5. Goblin Alert!

Goblin Alert! Rachel and Kirsty felt shivers run down their spines as the whole pond froze over. Jack Frost's grinning face faded away. "Follow me," ordered Bertram. He hopped over to a large bush. "We'll hide here." "Maybe we should go back to the pot," said Ruby. "Not if the goblins are close by," Bertram replied. "We can't let them know where the pot is."

The two girls crouched down behind the bush next to Bertram. Ruby and Amber sat very still on Kirsty's shoulder. It was getting colder and colder. Rachel and Kirsty couldn't stop their teeth from chattering. "What are the goblins like?" Rachel asked. "They're bigger than us," said Amber. She was trembling with fear. "And they have mean faces and long noses and big feet," Ruby added, holding her sister's hand for comfort. "Hush, Miss Ruby," Bertram croaked. "I hear something."

Rachel and Kirsty listened. Suddenly, Rachel saw a long-nosed shadow dash across the clearing toward them. She grabbed Kirsty's arm. They were peering out of the bush when the leaves rustled right next to them. The two girls almost jumped out of their skin. "Hey!" said a gruff voice, sounding very close. "What do you think you're doing?" Rachel and Kirsty held their breath. "Nothing," said another gruff voice, rudely. "Goblins!" Amber whispered in Kirsty's ear.

"You stepped on my toe," said the first goblin angrily. "No, I didn't," snapped the other goblin. "Yes, you did! Keep your big feet to yourself!" "Well, at least my nose isn't as big as yours!"

The bush shook even more. It sounded like the goblins were pushing and shoving each other. "Get out of my way!" one of them shouted. "Ow!" "That'll teach you to push me!" yelled the other one. Rachel and Kirsty looked at each other in alarm. What if the goblins found them there?

"Come on," puffed one of the goblins. "Jack Frost will be really angry if we don't find these fairies. You know he wants us to keep them from getting back to Fairyland." "Well, they're not here, are they?" grumbled the other. "Let's try somewhere else." The voices died away. The leaves stopped rustling. And suddenly, the air felt warm again. There was a cracking sound as the frozen pond began to melt. "They're gone," Bertram croaked. "Quick, we must get back to the pot." They all hurried across the clearing. The pot stood under the weeping willow tree, just as before. "I'll stay outside in case the goblins come back," Bertram began. But a shout from Kirsty stopped them all in their tracks. "Look!" she cried. "The pot's frozen over!"