The Magical Peppers and the Island of Invention. Sian Pattenden

must be Mr Chalk,” he said, holding out a long arm in greeting. “Pleased to meet you.”

      “Yes, I’m the fix-it man,” replied Keith, surveying Monty, the fish and the fallen ladder. “Anything you need fixing, just ask me. Looks like you might want help already…”

      Keith Chalk had brown curly hair, thick eyebrows and a straight nose. He wore paint-splattered overalls with pockets full of small spanners and wrenches. He held out a large hand and smiled as he was introduced to the Pepper twins.

      “The first thing is that there’s a small issue with the light bulbs,” Tabitha told him.

      Keith looked up at the lighting rig and scratched his head.

      “No problem,” he said, good-naturedly. “I can get this row of lights changed, but is this something that happened during rehearsal? And in which case, is it likely to happen again?”

      Potty nodded. “Yes, maybe.”

      “If so, we could always try and cover the bulbs in thin sheets of heatproof plastic,” said Keith, enthusiastic about problem solving. “That should deal with the real issue.”

      “That’s a great idea,” said Potty.

      “I love to think of the bigger picture,” said Keith. “You’re a magician then?”

      “How did you guess?”

      “The back of your cape has the words ‘The Potty Magician’ stitched into it.”

      Potty scratched his chin and looked with intrigue at Keith.

      “I wonder if you have any thoughts on spring-loaded objects?” asked Potty.

      “Always tricky. They can shoot off and end up anywhere, which can cause problems with your audience – and health and safety. You should really be looking at having more control.”

      Potty was impressed. Keith seemed to have something that Potty lacked – a practical take on adventurous ideas.

      “Are you a fan of magic?” asked Potty.

      “Oh, yes,” said Keith. “I love the skill, the showmanship. I like to work out how the magicians do each trick – it takes a lot of technical skill to make sure everything comes to life.”

      Potty nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

      “I’ve seen Pat Daniels perform live six times,” continued Keith. “I even managed to catch Trev and Peller once – they did that incredible trick which made it look like Trev was covered in a million dollars’ worth of banknotes and then was run over by an eighteen-wheel truck. For a start, the notes themselves can’t have been real…”

      “But I heard that they were,” said Potty. “The money was passed around the audience beforehand…”

      “They must have been switched at some point,” said Keith.

      “It is possible…” mused Potty.

      Esmé watched Potty and Keith talk with interest – they seemed to be getting on splendidly.

      “Then of course there’s the truck,” continued Keith eagerly, “which must have had at least one fake wheel, so that when it went over him—”

      “…he wasn’t injured! Of course,” shouted Potty, finishing Keith’s sentence. “And maybe the truck was weighted to one side, so as not to hurt poor Trev.”

      “That’s it,” said Keith. “You’re a—”

      “…genius!” finished Potty – and they both laughed.

      At once, Esmé realised that Potty’s act, as great as it was, had been missing something – a person who could make Potty’s ambitions a reality. She was sure that Keith Chalk was this person.

      “Uncle Potty,” said Esmé, tugging on his cape. “Why doesn’t Keith help you with this performance? He can make your tricks a hundred times…” Esmé was trying very hard not to say ‘less prone to disaster’, “…more workable. I read a book which said that many of the top magicians secretly employ inventors to make their act the most sensational – and completely unique.”

      Keith looked at Esmé. “But I’m just a fix-it man.”

      “I think Esmé’s right,” cried Potty. “You love magic, you try and work out how the tricks are done… and you seem to have the technical know-how to help create some incredible, never-before-seen tricks.”

      “Well, I do like to tinker with electricals and gadgets,” said Keith. “I’ve even made a few inventions of my own recently…”

      “Do say you’ll help us,” said Esmé.

      There was a long, tense pause as Keith looked lost in thought.

      “Why not,” he said at last. “It would be an honour.”

      Potty and Keith shook hands; both were grinning widely.

      Suddenly Twinkle started to swoon again. “It’s terribly hot in here,” she said.

      “Oh, gracious, not again,” said Tabitha.

      “I just feel a little…” Twinkle fanned her face with her hand as she slumped back into her chair. “Ooh, the spirits!” Twinkle squeaked as she wrinkled her nose.

      “Oh, deary me, not another premonition?” Tabitha was concerned. “You’ve only just finished your last one…”

      “I can’t help it,” murmured Twinkle. “These apparitions just arrive… Might be important.”

      Twinkle’s head drooped to one side then the other. It looked as if she was watching a very slow game of tennis.

      “Hurghmumble,” said Twinkle. “Flurghlehoi…”

      “Anything bubbling up from the spirit world?” Tabitha asked her sister.

      Esmé watched in wonder as Twinkle was visited – yet again – by some sort of mystical presence. Esmé wondered what she might see this time.

      “I’ve got it.” Twinkle’s eyes opened and she shot up in her chair. “It’s a shark in a suit, and it’s coming to get us.”

      “A shark in a suit?” asked Tabitha. “Sharks don’t wear clothes.”

      “Oh, but this one does…” Twinkle Table said, and shivered.

      Just at that moment, a man entered the auditorium.

      An excerpt from

      Dr Pompkins – Totality Magic

      TRICK: Remove an Ice Cube with a Piece of String

      Compatriots and cavaliers, place before you a glass full of water and one ice cube. Give each of your friends a piece of string – medium length – and ask them to remove the ice cube with it.

      Watch as they will try to lasso the cube out – to no avail. Once they have given up, take the string, soak it in the water then double it into a loop at the centre.

      Rest this loop on top of the ice cube, pour some magic dust over both of them (the magic dust is actually salt, but your audience need not know this) and you will be able to lift the ice cube, which will have become frozen to the loop. The ice melts as you pour the salt on it, and refreezes when you stop.

      Now that is magic. Oh, no, it’s not – it’s science.