Corky had never felt so alive and full of energy in all his life. 'I could jump over the moon' he thought.
'In that case' said Amy, reading his thoughts, 1 suggest we do just that and go to Rocket Range'.
To his utter amazement, the next second, there they all were - ten of them - Leo, Geraldine, Pet, Priscilla, Chubby, Susan, Ming, Bazu, Tiny and Amy all sitting with him comfortably in the capsule of a moon rocket I Everyone was chatting away excitedly, all that is, except Geraldine with her neck in folds. She was peering at a knitting pattern. She calmly looked aware of his astonishment
'I thought I'd make you a little JUMPER Corky dear' she said, 'You'll be over the moon when you get it! ' And she gave her usual chuckle.
Leo was in command. He looked sternly round. 'Ready for BLAST OFF everybody?' he roared. They all shouted 'READY!'
'Then the COUNT-DOWN begins', he went on. 'Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, ZERO! We're OFF!'
There was a terrific bang but no one seemed the least bit concerned except Priscilla as Geraldine's needles were poking her ear. They shot through the air - up, up, UP, UP!
'We shall be landing on the left side of the moon' said Leo. 'Now you all know the drill. Corky, it's very simple. You'll stand between Tiny and Amy who 'II be at one of the line, and I'll be at the other. All the rest will be between us holding hands with each other. I shall count up to three and when I say 'JUMP' we'll all jump together. Is that clear?'
Everybody nodded and Priscilla said, 'PURRfectly clear'. Before Corky could even say 'COR!' the rocket bounced up and down like a rubber ball and then suddenly stopped. 'We've LANDED!' everyone shouted. 'Out you get then, all of you' roared Leo, ' and don't fall off the edge!'
They stood in a long line, holding hands. 'READY?' yelled Leo. 'Right! Here we go! One ..two ..THREE. JUMP!!' Corky found himself flying right up in the sky without wings. Suddenly Leo shouted 'We're OVER!' Everyone shrieked with delight. They were over the moon!
They began to descend, and this was even more exciting. Corky had a tingling feeling all down his spine, like he experienced going down a lift in a big London store. Down and down they went, through the deep midnight blue sky, which looked like a velvet cloak studded with sequins as the stars twinkled all around them. Then the colour gradually changed to pale blue, then paler still and they became enveloped in a white light which became more dazzling as they descended lower and lower.
Suddenly Corky felt a slight bump and heard Amy's voice in his ear saying gently, 'Just let go of my hand. Corky. We've landed!' He looked round. There they all were tumbling onto the soft grass at the base of Rocket Range.
'Did we REALLY jump over the moon?' he asked Amy.
'Well you THOUGHT we did didn't you?' she replied. 'And the adventure was just as real as FANTASY FAIR is now, because you THINK you are here!'
'So wot I FINK is real, IS real' Corky said reflectively, 'Cos I can see it in my mind, same as when I tell the kids stories, and they can see as well'.
'Yes. Children can see very vivid pictures in their minds. You know. Corky dear, you'd find the THINKING lesson very interesting' Amy said.
Is that wot they learn at school?'
'Among other things' Amy replied.
There was a pause while Corky considered this. To WANT to go to school was beyond his comprehension, yet they all seemed to enjoy it here.
'And you can wear this, which you THINK I've knitted for you', interrupted Geraldine, producing a bright yellow jumper with the Man in the Moon on the front, and he was winking - or at least Corky THOUGHT he was!
