Ходячий замок
Chapter 8
“Isee!ButIcan’tletyougo.”
“I’mgoing,”saidSophie.
“ButifHowlseesyoutherehe’llbefurious,”Michaelwenton,workingthingsout.“BecauseIpromisedhim,he’llbemadwithbothofus.Yououghttorest.”Then,whenSophiewasalmostreadytohithim,heexclaimed,“Wait!There’sapairofseven-leaguebootsinthebroomcupboard!”
HetookSophiebyherskinnyoldwristandtowedheruphilltothewaitingcastle.Shewasforcedtogivelittlehopsinordernottocatchherfeetintheheather.“But,”shepanted,“sevenleaguesistwenty-onemiles!I’dbehalfwaytoPorthavenintwostrides!”
“No,it’stenandahalfmilesastep,”saidMichael.“ThatmakesUpperFoldingalmostexactly.Ifweeachtakeonebootandgotogether,thenIwon’tbelettingyououtofmysightandyouwon’tbedoinganythingstrenuous,andwe’llgettherebeforeHowldoes,sohewon’tevenknowwe’vebeen.Thatsolvesallourproblemsbeautifully!”
MichaelwassopleasedwithhimselfthatSophiedidnothavethehearttoprotest.SheshruggedandsupposedMichaelhadbetterfindoutaboutthetwoLettie’sbeforetheychangedlooksagain.Itwasmorehonestthisway.ButwhenMichaelfetchedthebootsfromthebroomcupboard,Sophiebegantohavedoubts.Uptonowshehadthoughttheyweretwoleatherbucketsthathadsomehowlosttheirhandlesandthengotalittlesquashed.
“You’resupposedtoputyourfootinthem,shoeandall,”Michaelexplainedashecarriedthetwoheavy,bucket-shapedthingstothedoor.
