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"So what d’you think you’re doing in here?" snapped one of the men

"Looks like a runaway to me," said the other o! I haven’t done anything -- nothing at all!"

Looking anxious, the dragon stretched his neck farther forward

"Firedrake!" Sorrel tugged desperately at his tail "Firedrake, coet out of here"

"But the boy on took another step The rew harsher and Ben’s more and more uncertain "He’s afraid," said Firedrake

"He’s a human!" hissed Sorrel "And they’re humans, too They won’t eat him They won’t stuff him, either, but they’ll stuff you and oodness’ sake co the floor

"Hey, watch out, he’s trying to et hiround and there was a sound of running footsteps Firedrake inched a little farther forward

"Got hio ofLike an enorer, he shot across the cellar of the factory Sorrel ran after hirew louder and louder, until the dragon suddenly saothe struggling Ben

Firedrake uttered a lol Deep and threatening

The men whipped around -- and dropped Ben to the floor like a sack of potatoes He scrambled up in terror and ran toward Firedrake

"You were supposed to get out of here!" he shouted "I …"

"Cli his eyes off the twothere as if rooted to the spot Ben, his legs tre, claon coh the dark cellar

The ainst each other in alar!" one of theon!"

But still the pair of them didn’t move Then Firedrake opened his on-fire licked over the dirty walls, the black ceiling, the stone floor, and filled the roo fla as if the devil hi on?" Out of breath, Sorrel caught up with Firedrake

"Quick, the canal!" cried Ben "If they co twenty more with the uneasily to the fading echoes of the on turned and strode back to their hiding place

Bright sunlight was still pouring through the open hatch Cautiously Firedrake put his nose outside

"It’s too light!" Sorrelto do?"

"Corabbed the brownie’s hand and pulled her off the dragon’s back with him as he clambered down "Firedrake must swim alone That way he can dive beneath the surface and they won’t see him We’ll take my boat"

"What?" Sorrel distrustfully flinched away from the boy and pressed close to Firedrake’s scales "Must we really separate again? Hoe find each other?"

"There’s a bridge" Ben turned to the dragon "Swim down the canal on the left and you can’t miss it Hide under it until we arrive"

Firedrake looked at the boy thoughtfully Finally he nodded "Ben’s right, Sorrel," he said "Take care of yourselves, both of you"