The are two farms local to Horsmarlonerpool. Gentleslope Farm by the foot of Lomberstack mountain, and Pippin Farm next to the Meadows.
Gentleslope Farm is run by Farmer Tangle, and Pippin Farm by Farmer Headcorn. And even though they do similar jobs, and have quite similar farms in many ways, the two farmers have nothing in common.
One of Dan’s favorite places to explore is Merrytime Stream, which turns off from the River Gurgleglug about half a mile west of Horsmarlonerpool, and then runs past Mr Harry’s watermill (where it pushes against the paddles which turns the big wheel and helps grind the corn or roll the paper or spin the thread) and then it continues through Alex’s pond and ends up in Bubbleyuk Swamp.
Merrytime Stream is fun because although it starts wide and fast enough to power a watermill, if you follow it inland it soon becomes narrow enough to jump over with a really big leap, and slow enough to stand in on a hot day - or sail big sticks in and pretend they’re ships.
Ever since Amira and Dylan had discovered Leonard the dinosaur sleeping at the bottom of Horsmarlonerpool Harbour by accidentally tickling his toe, the huge creature had not only been wide awake for the first time in millions of years, he had also been a huge help.
He would scoop the muck out the bottom of the harbour so the biggest ships could sail in to nice deep water. He would move boats around by gently picking them up and placing them back down where they were needed. And on a still day, if a boat with sales needed a helping hand getting back out to see he would blow very gently - and their sales would fill with air and zoom the craft back out to sea as all the sailors held on and laughed.
