Dragons of the Watch - Donita K. Paul [107]
The rest of the children pouted.
“Don’t worry, you’ll all have to help turn the wagon, and there will be more opportunities to help from now on. You’re no longer a bunch of scalawags. Miss Ellie has decided you are family. And each member of a family does important jobs.”
The about-face of the cart came off without any big problems. Tak was rehitched with the help of two different boys, then many hands made light work of hefting Porky into the bed of the wagon. They trooped to the back door. The children skipped and darted in and out of the stacks of furniture on either side of the path. The dragons flew above them, swooping and doing aerobatics. The children giggled and squealed their appreciation of the show. Ellie walked beside the cart with a hand on Porky.
Bealomondore led the way but made them all wait while he consulted with Det.
“This is going to be a perilous journey,” he announced soberly.
The children’s eyes grew big.
Ellie knew what he was going to say, and it made her mad enough to spit. Yawn couldn’t just leave them alone.
“Yawn has set up ambushes along the way,” Bealomondore said in a deep and serious tone. “We can avoid them with Det’s help.”
“Let’s ambush the ambushes,” said Cinder, with no fear but a lot of excitement.
A chorus of enthusiastic agreement came from the cluster of children.
Ellie saw and felt Bealomondore’s waning patience. His face clouded, and the irritation that passed to her signaled a possible explosion. She decided to intervene.
“We will avoid them as much as possible,” said Ellie. “It is not our intention to match their ferocity. We will behave as civilized people. They can be barbarians if they choose.”
“What do civilized people do?” asked Cinder.
She could feel Bealomondore’s sudden shift in attitude. Her tumanhofer hero fought to keep from laughing. Ellie ignored him.
“Civilized people mind their manners,” she answered the boy.
Cinder shook his head in disgust. “I think barbaring would be more fun.”
Old One in the library could probably hear Bealomondore’s guffaw. Ellie closed her eyes and counted.
Bealomondore stood at the door of the furniture emporium. He could feel the impatience of the children behind him, urging him to move. But the situation outside the old building stirred up caution. Det said the renegade children had collected rocks and left them in strategic places along the route to the library. He contemplated waiting until nightfall, but Ellie’s objection registered in his mind.
“Oh, please, Bealomondore. I want Porky settled. The children are hungry. Isn’t there some way we can make it?”
Yes, we can make it, but it won’t be a straight path. Are you ready?
“Yes.”
One minute, and we’ll be out of here.
He mindspoke to the minor dragons. They flew into the air, and he watched as they bombarded the boys bent on mischief, who were crowding the flat roof of a shoe shop across the street. The dragons dived and grasped the boys’ hair, giving a yank before letting go and flying upward. They spat at any child who threw a rock. Their colorful saliva stung, and they rarely missed.
“This way,” Bealomondore said as he gestured toward the alley. “Stay together and don’t dawdle.”
The clatter and bang of the wagon wheels on the rough descent from sidewalk to street alerted the children above. Bealomondore saw them dart away from the edge of the roof.
He guided his entourage down the alley. Det returned to report another corner armed with rock-throwing six-year-old thugs. Bealomondore turned away from the library to avoid the attack. Det took off and soon reported that the marauding urohms were perplexed. They had lost the wagon and its escorts when they didn’t approach the library along any of the obvious routes.
“Good,” said Bealomondore.
“What’s good?” asked Cinder.
“Yawn and his gang don’t know where we are.”
“How do you know what he knows and what he doesn’t?”
“Det told me.”
“The dragon?” Cinder opened his eyes wide and stared at the dragon now riding on the front rim of the cart. “Tiptop parnot snot! I never knew they could talk.” He squinted