Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE CREE-EE-EAK Mollie and Peter spent a very jolly evening with Binky, down in the playroom. They played snap and happy families and ludo, and all the time they watched the wishing- chair to see if it would grow its wings. They did so long to fly off on an adventure again. But the chair stood there quietly, and when it was half-past eight the children were so sleepy that they felt they really must go to bed. 'We'd better go and have a bath up at the house,' said Peter. 'I feel dirty, travelling all the way home by train. We'll dress properly again, just in case the wishing-chair grows its wings and flies off with us. We'll say goodnight to

Mrs Williams, too, so that she doesn't feel she's got to come down to see if we're all right.' Just as they went out of the door they saw somebody disappearing round the corner. 'Who was that peeping?' said Mollie at once. 'Quick, run and see, Peter.'

Peter raced round the corner of the playroom and saw a little brownie dive into a bush. He yelled at him. 'Hey, what do you think you are doing, peeping about here? You wait till I catch you!' A cheeky face looked out of the bush. 'I just want to see your chair grow wings, that's all. It's a wishing-chair, isn't it? Can't I watch it grow wings?'

'No, you can't,' said Peter. No peeping and prying in our garden, please! Keep out!' The brownie made a rude face and pulled his head back into the leaves. Binky ran out of the playroom to see what the shouting was about. 'It's that brownie you told us about, the one who sat in the wishing-chair,' said Peter. 'Keep an eye open for him, Binky. We don't want him telling everyone our secret.' 'I'll watch,' said Binky. He yelled at the bush where the brownie had gone. 'Hey, you little snooper! If I see you again I'll tie you to a witch's broomstick and send you off to the moon!' There was no answer. The children went off to the house to have their bath and Binky went back to the playroom. Mrs Williams gave

Peter and Mollie a jam sponge sandwich she had made, and another bottle of milk. 'Could you give us some eggs, too?' asked Peter. 'Then we could boil them ourselves for breakfast on our own little stove. We wouldn't need to come in for breakfast then.' Mrs Williams laughed. 'You're not going to bother me much, are you?' she said. 'Well, here you are, four new-laid eggs- and you'd better take a new loaf down with you, and some more butter. You're sure you'll be all right?' 'Oh, yes,' said Mollie. 'We love being on our own like this with Bi-' Peter gave her such a nudge that she almost fell over. She stopped and went red. Goodness gracious, she had almost said Binky's name! Mrs Williams didn't seem to have

noticed anything, though. She added a pot of marmalade to the tray, and Peter took it. 'Well, I suppose I'll see you when you want more food!' she said. 'And not before. Have a nice time- and don't get into mischief!'