Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX ESCAPE! The children and the pixie went up the stairs and into a bedroom. They leaned out of the open window. Below lay the silvery moat. Binky began to whistle. It was a soft whistle, but a very piercing one. Mollie felt sure that if she had been a bird, she would have come in answer to Binky's whistle. Binky stopped his whistling. He looked anxiously into the sky and waited. No bird came. No bird was to be seen. 'I'll try again,' said Binky. He whistled once more. They waited, looking everywhere for the sign of a bird.

'There are no birds in this Snoogle country,' said the pixie, with a sigh. 'One would have come if it could.' 'Well,' said Mollie, looking worried, 'whatever can we do now? There doesn't seem to be any way of escape at all- nor any way of getting people to help us.' 'Let's go into each of the rooms, upstairs and downstairs, and see if there is any one there,' said Binky. 'We might find a servant or someone- they might help us. You never know!' So the children and the pixie went into each room, one by one. They were strange, untidy rooms. It looked as if the Snoogle lived in one for a bit and then, when it became too untidy, went into another one and lived there until the same thing happened!

There was no one at all in any of the rooms. Only the Snoogle lived in the castle, that was plain. 'Well, we've been in many fixes,' said the pixie gloomily, 'but this is about the tightest fix we've ever been in. How I hate the Snoogle for pecking the wings off our dear old wishing-chair!' The children and Binky went down into the kitchen again. The Snoogle was no longer snoring in the dining-room. He must be awake! He was. He came into the kitchen, snapping his duck-beak and waving his cat's tail. 'Well,' he said with a grin. 'Been all over the castle to find a way of escape? Aha! You won't find that in a hurry! Well, as you're here, you may as well wait on me. I'm tired of doing my

own cooking and washing-up. You can do it for me.' 'We won't, then!' said Peter furiously. 'It is bad enough to have to be here, without waiting on a duck-headed creature like you!' 'Hush, Peter,' said Mollie suddenly 'Hush! Very well, Snoogle, we will do as you say. Where would you like your supper? There is a cloth in the drawer, but it is dirty. Have you a clean one, so that I can begin to get your supper for you?'

'You are a sensible girl,' said the Snoogle, pleased. 'I have a clean cloth upstairs. I will get it.' He went out of the room. Binky and Peter turned and stared at Mollie in amazement. What did she mean by giving in so meekly to the horrid Snoogle? 'Peter! Binky! Look!' said Mollie, and she pointed to the wishing-chair, where it stood in a corner of the kitchen. The others looked- and whatever do you suppose they saw? Guess! The wishing-chair was growing new wings! Yes, really! Tiny red buds were forming on its legs. They grew fast. They burst into feathers. They were growing into new, strong wings! 'Goodness!' said Peter and Binky, amazed. 'Who would have thought of that! Good old wishing-chair!'

'Quick- here comes the Snoogle. Put the chair behind the table, where he can't see its wings growing,' said Mollie. So Binky pushed it behind the table just in time. The Snoogle pattered in and held out a clean cloth to Mollie. 'Thank you,' said the little girl politely. 'And have you got some egg-cups, please? I will boil you some eggs for supper.' The Snoogle trotted out to fetch some egg- cups. As soon as he was gone, Mollie, Peter and Binky crowded into the wishing-chair. 'Home, as quickly as you can, wishing-chair!' shouted Binky.