Read Online Magic by the Lake by Edward Eager - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Edward Eager
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it.
Thawed by cocoa, the four children stood up and peered around interestedly.
"Is this all there is to it?" said Martha, looking at snowy whiteness and nothing else as far as the eye could see.
"What did you expect?" said Mark. "A big post sticking up?"
"I just thought there might be more
to
it, somehow," said Martha.
Still, if the magic said this was the South Pole, this must be it. So Mark, who always had pencils, took one out, and using the eraser end, wrote an inscription in the snow.
"S OUTH P OLE . P ROP, OF U.S.A. W E FOUND IT. "
After that he put the date, and they all signed their names. Martha had Carrie sign her pawprint, too. Carrie did not seem to appreciate the privilege. And that seemed to be that.
But
after
that there were snowballs to be thrown, and a snowman to be built, and ice to be found and slid on, and if you have ever been transported suddenly from a hot and thundery day in July to the middle of a Winter Sports Carnival in December, you will have some idea of how the next fleeting moments happily passed.
"Darn!" said Jane. "We should have put in a toboggan while we were wishing!"
"And skis!" said Katharine.
"And snowshoes!" said Mark.
"Who cares?" said Martha. "Let's lie down and make angels." And she and Katharine did.
It was just as the four children were organizing a game of fox-and-geese (and wishing they'd brought more people along so there'd be enough to play it properly) that the cry was heard in the distance.
"What was that?" said Jane. "It sounded human."
"Eskimos!" said Martha.
"They don't have those
here
," said Katharine. "That's Alaska."
"What
do
they have, then?"
"They don't. It's uninhabited," said Mark.
"So far as anyone
knows
" said Jane.
Martha's lip trembled. "I don't
like
things that live where it's uninhabited!"
Just then the cry was heard again, and nearer now, and as the four children looked around to see where it had come from, a furred and booted figure staggered into view. It seemed to see them, and started forward in a kind of tottering rush, and as it drew nearer, they could see that it was a man. But they couldn't tell much else about him, because his face was covered with about a week's growth of beard. The sight was not a reassuring one, and Martha turned to flee.
But the man seemed just as upset by them as they were by him. As he came nearer, he stopped short, rubbed his eyes, gave a despairing moan, sank on his knees in the snow, and covered his face with his hands.
"It's all over. Might as well give up now," he cried in something between a sob and a shudder. "Now I'm seeing things! Angel children dancing in a ring!" He peered between his fingers. "Now they're gone. It's the beginning of the end. My mind's given way. Might as well lie down and die right here!"
"No, don't do that," said Katharine, ever sympathetic, edging forward to see if she could be of some help.
"We're not angels," said Mark.
"We're not even specially good," said Jane.
"We're just children," said Martha.
The man groaned and covered his ears. "Now I'm hearing voices!" he said. "I hope the end comes quickly. I can't stand any more!"
"It's no use," said Mark. "It's that thing of grown-ups noticing a little, but not much. He thinks we're spooks."
The four children stood looking at the man. And now an expression of even greater horror came over his face, and he gave a terrible cry. He was staring at something beyond them, and they turned and followed his gaze.
Carrie the cat stepped forward, picking her way elegantly along and waving her tail. And maybe because she hadn't really been part of the wish but had only got into it more or less by accident, the man seemed to see her all too clearly.
"No!" he cried, waving her away and shutting his eyes to blot out the sight. "No! Scat, you horrid beast! Now I
know
I'm really crazy! If it were a polar bear now, I might believe it. Or a Saint Bernard dog with a bottle of brandy round its neck!"
"Poor thing. I wish we had some
Thawed by cocoa, the four children stood up and peered around interestedly.
"Is this all there is to it?" said Martha, looking at snowy whiteness and nothing else as far as the eye could see.
"What did you expect?" said Mark. "A big post sticking up?"
"I just thought there might be more
to
it, somehow," said Martha.
Still, if the magic said this was the South Pole, this must be it. So Mark, who always had pencils, took one out, and using the eraser end, wrote an inscription in the snow.
"S OUTH P OLE . P ROP, OF U.S.A. W E FOUND IT. "
After that he put the date, and they all signed their names. Martha had Carrie sign her pawprint, too. Carrie did not seem to appreciate the privilege. And that seemed to be that.
But
after
that there were snowballs to be thrown, and a snowman to be built, and ice to be found and slid on, and if you have ever been transported suddenly from a hot and thundery day in July to the middle of a Winter Sports Carnival in December, you will have some idea of how the next fleeting moments happily passed.
"Darn!" said Jane. "We should have put in a toboggan while we were wishing!"
"And skis!" said Katharine.
"And snowshoes!" said Mark.
"Who cares?" said Martha. "Let's lie down and make angels." And she and Katharine did.
It was just as the four children were organizing a game of fox-and-geese (and wishing they'd brought more people along so there'd be enough to play it properly) that the cry was heard in the distance.
"What was that?" said Jane. "It sounded human."
"Eskimos!" said Martha.
"They don't have those
here
," said Katharine. "That's Alaska."
"What
do
they have, then?"
"They don't. It's uninhabited," said Mark.
"So far as anyone
knows
" said Jane.
Martha's lip trembled. "I don't
like
things that live where it's uninhabited!"
Just then the cry was heard again, and nearer now, and as the four children looked around to see where it had come from, a furred and booted figure staggered into view. It seemed to see them, and started forward in a kind of tottering rush, and as it drew nearer, they could see that it was a man. But they couldn't tell much else about him, because his face was covered with about a week's growth of beard. The sight was not a reassuring one, and Martha turned to flee.
But the man seemed just as upset by them as they were by him. As he came nearer, he stopped short, rubbed his eyes, gave a despairing moan, sank on his knees in the snow, and covered his face with his hands.
"It's all over. Might as well give up now," he cried in something between a sob and a shudder. "Now I'm seeing things! Angel children dancing in a ring!" He peered between his fingers. "Now they're gone. It's the beginning of the end. My mind's given way. Might as well lie down and die right here!"
"No, don't do that," said Katharine, ever sympathetic, edging forward to see if she could be of some help.
"We're not angels," said Mark.
"We're not even specially good," said Jane.
"We're just children," said Martha.
The man groaned and covered his ears. "Now I'm hearing voices!" he said. "I hope the end comes quickly. I can't stand any more!"
"It's no use," said Mark. "It's that thing of grown-ups noticing a little, but not much. He thinks we're spooks."
The four children stood looking at the man. And now an expression of even greater horror came over his face, and he gave a terrible cry. He was staring at something beyond them, and they turned and followed his gaze.
Carrie the cat stepped forward, picking her way elegantly along and waving her tail. And maybe because she hadn't really been part of the wish but had only got into it more or less by accident, the man seemed to see her all too clearly.
"No!" he cried, waving her away and shutting his eyes to blot out the sight. "No! Scat, you horrid beast! Now I
know
I'm really crazy! If it were a polar bear now, I might believe it. Or a Saint Bernard dog with a bottle of brandy round its neck!"
"Poor thing. I wish we had some
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