Two ropes were hanging inside the doorway.
‘The Magi laughed, and his hand moved towards the second rope to pull up the grille.
‘I had to stop him. “If you let that alligator out, how are you going to come down here and get that chest?”
‘That took the smile off his face, I can tell you.
‘“Yes, you didn’t think of that, did you?” crowed Lotus Blossom. “Not so magnificent now, are you Magi? You great big alligatoring bully!”
‘I frowned at Lotus Blossom, not wanting her to incite the Magi to some new wickedness. But his eyes had focused on hers, and he was getting something out of his waistcoat. Oh, please, not the medal, I thought. But just then heavy footsteps sounded, hurrying down the path towards us.
‘The Baron loomed up behind the Magi. “What are you all doing down here in my secret storeroom?” bellowed his familiar voice. His eyes bulged. “And what is my missing chest doing down here?”
‘The Magi smiled quickly. “I was just coming to get you, my dear Baron. These children broke into your house last night and robbed you. They hid the chest down here, intending to come back and fetch it later. We have caught them red-handed.”
‘“No we didn’t!” Ah Chu cried.
‘“He’s lying!” Lotus Blossom shouted.
‘But I had been inspecting the Baron closely. “How did you get that green slime on the sleeve of your coat and the side of your boot if you didn’t come down here yourself, Baron?”
‘“What?! Do you think I robbed myself?”
‘“No, but last night, through your library window, I saw the Magi hypnotise you. He made you fill that chest with your treasures and gold and carry it here. You put it on this table.”
‘The Baron looked carefully at his boot and sleeve, comparing it with the slime on the walls of the storeroom. He turned furiously on the Magi, who went as white as an onion. “I…I…arrgh!” he spluttered as the Baron pushed him down the steps and jumped on him. He was calling for his men to come and take the Magi away when we slipped past them and out into the warm fresh breeze.’
‘Did the Baron give you a reward for saving his fortune?’ Jack asked.
‘No, of course not,’ said Tashi. ‘Instead, he expected us to thank him for saving us from the alligator!’
‘What was the alligator doing down there, anyway?’ asked Angus.
Tashi rolled his eyes. ‘The Baron said he’d bought it from the River Pirate and was going to sell it to the zoo in the city. Who knows, it might even be true.’
‘I’ve seen an alligator,’ said Angus. ‘They look pretty much like our crocodiles.’
‘My Uncle Joe once wrestled a big old saltwater croc with his bare hands,’ said Jack. ‘Then he killed it and ate it.’
‘That’s impossible,’ said Angus.
‘Is not,’ said Jack. He got his wallet out of his back pocket. ‘Hey Angus?’
‘Yeah?’
‘Ask me for five dollars.’
TASHI AND THE BURNING HOUSE
‘SCHOOL HOLIDAYS ARE coming up soon, aren’t they?’ said Dad. He was sorting through the laundry basket, looking for a shirt to iron. ‘I was thinking we might all go away somewhere this year.’
‘Oh?’ said Mum. ‘That doesn’t sound like you. Have you got a temperature?’
Dad put down his shirt and felt his forehead. ‘No, I don’t think so. I just feel like an adventure. What about you, Jack?’
‘Well,’ said Jack. ‘It depends what kind of adventure. Like, where would we go?’
‘I don’t know, somewhere different, out in the wild,’ said Dad. ‘I want to go camping and not have to wear ironed shirts, and catch trout while I’m watching dolphins surf. I may even ride on a dolphin’s back!’
‘I wonder what a dolphin feels like?’ said Mum.
‘Pretty happy, I’d say,’ said Dad. ‘They’re always smiling. Probably because they don’t have to wear ironed shirts.’
‘For a start,’ said Jack, ‘dolphins live in the sea and trout live in fresh water. You can’t have both together.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘You know, sometimes an adventure comes to you, rather than you going to find it.’ He started to hum a little tune.
‘Aha, I know that tune!’ cried Dad. ‘That’s your I-know-a-Tashi-story-you-don’t-know tune.’
Jack laughed.
Dad did a little skip as he went to plug in the iron. ‘What is it this time? Wicked warlords, gluey ghosts, that greedy old Baron?’
‘Don’t you have to get to work?’ said Mum.
