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Meggie looked at hiie tried to catch Tinker Bell, but the fairy slipped through her fingers and whirred up to the ceiling, where she hovered like a light lass

The footsteps were very close now ‘Call that keeping watch?’ It was Basta’s voice Meggie heard a hollow groan; he had probably woken the guard with a kick ‘Unlock that door, and get a move on I don’t have forever’

So one, you dozy idiot! Capricorn wants to see the girl, and I shall tell hiie clily as she stood on it ‘Tinker Bell!’ she whispered ‘Please! Come here!’ But as she reached out her hand, the fairy flew back to the– and Basta opened the door

‘Hey, where did that co in the doorway ‘It’s years since I saw one of those fluttery things’

Meggie and Fenoglio said nothing – as there to say?

‘You needn’t think you can wriggle out of telling me!’ Basta took off his jacket and went slowly over to the , holding it in his left hand ‘You stand in the doorway in case it gets away froet past you I shall slice off your ears’

‘Leave her alone!’ Meggie slid hastily down froain, but Basta ht disappeared, snuffed out like a candle There was a faint twitching under the jacket as it fell to the floor Basta picked it up carefully, holding it together like a sack, went over to Meggie and stopped in front of her ‘Well, sweetheart, let’s hear your story,’ he said in a ly quiet voice ‘Where did that fairy coie without looking at him ‘She – she was just suddenly here’

Basta looked at the guard ‘Ever seen anything like a fairy in these parts?’ he asked

The guard raised the newspaper, to which a couple of dusty , and slapped the door fra broadly ‘No, but if I did I’d knohat to do about it!’ he said

‘You’re right, those little creatures are as troubleso luck’ Basta turned back to Meggie ‘Now then, out with it! Where did she coie couldn’t help it: her eyes strayed to the book that Fenoglio had dropped Basta followed her glance, and picked it up

‘Well, fancy that!’ he murmured as he looked at the picture on the cover The artist had produced a good likeness of Tinker Bell In real life she was a little paler and a little sested, but of course Basta still recognised her He whistled softly through his teeth, then held the book close to Meggie’s face ‘Don’t try telling me the old man read her out of this!’ he said ‘You did it I’ll bet my knife you did it Did your father teach you how, or have you just inherited the knack fro’ He stuck the book in his waistband and grasped Meggie’s ar to tell Capricorn about this I was really supposed to fetch you just to meet an old acquaintance, but I’ such interesting news’