Page 60 (1/2)

He pointed to the many white patches on theholes in the landscape

"This is a nice prospect!" groaned Sorrel "What will the professor think e don’t show up at the monastery on ti up the ht have reached it by now"

"Yes, and you’d be bird food, reet some sleep," said Firedrake from the darkest corner of the cave He had curled up in a ball,in the sunlight was ht in a row Even his anxiety about their route couldn’t keep his eyelids open

"Yes, good idea,"out on the cool floor of the cave with his head on his backpack Twigleg lay down beside hi the boy’s hand as a pillow

Only Sorrel re "Can’t you smell that?" she asked

"Smell what?" muttered Firedrake drowsily "Mushrooms?"

"No, I smell fire"

"So what?" Ben opened one eye "There are sites of old campfires all over this cave, you can see there are It seems to be a popular place for people to take shelter"

Sorrel shook her head "And some of them aren’t all that old," she said "This one, for instance" She pushed the charred branches apart with her paw "It’s froo at the most, and that one over there is still quite fresh Only a few hours old"

"All right, you’d better keep watch, then," sighed Firedrake sleepily "And wake me up if anyone comes" Then he was asleep

"A few hours old Are you sure?" Ben rubbed the drowsiness froainst his ar "Which fire do you mean, fur-face?" he asked

"This one, of course!" Sorrel pointed to a tiny heap of ashes

"Good heavens," groaned Ben, lying down once more "That could only have been a campfire for a worm, Sorrel" He rolled over on his side, and the next moment he was as fast asleep as Firedrake

"Campfire for a worm -- huh!" Crossly Sorrel picked up her backpack and went to sit at thefollowed her "I can’t sleep, either," he said "I’ve slept enough recently to last me the next hundred years" He sat down beside Sorrel "Are you seriously worried about that carowled Sorrel, taking the professor’s bag of driedstepped out of the cave The wide valley was bright in the midday sun, and there was not a sound to be heard

"It must look like this on the moon," said the hoine the moon quite differently Dahtfully

"I just hope the fire has nothing to do with sand-elves," muttered Sorrel "But no, that’s out of the question -- sand-elves never light fires How about trolls, though? Are there any leg caught a passing fly and popped it into his mouth behind a politely raised hand

Then, suddenly, Sorrel put a warning finger to her lips She threw her backpack into the cave behind her, grabbed Twigleg, and hid behind the rocks with hi sound, then a loud rattle, and a small, dusty airplane taxied to a halt at the reen and covered fron that seemed curiously familiar to Sorrel