Diggles and the bone burgulars

"Wow! It's happened again!" exclaimed Rover at breakfast one morning.

Roger and Diggles looked up from their bowls of boneflakes and milk.

"Look!" Rover shook the morning newspaper under their cold, wet noses. "Another bone burglary in the town!"

"What? Another?" gasped Roger, horrified. "Let me see!"

He grabbed the paper out of his friend's paws and he and Diggles studied the front page. Sure enough — another butcher's shop had been burgled and every bone removed. According to the paper, ten such burglaries had taken place in the last two weeks. Supplies of bones were dangerously low in Wooftown.

The three friends finished their breakfast in gloomy silence. Life without bones was too terrible to contemplate. Biscuits and chews just weren't the same as bones.

"Someone should do something!" announced Diggles, thumping the table with his paw.

"Absolutely!" agreed Rover.

"Definitely!" barked Roger. Then a moment later he added: "Yes, but what?"

Just then there came a loud knocking at the door which made them all jump.

"Postdog!" they all cried and rushed together to the door. They loved getting letters.

But it wasn't the postdog. It was the Mayor and all the members of the Town Watchdog Committee.

"Good morning, faithful citizens," said the Mayor importantly. "May we step inside?"

"Yes, yes, of course," said Roger politely. "But it will be a bit of a squash, I'm afraid. There's an awful lot of you and not a lot of house."

"We'll be fine," smiled the Mayor and he and the Committee trooped into the hallway. Diggles, Roger and Rover found themselves squashed against the wall. The Mayor's gold studded collar dug painfully into Diggles right ear.

"I'll be brief," growled the Mayor.

"Thank goodness," thought Diggles, Roger and Rover.

"You'll have read about this latest bone burglary, I imagine," he started. At once, all the dogs started growling. It was deafening.

"Quiet, friends, quiet. We must keep calm!" the Mayor's gruff voice rose above the din. The noise died down.

"Well, about this dreadful business. We need you , Diggles, to help us."

"Me?" yelped Diggles. "How?" He couldn't think why the Mayor was asking him.

"Because you've got an aeroplane!" came the answer.

Chapter 2: Dart

It was perfectly true. Diggles did have a plane. It was a very old biplane. Diggles had found it one day in a field (but that's another story). He had brought it home and Roger and Rover had helped him to clean it up and repaint it. He had named it Dart. Dart was now gleaming and smart and lived in a large shed at the bottom of the garden.

The only thing was — Diggles didn't know how to fly. He didn't even know if Dart could fly. He just kept the plane for show.

He tried to explain all this to the Mayor, but the Mayor waved his objections aside with his paw.

"Diggles, your town needs you to fly this plane. You must patrol these skies until these bone burglars are found. You can't let us down! We cannot exist in a town without bones! Diggles, you must protect our bones! Please!"

"Please!" begged all the members of the Watchdog Committee.

How could Diggles refuse? He glanced at Roger who shrugged, and at Rover who was chewing his claws nervously.

"Mr Mayor! I'll do whatever I can to help!" announced Diggles bravely. "I'll learn to fly if that's what my town needs me to do!"

"Hooray! Bravo!" howled the Mayor and the Committee in delight. Roger and Rover looked panic-stricken.

"And my friends Roger and Rover will help me by being my flight crew and radio operatives!" added Diggles. Roger and Rover looked even more panic-stricken. "We'll begin at once!"

Beaming with relief, the Mayor and Committee marched out of the cramped hallway. They thumped Diggles, Roger and Rover on the back as they went and shook them warmly by the paws, telling them what model citizens they were. The three friends felt battered and bruised by the time the last Watchdog had left the house.

Chapter 3: A trip to the library

"Diggles!" exclaimed Roger and Rover together when they were alone once more. "What have you done!"

"Oh, come on. How could I refuse to help. Dart may be our last hope. We must have bones, you know!" Diggles defended himself.

"Yes, yes," nodded Roger. "You're right. But where do we start to learn about being radio crew and flight op - op- whatevers?"

"Flight crew and radio operatives," Diggles corrected him. "Easy. We find books about it. We'd better go to the library right away!"

"No, we'll go after I've had a cup of bone tea to calm me down," said Rover firmly.

So, about half an hour later the three friends were to be found searching along the shelves of the town library for books about flying. The Mayor had told the librarian to let them have as many books as they needed. The librarian wasn't at all sure about this. He didn't like anyone borrowing any of the books in the library. He would much rather they all stayed where they belonged — on the shelves where they kept nice and clean. Books that were borrowed eventually got tatty or chewed or even lost. And this Diggles and his friends were going to be building engines and what have you — the books would get all oily. It was too bad! Still, the librarian liked his bones as much as the next dog, so he reluctantly hunted out as many useful books as he could.

