Angie Sage - Septimus Heap 1 by Magyk

Author:Magyk [Magyk]
Language: nld
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

"But I haven't got a rat skeleton, Ma."

"And you're not having one either. Come on."

Stanley thought to himself that if Petunia had taken him home he

wouldn't have objected to a nice soak in a pan of boiling water. At least it

would have warmed him up a bit.

When he did finally stagger to his feet and drag himself up the harbor

steps, he knew he had to get warm and find food before he could carry

on his journey. And so he followed his nose to a bakery and sneaked

inside, where he lay shivering beside the ovens, slowly warming through.

A scream from the baker's wife and a hefty swipe with a broom

eventually sent him on his way, but not before he had managed to eat

most of a jam doughnut and nibble holes through at least three loaves of

bread and a custard tart.

Feeling much refreshed, Stanley set about looking for a lift to Marram

Marshes. It was not easy. Although most people in the Port did not

celebrate the MidWinter Feast Day, many of the inhabitants had taken it

as an excuse to eat a big lunch and fall asleep for most of the afternoon.

The Port was almost deserted. The cold northerly wind that was bringing

in flurries of snow kept anyone off the streets who did not have to be

there, and Stanley began to wonder if he was going to find anyone

foolish enough to be traveling out to the Marshes.

And then he found Mad Jack and his donkey cart.

Mad Jack lived in a hovel on the edge of Marram Marshes. He made his

living by cutting reeds to thatch the roofs of the Port houses. He had just

made his last delivery of the day and was on his way home when he saw

Stanley hanging about by some rubbish bins, shivering in the chill wind.

Mad Jack's spirits rose. He loved rats and longed for the day when

someone would send him a message by Message Rat, but it wasn't the

message that Mad Jack really longed for–it was the rat.

Mad Jack stopped the donkey cart by the bins. " 'Ere, Ratty, need a lift?

Got a nice warm cart goin' to the edge of the Marshes."

Stanley thought he was hearing things. Wishful thinking, Stanley, he told

himself sternly. Stop it.

Mad Jack peered down from the cart and smiled his best gap-toothed

smile at the rat. "Well, don't be shy, boy. Hop in."

Stanley hesitated only for a moment before he hopped in.

"Come and sit up by me, Ratty." Mad Jack chuckled. " 'Ere, you get this blanket wrapped around ya. Keep them winter chills out yer fur, that

will."

Mad Jack wrapped Stanley up in a blanket that smelled strongly of

donkey and geed up the cart. The donkey put its long ears back and

plodded off through the flurries of snow, taking the route it knew so well

back along the causeway to the hovel that it shared with Mad Jack. By

the time they arrived, Stanley felt warm again and very grateful to Jack.

" 'Ere we are. 'Ome at last," said Jack cheerfully as he unharnessed the

donkey and led the animal inside the hovel.

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