Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR LOOMA, LOOMA, LOOMA, LOO The three stared at one another in dismay. 'Whiskers has been caught by a witch,' said Binky. 'There's no doubt about it. Look at this!' He picked up a tiny silver star that lay on the seat of the chair. 'This little star has fallen off a witch's embroidered cloak.' 'Poor Whiskers!' wept Mollie. 'I do want her back. Oh, Binky, what shall we do?' 'Well, we'd better find out first where she's gone,' said Binky. 'Then, the next time the chair grows its wings we'll go and rescue her.' 'How can we find out where she's gone?'

asked Mollie, drying her eyes. 'I'll have to work a spell to find that out,' said Binky. 'I'll have to get a few pixies in to help me. Go and sit down on the couch, Mollie and Peter, and don't speak a word until I've finished. The pixies won't help me if you interfere. They are very shy just about here."

Mollie and Peter did as they were told. They sat down on the couch feeling rather excited. Binky went to the open door and clapped his hands softly three times, then loudly seven times. He whistled like a blackbird, and then called a magic word that sounded like 'Looma, looma, looma, loo. In a minute or two four little pixies, a bit smaller than Binky, who was himself a pixie, came running in at the door. They stopped when they saw the two children, but Binky said they were his friends.

该页暂无翻译

'They won't interfere,' he said. 'I want to do a spell to find out where this wishing-chair has just been to. Will you help me?' The pixies twittered like swallows and nodded their heads. Binky sat down in the wishing-chair, holding in his hands a mirror that he had borrowed from Mollie. The four little pixies joined hands and danced round

the chair, first one way and then another, chanting a magic song that got higher and higher and quicker and quicker as they danced round in time to their singing. Binky looked intently into the mirror, and the children watched, wondering what he would see there.