"Hs," sed H /gamp, in a skIkI vqs not At Yl prapYrSnd t H sFz v its grEt bodI, "z H mOst noval ekspIrIans F evar hard v. H lAst TiN F rimembar distiNktlI z wYkN TrM H fYrist n hIrN a lQd nqz. samTiN probablI kild mI Hn, n i sartanlI Yt t hAv bin H end v mI. jet hIr F Am, alFv agen, wiT fYr monscras wiNz n a bodI wic F vencar t sE wUd mEk enI rispektabal Animal Yr fQl wIp wiT SEm t On. wat daz i Yl mIn? Am F a /gamp, Yr Am F a JagarnYt?" H krIcar, Az i spOk, wigald its cin wiskarz in a vErI komikal mAnar.
"jY'r Jast a /TiN," Ansard /tip, "wiT a /gamp's hed on i. n wI hAv mEd jM n brYt jM t lFf sO Ht jM mE kErI as TrM H Er wErevar wI wiS t gO."
"vErI gUd!" sed H TiN. "Az F Am not a /gamp, F kn not hAv a /gamp's prFd Yr independnt spIrit. sO F mE Az wel bikam jYr sarvant Az enITiN els. mF OnlI sAtisfAkSn z Ht F d not sIm t hAv a vErI scroN konstitMSn, n Am not lFklI t liv loN in a stEt v slEvarI."
"dOn't sE Ht, F beg v jM!" krFd H /tin /wUdmAn, hMz eksalent hyrt waz scroNlI afektd bF Hs sAd spIc. "r jM not fIlN wel tadE?"
"O, Az f Ht," ritarnd H /gamp, "i z mF farst dE v egzistans; sO F kn not JaJ weHar F Am fIlN wel Yr il." n i wEvd its brMm tEl t n frO in a pensiv mAnar.
"kam, kam!" sed H /skErkrO, kFndlI, "d crF t b mYr cIrfal n tEk lFf Az jM fFnd i. wI SAl b kFnd mAstarz, n wil scrFv t rendar jYr egzistans Az plezant Az posibal. r jM wilN t kErI as TrM H Er wErevar wI wiS t gO?"
"sartanlI," Ansard H /gamp. "F grEtlI prifar t nAvigEt H Er. f SUd F crAval on H arT n mIt wiT wan v HF On spISIz, mF embErasmnt wUd b samTiN Yfal!"
"F kn aprISIEt Ht," sed H /tin /wUdmAn, simpaTetiklI.
"n jet," kntinjMd H /TiN, "wen F kErfalI lUk jM Ovar, mF mAstarz, nan v jM sImz t b kanscraktd mac mYr yrtistiklI Hn F Am."
"apIransz r disItfal," sed H /wogal-/bag, arnistlI. "F Am bOT /hFlI /mAgnifFd n /TarOlI /eJjMkEtd."
"indId!" marmard H /gamp, indifarantlI.
"n mF brEnz r knsidard rimyrkablI rEr spesimanz," Add H /skErkrO, prQdlI.
"hQ scrEnJ!" rimyrkd H /gamp.
"YlTO F Am v tin," sed H /wUdmAn, "F On a hyrt YltageHar H wyrmist n mOst AdmFrabal in H hOl warld."
"F'm dilFtg t hIr i," riplFd H /gamp, wiT a slFt kof.
"mF smFl," sed /JAk /pampkinhed, "z warHI jYr best atenSn. i z YlwEz H sEm."
"sempar Fdem," eksplEnd H /wogal-/bag, pompaslI; n h /gamp tarnd t stEr At him.
"n F," diklErd H /sY-/hYrs, filN in an Ykward pYz, "Am OnlI rimyrkabal bikYz F kAn't help i."
"F Am prQd, indId, t mIt wiT sac eksepSanal mAstarz," sed H /gamp, in a kErlis tOn. "if F kUd bat sikjar sO kmplIt an incradakSn t mFself, F wUd b mYr Hn sAtisfFd."
"Ht wil kam in tFm," rimyrkd H /skErkrO. "t 'nO HFself' z knsidard kwFt an akompliSmnt, wic i hAz tAkan as, hM r jYr eldarz, manTs t parfekt. bat nQ," hI Add, tarnN t H aHarz, "let as get abYrd n styrt apon Qr JarnI."
"wEr SAl wI gO?" Askd /tip, Az hI klambard t a sIt on H sOfaz n asistd H /pampkinhed t folO him.
"in H /sQT /kancrI rMlz a vErI dilFtfal /kwIn kYld /glinda H /gUd, hM F Am Sar wil glAdlI risIv as," sed H /skErkrO, getN intM H /TiN klamzilI. "let as gO t har n Ask har AdvFs."
