Beyond the Witches' Home 3/5

Barnacle Bill woke with a start, then he remembered where he was and relaxed. He'd had a lovely tea and then gone out onto the lawn and sat down on a deckchair to admire his paddle steamer.

The beautifully polished brasswork was gleaming in the sun and the boat was rocking very gently in the little waves of the river. He felt very content with life and had only meant to close his eyes for forty winks. Oh well, he ought to find Abigail and ask her to come for a boat trip. He got out of the deckchair, had a good stretch and asked the nearest witch if she'd seen Abigail.

"She's just on her way. The witch who invited you to tea went to fetch her but she was busy with a spell. She's finished now and she'll be here soon."

Barnacle Bill stayed where he was and a minute or two later Abigail walked through the door.

"I was wondering if you would like to come with me and Jennifer Jane for a steamer ride to my home on the estuary?" asked Barnacle Bill.

"I'd love to come. Let's go and find that young lady and we'll be off."

Jennifer Jane was nowhere to be seen. Abigail started asking witches if any of them knew where she was and at last she found one, who said that she thought she'd seen her going towards the other side of the house.

"Crumbs, if she's gone out of the door on the castle side, this could be serious," said Abigail. Barnacle Bill followed her as she ran along the corridors and out through the door into the courtyard.

"I didn't think there was another side to the Witches' Home," said Barnacle Bill.

"No time for explanations now," panted Abigail, "Jennifer Jane could be in terrible danger."

They had reached the arched gate and Abigail looked round quickly at the surrounding countryside.

"I see Esmerelda and Dulcibella have got one of their horrible smoky fires going," she said, "perhaps they've seen her." She went into a room built into the wall of the archway and came out with a large broom. "Hop on behind me and we'll fly over and ask."

Barnacle Bill did as he was told and Abigail flew towards the fire at very high speed.

"Friend of yours, was she?" asked Esmerelda. "Oh lor', that's torn it. The giant came over and found out she was a nor'nary yuman and he's took 'er off for supper."

"That was nice of him," said Barnacle Bill innocently.

"No it wasn't, she's the supper!"

"We'll have to get her back then, even if it means fighting the giant," said Barnacle Bill, rather more bravely than he really felt.

"Wait a moment," said Abigail, "there's a very feeble sort of magic going on over there." She pointed through the trees.

The broom stopped just before they reached the place Abigail had pointed out.

"Stay here and keep the broom pointed towards the Witches' Home ready for a fast take-off," said Abigail. She crouched down and crept carefully through the bushes towards the place the magic was coming from."

Peeping out from behind a tree, she saw Jennifer Jane and the giant. On the ground near the giant's foot was a funny looking piece of cake and Jennifer Jane was just starting to wiggle her fingers in the spell for chocolate Swiss roll.

Abigail suppressed a giggle. "Good girl, she hasn't lost her head and at least she's doing her best to try and get away."

She quickly signed for a huge Swiss roll with special effects and pointed to a spot just by the giant's feet. There was a tremendous bang, a cloud of smoke and both Jennifer Jane and the giant stared at the huge chocolate Swiss roll in amazement.

The giant sat down and took a giant sized bite. "Absolutely delicious. You'll have to come back to my castle and show me how to do that and then perhaps I won't eat you until tomorrow's supper."

Abigail stepped out from behind her tree. "Quick, Jennifer Jane, over here," she called and before the giant could get up to chase them, they both dashed to the broom.

They all climbed on and just as the broom left the ground, they heard the giant shouting, "Stop them somebody, she's stolen my bean." His voice was a bit indistinct.

'Probably because his mouth is full of cake,' thought Jennifer Jane.

The broom flashed past Esmerelda and Dulcibella and as soon as it landed in the Witches' Home courtyard, Abigail ran back to the gatehouse and pulled a lever, which raised the drawbridge.

"Right, we can all relax now," she said with a smile. "Let's go back to our part of the world and I'll tell you a story."