Ellie Featherbill All Alone

Chapter Six “Bash them! Smash them!”

A stomping noise from the other side of the hedge made them stop still. It was followed by a snuffling sound.

“Boggits!” whispered Goldie. “They’re very close.”

They crouched down and peeped through a gap in the hedges. All they could see were four pairs of furry, grubby feet, with filthy toenails.

Sniff’s voice reached them. “Bodda, bodda, bodda!” she said angrily.

“Boggits has been in the maze for ages,” Whiffy whined. “Now Boggits is at another dead end.”

“Nasty hedges is in the way.” They heard Pongo growl. “Boggits bash them down!”

“Good idea,” said Reek. “Boggits find river source quicker, then make it dirty and smelly.”

“Bash the bushes,” said Whiffy. “Bash them! Smash them!”

“All fall down!” Sniff laughed. “Haargh! Haargh!”

Jess and Lily couldn’t see what was happening, but they could certainly hear. The Boggits stamped, grunted, ripped, and tore, and the branches cracked and thudded as they fell. The sounds faded as the Boggits thundered off in a different direction.

“We need help,” said Lily. “What about asking Mr. Cleverfeather, the owl? He’s got so many amazing inventions in his shed. Surely there’s one that can help us find Ellie?”

“Good idea,” said Jess, “except Mr. Cleverfeather’s shed is so far away from here. We could shout as loud as we liked and he wouldn’t hear us.”

“Actually, I can hear you cloud and dear,” came a voice from above. “I mean, loud and clear.”

“Mr. Cleverfeather!” the girls cried. The owl flew into view. He was wearing a harness with whirring blades fixed to the back.

Jess stared in amazement. “He’s turned himself into a helicopter!”

Mr. Cleverfeather zoomed toward them and hovered just above their heads. “I was flying above the cheese—I mean, trees—when Dotty Redcoat flew up to me. She told me you might need help finding Ellie.” He glanced around the maze. “The hedges are too close together for me to land, but fevver near!”

Lily laughed. “He means, ‘Never fear!’ ”

“We’re so happy to see you!” Jess told the owl.

Mr. Cleverfeather lowered something down to them on a rope. It had a round disc on the end of a long handle. Goldie reached up to guide it to the ground.

“It looks like a metal detector,” said Lily. “Wait, it’s got something written on the handle.” She turned it around and read, “Feather Finder.”

They looked blankly at one another. Then Jess called up. “Mr. Cleverfeather, what’s it for?”

“Bush the putton—I mean push the button,” said Mr. Cleverfeather. “It will pull you toward Ellie!”

“Wow!” said Lily.

“It’s attracted to feathers,” called the owl. “Baby birds are always getting lost, so I use it to find the pittle lickles.”

Lily giggled. “I think you mean ‘little pickles,’ ” she said. “Thanks—”

Before she could finish, there was an especially loud crash behind them. Down came a whole chunk of hedge!

There, looking as surprised as Goldie and the girls, were the Boggits!

For a moment, nobody moved. Then Pongo grinned, showing big, dirty teeth.

“Boggits wondered what that owl was up to,” he said in his rough voice. “Fly away, owl!” he bellowed up at Mr. Cleverfeather. “Girls and cat won’t spoil Grizelda’s plan this time.” He turned to the other Boggits and jerked his grubby, hairy head toward Jess and Lily.

“Get them!”