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Jenna, Septimus, Nicko, Wolf Boy and Stanley took the Causeway out of the Port toward the Marram Marshes Jenna led the way and behind her trotted Thunder, shaking his head and snorting in the cool lad to be out of the sht in at the rear of the Doll House

Jenna had insisted on going back for Thunder She was afraid that if they left the horse behind, Nurse Meredith ht have been tempted to sell him to the meat pie shop down by the harbor So, when they had rounded the end of The Rope Walk and still no witches had come out of the house, Jenna had crept down the dirt track that ran behind the houses and led Thunder away

The Causeway ran along the high ridge that skirted the fields at the edge of the Port As they walked in the early- haze, Jenna could see the faded circus tent and sht before It was a quiet and peaceful scene, but Jenna was on edgethe burn on her ar and was a constant re on herand any sudden movement or sound made her jump So when, out of the corner of her eye, Jenna saw a s toward her, she panicked and grabbed hold of Septiasped Septimus "What&039;s up, Jenwhat is it?" Jenna ducked behind hiheurgh gettitoff! Gettitoffe spiky insect off her shoulder

The boys knelt down and peered at the bug, which lay on its back in the fine dust of the Causeway, legs sloaving in the air and ht it was dead," said Septier

"How did it get here?" asked Nicko, shaking his head

Wolf Boy stared at the bug It didn&039;t look very edible to him Far too crunchy, he reckoned, and spiky too He would not be surprised if it had a nasty sting

Jenna peered over their shoulders "What is it?" she asked

"It&039;s your Shield Bug," Septimus said

"No!" Jenna dropped to her knees and very gently picked up the bug and laid it in the palm of her hand She brushed as much dust off it as she could, and after a fewstood up and shakily began cleaning its wings, buzzing and fussing as it tried to get everything back into working order And then, suddenly, with a triureen arhtful place on Jenna&039;s shoulderjust as it had done o when it had first been created at Aunt Zelda&039;s cottage Jenna&039;s spirits lifted; now she had so to defend herself with ifor was it when?Sie horse with a rat perched upon his saddle and four figures walking beside hi the Causeway They had passed the fields that surrounded the Port and had now reached the reed beds, which provided thatch, baskets, flooring and all manner of bits and pieces for the inhabitants of the Port As thetendrils ofover the reed beds, which stretched almost as far as the eye could see Beyond the reed beds lay the Marram Marshes, still shrouded in thickwhat he called a low profile He was not a happy rat that nized the turn-off to Mad Jack&039;s hovel where, the previous year, he had spent the six e; he had onlyhih the bars

It was rowing sparser and he s in, and he at last relaxednow that they ell away froy track and the group caainst the glare of the sun and squinted into the Marsh Her heart sankshe had no idea where the track to Aunt Zelda&039;s cottage was The last time she had been here with Nicko it had been covered in ice and snow during the Big Freeze and had looked nothing like it did now

Septi for us," he said, puzzled "I&039;m sure Aunt Zelda must knoe&039;re here"

"Um, no, I don&039;t think she does, Sep," said Jenna "Her hearing&039;s not so good now and she finds it hard to Listen I&039; to send Stanley out to tell her where we are"

"Excuse me? Did I hear you correctly?" the rat asked incredulously

"Yes, Stanley, you did hear o to Keeper&039;s Cottage and tell Aunt Zelda we&039;re here"