"Ht z klevarlI TYt v," diklErd /nik /copar, givN H /wogal-/bag a bMst n Hn topalN H /sY-/hYrs intM H rIr end v H kUSand sIts. "F nO /glinda H /gUd, n bilIv SI wil prMv a frend indId."
"r wI Yl redI?" Askd H bq.
"jes," anQnsd H /tin /wUdmAn, sItN himself bisFd H /skErkrO.
"Hn," sed /tip. aJresN H /gamp, "b kFnd Inaf t flF wiT as t H /sQTward; n d not gO hFr Hn t eskEp H hQzz n crIz, f i mEks mI dizI t b ap sO fyr."
"Yl rFt," Ansard H /gamp, brIflI.
i flopd its fYr hjMJ wiNz n rOz slOlI intM H Er; n Hn, wFl Qr lital bAnd v Advencararz klaN t H bAks n sFdz v H sOfaz f sapYrt, H /gamp tarnd tYrd H /sQT n sYrd swiftlI n maJestiklI awE.
"H sInik efekt, fram Ts AltitMd, z myrvalas," komentd H eJjMkEtd /wogal-/bag, Az HE rOd aloN.
"nevar mFnd H sInarI," sed H /skErkrO. "hOld on tFt, Yr jM mE get a tambal. H /TiN sImz t rok bAdlI."
"i wil bI dyrk sMn," sed /tip, obzarvN Ht H san waz lO on H hYrFzan. "parhAps wI SUd hAv wEtd antil mYrnN. F wandar if H /gamp kn flF in H nFt."
"F'v bin wandarN Ht mFself," ritarnd H /gamp kwFitlI. "jM sI, Hs z a nM ekspIrIans t mI. F jMzd t hAv legz Ht kErId mI swiftlI Ovar H grQnd. bat nQ mF legz fIl Az if HE war aslIp."
"HE r," sed /tip. "wI didn't briN 'em t lFf."
"jY'r ekspektd t flF," eksplEnd H /skErkrO, "not t wYk."
"wI kn wYk Qrselvz," sed H /wogal-/bag.
"F bIgin tandarstAnd wat z rikwFrd v mI," rimyrkd H /gamp; "sO F wil d mF best t plIz jM," n hI flM on f a tFm in sFlans.
prezantlI /JAk /pampkinhed bikEm anIzI.
"F wandar if rFdN TrM H Er z lFabal t spql pampkinz," hI sed.
"not anles jM kErlislI Jrop jYr hid Ovar H sFd," Ansard H /wogal-/bag. "in Ht Ivant jYr hed wUd nO loNgar b a pampkin, f i wUd bikam a skwoS."
"hAv F not Askd jM t riscrEn HIz anfIlN JOks?" dimAndd /tip, lUkN At H /wogal-/bag wiT a sivIr ekspreSn.
"jM hAv; n F'v riscrEnd a gUd menI v Hem," riplFd H insekt. "bat HEr r opartMnitIz f sO menI eksalant panz in Qr lANgwiJ Ht, t an eJjMkEtd parsan lFk mFself, H temptESn t ekspres Hem z YlmOst irizistabal."
"pIpal wiT mYr Yr les eJjMkESn diskavard HOz panz kancarIz agO," sed /tip.
"r jM Sar?" Askd H /wogal-/bag, wiT a styrtld lUk.
"v kYrs F Am," Ansard H bq. "an eJjMkEtd /wogal-/bag mE b a nM TiN; bat a /wogal-/bag eJjMkESn z Az Old Az H hilz, JaJN fram H displE jM mEk v i."
H insekt sImd mac impresd bF Hs rimyrk, n f a tFm mEntEnd a mIk sFlans.
H /skErkrO, in SiftN hiz sIt, sY apon H kUSnz H pepar-boks wic /tip hAd kAst asFd, n bigAn t egzAmin i.
"TrO i OvarbYrd," sed H bq; "it's kwFt emptI nQ, n HEr'z nO jMs kIpN i."
"z i rIlI emptI?" Askd H /skErkrO, lUkN kjarIaslI intM H boks.
"v kYrs i z," Ansard /tip. "F SUk Qt evrI grEn v H pQdar."
"Hn H boks hAz tM botamz," anQnsd H /skErkrO, "f H botam on H insFd z fUlI an inc awE fram H botam on H QtsFd."
"let mI sI," sed H /tin /wUdmAn, tEkN H boks fram hiz frend. "jes," hI diklErd, Aftar lUkN i Ovar, "H TiN sartanlI haz a fYls botam. nQ, F wandar wat Ht z f?"
"kAn't jM get i apyrt, n fFnd Qt?" inkwFrd /tip, nQ kwFt intarestd in H mistarI.
