The Witch's Glass by Holly Grant

Author:Holly Grant
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2017-08-22T04:00:00+00:00

“ALL RIGHT, CHILDREN!” Miss Ramachandra called. “Does everyone have coats? It’s going to be chilly up in Dinkledorf! Into the boats, now! Grayson—no shoving! We’ll row to Bumbershoot Square—you all know the way, right? That was one of your Applied Navigation assignments?”

“Yes, Miss Ramachandra,” the Pettifoggers chorused.

“Super! We’ll row to Bumbershoot Square and from there head up to our great Dinkledorf adventure!”

“Here, Miss Ramachandra.” Gus flourished a permission slip. “I forgot to give this to Marm Pettifog.”

“Oh!” Miss Ramachandra accepted the slip and shoved it into her pocket. “Better late than never, dear. You’ll hide your snakes under a hat? Good. What seems to be the problem, Jennifer? You forgot your gloves? Tsk! Let’s find you something from the cloakroom—” Miss Ramachandra hurried off to mitten a few unprepared students.

“Come on,” Gus said. “Before I lose my nerve.”

The Dreadfuls rummaged paddles from the bin and hurried to the pier. A train of pink Pettifog rowboats was already snaking from Old Crescent Lagoon and into the canal system.

“Miss Ramachandra didn’t even look at our great forgery,” Ollie grumped as the Dreadfuls hopped into their own craft.

“It was Anastasia’s forgery,” Gus pointed out. “And we’re lucky Miss Ramachandra is so absentminded. I heard that Marm Pettifog actually examines the signatures on permission slips with a jeweler’s loupe.” He scrooched down in the belly of the boat. “If you don’t mind, I’m not going to help row. I’m going to hide.”

“Lazy,” Ollie complained.

Gus grinned up at him. “What if my dad is out running errands today? I can’t risk being seen.”

Anastasia and Ollie churned their oars, propelling their boat toward the Pettifog flotilla ahead. They rowed through the Spelunker Straits, and under Gardyloo Bridge, and angled down Gypsum Alley. Anastasia swiveled her head, collecting mental bread crumbs for the Applied Navigation exam. There! The pickle shop at the corner of Gypsum Alley and Bumbershoot Gutter was a distinctive waypost. She stared at the shop window, letting the view of rubbery green fruits imprint her memory. Then the Pettifoggers turned toward Bumbershoot Square, where they awaited the last stragglers. Anastasia danced from galosh to galosh, impatient to get up to Dinkledorf. Finally Miss Ramachandra’s boat glided up to the pier.

“All right!” she cried, clambering to the dock. “To Penumbra Alley! Er—it’s to the left, right?”

“No, Miss Ramachandra,” piped up Jasper Cummerbund. “It’s to the right.”

“Of course! Silly me. This way, children!” Miss Ramachandra waved them down a side tunnel. “Now, if you’ll give me just a smidgen of help…is this the way up to Die Zuckerhutte?” She hesitated by a stone stairwell curving up between a calligrapher’s and a pharmacy.

“Yes,” Saskia snickered. “Obviously. Look at the sign.”

“Oh!” Miss Ramachandra blinked at a wooden plaque reading TO DIE ZUCKERHUTTE/GREATER DINKLEDORF. “Excellent!”

“What’s dee—dee zookerhooty?” Anastasia asked as they puffed up the stone flight.

“Chocolate shop,” Ollie said. “Whenever we go on a school field trip, we come up through its back closet. Nobody’s surprised to see a bunch of kids suddenly hanging around a candy store. I wonder if Miss Ramachandra will let us buy some sweets? Marm Pettifog never does.

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