Blue Fire and Ice Read Online Free PDF Page A

up where Brian’s shirt flapped gently. ‘But yer shirt and yer shoes and socks is still ’ere.’ It was true. The shoes and socks were still on the little sticks on which they had been left to dry.
    ‘But my trousers! I can’t go into Home without my trousers!’ Brian felt like crying, or yelling, or just lying on the ground and beating his fists in the grass. He had let everyone in Beadledom down. He didn’t know how he was going to face them.
    ‘They can’t have gone far. Trousers don’t walk without someone’s legs in ’em. No one else has been here. I didn’t hear anyone, did you, Patch?’ said Slight.
    ‘No, weese’ve heard if someone ’ad come and claimed them,’ said Patch.
    ‘Claimed them! Stole them, you mean! People in Beadledom don’t steal someone else’s clothes! I should have known not to have anything to do with Muddles! Something always goes wrong when there’s a Muddle around!’ Brian was so very angry that he used up a whole month’s supply of exclamation marks. Patch opened his mouth to speak but Brian turned on him accusingly before Patch could utter a word.
    ‘This is all your fault! If you had just left me alone!’ He turned to glare at Slight. ‘And yours! You and your stupid trick!’
    ‘That’s very harsh, Brian,’ said Patch with a sad shake of his head. ‘I thought weese was shipmates.’
    ‘Shipmates! How can we be shipmates? You’ve never even been on a ship! You’re just a foolish Muddle who doesn’t know anything useful! And you,’ – Brian turned to Slight again ‘- are the worst magician in the world. You can’t even do card tricks. You’re just like all the Muddles. No one is any good at what they’re supposed to be and none of you care! What is the point of not being any good at what you are? How are people supposed to rely on you if you can’t be what you’re supposed to be! And because of you … No, because of me, because I was stupid enough to have anything to do with Muddles, Beadledom is in great danger!’ Brian remembered that he had come to Muddlemarsh to ask for the Muddles’ help. He stopped yelling and turned his back on the Muddles. He spoke softly to himself. ‘I’ve let everyone down.’
    Patch laid a hand on Brian’s arm. The truth was he felt sorry for Brian. It wasn’t easy losing one’s trousers and he felt a little responsible for Brian getting wet. ‘Weese’ll find yer trousers for ya, Brian,’ he said.
    ‘They must be here somewhere,’ added Slight.
    ‘Leave me alone,’ said Brian, angrily. He pulled his arm away from Patch’s hand. ‘I don’t want your help. Go away.’
    Brian put on his shirt. He was buttoning the last button, muttering angrily to himself, when a noise in a bush behind him made him turn round. He looked just in time to see a white goat with a black face step out from the bush. In its mouth were Brian’s trousers.
    ‘Look,’ said Slight. ‘It’s Nanny’s goat. What’s she doing way over here?’
    ‘And she’s a-found the trousers and is bringing ’em back, like,’ said Patch happily.
    ‘I’ll get them from the goat, Brian,’ offered Slight.
    ‘No, thank you, Slight,’ said Brian sharply. He didn’t feel quite so angry now that he could see his trousers but he wanted nothing more to do with the two Muddles. Or any Muddles, for that matter. ‘Please leave me,’ he said a bit rudely. He started towards the goat. The goat stood very still, looking straight at Brian.
    ‘If you say so, Brian,’ said Slight. ‘C’mon, Patch. Let Brian be. He’ll feel better when he’s dressed.’ He watched as Brian approached the goat. ‘Brian,’ he started to say, but Brian ignored him. He tried again. ‘Brian…’ But Brian took no notice. He was walking straight at the goat.
    ‘Brian… Brian, don’t -’
    At that moment, Brian darted forward to Nanny’s goat trying to grab his trousers. Unfortunately for Brian, goats are very nimble and she skipped a few paces away out of his