"wF, jes; H lOar botam anskrMz," sed H /tin /wUdmAn. "mF fiNgarz r rAHar stif; plIz sI if jM kn Opan i."
hI hAndd H pepar-boks t /tip, hM hAd nO difikaltI in anskrMiN H botam. n in H kAvitI bilO ar TrI silvar pilz, wiT a kErfalI fOldd pEpar lFiN andarnIT Hem.
Hs pEpar H bq prOsIdd t anfOld, tEkN kEr not t spil H pilz, n fQnd sevaral lFnz klIrlI ritan in red iNk.
"rId i alQd," sed H /skErkrO, sO /tip red, Az folOz:
"doktar /nikidik's selebrEtd wiSN pilz."
"darekSnz f jMs: swolO wan pil; kQnt sevantIn bF tMz; Hn mEk a wiS. H wiS wil imIdIatlI b grAntd. kYSn: kIp in a JrF n dyrk plEs."
"wF, Hs z a vErI vAljMbal diskaverI!" krFd H /skErkrO.
"i z, indId," riplFd /tip, grEvlI. "HIz pilz mE b v grEt jMs t as. F wandar if Old /mombI nM HE war in H botom v H pepar-boks. F rimembar hIrN har sE Ht SI got H /pQdar v /lFf fram Hs sEm /nikidik."
"hI mast b a pQwarfal /sYrsarar!" eksklEmd H /tin /wUdmAn; "n sins H pQdar prMvd a sakses wI Yt t hAv konfidans in H pilz."
"bat hQ," Askd H /skErkrO, "kn enIwan kQnt sevantIn bF tMz? sevantIn z an od nambar."
"Ht z crM," riplFd /tip, grEtlI disapqntd. "nO wan kn posiblI kqnt sevantIn bF tMz."
"Hn H pilz r v nO jMs t as," wEld H /pampkinhed; "n Hs fAkt Ovarwelmz mI wiT grIf. f F hAd intendd wiSN Ht mF hed wUd nevar spql."
"nonsens!" sed H /skErkrO, SyrplI. "if wI kUd jMz H pilz At Yl wI wUd mEk fyr betar wiSz Hn Ht."
"F d not sI hQ enITiN kUd b betar," prOtestd pYr /JAk. "if jM war lFabal t spql At enI tFm jM kUd andarstAnd mF ANzFitI."
"f mF pyrt," sed H /tin /wUdmAn, "F simpaTFz wiT jM in evrI rispekt. bat sins wI kn not kQnt sevantIn bF tMz, simpaTI z Yl jM r lFabal t get."
bF Hs tFm i hAd bikam kwFt dyrk, n H vqaJarz fQnd abav Hem a klQdI skF, TrM wic H rEz v H mMn kUd not penacrEt.
H /gamp flM stedilI on, n f sam rIzan H hjMJ sOfa-bodI rokd mYr n mYr dizilI evrI Qr.
H /wogal-/bag diklErd hI waz sI-sik; n /tip waz YlsO pEl n samwat discresd. bat H aHarz klaN t H bAks v H sOfaz n did not sIm t mFnd H mOSn Az loN Az HE war not tipd Qt.
dyrkar n dyrkar grM H nFt, n on n on sped H /gamp TrM H blAk hevanz. H crAvalarz kUd not Ivan sI wan anaHar, n an opresiv sFlans setald dQn apon Hem.
Aftar a loN tFm /tip, hM hAd bin TiNkN dIplI, spOk.
"hQ r wI t nO wen wI kam t H pAlis v /glinda H /gUd?" hI Askd.
"it's a loN wE t /glinda'z pAlis," Ansard H /wUdmAn; "F'v crAvald i."
"bat hQ r wI t nO hQ fAst H /gamp z flFiN?" parsistd H bq. "wI kn not sI a siNgal TiN dQn on H arT, n bifYr mYrnN wI mE b fyr bIjond H plEs wI wont t rIc."
"Ht z Yl crM Inaf," H /skErkrO riplFd, a lital anIzilI. "bat d not sI hQ wI kn stop Jast nQ; f wI mFt alFt in a rivar, yr on H top v a stIpal; n Ht wUd b a grEt dizAstar."
sO HE parmitd H /gamp t flF on, wiT regjMlar flops v its grEt wiNz, n wEtd pESantlI f mYrnN.
