4. Feathered Friends

Kirsty stood up. "I have a plan!" she announced. "Hooray! What is it?" Hayley asked. "Remember how the goblin said he had wanted the Sunshine Feather?" Kirsty began. Hayley and Rachel both nodded. "Well, if we could find a feather that looks like the Sunshine Feather, then we might be able to trick the goblin into swapping with us!" explained Kirsty. "It's a good plan. But where can we get a feather?" Rachel wondered. "The magic feathers are so long and beautiful."

Kirsty grinned and flew into the air. "Follow me!" Hayley and Rachel zoomed after Kirsty. She led them back over toward her house and then to the nearby farmyard. The farmhouse and cow shed were flooded with a few inches of water. Kirsty swooped through the henhouse door with Hayley and Rachel close behind. Inside, they saw fluffy, dark shapes huddled together on a perch above the wet floor. "Excuse me," Hayley said politely to the chickens. "We need your help." The chickens looked up with dull eyes. "Eggs all wet. Feet cold and muddy. Feathers all soggy," they squawked sadly.

"Oh, dear. They seem so upset," Hayley said with a sigh. "It's because everything is so wet. Dad says chickens really hate being soggy," Kirsty explained. Hayley flew down to pet the chickens' heads. "Don't worry, chickens. We can make this rain stop with your help," she told them brightly. "We need a big feather, as long as this'" Kirsty said, spreading out her hands to show what she meant. "Why didn't you say so?" squawked a handsome rooster. He twisted around and plucked a feather from his tail. "Will this do?"

"Oh, yes! It's beautiful. Thank you very much." Hayley fluttered down and took the feather. "Now, cheer up!" she said, flying toward the door. "We're going to go stop the rain!" "Thank you," called Kirsty and Rachel as they followed Hayley to the door. The chickens fluffed themselves up, already looking much happier. They lifted their wings to wave at the girls. "Good-bye!" they clucked.

Outside, on the henhouse roof, Hayley, Rachel, and Kirsty looked at the long copper-colored feather. "I don't think the goblin will be fooled," Hayley said doubtfully. "The Sunshine Feather is covered with golden yellow spots." Kirsty grinned. "No problem. There's a can of yellow paint in our garage!" They all rushed back to the garage. Inside, Kirsty struggled to open the paint can. "The lid's stuck!" she groaned. Hayley tapped the can with her wand, and a shower of sparkles twinkled around the lid. It popped right open! Moments later, Kirsty

had painted tiny yellow speckles on the feather. "Perfect! It looks just like the Sunshine Feather!" exclaimed Hayley. "Now all we have to do is find the goblin," said Rachel. Just then, a group of ducks flew by. Without a word, Hayley rose up in a cloud of violet sparkles. Rachel and Kirsty watched her, a tiny spot of light, as she flew next to the ducks in the rain. Before long, she was back and she had news for the girls. "The ducks just saw the goblin in the field behind the museum!" Hayley declared. "Let's go!" The girls followed Hayley to the back of the museum. Sure enough, there was the goblin, floating across the flooded field in Kirsty's raft. "Achoo!" he sputtered loudly. "I'm sick of being wet and miserable. And my cold's getting worse." Hayley, Kirsty, and Rachel floated at a safe distance from the goblin. "Here goes," Hayley said bravely. "I have something you might like," she called to the goblin in a singsong voice, waving the fake Sunshine Feather.