‘Oh, there’s always time for a story,’ said Dad airily. ‘I can iron while I listen. I can multi-fast like anyone else.’
‘That’s multi-task,’ said Jack, ‘which means you can do lots of things at once.’ He looked doubtful.
But Dad was sure. ‘Plenty of time. And look, Mum’s got your eggs ready.’ His eyebrows twitched with excitement.
‘Well,’ said Jack, sitting down at the table, ‘it was like this. Back in Tashi’s old country, the school holidays were coming up.’
‘Oh that’s a marvellous feeling, I remember that!’ Dad cut in. ‘You wake up and at first you think, gosh I’m late, where’s my school shirt, did I do my maths homework and then you remember, oh, it’s–’
‘Yes,’ said Jack. ‘Tashi woke up with just that happy holiday feeling. He got up and ran out of the house–’
‘What, without his breakfast?’
‘Oh Dad, I don’t know, he didn’t tell us that. All I know is he ran over to Lotus Blossom’s house. He wanted to start the holidays straight away.
‘“Come in,” she called when he knocked on the door.
‘“I thought we might go into the forest today,” said Tashi. “We could build a cubby house…”
‘But she shook her head. “Sorry Tashi, I can’t. I’ve promised to go and hear Mi Tu practise his new song.”
‘Tashi stood there for a moment, waiting for her to say, “Why don’t you come too?” but she didn’t, so he nodded and walked back to the gate. Some of the good feeling had dribbled away.
‘And when Tashi got to Ah Chu’s house, he was packing a bag of snacks. Tashi called through the window, “I thought we might go into the forest today, but it looks as if you already have something to do?”
‘“That’s right,” said Ah Chu. “Lotus Blossom and I are meeting Mi Tu at his uncle’s house.” Tashi waited for Ah Chu to say “Why don’t you come with us?” but he didn’t, and Tashi walked on feeling quite–’
‘Left out?’ said Mum.
‘Sad,’ said Dad sadly.
‘So what was going on?’ asked Mum.
‘Well, ever since Mi Tu had arrived back in the village, he had been the centre of attention. He was the son of Teacher Pang’s Younger Brother, but his parents had been killed in a landslide not long ago.
‘Of course everyone felt very sorry for him but that wasn’t the only reason for the interest people were taking in him. Mi Tu had the most beautiful voice anyone had ever heard; clear and pure and rich. When he sang happy songs people couldn’t keep still, they had to jump up to dance and clap their hands. When his songs were sad, hankies were passed around as eyes filled and overflowed. But that wasn’t all.
‘Word had got about that Mi Tu owed his thrilling voice to a potion that had been a secret in his family for years and years. His father had given him the recipe before he died. Just a sip of the magical stuff each morning was all he needed to sound like a nightingale for the rest of the day!’
Dad gasped. ‘Was it really a magic potion?’
‘Well, that’s what Tashi wanted to know. One day near the end of term, he’d seen Ah Chu walking home with Mi Tu. They were walking very slowly, their heads bent together. Later, when Tashi asked what they’d been talking about, Ah Chu’s face lit up. “Guess what? Mi Tu said that one day he might just give his best friends a taste of his famous recipe.” Ah Chu’s eyes shone. “Imagine, Tashi, being able to sing so everyone wanted to listen, so everyon
e crowded round to hear you.” And he’d stood quiet and still, gazing at this picture in his imagination.
‘But Tashi didn’t stay quiet. Instead he said, “I agree that Mi Tu has a wonderful voice, but I’m suspicious about this secret mixture.”
‘“Well, you shouldn’t be!” Ah Chu burst out. “And anyway, in the meantime, Mi Tu said that for a small price, he might give us singing lessons.”
‘This time Tashi said nothing. But deep inside he wondered if singing lessons would make much difference to someone like Ah Chu, who had a voice like a sick frog.
‘Tashi had tried to talk about his suspicions with Lotus Blossom, but she’d looked at him reproachfully. “Yes, I know, but it doesn’t matter if there’s a magic potion or not, does it, Tashi? For one thing it makes us so happy to hear his songs. Are you sure you’re not a little bit jealous?”
‘Tashi thought about this. He wasn’t sure, which made him feel worse. And now, here was the first day of the holiday, a day he and Lotus Blossom and Ah Chu always spent together, and they were going off without him.
