Chapter 34 - The Rescue

The two girls arrived at the local police station hoping to raise the alarm and get a rescue mission started.

The station was in uproar with the Mayor demanding action. A team had already been dispatched to the local market hall, hoping to intercept the kidnappers when they delivered their ransom note. The massed crowd in the police station had no idea where to start looking and were talking loudly, not achieving anything.

Eventually the two girls with tear-stained faces were noticed and the chief of police called for silence.

Explaining the plot and saying how sorry they were, it eventually became clear that two persons had been swept away with the flood water, being hurled downhill at great speed towards rocks and tree roots. The Mayor frantic with worry now demanded a search party including firemen and helicopter be dispatched downhill in search for his son and bring both him and the kidnapper back as soon as possible.

Meanwhile the three boys had been apprehended in the market, together with the one working in the market stall.

The gang leader was defiant but the other two soon broke down and confessed their part in the kidnap plot. When the kidnap demand notice was produced, the Mayor burst out laughing. 

"What in the world is this? Putting my boy's life at risk for this silly demand. Out of the question. You will all be held responsible and given a stiff punishment, believe you me."

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Way down in the valley, it was getting very hot now that midday had been and gone with no sign of any rescuers. Gammelnok and the boy had crawled into the shade of some large eucalyptus trees to try and stay cool and keep awake and alert should a rescue attempt come anywhere close enough to spot them. When that happened, they would light one of their two rockets, hoping to attract attention. The other would be saved for when it got dark, in the hope that it would light and guide any rescuers to where they had stranded.

But time dragged on and nothing happened other than the Mayor's son kept complaining. Gammelnok constantly had to tell him to stop it as he made it more difficult to hear if anyone might be approaching.

Back at the police station, they kept getting negative reports from the search teams. The heat of the day had dried out any remnants of the flooding and one valley or ravine looked much like another. They could only try to guess which way the water had flowed and where to look for the missing persons.

Gammelnok suddenly became aware of a strange bleating noise in the distant. Demanding the Mayor's son keep quiet, he strained his ears to determine what was happening. Soon the noise became louder and a strong smell wafted their way. The two of them looked at each other. Then the Mayor's son said "Goats, then there must also be a goat herd". That was the first sensible thing he had said since they met nearly 24 hours ago in the storm drain.

So they stood up, waving their arms in the air, shouting "Over here, over here" as loud as they could.

They waved, jumped, shouted, doing all they could to attract attention. Soon they were surrounded by hundreds of mainly brown goats. Bells were ringing, utters dangling and eyes with rectangular horizontal pupils glaring at them. The smell was overwhelming and not seeing any goatherd, they began to worry for their safety.

Soon he materialised though and squatting to be level with them, their story was told and understood.

Now, how to formulate a rescue plan? The goatherd got them to gather enough rocks to build a circle to hold a fire. Even though it was illegal to light fires in the Campo at this time of the year and until late September, he hoped that a decent fire would attract attention and could still be contained within the circle of rocks. Lots of firewood was collected and stacked. With the use of Gammelnok's matches, it soon burned bright. Too bright! It did not give off any smoke. They had to douse it with some water, but where to find some? The rainwater had all dried away in the midday heat.

The goatherd had yet another idea. He could milk a goat and try to dampen the fire that way. It worked in a fashion and soon there was a large dark cloud of smoke drifting high into the blue sky. Now the next problem was drawing attention their way. Gammelnok had an idea. He would fire one of their two rockets, hopefully releasing a very loud bang. Everyone agreed that that might be their only chance of getting noticed.

The rocket was fired and let out a loud bang. Then they all waited. And they waited.

Not for a lot longer though. Soon they heard the sound of a helicopter approaching and Gammelnok fired his last rocket. They were spotted and creating panic among the herd of goats, the helicopter landed nearby. A policeman and a fireman jumped out. Gammelnok was put in handcuffs far too big for him and the Mayor's son was wrapped in a blanket. They were hoisted aboard the helicopter, waving goodbye to the goatherd.

Gammelnok was delighted. Maybe they can fly me to my Garden Pond in England. He asked, but was told in no uncertain terms to shut up.