Hn /tip's fIrz war prMvan t b wel fQndd; f wiT H farst scrIks v grE dYn HE lUkd Ovar H sFdz v H sOfaz n diskavard rOlN plEnz dotd wiT kwIr viliJz, wEr H hQsz, insted v bIiN dOm-SApd -- Az HE Yl r in H /lAnd v /oz -- hAd slAntN rMfs Ht rOz t a pIk in H sentar. od lUkN Animalz war YlsO mMvN abQt apon H Opan plEnz, n H waz anfamiljar t bOT H /tin /wUdmAn n H /skErkrO, hM hAd fYrmarlI vizitd /glinda H /gUd'z dOmEn n nM i wel.
"wI r lost!" sed H /skErkrO, dOlfalI. "H /gamp mast hAv kErId as entFrlI Qt v H /lAnd v /oz n Ovar H sAndI dezarts n intM H tEribal QtsFd warld Ht /dYraTI tOld as abQt."
"wI mast get bAk," eksklEmd H /tin /wUdmAn, arnistlI. "wI mast get bAk Az sMn Az posibal."
"tarn arQnd!" krFd /tip t H /gamp, "tarn Az kwiklI Az jM kn!"
"if F d F SAl apset," Ansard H /gamp. "F'm not At Yl jMzd t flFiN, n H best plAn wUd b f mI t alFt in sam plEs, n Hn F kn tarn arQnd n tEk a freS styrt."
Jast Hn, hQevar, HEr sImd t b nO stopN-plEs Ht wUd Ansar HEr parpas. HE flM Over a viliJ sO big Ht H /wogal-/bag diklErd i waz a sitI. n Hen HE kEm t a rEnJ v hF mQntanz wiT menI dIp gYrJz n stIp klifs SOiN plEnlI.
"nQ z Qr cAns t stop," sed H bq, fFndN HE war vErI klOs t H mQntan top. Hn hI tarnd t H /gamp n kmAndd: "stop At H farst leval plEs jM sI!"
"vErI wel," Ansard H /gamp, n setald dQn apon a tEbal v rok Ht stUd bitwIn tM klifs.
bat not bIiN ekspIrIansd in sac mAtarz, H /gamp did not JaJ hiz spId kYrektlI; n insted v kamN t a stop apon H flAt rok hI misd i bF hAf H wiT v hiz bodI, brEkN of bOT hiz rFt wiNz agenst H Syrp eJ v H rok n Hn tamblN Ovar n Ovar dQn H klif.
Qr frendz held on t H sOfaz Az loN Az HE kUd, bat wen H /gamp kYt on a praJektN rok H /TiN stopd sadanlI -- botam sFd ap -- n Yl war imIdIatlI dampd Qt.
bF gUd fYrcan HE fel OnlI a fjM fIt; f andarnIT Hem waz a monstar nest, bilt bF a kolanI v /JAkdYz in a holO leJ v rok; sO nan v Hem -- not Ivan H /pampkinhed -- waz inJard bF H fYl. f /JAk fQnd hiz preSas hed restN on H soft brest v H /skErkrO, wic mEd an ekselant kaSn; n /tip fel on a mAs v lIvz n pEparz, wic sEvd him fram inJarI. H /wogal-/bag hAd bampd hiz rQnd hed agenst H /sY-/hYrs, bat wiTQt kYzN him mYr Hn a mOmant's inkanvInjans.
H /tin /wUdmAn waz At farst mac alyrmd; bat fFndN hE hAd eskEpd wiTQt Ivan a skrAc apon hiz bjMtifal nikal-plEt hI At wans rigEnd hiz akastamd cIrfalnis n tarnd t aJres hiz komrAdz.
"Qr /JarnI hAd endd rAHar sadanlI," sed hI; "n wI kn not JastlI blEm Qr frend H /gamp f Qr Aksidant, bIkYz hI did H best hI kUd andar H sarkamstAnsz. bat hQ wI r evar t eskEp fram Hs nest F mast lIv t samwan wiT betar brEnz Hn F pazes."
hIr hI gEzd At H /skErkrO; hM krYld t H eJ v H nest n lUkd Ovar. bilO Hem waz a SIr presipis sevaral fIt in depT. abav Hem waz a smMH klif anbrOkan sEv bF H pqnt v rok wEr H rekd bodI v H /gamp stil haN saspendd fram H end v wan v H sOfaz. HEr rIlI sImd t b nO mInz v eskEp, n Az HE rIlFzd HEr helplis plFt H lital bAnd v Advencararz gEv wE t HEr bIwildarmnt.
"Hs z a wars prizan Hn H pAlis," sAdlI rimyrkd H /wogal-/bag.
"F wiS wI hAd stEd HEr," mOnd /JAk.
"F'm afrEd H mQntan Er izn't gUd f pampkinz."
"i wOn't b wen H /JAkdYz kam bAk," grQld H /sY-/hYrs, wic lE wEvN its legz in a vEn endevar t get apon its fIt agen. "/JAkdYz r espeSalI fond v pampkinz."