It was dinner time before Diggles, Roger and Rover got back home, each holding a pile of books. They had a quick dog biscuit sandwich each and settled down to work.

"Right!" said Roger. "I suggest we look at all the books and pick out the most useful ones."

Rover and Diggles agreed with this plan.

For the rest of the afternoon, silence reigned over the house. Well, silence apart from the rustling of pages, the occasional exclamation of excitement or yawn of boredom. By tea time the yawns were more or less constant, but at last the task was done.

There were just three useful books. One was a maintenance manual for a plane that looked just like Dart. Diggles didn't know what make of plane Dart was but, judging by the photos in this book, it was more or less a Tiger Moth.

"I'll take that book," said Roger. "I'm the best at changing plugs and light bulbs and things round here, so I think that makes me the mechanic."

Rover and Diggles were happy about that. "OK then," said Rover. "In that case, I'll take this book about operating radios and communication systems. I'm the best at tuning our portable radio, after all." He picked up the huge, dusty book.

"So that makes me the pilot," announced Diggles. "I'd better have this book then — it's called Learning to fly in no time at all." He claimed the remaining book. "Cup of tea, anyone?"

The other two nodded. They had some supper in weary silence and then trooped off to their bedrooms — not to sleep, but to start studying. Dogs passing by late that night thought there must be a party on at the house as there were so many lights on. But one by one the lights went off as Diggles, Roger and Rover became too tired to read.

Chapter 4: Final preparations

Not at all bright and early next day, the three friends struggled out of bed. Today they would have to put what they had been reading about last night into practice. There wasn't a moment to lose — who knew when the bone thieves might strike again?

Over breakfast, Rover started to teach the others about some of the special words they would have to use over the radio.

"You'll never guess what, Roger, but your name — roger — means OK, fine, on the radio. So I say to Diggles, the pilot, over the radio 'Are you receiving me?' and he says 'Roger!'"

"Roger!" echoed Diggles, trying it out.

"Yes?" said Roger to Diggles.

"No, no, sorry. I was just copying Rover saying 'Roger', not calling you, Roger," explained Diggles.

"OK," replied Roger.

"No, not OK, but 'Roger,'" Rover corrected him.

"Yes?" said Roger to Rover.

"No, 'Roger,' Roger. You should have said 'Roger', not 'Yes,'" said Rover a bit snappily.

"Roger!" grinned Roger, understanding at last.

"So," Rover went on, "after Diggles says 'Roger', he then says 'Over', meaning he's finished what he's got to say."

"Roger. Over." Diggles tried that out.

"Yes?" said Roger, thinking Diggles had called him again.

And "Yes?" said Rover, thinking Diggles had called him too.

"No, no, sorry, I was just saying 'Roger' and 'Over', not calling you, Roger and Rover!" giggled Diggles.

"OK," smiled Rover.

"No, 'Roger' you mean," corrected Roger.

Rover sighed. He was beginning to wish he had never started this conversation.

Roger got up and put his cup and bowl in the sink.

"I'm off to the hardware shop to get some bits and pieces and then I'll make a start on Dart," he announced.

"I'll come with you," said Rover. "I need bits to make a radio and receiver with."

"See you later," said Diggles.

Until Dart was airworthy, all he could do was read his book again and again. He poked around in the cupboard under the stairs and dug out the old deck chair. He carried it out into the sunshine and settled down with his book. But he found it hard to concentrate. The book was full of long words and some of it was hard to understand. Diggles' eyes were drawn up to the sky where the birds swooped and soared and glided. They made flying look so easy whereas the book made it seem very hard. Diggles watched the birds carefully. Perhaps he could pick up some tips. He put his book down and hopped out of the deck chair. He stretched out his paws and pretended he was a bird. He ran round the garden, wheeling and spinning. It was brilliant fun.

Suddenly he heard a cough behind him. He stopped dead in his tracks and turned slowly around. Standing at the garden gate were Rover and Roger, their arms full of mechanical-looking bits and pieces. They were looking at Diggles in amazement.

Diggles waved and sauntered cheerily back to his deck chair.

"Flying exercises," he explained, pointing to his book, and hoping they wouldn't come to see the page for themselves.

Roger and Rover nodded approvingly and came in with their purchases. Roger headed straight for Dart's shed and Rover laid his items on the kitchen table. Diggles followed him in to put the kettle on.

