Page:The book of Betty Barber (IA bookofbettybarbe00andr).pdf/130

 the basket drawn by the rooks rolled back down the road to Rhyme Land.

Lucy and Thirteen-fourteenths watched them until they were out of sight.

“They will be glad to get home,” said Lucy. “I wish I could go too, but what about the book?”

“Yes,” said Thirteen-fourteenths, “the book. Was Father William in the court? I could not see him; but I couldn’t see much through the hole, for Mr. Snip had to work hard at it to make it big enough to get through. I thought it wouldn’t be finished in time, and I’m afraid, as it was, it was rather too small, you must be a bit scratched. I hope you are not much hurt, but really it was hard work, and you didn’t help us.”

“I didn’t know,” said Lucy, “I couldn’t understand it. I thought my dress was caught.”

“Never mind, all’s well that ends well,” said the Fraction. “But about the book? I must find it, you don’t know all the trouble it has caused.”

“And I thought I should prevent mischief by getting it to Nonsense Land,” said Lucy. “I persuaded Father William to go and fetch it from the tree, but what happened to him I don’t know. He never came back to Nonsense Land.”

“If he is not in Nonsense Land this very minute,” said Thirteen-Fourteenths, “I don’t know where he is. I know he came to these cross-roads. Hullo! What’s that noise?”

“Somebody groaning,” said Lucy, “somebody in trouble!” And Lucy rose from the ground, her own tiredness almost forgotten “We must find out what is the matter.”

“Help, help, here I am!” called a voice.

Lucy and Thirteen-fourteenths hurried down the road leading to the tree. They had not far to go. A little way down the road, crawling along slowly and painfully, they found a girl, sighing and groaning. It was Minora!

Lucy and the Fraction helped her to her feet, and between them they managed to get her back to the sign-post.

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