“Tu-whoo, tu-whoo! Don'tyoubeafool.I''llputoutthatlampfirst.”
Assoonasthelampwasout, thebitofthenightwhichyousawthroughthewindowlookedlessdark—nolongerblack, .“IwonderhowScrubblikedhisride! ”, withahorridplungetheyhadleftthewindow-sill, andthewingsweremakingaflurryroundherears, andthenightair, rathercoolanddamp, wasflyinginherface.
Itwasmuchlighterthansheexpected, andthoughtheskywasovercast, , —ahushing, rufflingsortofwindwhichmeantthatrainwascomingsoon.
, northwards, crossingtheriver: theairgrewcolder, , flyingabovewoodedcountry.
TheOwlsnappedatsomethingwhichJillcouldn'tsee.
“Oh, don't, please! ” saidJill.“Don'.”
“Ibegyourpardon, ” saidtheOwl.“'snothingsosustaining, inasmallway, ? ”
“No, thanks, ” saidJillwithashudder.
Hewasflyingalittlelowernowandalarge, —apartlyruinoustower, withalotofivyonit, shethought—whenshefoundherselfduckingtoavoidthearchwayofawindow, astheOwlsqueezedwithherthroughtheiviedcobwebbyopening, outofthefresh, , themomentsheslippedofftheOwl'sback, sheknew (asoneusuallydoessomehow) thatitwasquitecrowdedAndwhenvoicesbegansayingoutofthedarknessfromeverydirection “Tuwhoo! Tu-whoo! ” :
“Isthatyou, Pole? ”
“Isthatyou, Scrubb? ” saidJill.
“Now, ” saidGlimfeather, “Ithinkwe'.”
“Tu-whoo, 'stherightthingtodo, ” saidseveralvoices.
“Halfamoment, ” saidScrubb'svoice.“There'ssomethingIwanttosayfirst.”
“Do, do, do, ” saidtheowls; andJillsaid, “Fireahead.”
