Now Gertrude was having a whale of a time swinging from the rope. She’d woken up properly, and was propelling herself to and fro, so she could swing through the air.

he was crying.

“Is Gertrude all right?” asked Sid, his face awash with worry.

Eric looked down out of the truck window. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her happier!”

“Ha! Ha! I hate to spoil her fun, but we’d better try to reel the old girl in!”

Using all their might, the pair heaved on the rope and opened the passenger-side door. Like fishermen reeling in a hefty catch, the gorilla eventually landed in the truck, right on top of Eric.

“OOF! She’s heavy!”

Sitting in his lap, the gorilla put her arms round the boy, and gave him a big smacker on the cheek.

“MWAH!”

“Steady on, Gertrude!” protested Eric with a smile.

“You’ve just rescued the princess! It’s her right to thank her knight in shining armour with a kiss. Now come on, old girl, slide over!”

Sid guided Gertrude to sit between them in the truck as Eric untied the rope from her ankle. Meanwhile, the gorilla had found a spare flying helmet and a pair of goggles. Not wanting to feel left out, she put them on. Now she looked like a proper pilot too.

Well, a great big, hairy one.

“WE DID IT!” exclaimed the boy.

“We really did!” agreed Sid.

Both hugged the gorilla, and the truck soared into the sky above Regent’s Park.

“So how are you feeling, old girl?” asked Sid.

The gorilla stuck her tongue out and did the longest, noisiest raspberry.

“She’s never been better!” laughed Eric. “Ha! Ha!”

But that laughter was to be short-lived as suddenly the sounds of shells exploded all around them.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Anti-aircraft guns were firing at them from the ground.

“They must think we’re a Nazi plane!” exclaimed Sid.

“NOOOO!”

cried the boy.