"Thank goodness I've caught you up," said a pleasant voice, and they turned to see the girl in the white mackintosh. Before they could answer she came up behind them and went on, "I've got a special message for you from my aunt, Miss Ballinger, and she asked me to be sure to catch you up. It's for you, actually," she said, turning to Jon and smiling radiantly.

"For me?" he said doubtfully. "Why just me?"

Penny blessed him for this and moved round to his side so that the girl no longer had her back to her.

"I'll tell you why. It sounds crazy, I know, but I was to tell you that after you'd gone she thought about that old map that you said you'd found, and the more she thought about it the more certain she was that she wanted it for her collection." She stepped a little closer to Jon and said quietly: "She wants that map so badly that she'll swop it for a motor-bike!"

"A what?" Jon gasped.

"A motor-bike! And you can choose it yourself! Bring her the map, she said, and you can go and buy the bike when you like..."

"The bus, Jon. Here's the bus," Penny interrupted. "Come on! We must catch it!"

Jon came out of his dream.

"Thanks for telling me," he said, "but we must catch this. Good-bye!" and he started to run after Penny.

"Cheerio!" the girl called. "Let her know quickly, won't you? Any bike you like, she said."

They caught the bus, but it was very crowded, and Jon had to stand by the door, while Penny sat on the edge of a seat farther up. She was almost shaking with rage at the stupid way Jon had listened to the girl. Even now he was looking vacant as he held on to the strap and swayed with the bus.

Back in Rye they climbed the steps of Trader's Passage in silence. Penny did not feel like starting a conversation and Jon still seemed in a dream.

At the top, though, outside the Dolphin, they both saw the same thing and stopped. A little black Scottie dog with one ear cocked was sitting solemnly under the archway regarding them with curiosity.

"I said we wanted a dog here," Penny whispered, "and now here he is. He's wonderful! Here, little black boy! Here!... Oh, wake up, Jon, do! Anyone might think that girl was a witch and had put a spell on you!"

"I don't know about a spell, Penny, but, you see, I nearly met her before."

"What do you mean - nearly met her?"

"I did nearly meet her. That was the girl who met Slinky at the mill. I'd recognize her voice any time."

6. Tuesday: Allies

Only twelve more days and then school again," Penny said at breakfast next morning, "and we've got a lot to do still."

"Where are you going today?" Mrs. Warrender asked.