Atthatmomentavoicefromtheothersideofthegymwasheardshoutingout, “Pole? '? ”
JillandEustacegaveoneglanceateachother, divedunderthelaurels, andbeganscramblingupthesteep, earthyslopeoftheshrubberyataspeedwhichdidthemgreatcredit.(OwingtothecuriousmethodsofteachingatExperimentHouse, onedidnotlearnmuchFrenchorMathsorLatinorthingsofthatsort; butonedidlearnalotaboutgettingawayquicklyandquietlywhenTheywerelookingforone.)
Afteraboutaminute'sscrambletheystoppedtolisten, andknewbythenoisestheyheardthattheywerebeingfollowed.
“Ifonlythedoorwasopenagain! ” saidScrubbastheywenton, ; , andtryingthedoor; forifitshouldhappentobeunlockeditwouldbeasplendidwayofgettingoutsidetheschoolgroundswithoutbeingseen.
JillandEustace, nowbothveryhotandverygrubbyfromgoingalongbentalmostdoubleunderthelaurels, , shutasusual.
“It'ssuretobenogood, ” saidEustacewithhishandonthehandle;andthen, “! ! ” Forthehandleturnedandthedooropened.
Amomentbefore, bothofthemhadmeanttogetthroughthatdoorwayindoublequicktime, , .
Theyhadexpectedtoseethegray, , '—, smootherandbrighterthanJillhadeverseenbefore, andbluesky, and, dartingtoandfro, thingssobrightthattheymighthavebeenjewelsorhugebutterflies.
Althoughshehadbeenlongingforsomethinglikethis, 'sfaceandsawthathewasfrightenedtoo.
“Comeon, Pole, ” hesaidinabreathlessvoice.
“Canwegetback? Isitsafe? ” askedJill.
