Sid yanked Eric’s ankle to topple him over. The boy landed on the top of the train with a…

THUD!

Eric shut his eyes tight as he felt the arch of the tunnel skim over his head.

VROOSH!

The boy was lucky to be alive, and he knew it. In moments, the dark turned to light as the train galloped out of the tunnel.

It was now trundling across a railway bridge over the River Thames, heading south. The three had to find the third-class carriage. So, taking a windswept Gertrude in their hands, her wedding dress blowing wildly, they tiptoed across the roof to the front of the train. Between each carriage there was a wide gap to leap over. Not so difficult for an ape, or a small, sprightly boy. However, this was a huge challenge for an old man with tin legs.

“I’m not sure about this!” spluttered Sid.

“You can do it!” assured Eric. “Just take a running jump!”

The old man shook his head, but took a few steps back before doing his best to leap from one carriage to another.

“ARGH!” cried Sid as he lost his footing and fell down the gap.

CLANK!

Eric just managed to grab the old man’s hand to stop him falling on to the tracks!

“I’VE GOT YOU!” said the boy.

But the old man’s hand was slipping out of Eric’s.

“YES! BUT FOR HOW LONG?”

To make matters worse, it was hard to see a thing. Thick plumes of smoke were chugging from the engine at the front as the train began to reach its top speed.

CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!

Spotting her friends were in trouble, Gertrude leaned down from the top of the train and reached out a helping hand. The gorilla was a good deal stronger than Eric, or indeed anyone. Grabbing Sid’s other hand, she yanked him back on top of the carriage. He landed with a…

THUMP!

“Are you all right?” asked Eric.

“Just a bit winded!” replied Sid.

“Gertrude! Let’s grab a hand each,” said the boy, miming.

The gorilla nodded. She was a clever girl! Now with Sid in the middle, the three leaped over the wide gaps between the train carriages together.

“WHEE!” exclaimed the old man, feeling like a child again for the first time in half a century. It was as if he were a toddler being swung by his parents.

Soon the three had reached the front of the train.

“Now we need to find an empty compartment,” said Sid.

“Lower me down the side and I can look through the windows!” replied the boy.

Gertrude and Sid held on to Eric’s ankles as he was lowered down to look through the first compartment window.

A group of stunned nuns looked up from their Bible-reading. The boy smiled at them and gestured to be pulled up.

The next compartment was full of children. They all had name tags round their necks, no doubt being evacuated to the countryside. The children smiled and waved and looked super-excited to see the upside-down boy outside the window. Eric waved before gesturing to be pulled back up.

“Third time lucky!” he said as Sid and Gertrude lowered him to look through the window of the next compartment.

“YES!” exclaimed the boy. “This one is empty!”

Still upside down, Eric slid the window open and swung through it. He landed in a crumpled heap on the floor of the compartment.

THUNK!

Next, he leaned out of the window to help first Gertrude, and then Sid inside. The old man caught his trousers on the door handle, and they whipped down.

WHIP!

“Not again!” he exclaimed as his wrinkly bottom stuck out of the window.

Eric hauled him inside, and Sid hastily yanked up his trousers.

Breathless, windswept, and covered in soot from all the smoke, the three were at last slumped on seats. Eric closed the window…

SHUNT!

…and they all let out a giant sigh of relief.

“HUH!”

The wind had blustered Gertrude’s wedding dress all over the place. She looked as if she’d been dragged through a hedge backwards. Her furry face, arms and legs were now clearly on display.

“Oops!” remarked the boy.

“Oops indeed!” echoed Sid.

Eric looked out of the door on the other side of the compartment that led on to the carriage corridor. To his horror, he could see a lady approaching, pushing a tea trolley.

“The tea lady’s coming! We have to get Gertrude straightened out! Now!”

As Gertrude looked on, confused, the pair set to work, pulling and straightening the bits of old net curtain that made up the wedding dress.

“Sorry!” said the boy. “It’s not that you are not beautiful!”

Gertrude beamed back, puckering up her lips for a kiss.

“Not now!” the boy hissed.

He just managed to yank the veil over Gertrude’s face…

SWISH!

…when the door to the compartment swung open…