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"She works by night and sleeps by day," translated Twigleg, "because she’s studying the secrets of the dark ti with her just now, so she ought to be awake We only have to ring that little bell"
Ben nodded "Say we thank the
The ers so away Ben went to the door of the hut with Twigleg and tugged the bellpull The tinkling of the tiny bell scared two birds off the roof of the hut, and they fleay, croaking
"Oh, no!" cried Ben in alar, those were ravens"
Soot a surprise that took his breath away
"Professor!" he sta here?"
"Ben,broadly as he led hilad to see you! And look at this -- why, if it isn’t Twigleg So he turned up again, did he? Well, fancy that! But where are the others?"
"Hiding by the river," replied Ben, still astonished, and looked around Seated on cushions at a low table in one corner of the se
"Hello,"bowed
"Goodness, what a funny elf you are!" said the girl, looking at hi bowed again, with a flattered smile on his face "I’m not an elf, honored lady I’irl looked at Barnabas Greenbloo, Guinevere," explained the professor "He was made by an alchemist"
"Really?" Guinevere looked at the homunculus in amazement "My word, I never met a homunculus before What creature did the alcheretfully "I’m afraid I don’t know, noble lady"
"Guinevere," the professor interrupted the his ar friend Ben I’ve already told you a lot about hihter, Guinevere"
Ben blushed red as a beet "Hello," he muron rider," she said
"The dragon rider!" The wo at the low table next to Guinevere folded her arh to introduceman?"
"Of course!" Barnabas Greenbloom handed Ben a spare cushion and then sat down beside hion rider I’ve already told you a great deal about hiist Dr Zubeida Ghalib," he added, indicating the stout little wo braid hanging down to her waist
Dr Ghalib bowed her head, son rider," she told Ben in his own language "Barnabas has told s about you He says you are not just a dragon rider but a friend of brownies, too, and I can see foron your shoulder I alad to see you Barnabas wasn’t sure if you and your co for you anxiously ever since he arrived a couple of days ago And where," she said, looking at Ben hopefully, "is your friend the dragon?"