Me and Mr. Bell (13 page)

Epilogue

T
he
Silver Dart
roared on the ice like a monster from another world. I had no idea it would be so loud. I couldn't hear anything but its roar. It sounded like it was announcing to the whole world that everything really was about to change. Seeing it and hearing it made me believe that.

Douglas McCurdy sat inside the aeroplane. I saw the concentrated look on his face, and I bet he didn't even notice the cold. Mr. Bell sat in his sleigh with Mrs. Bell, wrapped in furs. He wore his most serious expression. He waved his arm, and Mr. McCurdy waved back. Some men who were holding the aeroplane down, as if it were a wild horse, let it go, and the machine started to roll. It rolled quickly around, straightened itself out as if it had a mind of its own and started down the ice. For a little while, I had the feeling it was just going to ride all the way across the lake, and that would have been interesting to watch, too. But the aeroplane suddenly jumped into the air. It lifted off the ground as if it didn't weigh anything at all. Then it went higher and faster. Everyone on the ice cheered. The aeroplane went down toward Beinn Bhreagh, turned around in the air and came back. It was unbelievable. As it passed over our heads, Mr. McCurdy stuck out his hand and waved. I waved back. Then he kept going until he was out of sight. I stared at the sky and watched him disappear. I couldn't take my eyes away. I couldn't even blink. It was hard to believe he could travel so far away so quickly.

A little while later, he came back. You could hear the aeroplane coming from far away. It sounded like a mosquito at first. But it got louder and louder until you couldn't even hear yourself cheering. It was so exciting. I was thrilled. It was the greatest thing I would ever see in my whole life.

That night, before I went to bed, I sat at my desk with my father's dictionary and a pencil and paper. Slowly and carefully, I wrote out these words:

Dear Miss Keller,

Today, I watched the Silver Dart fly. It was the most amazing thing I ever saw. I am going to try to tell you what it looked like….

The End

P
hilip Roy keeps residence in two places these days, running back and forth between his hometown, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, and his adopted town, St. Marys, Ontario. Continuing to write adventurous and historical young adult novels focusing on social, environmental, and global concerns, he is also excited to be presenting his first picture book:
Mouse Tales
, the first volume in the Happy the Pocket Mouse series (Ronsdale Press), coming out in the new year.

In 2012, Philip published the historical novel
Blood Brothers in Louisbourg
(CBU Press). In 2013, along with
Me & Mr. Bell
, Philip will be bringing out the sixth volume in the Submarine Outlaw series,
Seas of South Africa
(Ronsdale Press).

Besides writing, travelling and running in the woods and countryside of Nova Scotia and Ontario, Philip spends his time composing music. His first score, for the Nova Scotia-based film
The Seer
, by Gary Blackwood (FLAWed Productions), will be produced in 2013. Philip is also collaborating with Gary Blackwood on an opera,
The Mad Doctor
.

Philip's website is
philiproy.ca
.