DRINK OF THIS AND TAKE THY FILL FOR THE WATER FALLS BY THE WIZHARDS WILL

“The wizard again!” said Susan. “We really must find out from Gowther what all this is about. Let’s go straight home now and ask him. It’s probably nearly tea-time anyway.”

* * *

They were within a hundred yards of the farm when a car overtook them and pulled up sharply. The driver, a woman, got out and stood waiting for the children. She looked about forty-five years old, was powerfully built (‘fat’ was the word Susan used to describe her), and her head rested firmly on her shoulders without appearing to have much of a neck at all. Two lines ran from either side of her nose to the corners of her wide, thin-lipped mouth, and her eyes were rather too small for her broad head. Strangely enough, her legs were thin and spindly, so that in outline she resembled a well-fed sparrow, but again that was Susan’s description.

All this Colin and Susan took in as they approached the car, while the driver eyed them up and down more obviously.

“Is this the road to Macclesfield?” she said when the children came up to her.

“I’m afraid I don’t know.” said Colin. “We’ve only just come to stay here.”

“Oh? Then you’ll want a lift. Jump in.”

“Thanks,” said Colin. “but we’re living at this next farm.”

“Get into the back.”

“No, really. It’s only a few yards.”

“Get in!”

“But we…”

The woman’s eyes glinted and the colour rose in her cheeks.

“You—will—get—into—the back!”

“Honestly, it’s not worth the bother! We’d only hold you up.”

The woman drew breath through her teeth, Her eyes rolled upwards and the lids came down until only an unpleasant white line showed; and then she began to whisper to herself.