6. A Very Unusual Snowball

"Quick!" Kirsty gasped, pulling Rachel through the window. Crystal flew out too, her face pale with fear. The goblin spotted the Snow Fairy and gave another furious roar. He ran over to the window, jumped out, and followed the girls. Kirsty and Rachel hurried down the hill. It was hard to run fast because the snow was so deep. "Hurry!" Crystal called. She was flying above them, the feather in her hand. "He's getting closer!" Rachel glanced anxiously over her shoulder. The goblin was catching up!

But then she saw him fall over in his too-big slippers. Yelling loudly, he rolled head over heels down the hill, picking up snow as he went. "Watch out, Kirsty!" Rachel gasped. "The goblin's turned into a giant snowball!" The goblin's arms and legs stuck out of the snowball as it rolled down the hill. Quickly, the girls dove out of the way. The snowball shot past them and rolled away, faster and faster. Soon it was out of sight.

"Are you all right?" asked Crystal, flying over to her friends. The girls were picking themselves up and brushing snow from their clothes. "We're fine!" Kirsty beamed. "But can you stop the Snow Feather's magic?" Crystal nodded and expertly waved the Snow Feather in a complicated pattern. Immediately, the snow clouds vanished. Overhead, the sky was blue and the sun shone. By the time the girls made their way back to the Tates' house, the snow had melted away.

As Kirsty and Rachel walked into the house, with Crystal safely hidden in Kirsty's pocket, Mrs. Tate smiled. "Hello, girls," she said. "Isn't it funny how the weather's changed? Your mom and dad have gone home, Rachel. At least they won't have to worry about the snow now. I hope it stays nice for the rest of your visit." Kirsty and Rachel grinned at each other. "Your dad's in the garden, Kirsty," Mrs. Tate went on. "He's

attaching that old weather vane to the barn roof." Kirsty and Rachel ran outside. They looked up on top of the barn— and there was Doodle! Mr. Tate was busy in his shed, so he wasn't watching. "Quick, Crystal." Kirsty took the Snow Fairy out of her pocket. "Give Doodle his tail feather back!" Crystal nodded. Fluttering her shiny wings, she flew up to Doodle and put the big tail feather into place. The girls gasped in surprise as copper and gold sparkles fizzed and flew from Doodle's tail. The iron weather vane vanished. In its place was Doodle, just as colorful as he had been in Fairyland! Doodle turned his head and stared straight at Kirsty and Rachel. "Beware!" he squawked. But before he could say any more, his feathers began to stiffen and he became metal again.

"What was he trying to say?" Rachel asked, puzzled. Kirsty shook her head. She had no idea. "I don't know either," sighed Crystal. "But it must be important. What if he was trying to warn us about other goblins?" Kirsty frowned. "Maybe he'll be able to tell us more when we bring back his other feathers." "Yes," Crystal agreed. She waved at Rachel and Kirsty. "And now that you've found the Snow Feather, I have to return to Fairyland. The king and queen will be so happy. Good-bye, and thank you!" "Good-bye!" Rachel and Kirsty called. The girls waved as Crystal flew up into the sky, her wings glittering in the sun. Kirsty turned to Rachel. "And now we have only six more magic feathers to find," she said. Rachel nodded. "I wonder where the next one will be!" Rachel and Kirsty looked at the sunny sky and wondered what adventure— and weather— the next week would bring.