will refrain in thinking about the matter any further! I'm happy just as I am, giving tours around the harbor, not thinking about what other sailboats are up to!"
Duck smiled, rather reminiscing.
"You know, Skiff, there was once a time where I dreamt of sailing away to far away lands!"
Skiff raised an eyebrow with confusion.
"You did, Duck?"
"Why, yes! And I still wonder about it to this very day!"
"But…why?" Skiff wondered, puzzled.
"Because I realize that the best travels are the ones we can only dream about! Deep down, I know, I'm really useful standing on my own set of rails!"
Skiff listened with awe!
"That's fascinating, Duck! I guess that dreaming about the sailboat is not so bad after all!"
Duck whistled, humming happily, and thought, as he left the station at the sound of his guard's whistle.
Joe picked at the brake one last time.
"Got it! Your break is firmly in place now, Skiff! We can now continue on with the tour!"
"Great!" Skiff expressed, as his passengers all hopped aboard. "Come on, everyone!"
He took off in a flash, as the passengers marveled and held on for dear life!
"Steady now, Skiff!" Joe cautioned. "It's still rather windy!"
"I know, Captain Joe! But it's still fun, isn't it?"
Joe smiled.
"Kudos to that!"
He observed as Skiff flu further on by the Harborside, watching the boats race about.
"Wheeeeee!" he wailed.
Joe laughed.
"Easy does it, Skiff! We aren't actually racing!"
Skiff sighed and smiled as he trundled further on along.
Skiff went on thinking about the regatta for the rest of the day! However, he was pretty sure that he would never dream of traveling alongside them; it was only fun just pretending!
At the end of the day, he brought his passengers back to the top station, where Hugo the Rail Zeppelin was waiting to bring them home!
"Hi, Hugo!"
"Hello, Skiff! Don't mind me saying, I tink you look splendid flying along ze line! Zese railtours really suit you, I tink!"
"Thank you, Hugo! I'm just glad to be of service! Couldn't think of it any other way!"
He smiled and watched happily as Hugo sore off, before sighing peacefully.
Later that evening, Skiff was sitting in his siding, watching the lighthouse shine its beam around the waterside.
"Magical!" he expressed.
He was caught off-guard at the sound of a familiar whistle.
"Oh, hi, Oliver!"
"Hello again, Skiff!" the Great Western engine greeted, as he stopped by the top station.
He chuckled.
"I heard about your little endeavor earlier!" he gently teased.
"Shush!" Toad hissed. "Listen, Mr. Oliver!"
The pair noticed Skiff sigh peacefully as he continued to marvel at the waterside.
"Huh?" Oliver thought with confusion.
"Um, begging your pardon, Mr. Skiff, but what's on your mind?"
"The boats, Toad!"
"Still?" Oliver wondered with disbelief.
"What it would be like to sail along the horizon at a steady speed, racing against all the other sailboats!"
"But Mr. Skiff," Toad insisted. You can't go sailing! You're a railboat!"
Oliver laughed.
"That's the point I've been trying to make!"
"But I can still dream, can't I?"
"Ermmm…I suppose, but I still don't understand…"
"Duck told me that the best avengers are ones you can only dream about! I realize now that I am happiest when my wheels are flying along the rails, since I know, it keeps me useful!"
"I see," Oliver expressed, understandingly.
Toad smiled.
"Truth be told, Mr. Skiff, Point I was trying to make earlier was that there was a time when I had forward-thinking views! But I, as well, understood that I'm useful in my own way helping keep the trucks in line!"
Oliver smiled.
"You're both useful in your own ways! But like Skiff said, there is a little room there to dream a little!"
He winked at the little railboat, who smiled back at him.
At long last, the last truck with auntie and Toad's guard blew his whistle.
"Good night, Skiff!" Oliver and Toad called out together, as they set off.
Skiff sighed and went happily to sleep, dreaming away about having ventures in the regatta!
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
The crowd clapped and cheered as Skiff stood on the finish line, a first place medal placed over him as he rose up on a podium.
"Wow!" he marveled.
A story just shows us that just because we dream about things, they're not always guaranteed to be a reality, and this is where Duck and his S3 reference at the end comes into display. Toad's S5 reference about forward-thinking views also supported the lesson that Skiff learns. I believe I bought out Skiff's excitable side very well here; he's destined to do his work and not let his passengers down but at the same time, he gets too caught up in the thought of being a racing sailboat that it gets the best of him when he least expects it. Giving the Slip Coaches a role worked, because in a way, Duck's time between them and his own coaches are what he claims to make him diverse and inadvertently gets Skiff's hopes up about joining the sailboats. Overall, it was a really fun adventure story to write. My next couple of stories will be a balance between starring roles for characters I've never given the spotlight to before as well as for for returning characters. I hope you all are stoked for what's in store for the rest of this set! Till next time, be sure to leave thought, and as always, stay tuned for...
Samson And The Wrong Advice - [Based on the Mr. Men book Little Miss Stubborn and the Wrong Advice] - when Samson's actions causes him and Bradford to be stuck on Sodor, Nia suggests that Samson takes advice from others on how to do different jobs. Samson, not surprisingly, agrees, but he takes the suggestion literally, and starts taking advice from every engine on Sodor, including taking advice on how to shunt trucks from Diesel - by bashing them from behind!
A Stretch Too Far - when Thomas is taken ill, Stepney the Bluebell Engine visits Sodor to run his Branch Line in his palce. He is so eager to work that his expectations aren't met as delays happen commonly. However, Stepney gets more than he bargained for when having to take Hasty Hannah out!
Fair Play - Stanley feels threatened when Stepney takes on his duty as head shunter in the Shunting Yard, and is jealous of the popularity that he gets in amongst other engines, so he hatches a plan to make him look weaker, but it doesn't go quite the way he expects it to!
Status Quo - when Gordon has boilerache, his brother the Flying Scotsman pulls the express in his place. However, he is disappointed when he doesn't get to stop at stations between Knapford and Vicarstown to let passengers admire him! So he goes slower between stations to get his wish, which only makes his own passengers late!
Old Spiteful Spites Again - Old Spiteful the Brake Van is mysteriously hesitant about proceeding to work when other engines take him out. This reverts him back to his old habits, as he constantly causes delays amongst the other engines, leaving it up to Donald and Douglas to settle the matter with the brake van once and for all!