6 The Sea Hags

6. THE SEA HAGS "Oh, we is lucky old sea hags!" said the first hag. "Years it has been, no pirates we've seen." "I like this little one," said the second. "She looks plump and tasty!" "Can we make her into stew?" said the third, licking her lips.

Matilda's foot was in a puddle, and her toes were going numb. She tried shifting her weight and had to put her hand out to balance, but it came to rest on something that didn't feel at all like rock. It was smooth and cold. She turned and saw a skull among a pile of bones. "Eww!" she cried. The hags whipped around. Matilda heard their feet shuffling closer across the sand.

Do we have a visitor? Another pirate, perhaps? Come out, Mr. Pirate! Come out to play! Oh, we are lucky girls today! Do you not like our lovely gold? Did you manage to break the hold? Cowering in the rocks won't help, A rat among the bones and kelp...

A withered hand wrenched Matilda from her hiding place. The next moment, she was engulfed in shadow as three figures surrounded her. Three long, wart- encrusted noses twitched, then sniffed at her. Six beady eyes glared at her. Behind the eyes, there were three great clouds of hair. Matilda was terrified. "She doesn't look like she came from the sea. Looks like a lubber, between you, you, and me!" "Take her up to the house we could..." "Keep her!" "Keep her!" "Keep her, we should!"

Matilda tried to speak, but no words came out. She just wanted to go home. She turned to look at the Jolley-Rogers. All their eyes were looking back at her. But they couldn't help her. And Jim wouldn't be able to come back into the cave.

Suddenly, with an almighty "WOOF!" Bones sprang from behind the rocks, flying toward the hags, fierce and determined. But in midair he froze, floating in a fizzing ball of light. The second hag held a wand in her outstretched hand, green light streaming from its tip, and as she moved it, Bones moved too. "Look at his tongue! His tongue! His tongue!