In Book Three of the series, Alex, Ludo the Wolpertinger and Shabby Chum return to the mysterious Downhills. This time they take along Princess Barbara, to help retrieve the magic book that is needed to free the magician Halo.
The adventure starts as soon as they enter the Downhills. All is not well! Ton-ton is serious trouble, the drought has almost dried up the river. The land under the red sun is burning up.
With the help of Ludo, things get moving in the right direction and Alex and his friends are once again flying across the Downhills. Little do they know, Rusty Iron the robber knight,and father to Princess Barbara is hot on their trail. He has enlisted the help of Uncle Balloon, a small mammoth that fills himself with air, then ties his trunk in a knot and flies. That is, as long as no one tells him a silly joke, and makes him laugh. Then his trunk unravels and he comes crashing down to the ground. Follow along and found out if Barbara is really a princess, and if her, Alex, Ludo and Shabby Tabby Chum are able to save Halo.