Escape to Witch Mountain Read Online Free PDF Page B

last bell sounded. A few minutes later the lights went out.
    Tony had made only a pretense of getting undressed. Taking off his sneakers, he stretched out on his cot until he heard Mrs.Grindley's footsteps on the stairway as she began her final rounds for the night. Now he pulled the sheet over him to hide his clothing, and pretended to be asleep when her flashlight swept the rows of cots.
    When she was gone he threw back the sheet and tried to speed the slow minutes by visualizing scenes. But tonight all he could see was the dim face of the clock down in the main hall. The position of the hands suddenly reminded him that, even if they left immediately, it might take them until nearly midnight to travel across the city and reach St. Paul's Mission.
    Abruptly he sat up, drew on his sneakers, and eased his bag out of the locker. Very carefully he moved to the stairway, and crept down to the first landing.
    The main hall was just below. By the glow of the night light he could clearly see the opposite stairway leading to the girls' dormitory. Tia was waiting on the landing.
    Her voice was like a tiny bell in his ear. “I thought you might be early, but we can't leave yet. Mrs. Grindley is in her office, and Miss Devon is fixing a snack for her in the kitchen.”
    He could hear movements in the distant kitchen. Suddenly light spilled through the house as the pantry door was thrust open. He crouched behind the banisters as the tall figure of the matron's assistant came through the dining room with a tray in her hand, and crossed the main hall. When Miss Devon had vanished in the direction of the office, he whispered to Tia and they tiptoed down the stairs and hastened to the kitchen, where an overhead light still burned. Seconds later they were outside, crossing the service yard to the iron gate, which opened to the alley.
    The big iron gate was securely fastened with a padlock. Tia gave it an impatient tug, and the lock snapped open. They began gropingthrough the darkness of the alley toward a distant patch of light marking a side street.
    Tony was relieved to find the side street nearly empty at this hour. They turned left here and began to hurry. Three blocks away was a bus stop on a busy avenue.
    With the avenue and final freedom in sight, Tony failed to notice the bulky form standing in the shadow of an unlighted doorway. Then the policeman he had seen earlier stepped suddenly in front of them.
    “Something after you?” the officer inquired pleasantly. “Or are you just running away from a bad conscience?”
    “We—we've got to catch the bus,” Tony said, trying to angle around him. “Please, we're late!”
    “Not so fast, my friends.” The officer held out a restraining hand. “If you're from Hackett House, you're going in the wrong direction.” He grinned. “Would you like me to show you the way home?”
    Tony was aware that Tia was whispering urgently into her heavy shopping bag. Abruptly a black and furry shape popped out, scrambled across the astounded officer's arm, and went bouncing down the street. It was Winkie.
    As Tia raced after the cat, Tony found his wits and cried, “Hurry—catch him!” as he dodged the policeman and ran.
    Long minutes later, after reaching another side street through an alley, they came to a bus stop on the avenue. They were safe for the moment, and Winkie was miraculously back in the bag, where he had returned without urging.
    No bus was in sight. Rather than risk waiting, Tony hailed the first taxi, and they scrambled inside. Now he looked grimly at Tia's shopping bag.
    “Didn't I tell you we can't take a cat?” he reminded her. “For Pete's sake, use your head!”
    Her chin went up. “Winkie goes where I go.”
    “This is crazy! A cat isn't like a dog. You can't make him obey. Honestly—”
    “He helped us get away, didn't he?”
    “That was just an accident. We couldn't possibly carry him on a bus. He'll never—”
    “Winkie will do exactly as I tell him,” Tia