Page:The book of Betty Barber (IA bookofbettybarbe00andr).pdf/84

 “Help! Help!” he shouted.

Major C and Minorafor, of course, it was Minorawere frightened out of their wits.

“Come away, come away,” said Minora, seizing the Major’s arm, “there are fairies protecting it, it must be a magic book.”

And the Major would have hurried away, had not Thirteen-fourteenths, who was recovering from his hasty descent of the tree, seized his arm.

“It’s all right,” he said. “We’ll get you out, old chap,” he called to Half-term, who was still calling for help, though he had managed to frighten Mrs. Owl away.

“Who is it?” said the Major.

“It’s only Half-Term,” said Thirteen-fourteenths, “and he has slipped inside the tree, instead of outside. All right, old chap,” he called once more to Half-term. “I’ll come and give you a hand.’

“It’s easy for you to say it’s all right,” shouted Half-term, “there’s an old Owl inside here, and the stupid old thing keeps flapping her wings; but I’ve caught her now. So come along and get me out.”

“I think perhaps I had better help him out,” said Thirteen-fourteenths, and he began to climb the trunk.

“Here, I say, Thirteen-fourteenths,” shouted Half-term, “are you coming to help me out? I want to show you the Owl, and she’ll get away if I try to get out by myself.”

“But make him search well first for the book,” said Minora.

“Which book?” said Thirteen-fourteenths, dropping lightly to the ground. “Not the Book of Betty Barber?”

Minora nodded.

“But I thought I saw you getting that out of the trunk a minute ago,” said the Fraction.

“We were trying to get it,” said Minora, “but we can’t find itit’s gone.”

“Gone!” shouted Thirteen-fourteenths.

“Yes, gone,” shouted Half-term from inside the tree. ‘ Catch her if you can, I couldn’t hold her any longer.”

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