All morning, Rover tinkered in the kitchen and Roger hammered and sawed and inspected in Dart's shed. Diggles made cups of tea and sandwiches, read, snoozed and daydreamed. After dinner, Rover joined Roger in the shed to fit and test the radio. Diggles made cups of tea and sandwiches, read, snoozed and daydreamed. The Mayor called round about three o'clock to see how things were going and was delighted to see them all so busy. Luckily he turned up when Diggles was actually reading.

Chapter 5: Action stations

It was late afternoon when Roger emerged, oily and dusty from the shed.

"OK!" he called. "I'm ready to try the engine."

Diggles raced down to the shed. Together, he and Rover pushed back the big doors of the shed and helped Roger trundle Dart forward. For the first time in many years, sunlight glinted off Dart's polished wings. He looked splendid.

"Here goes!" said Roger, clambering into the cockpit. "Ready to swing the propeller, lads?"

Diggles and Rover grabbed the large blade with eager paws. At Roger's command, they heaved with all their might. The propeller flopped round twice. Dart grunted. And that was it.

"Never mind!" called Roger. "Try again."

They tried again. This time the propeller went round three times, and Dart wheezed.

"Almost!" shouted Roger happily.

"It doesn't sound 'almost'," muttered Diggles to Rover.

This time, Diggles and Rover gave an extra mighty heave. The propeller started to spin, hesitantly at first as Dart made some spluttery noises, but then suddenly it was whirring away. Dart's engine roared into action.

Rover grabbed Diggles and they danced around with joy. Roger cheered at the top of his voice. Then he jumped out of the cockpit.

"Your turn," he bellowed down Diggles' ear. Dart really was making a tremendous racket.

"What? Now?" gasped Diggles, horrified.

"Why not? You've read your book, haven't you? Take a test flight!"

Diggles gulped. Rover wagged his tail and gave a thumbs-up sign.

"Hang on! I need some goggles and a scarf!" shouted Diggles, remembering the photos of pilots in his book.

He zoomed back to the house. He briefly thought about zooming past the house, out of the garden and out of town — but he couldn't let his friends down. So, trying to be brave, he rummaged through his chest of drawers and found a scarf and some gloves. The only goggles he could find were his swimming goggles, but he decided they would do. He put the things on and went back to Dart. He felt terrified but excited at the same time.

 "The radio's turned on," shouted Rover. "I'll keep in touch from the receiver in the kitchen. Have fun!" He sprinted to the house.

Trembling, Diggles climbed into Dart. He'd often climbed in before to sit in the cockpit and daydream about flying. This time it was all for real.

Roger leant over the side and quickly pointed out the controls to Diggles. Then he jumped down.

It was all up to Diggles.

Chapter 5: Diggles in the air

Taking a deep breath, he cautiously eased the throttle forward. Dart began to rumble along. As they taxied, Diggles tested the ailerons and rudder. Everything worked beautifully. Diggles was feeling very excited now.

He taxied out of the garden and into the big meadow behind the house. Giving a thumbs up sign to Roger, he spoke into the intercom.

"Ready for take-off, Rover. Over!"

"Roger, Diggles. Rover over and out," came the reply.

"Come on, Dart. Here we go!" woofed Diggles, and he pushed the throttle to maximum speed. Squeaking and rattling a bit, Dart leapt forward and danced across the meadow. The speedometer needle flickered around the dial. It was nearly at take-off speed. Diggles suddenly wished he'd done a bit less daydreaming and a bit more studying that morning, but it was too late now. There was no going back, so Diggles jiggled the controls and Dart lurched upwards. For a few seconds, Dart hovered clumsily a few feet above the grass. The wings wobbled and Diggles wobbled too, but then he managed to level the wings and Dart swooped into the air.

They were flying. Diggles and Dart were flying. Wow!

Diggles circled above the house a few times. Below him, Roger was racing round in circles in excitement.

Rover's voice crackled into the cockpit.

"Well done, Diggles. That was ace. Where are you heading, over."

"Gosh! I don't know," he replied.

There was silence for a moment or two.

"I'm waiting for 'over'", came Rover's stern voice.

For a moment Diggles was confused. "But you're Rover, Rover, so how can you be waiting for Rover, over." He remembered to say 'over' that time.

"Silly," said Rover crossly. "I said I was waiting for 'over' — for you to say 'over', I mean. I wasn't waiting for me — oh never mind. What's it like up there, over?"

"Oh Rover, it's fantastic. I can see the whole town. I can see all the way to the sea. And the birds are below me. You'll have to come up sometime and ..." Something caught his eye. "Hold on, I think there's something going on in Collar Road. Over."

