Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE A DREADFUL THING Once a dreadful thing happened when the children were adventuring on the wishing- chair. It had grown its wings most conveniently when all three were in the playroom, so they jumped on, and were soon flying high in the air.

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As they were flying they heard a loud droning noise, and looked round. 'It's an aeroplane!' shouted Peter.

'I say! It's very near us!' cried Mollie. So it was. It didn't seem to see them at all. It flew straight at them, and the edge of one widespread wing just touched their flying chair, giving it a tremendous jerk. Mollie and Peter were sitting tightly in the seat- but Binky was on the back, and he was jolted

right off the chair. Mollie clutched at him as he fell- but she only just touched him. The two children watched in the greatest dismay as he fell down- and down- and down. 'Oh, Peter!' cried Mollie, in despair, 'poor, poor Binky! Whatever will happen to him!' The aeroplane flew on steadily, never guessing that it had touched a wishing-

chair. Peter turned pale and looked at Mollie. 'We must make the chair go down and see if Binky is hurt,' he said. 'Oh dear! What a dreadful thing to happen! Chair, fly down to earth!' The chair flapped its red wings and flew slowly down to the ground. It stood there, and the children jumped off. They were in open country with wide fields all around them. There was no sign of Binky at all. They heard the sound of someone chanting a song, and saw coming towards them, a round, fat little man carrying a bundle on his head. 'Hi!' called Peter. 'Have you seen a little pixie falling out of the sky?' 'Is that a riddle?' said the round little man, grinning stupidly. 'I can ask you one too! Have you seen a horse that quacks like a duck?'