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‘Tell ypt,’ she whispered, ‘and we’re looking for treasure and surviving sandstor frooods’

‘Oh, that story,’ said Mo ‘Didn’t I loomy tale, as far as I reie ‘But it has a happy ending Everything turns out all right, and we come ho that one myself,’ said Elinor, her voice unsteady She was probably still thinking of Basta’s knife

So Mo began to tell his story, without the rustle of pages, without the endless labyrinth of letters

‘Mo, nothing ever caie at one point, suddenly feeling anxious

‘No,’ he said ‘For that to happen, it seems that printer’s ink is necessary and someone else needs to have ie and Elinor listened until his voice had carried them far, far away Finally, they went to sleep

A sound woke theie thought she heard a muffled curse

‘Oh no!’ breathed Elinor She was the first on her feet ‘They’re co to take me away! That old woman’s persuaded the frantically at Mo, ‘but why me?’

‘Go over to the wall, Elinor,’ said Mo as he ie behind him ‘Both of you keep well back fro open with a h open for soer He cast a last anxious glance outside, then pulled the door shut behind hiainst it

‘So I hear you’ve done it again, Silvertongue!’ he said, lowering his voice ‘They say the poor boy still hasn’t uttered a sound I don’t bla suddenly landing in so here?’ snapped Elinor But the sight of Dustfinger had actually filled her with relief

‘Leave hi over to Dustfinger ‘How are your hands?’ he asked

Dustfinger shrugged ‘They put cold water on them in the kitchen, but the skin’s still almost as red as the flames that licked at it’

‘Ask him what he wants!’ hissed Elinor ‘And if he’s just co about theneck!’

By way of answer, Dustfinger tossed her a bunch of keys ‘Why do you think I’ the car keys froht not be out of place, but we can think about that later We don’t want to hang about any longer – let’s get out of here’ Cautiously, he opened the door and listened ‘There’s a sentry posted up on the church tower,’ he whispered, ‘but the guards are keeping watch on the hills, not the village The dogs are in their kennels, and even if we do have to deal with them, luckily they like me better than Basta’

‘Why should we suddenly trust him?’ whispered Elinor to Mo ‘Suppose there’s some other devilry behind this?’

‘I want you to take er ‘There’s nothing here for me any more Capricorn’s let me down He’s sent the only scrap of hope I still had up in ser’s only a dog you can kick without fearing hethere He burned the book, so I’ht hier into Elinor’s chest, ‘you can coe on foot, not even Capricorn’s men, not with the snakes that infest these hills But I can’t drive, and so …’