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"Oh, yes?" he snarled "Talk away! I’ll eat you anyon down there forever Arly muzzle and looked around "Where are you, Gravelbeard?"

Reluctantly Gravelbeard stuck his head out of his hiding place "Yes, Your Goldness?"

"Go and tickle that hurowled Nettlebrand "Perhaps that’ll ulped He was still holding on, but his fingers were beginning to hurt and unfortunately he was very ticklish And there was no hope that any help would coht sooing to do so in the immediate future No, he’d have to save himself But how? Hard as he racked his brains, he just couldn’t think of a single good idea

Thea sullen expression and a sandy hat and carrying a peacock-feather duster He walked unsteadily over the sand toward Barnabas Greenblooht the professor, or your dear on’t be seeing you again

And then he did get an idea

"Here, dwarf!" he whispered to Gravelbeard, as standing beside histhe peacock feathers toward the ticklish professor

Using his teeth, Barnabas Greenblooer and spat it out at the dwarf’s feet Gravelbeard instantly dropped the duster, picked up the ring, and felt the shining metal with an expert touch

"Nice piece!" he old"

At thatin the sand beside the startled dwarf

"What’s going on, Gravelbeard?" booo yet?"

The das about to reply, but the professor quickly put a hand over its mouth

"Listen, Gravelbeard," he whispered into the little creature’s ear "You can keep this ring if you tell your ht?"

The dwarf bit the professor’s fingers "I’ll be getting it, anyway," he said in muffled tones from behind Barnabas Greenbloom’s hand

"Oh, no, you won’t!" whispered the professor, taking the ring away again "If you don’t cooperate, he’ll eatand all Well, is it a deal?"

The dwarf hesitated for a moment, then nodded

"Ar on?"

He lowered his head again, peering through his front legs with his teeth bared But by noas so dark he couldn’t s

Barnabas Greenbloo in front of the dwarf "And don’t even think of double-crossing me!" he whispered "Because if you do, I’ll let your master kno easy you are to bribe, understand?"

The dwarf bent to pick up the ring, while the professor,as fast as he could, crawled across the sand to Nettlebrand’s tail Gasping for breath, he cla to its spines Gravelbeard watched hi under his stout vest