Goose Chase Read Online Free PDF Page A

rooftop. They dropped their linens and likewise advanced on me.
    "Stop that at once!" I commanded, standing my ground.
    All twelve Geese began to hiss like a cauldronful of vipers; their eyes were pinched down and mean.
    "What is the
matter
with you?" I demanded.
    Dorothea (I think 'twas Dorothea, but since she approached from the rear I was never sure) bit me very hard
indeed on the posterior. Clapping a hand to the injured portion of my anatomy, I staggered forward a few paces onto the featherbed.

    "You are very, very
bad
birds," I shrieked in outrage. "How dare—"
    The Geese scattered. At least, most of them did. Alberta, Ernestine, Penelope, and Lydia-the-Loud returned to their former positions at the corners of the featherbed and rose up into the air, their wings beating, the corners of the featherbed gripped in their bills. I was tipped unceremoniously off my feet and landed with a thump on my poor damaged behind.
    "Ow! You shall suffer for this, you rotten—"
    Something huge and white blotted out the sky. It was another featherbed, dropped over me by Selena, Simple Sophia, Beatrice-the-Brave, and Ursula. Then,
ploof!
Down came the third featherbed on top of that.
    "Ptah, ptah, ptah!" My mouth was filled with featherbed and I could not even begin to express my fury. I struggled helplessly as the featherbed lurched and swayed under me, then flattened and tightened.
    I clawed the suffocating folds of linen off my head and roared, "You cannot intimidate ME, I can tell you that, you—"
    We were no longer on the tower, but aloft, flying on steady wing beats through the air. Six Geese flew to the left of me, six Geese to the right, and each Goose held a bit of fine featherbed fast tight in her bill.
    I was being rescued from the tower. And rescued, furthermore, without my having to so much as lift a finger. In short, any further criticism on my part would be a gross discourtesy and entirely uncalled for.

    I closed my lips on threats and lamentations and said no more.

CHAPTER FOUR
In Flight
G OOSEY, GOOSEY GANDER,
WHITHER DO YOU WANDER?

    â€”N URSERY RHYME
    An arrow flew past my nose. The sunlight caught and gilded it as it crested and began its earthbound journey. I reached out my hand and took it from the air. There seemed to be all the time in the world to do this, but in truth my hand must have moved swiftly. I caught the arrow just as it pierced Little Echo's left wing. She faltered a moment and then beat on.
    "Little Echo!" I cried, withdrawing the arrow. "Are you injured?"
    She didn't look at me but went on flying steadily. Yet on the upbeat I could see a spreading stain of scarlet on her left shoulder, the one closest to me. Several more arrows sped past, but none found a mark.
    "Stop!" I commanded. The Geese exchanged glances, rolled their eyes heavenward, and went on, ignoring me.
    "O, very well," I said, a little embarrassed. "I suppose you
cannot actually stop in the middle of the air. But Little Echo
must
have her wing bound."

    I cautiously inched my way over to the edge of the featherbed. Looking down as best I could through goose bodies, I saw with relief that we were out of range of any more arrows. The tower was already beginning to look small and toylike in the distance. My Geese, though larger and whiter than their wild cousins, must have been only a few generations removed from them, for they were strong flyers and bore me boldly onward. In spite of Little Echo's danger my heart lifted up and I rejoiced. I laughed aloud.
    "O my brave and clever ones!" I shouted into the wind. "We are away!"
    Then, when she was least expecting it, I threw an arm over Little Echo's back. She squawked in alarm, but I pulled her struggling, protesting body onto the cloth. The expressions of the other Geese grew a bit tense as they coped with all this tugging and jerking.
    "Now lie still, Little Echo!" I said sternly. "Are you not ashamed of yourself?"
    Mayhap she
was
ashamed, but if so, she hid it well. At