The Adventures of the Spitfire Patrol

Captain Violet and the Pirate Queen

"I just can't stand it anymore!" said Katy, snatching her very wide-brimmed straw hat off her head and throwing herself down onto the bottom bunk of the Anderson shelter.
The girls were back in Alison's garden for another weekly unit meeting, but this particular Friday afternoon was so overwhelmingly hot that none of them seemed to have the energy to do anything. Even little Bobby was flagging and had gone off to find a shady corner of the patio to collapse in for a while.
"I know we shouldn't complain," Betty said, wiping her forehead with the back of her sleeve, "It's seldom we get such pleasant weather in England, even in July, but this is altogether too much!"
A general grumble of agreement rippled around the tiny room.
The girls had planned a nice picnic on the green that afternoon since preparations were beginning for the village fete and it was looking so lovely. But the green didn't offer much shade and the heat had quashed everyone's appetite.
No one said it out loud, but the picnic was off.
Though the Anderson shelter was just cool enough to be bearable, it was hardly the change of scenery they were looking for.

They lay about on the bunkbeds in exhausted silence for a good few minutes. Fanning themselves lazily with whatever they had to hand.
"I know!" Violet said with a sudden burst of enthusiasm, "My father always used to take us boating in the summer when the weather got a bit much. We don't go so often at the moment since he's so busy, but we've still got our two darling little rowing boats."
"The ones we used for our Boatswain badges?" Katy asked, brightening.
"Yes, the same! I'm sure Mother wouldn't mind us lugging them out to the river for the afternoon."

Violet's mother, Mrs Harding, took a little persuading before she relinquished the prized rowing boats.
"I don't want them to come back damaged, Violet. I know you girls are very careful, but your father spent a lot of time working on these, whether it looks like it or not. So, no steering yourselves into rocks or running aground."
"We're not going out to sea, Mrs Harding," Olave said. Certainly, she was trying to sound reassuring but instead came off a little sarcastic. The poor girl went beet red and shuffled to the back of the group without another word.
Eventually, however, the boats were procured, and within the hour they were bobbing about on the winding river that cut across the village and out into open fields.

The sun was high in the sky, but the trees stooped low over the water and created a shady canopy that kept them nice and cool.
Spirits were high as sandwiches were passed between the boats and the girls playfully splashed each other by bringing the heavy wooden oars down into the water with a smack. The gnats that buzzed around them now and then were a small price to pay for such a golden afternoon.
Bobby had of course been permitted to join them, and stood proudly at the bow, with his paws up on the side, gazing out like a ship's captain at his watery kingdom.

The trouble began in the way trouble usually does; with the girls growing complacent. All of them were aware of the perils that came with being out on the open water and began very earnestly and very safely, adhering to all the sensible rules Captain had taught them.
Naturally, many possessed their Swimmer badges and Violet had her Lifesaver, so they were very competent. But, when the weather is fine, and the company good, it is all too easy to let down your guard.
Doubtless, it doesn't need to be said that Olave was the root cause of the problem, for when Bobby tired of his look-out post and went to nap at Katy's feet, she took his place at the bow.
"What have we got worth looting?" Violet laughed, "We've got nothing more interesting than you."
"Only the picnic hamper!" Betty said, taking charge of the oars and swinging their little rowing boat around.
"Well, you've got the dog!" Alison protested. Everyone was fond of Bobby and all craved his attention. It was considered the highest honour to have him among the crew of one's ship.
"I don't think he'll taste as good as the sandwiches!" Laughed Katy, as Daisy lunged forward to cover the poor Jack's ears lest he be offended.
"We will do a fair swap." Violet tried to bargain, fully leaning into character and adopting something of a Cornish accent, though no one would have recognised it.
"Absolutely not!" The pirate queen fired back, "We want the sandwiches and the dog!"
"Might I suggest we get to a wider part of the river before we commence battle?" Alison said, breaking the immersion completely. "It's just that the reeds here are a little thick and I can see us getting stuck fast."
A very gentlemanly truce was called while the vicious navy-blue pirates rowed their mighty warships into clearer waters.

"Here is the perfect spot for our fight!" Violet decreed, about five minutes further along the river. The reeds along the bank had thinned out almost to nothing, and the water was crystal clear. No trees bent their heads over the water, so there was no danger of getting snagged on their branches.
Violet, who had appointed herself captain of her boat, commanded Alison to row towards the enemy, while Anne guarded the coveted picnic hamper and Janie splashed the reckless pirate queen so as to disorientate her.
Meanwhile, Olave's boat took a much more hands-on approach, and several of her crew tried to clamber aboard the enemy ship and retrieve their treasure!
Bobby barked and nipped at the heels of anyone, friend or foe, in his excitement - he wasn't sure what was going on, but he was certainly happy to be involved.

The battle was fierce, but eventually, Violet's boat was overwhelmed, and the pirate queen returned to her own, holding the picnic hamper high above her head in triumph.
"Never was there a more fearsome crew in all the land, than mine." she announced with pride, "And I would just like to say-"
"Olave, duck!"
"Where?"
The brave pirate queen turned to catch a glimpse of one of the sweet little mallards that lived along the river, and instead felt a great thwack to the head, which knocked her sideways and into the water with a splash - picnic hamper and all! They had all been so preoccupied, that the bridge seemed to come out of nowhere.
"Why didn't you duck!?" An exasperated Betty yelled overboard, as Olave flailed about, trying to retrieve the sandwiches that were rapidly floating away from her. Meanwhile, Katy was laughing so hard she thought she might actually be sick.
Violet, on the other hand, saw a golden opportunity. You see, whilst Katy was patrol leader, Alison was first aider, and Betty and Olave were quartermasters, Violet was lifesaver, and they seldom ever went near water so she rarely got to use flex her skills.
Olave was a strong swimmer and the river was so shallow here that she could have stood up very easily if she had wanted to, but that didn't stop Violet. She launched herself into the water in a bid to rescue her friend.

"That's all our lovely lunch gone anyway," Anne grumbled, looking at the soggy slices of bread clinging to the sides of the boat.
"I think that's a small price to pay," Katy replied, getting her breath back, "for the end of a bitter feud between Captain Violet and the Pirate Queen!"