‘Well, he would just take Pongo for a walk, and see what Hai Ping was doing instead. Lotus Blossom and Ah Chu weren’t the only berries on the bush!
‘The next few days Tashi spent happily with the other children from the village, but one afternoon he just felt like pottering about alone. As he walked along the path leading out of the village, he started thinking of the Haunted House and how he and his friends had saved Ning Jing from her horrible cousin there. He wondered if it was still standing and he decided to go and see.
‘The house looked just the same, gloomy and forbidding, overhung by trees. He stood for a few moments in a pool of shade, remembering. Wind rustled through the branches, tapping at a cracked window. He crept near, curious, goosebumps rising on his skin. And then he heard voices coming from inside. One voice stood out from the others.
‘He knew those thrilling tones!
‘Sure enough, when he peered through the glass, he saw Lotus Blossom and Ah Chu sitting spellbound. Mi Tu was singing the haunting song of a lonely mermaid. Tashi began to feel tearful himself, and he couldn’t help letting out a little moan. Lotus Blossom jerked out of her trance, her head turning to the window. Quickly, Tashi inched out of view – he didn’t want to talk to anyone right now. He leaned against the wall, hot and uncomfortable. But then he noticed Mi Tu had stopped singing.
‘“Oh why are you stopping?” cried Lotus Blossom. “That was so beautiful.”
‘“Really?” Mi Tu’s voice sounded offended. “You were looking out the window. I thought you were bored.”
‘Ah Chu and Lotus Blossom began protesting, trying to outdo each other with praise… “Your singing is like a nightingale’s”…“you’re not from this world”…“there’s no voice like yours!” And yet for all these admiring cries, Mi Tu still didn’t sing a note.
‘Tashi crept back and peeped through the window. He saw a strange thing. Mi Tu was searching the friends’ faces hungrily. He was drinking in their words, only there didn’t seem to be enough of them. He needed more.
‘Ah Chu and Lotus Blossom’s cries dried up into silence. They shifted uneasily on the floor. Just then, Mi Tu gave a little false laugh, and leapt up. “I know!” he crowed. He danced over to the mantelpiece near the mirror and grabbed the bundle of candles lying there. “I can do magic too!”
‘Chanting softly, he placed ten candles at equal distance from each other in a circle around Ah Chu and Lotus Blossom. His words were not like any Tashi knew. But as Mi Tu took a box of matches from his pocket and lit the candles, the words changed and he was singing the sweetest song Tashi had ever heard. It was like the wind behind the trees, the current in a river – somehow it moved everything inside you.
‘Tashi listened and daydreamed. He watched the candlelight flare in the dim room, and a lick of horror began to rise in his stomach. He didn’t want to wake from the dream-song, but he couldn’t stop his eyes roaming the room…the rotting wooden boards, the drift of dry leaves on the floor, the sticks blown in by the wind. Wah! The house was a tinderbox. It was so dangerous!
‘Without meaning to, he yelped in alarm. Lotus Blossom looked up and this time she saw him through the window. “Tashi!” she called. “Come and hear this! Mi Tu knows so many beautiful songs.”
‘She sprang up to open the door. But as she took her first step, her heel flicked a candle, and knocked it over. The flame caught, and flew along the floor. It was like a lightning strike – it happened so quickly. A heap of leaves in the corner sparked into life. With a loud crackle, the fire spread out, feeding on the dry-as-dust timber like a match to kindling. In a roar, the fire raced up the wall.
‘“Quick, use your coat!” cried Ah Chu, pulling off his jacket and beating at the flames. He and Mi Tu leapt about, shouting, trying to stamp out the fire. But they were losing valuable time.
‘Lotus Blossom tugged at the heavy door. “I can’t open it!” she screamed.
‘“Step back now,” called Tashi from outside. “I’ll open it from here!” But the door was swollen and stuck tight.
‘Smoke was clouding the room and the heat was crushing. Ah Chu stumbled over to help pull the door open, but it was jammed shut. He ran to the window, covered his elbow with his jacket, and smashed it against the glass. The window shattered instantly. “Come on, we’ll climb out through here!” he called.
