breedsanger in the demons,” confided Hogwick. She was in discussion with Roach and Stixx. “We wield great power over the city with the children alive. But without them we are nothing—back to where we started. Keep your companions alert at all times. Some of our brethren are nothing but animals and think only of food and water. We must keep a careful eye over the keep. The anger of the bark demons needs to be used to our advantage. If they grow more discontent it may be the right time to make an attack and send them into the city.”
“You may be right. We must discuss it with the others,” said Roach.
Esther had neglected to inform the forest of Jarvis’s misadventure. Her time was consumed by following the guardsmen and making sure she knew where Jarvis was located. She also wanted to be the only one responsible for his escape. It was important that she won favor with her master. Captain Dooley had been stealing the limelight, telling his tales and allowing Jarvis to pick off the children. She must prove her worth and win her place again as his companion.
She found the small window at the top of the hangman’s tower, bedded her feet into the snow- trimmed ledge, and pushed her face up to the glass. Her large beak pointed downward, and she used it to scratch away at the frost. She could see something in there. Captain Dooley was no use when it came to escapes. Only she could help.
She felt sure that she could break in. Those little panes of glass would only take so much pecking before they cracked.
Jarvis sat with his head buried in his hands. Just when he had started to make some progress, his whole world had fallen apart again. Things had been perfect. With Captain Dooley by his side he had been able to pick off those children from the city and fill the forest keep. Why had he been so careless? It was his own fault, he knew.
If Captain Dooley ended up in the wrong hands those children might survive. Every last one of them. And he hated children so much that just that thought alone brought a tear to his eye.
A cracking sound came from above. He gazed toward the tall ceiling of the room where he was kept. A tiny window he hadn’t noticed was splintering glass down on him.
“What … Esther! What are you doing here?” Her beak poked through the fractured glass pane and she turned her head sideways to gaze down upon him. When she was sure it was him she disappeared again. She would return with rope and he would be out within no time at all.
The children had emerged from their hiding space inside the cupboard and were now taking a good look at Captain Dooley, although they were anxious about making use of him. That horrible little wooden face was not to be trusted, they were sure. But the truth was, Captain Dooley held no discrimination. He just blurted out the truth to whomever asked him.
No one had wanted to touch him. Or look at him. Frankie was brave enough to step up and take hold. She half expected a bite or a nip, but to start with, there was nothing from the lifeless character. At first sight, he appeared to be just what he was, a limp and lifeless puppet. But he felt Frankie’s grip around him and everything came to him in a breath. “Little Frances Duprie. Escaping the horrors of the hollow while her siblings wait in vain.”
Immediately she threw the doll to the floor in shock, her heart quickening.
“I don’t want to touch him,” she said.
Pip was emptying a tattered and torn drawstring bag of odds and ends. “Use this,” he said. Frankie picked the captain up by his hat and dropped him inside.
For the moment they sat tight in Jarvis’s hovel and discussed their plans. With all the fuss of Jarvis being captured they were sure his home would be a safe haven for now.
Toad was wandering around the room and Pip watched him bend down and take something from the floor. He held it up and shook the dust from it. It was Jarvis’s black cloak. He pulled it on and pretended to walk like
“You may be right. We must discuss it with the others,” said Roach.
Esther had neglected to inform the forest of Jarvis’s misadventure. Her time was consumed by following the guardsmen and making sure she knew where Jarvis was located. She also wanted to be the only one responsible for his escape. It was important that she won favor with her master. Captain Dooley had been stealing the limelight, telling his tales and allowing Jarvis to pick off the children. She must prove her worth and win her place again as his companion.
She found the small window at the top of the hangman’s tower, bedded her feet into the snow- trimmed ledge, and pushed her face up to the glass. Her large beak pointed downward, and she used it to scratch away at the frost. She could see something in there. Captain Dooley was no use when it came to escapes. Only she could help.
She felt sure that she could break in. Those little panes of glass would only take so much pecking before they cracked.
Jarvis sat with his head buried in his hands. Just when he had started to make some progress, his whole world had fallen apart again. Things had been perfect. With Captain Dooley by his side he had been able to pick off those children from the city and fill the forest keep. Why had he been so careless? It was his own fault, he knew.
If Captain Dooley ended up in the wrong hands those children might survive. Every last one of them. And he hated children so much that just that thought alone brought a tear to his eye.
A cracking sound came from above. He gazed toward the tall ceiling of the room where he was kept. A tiny window he hadn’t noticed was splintering glass down on him.
“What … Esther! What are you doing here?” Her beak poked through the fractured glass pane and she turned her head sideways to gaze down upon him. When she was sure it was him she disappeared again. She would return with rope and he would be out within no time at all.
The children had emerged from their hiding space inside the cupboard and were now taking a good look at Captain Dooley, although they were anxious about making use of him. That horrible little wooden face was not to be trusted, they were sure. But the truth was, Captain Dooley held no discrimination. He just blurted out the truth to whomever asked him.
No one had wanted to touch him. Or look at him. Frankie was brave enough to step up and take hold. She half expected a bite or a nip, but to start with, there was nothing from the lifeless character. At first sight, he appeared to be just what he was, a limp and lifeless puppet. But he felt Frankie’s grip around him and everything came to him in a breath. “Little Frances Duprie. Escaping the horrors of the hollow while her siblings wait in vain.”
Immediately she threw the doll to the floor in shock, her heart quickening.
“I don’t want to touch him,” she said.
Pip was emptying a tattered and torn drawstring bag of odds and ends. “Use this,” he said. Frankie picked the captain up by his hat and dropped him inside.
For the moment they sat tight in Jarvis’s hovel and discussed their plans. With all the fuss of Jarvis being captured they were sure his home would be a safe haven for now.
Toad was wandering around the room and Pip watched him bend down and take something from the floor. He held it up and shook the dust from it. It was Jarvis’s black cloak. He pulled it on and pretended to walk like
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