Carried Away

## Stats

**Carried Away** is the 20th episode of the series *The Worst Witch* that aired on December 16, 1999.

## Summary

It is half-term, and Mildred and her friends set off to visit Algernon at his riverside retreat. Mildred's luck has run out, it seems, as Miss Cackle informs her that she will be trading in her misbehaving Tabby cat for Ebony, a cat left behind by a transfering pupil. Mildred storms out in tears, and is met by her friends who rally around her, causing quite a commotion in the hall. Meanwhile, Miss Cackle, who's been doing a little reading on stress disorders, attempts to have a conversation with Miss Hardbroom about her overworking herself. Miss Hardbroom doesn't see what all the fuss is about, claiming that she sleeps almost every night, "six hours on weekend!" In the end, Miss Cackle orders her to come on the second year's trip to Rowan-Webb's riverside retreat, as a vacation.

Despite comforting words from her friends, Mildred feels terrible about leaving Tabby in the kitchen. After Miss Hardbroom informs them that she'll be coming along, she also tells them that they'll have to transport their cats in cat baskets. Mildred rescues Tabby from the kitchen and puts him in her basket where no one can see him. Unfortunatly, on the way there, Tabby starts to wail and Mildred tells Miss Hardbroom that Ebony must be sick. When they land at Rowan-Webb's, they're greeted by Merlin, who has become Algernon's apprentice. Once they're ushered inside, Rowen-Webb tells them about a dragon lord who stashed a treasure in the rocks of the island. He cautions them not to go out in the boat, as there's a waterfall and several deadly rapids.

Mildred, having to share a room with her entire class, decides that she'll have to hide Tabby outside and sneaks away to a group of caves. She finds Merlin practicing magic there and lets him into the secret about Tabby. They hide him in the cabin of a small boat, and secretly supply him with food. Merlin promises to get extra kippers for breakfast the next morning so that Mildred can smuggle them out. The next morning everyone sets off to the beach, but Mildred can't find an opportunity to sneak away from her friends. They start to notice a fishy smell, and she distracts them by pointing out Miss Hardbroom, who's lounging about in the sun with personal service. Merlin offers to distract everyone, and Mildred sneaks away. Ethel and Drusilla follow her and she tells them that she's planning to go look for the treasure, and chucks the kipper over her shoulder onto the deck of the boat. She pretends they've talked her out of it, and the three walk back as everyone prepares to go inside. Miss Cackle insists that Miss Hardbroom stays on the beach, and that she just relax.

Miss Hardbroom, while taking a walk on the beach, hears a cat mewing and goes to investigate. She finds Tabby in the boat, and Resolving not to let this oportunity for chewing Mildred out go by, she turnes to walk away, slips on the kipper and is knocked unconscious.Meanwhile, Ethel and Drusilla have become suspicious of Mildred and after discovering the boat with Tabby on board, they untie the rope and send the boat down river towards the rapids, completely unaware that Miss Hardbroom is on board. They run back and tell Mildred that they saw a boat with a scruffy tabby cat floating away and she and Merlin run off just in time to see the boat rushing toward the rapids.