‘Mi Tu was right behind him and it wasn’t until they were standing outside with Tashi that they realised Lotus Blossom wasn’t with them.
‘Icy dread dropped into Tashi’s stomach. He peered in through the wall of flames. “There, there!” cried Ah Chu next to him, pointing to a Lotus-Blossom-shape lying by the door.
‘“We have to get her out,” said Tashi. He was thinking fast. Water, he needed something wet to shield them from the heat. “Give me your jacket!” he told Ah Chu. He whipped off his own and ran to the old well in the courtyard. The well hadn’t been used for years, but when he lowered its bucket, he heard a splash as it hit the bottom. He pulled it up. Good. It was full. He plunged the coats into the muddy water.
‘“I’ll come in with you,” said Ah Chu when he got back with the dripping jackets.
‘“And I’ll run for help,” said Mi Tu. His face was white.
‘“You’ll be too late,” cried Ah Chu, but Mi Tu was already off and away along the darkening path.
‘It was just as well Tashi and Ah Chu were wrapped in their sopping coats, but even so they could hardly bear the heat and smoke and terror of the inferno roaring around them.
‘They wrapped Ah Chu’s wet shirt around Lotus Blossom and picked her up by the shoulders and legs. But now the whole room was a raging furnace. They saw it was impossible to get back to the window through the flames.
‘“Upstairs!” Tashi called. “It hasn’t taken hold up there yet.”
‘“But how will we get down again?” Ah Chu yelled above the bellow of fire.
‘Tashi didn’t answer. He was thinking furiously.
‘They dragged Lotus Blossom up the rickety stairs and across the landing. Tashi ran into a bedroom and grabbed some bedcovers off a bed. Then he pulled down the curtains. “Help me knot the corners of these together,” he told Ah Chu.
‘They worked fast with the heavy material, panting and trying not to take deep breaths. The air was thick with grit, tasting like charcoal in their mouths. When they had made a long bulky rope, Tashi tied one end to the leg of the bed and threw the other end out the window.
‘Lotus Blossom opened her eyes. “Where are we?”
‘“Upstairs in a burning house and we’re going to climb down these curtains to safety,” Tashi told her. “You woke up just in time.” He tried to sound confident, and gave her the sign of the dragon for luck.
‘“I don’t think I can do it,” croaked Lotus Blossom. “I can hardly breathe.”
‘“We’ll help you,” said Tashi. “Ah Chu will go first and then you can follow. If you
fall, you’ll have something nice and soft to land on.”
‘Ah Chu snorted, but just then they heard a whooshing roar like an engine starting up and they looked around to see flames racing up the landing. In seconds, a towering wall of fire blocked their exit below.
‘“Let’s go!” shouted Ah Chu, and he scrambled out the window.
‘Lotus Blossom followed and if her feet rested on Ah Chu’s shoulders more often than he liked, he didn’t complain.
‘A few moments later they were staggering over the grass. “Keep going, run!” yelled Tashi, feeling the heat blasting behind him. But Ah Chu had stopped and now they all couldn’t help turning to watch as the house exploded into a huge fireball, burning itself to pieces before them.
…the house exploded into a huge fireball…
‘“We’re still too close!” Tashi called suddenly. “Ah Chu come ba–” Before he could finish his warning, there was a bang and a large piece of flaming roof rose in the air and then slowly descended, falling, falling…
‘Ah Chu seemed glued to the ground. Lotus Blossom screamed. She tore across the grass and with all her strength pushed him aside, just as the falling timbers crashed to the very spot where he’d been standing.
‘Tashi was there at once, pulling and rolling them away to safety. They knelt, panting, grinning at each other in wonder and relief.
‘“Thanks, Lotus Blossom,” Ah Chu growled. “It’s possible that you might just have saved my life.”
‘“Well, it was only fair,” smiled Lotus Blossom, “seeing you did come and get me out of the burning house. I’d say we were even.”
‘At that moment, they heard the village bus come rumbling along the forest track. Can Du, Teacher Pang and Mi Tu jumped out almost before it stopped. Looking at the blackened mess of the house and smouldering flames, they couldn’t believe the friends had escaped with only a few burns and blisters.
‘“It’s good to be lucky in your bad luck,” said Teacher Pang.
Tashi and the Wicked Magician Page 2