"What? Collar Road? There's a bone warehouse in Collar Road isn't there? What can you see? Over." Rover sounded very worried.

Diggles pointed Dart's nose towards Collar Road. There was a big black lorry moving menacingly along the road towards the bone warehouse. As Diggles approached, he could see figures creeping around in the alleyway at the back of the warehouse.

"Rover, call the police. I think the burglars are about to attack. Over and out!"

Diggles knew that the policedogs would probably be too late to catch the burglars as the police station was on the opposite side of town. He would have to do something himself. But what?

Chapter 6: Diggles to the rescue

He glanced around the cockpit. There was a small canister of oil, a very chewed pencil and yesterday's newspaper on the floor. That was all. But just then, Diggles became aware that he was sitting on something lumpy. He wriggled to one side and felt under the seat cushion with his paw. He pulled out a bag of Roger's favourite meat-flavour gobstoppers.

A smile spread across Diggles' face. He had a plan!

At full speed, he hurtled towards the warehouse. The lorry was still driving towards it. Diggles grabbed the newspaper. He dived down towards the lorry. At what he hoped was the right moment, he let go of the newspaper. It smacked onto the lorry's windscreen, covering it completely. As he flew off, Diggles saw the lorry swerve wildly and drive into the drainage ditch that ran along the road. That took care of that! Diggles quickly scribbled a picture of his defeated enemy — the lorry — on the side of Dart to celebrate his victory. That was what all the ace pilots used to do in battles.

Diggles climbed high into the air again. When he looked down at the warehouse, he could see the dark figures still scurrying around behind it. They obviously didn't know what had happened to the lorry yet.

"You've got another surprise coming too!" chuckled Diggles.

He took a handful of gobstoppers and pointed Dart at the burglars.

"Tally ho!" he yelled and dived down towards them.

The burglars didn't hear Dart screaming down on them until it was too late. When they did suddenly look up in alarm, Diggles launched his gobstopper attack. He pelted the helpless burglars with them.

One burglar was knocked out cold by a gobstopper on the head.

"Bull's eye!" smirked Diggles. He scribbled a stick-dog next to the lorry.

The other two burglars started to run around in a panic. Diggles turned Dart as tightly as he dared and came in on his second bombing run. The burglars started to run down the alley. Diggles zoomed up behind them. But this time he didn't throw the gobstoppers until he was just ahead of the burglars. The round sweets landed in front of the burglars who trod on them and skidded. One burglar sailed through the air and landed head first in a dustbin. Diggles scribbled another stick-dog on Dart. The third burglar fell down, but got up and started to run back the other way.

Diggles circled round for a final assault, but at that moment the policedogs arrived on the scene. The terrified burglar was so busy looking at Diggles over his shoulder that he ran straight into the paws of a policedog. Diggles drew his last stick-dog picture.

He flew lazily around in the sky as he watched policedogs pull the burglar out of the dustbin and pick the unconscious one up. They arrested the lorry driver too. Then they turned and waved at Diggles who waved back happily.

"All in a day's duty!" he called to them.

He switched on the radio.

"Rover! Roger! Everything's fine. All the burglars are caught! Well done for calling the policedogs so quickly! Over!"

"And well done, Diggles! You're the real hero!" came Rover's voice. "Come back and tell us what happened. Over"

"On my way!" replied Diggles. "Over and out!"

When Diggles got back, the Mayor and the Chief of Police were waiting at Dart's shed together with Rover and Roger. They all started speaking at once.

"The burglars confessed everything!" yapped Roger.

"They had plans of the warehouse!" yipped Rover.

"They've shown us where all the bones are hidden!" growled the policedog.

"You've saved the town, Diggles! You're a hero" announced the Mayor.

Diggles pulled his dusty goggles off and jumped out of Dart. He threw his arms around Roger and Rover and turned to the other two dogs.

"I couldn't have done anything at all without my two best friends, Sir," he said to the Mayor.

"Well, then, you're all heroes," grinned the Mayor. "We'll have a party in the park tonight. Now, come straight away for a press conference. My Rolls Royce is waiting."

It was another late night for the three friends. There were television and radio interviews, a champagne reception at the town hall and finally, a fantastic barbecue and fireworks show in the park. Rover, Roger and Diggles were treated like royalty. It was brilliant.

But they were happy to get home. They rubbed Dart down and rolled him back into his shed. Then, wearily, arm in arm, they went into the house for a well-deserved cup of tea — and a huge bone each!