The Monster under the Floor!

Don't fall in, Sonning!

One of the problems with being rescued from a tree you can't remember climbing, is that you start to wonder if a monster put you there.  Then you start to wonder if monsters are to blame for all sorts of things you don't understand.  That's why it's important to read books and find out about things properly!


When I first joined the crew of Uplander II, I didn't understand what made the boat move.  I could hear something rumbling under the floor, just in front of where Polar and Grizzly stood at the back of the boat.  The louder it rumbled, the faster the boat moved.  The rumbling noise seemed to be controlled by a little red lever on the side of a wooden panel, which Polar or Grizzly sometimes pushed backwards or forwards.


I didn't understand what this did, because I didn't know the boat had an engine or what an engine was.  I imagined that a creature with huge webbed feet lived under the floor and, when it paddled its feet slowly, the boat moved slowly and, when it paddled fast, the boat went faster.  If it didn't paddle at all, we drifted with the current and we stopped if it paddled backwards for a little while. 


Grizzly - Keeper of the Rumbly Monster?

I thought the little red lever probably released food for the Rumbly Monster, as I called it, and that the further the lever was pushed forward, the more food came out for the Rumbly Monster and the faster it could swim.  In a funny sort of way, I was almost right about that!  Then Grizzly told Polar he was going to 'check the bilge' and lifted up part of the floor and, when I peeped over the edge of my red and white ring to see what was there (which was very brave of me), instead of a big slimy, swimming thing, I saw a grey metal thing and that was making the rumbling noise.  I felt such a silly little bear!  I was very glad Polar and Grizzly didn't know how silly I was.


Later, I found a book about looking after boats which explained what the engine did, that it ate diesel fuel to make energy to turn the propeller round and for electricity for our lights and water pump.  I want to find out more about engines, so I can put my overalls on and help if anything goes wrong with Uppie's engine (which happens occasionally).

Engine Repair Bear

I used to think locks were monsters too.  I'm going ask Polar if we can share one of her stories about me, which explains what they really are and how I found out how they work, so look out for another post soon!