The following weekend fine weather prevailed so they invited Ray for a cruise in Sea Horse as a reward for all his help in getting her watertight again. All went smoothly until they reached the lock at Yalding whereupon Ralph, in his eagerness to open the sluices, accidentally dropped the one-foot long key into the lock. Fortunately the water was at its lowest level so Ralph decided to salvage the key by diving for it. He hadn’t thought to bring his swimming trunks along but this didn’t deter him. He quickly stripped down to his underpants, accompanied by derisive whistles from a few onlookers lounging at the lock side. Ignoring them, he clambered up on top of the lock gates and edged along to the middle. 
	“I hope they’re not the same people who were cheering us at the weir,” Amy commented to Ray, “they’ll think we’re always making a mess of things.”
	Ray grinned. “They wouldn’t be far wrong, would they?” For once the lock was deserted of other river craft. Ralph, balanced on a sluice with his arms raised above his head, gave his battle cry of “Ralphy to the rescue!” and followed this with a spectacular dive as he caught his toes in the sluice and toppled over with arms and legs flapping in all directions. Ray craned over the side of the boat with a bemused expression of disbelief as Ralph disappeared with a huge splash into the murky depths of the lock at the approximate place where the key had vanished. Several minutes passed before he surfaced, gasping, but minus the key. After several more dives he finally emerged triumphant with the key clutched aloft. The bystanders looked disappointed now their entertainment had come to an end.
	While Ralph dried off and dressed in the confines of the cabin, Ray and Amy took charge of getting the boat through the lock but try as they might, they couldn’t restart the engine. Amy called Ralph to come out and help but even his energetic tugs on the starter rope failed to illicit any response above a sickly splutter.
	“I’m afraid we have no alternative but to take to the oars and row her back to the moorings at Wateringbury,” he said ruefully. This was easier said than done even though they were rowing with the current and taking turns at the oars, there were still a good few miles to cover and before long they began to weaken from exhaustion. Rowing a sixteen-foot cabin cruiser was no mean feat. They managed to reach about halfway when a kind soul took pity on them and threw a line across from his plush cruiser. Once the rope had been securely tied they lay panting in the stern trying to regain their strength, grateful for the help and revelling in the luxury of being towed the rest of the way back.
	At Wateringbury, they untied the line and thanked the owner of the other boat. Ray and Amy took to the oars once more to row Sea Horse towards her moorings while Ralph stood poised on the bow, rope in hand, ready to leap ashore. Unfortunately as he jumped, he thrust the boat backwards, so instead of leaping, he merely flopped headfirst into the mud and nettles at the water’s edge. He floundered around muttering unintelligible sounds as he tried to find a firm grip and haul himself up the bank. Amy caught Ray’s eye and it was all they could do to stop themselves from bursting into laughter. Ralph didn’t find his predicament very amusing at that moment, particularly as, in the confusion, he had dropped the mooring rope. Only when he had scrambled to safety up the bank did Amy and Ray realise they were drifting off downstream like castaways. The current had taken the boat back out into the middle of the river. This new problem soon wiped the grins off their faces as they grabbed for the oars. In their haste one of the oars dropped over the side and quickly floated out of reach. They tried in vain to steer the boat back to the bank with just one oar but the harder they tried, the further downstream they drifted. Their situation looked hopeless. Sea Horse, decked out in her pristine paintwork, was heading straight for the stone ramparts of the medieval bridge. Meanwhile Ralph, plastered in mud, was jumping up and down frantically waving his arms and yelling instructions to them, looking for all the world as though he was auditioning for the Black and White Minstrels. He ran along the riverbank trying to keep within hailing distance. Ray looked decidedly worried as the bridge loomed closer.
	“Don’t worry, it’ll be all right,” Amy reassured him sounding far more confident than she felt, “I’m sure Ralph will somehow save the day.” Ray was unconvinced.