The Darke Toad Read Online Free PDF Page A

There was a flash of brilliant, bloodred light and a loud craaack . Suddenly, standing on the table, his bones fully Clothed , was DomDaniel. A little unsteady, it is true, and fatter than Simon had expected—but he looked as human as anyone in that room.
    The witch circle slowed until each witch was once again visible and the chill in the room was replaced by the old warm fugginess overlaid by a lingering smell of burnt pumpkin. The Witch Mother regarded her success—who was now nervously trying to work out how to get down from the table without upsetting his Clothed Bones —with excitement. The Darke Toad was as good as hers.

6
GOING OUT

    D omDaniel looked down fretfully at his large, rounded stomach. “Pamela, I was never this fat.”
    â€œYes, you were,” the Witch Mother told him. “In fact, if you ask me, I have erred on the thin side.”
    â€œAnd look at the state of these clothes—they’re disgusting.” DomDaniel inspected his tunic. “There’s dried egg all down the front.”
    Simon was surprised how curt the Witch Mother was with DomDaniel. “Oh, stop moaning, Dommie. That’s how I remember you, and that’s the way you are now.”
    DomDaniel sighed loudly. “I suppose it will have to do. Help me down, Pamela, will you?” Supported by the Witch Mother, DomDaniel gingerly stepped down from the table.
    â€œRight,” said the Witch Mother, “time to go home. I’ll see you to the door and you can hand over the toad.”
    â€œI need a little rest first,” DomDaniel said.
    â€œWhat—here?” the Witch Mother said unenthusiastically.
    â€œIf it were anywhere else, I would have to get up and go there, wouldn’t I? Then it wouldn’t be a rest, would it ?” DomDaniel said snappily as he lowered himself onto the lumpy sofa with a sigh of relief. The newly Clothed Wizard looked suspiciously at the Witch Mother. She was up to something, he was sure. “And then, when I have had my rest,” he said, “I shall go for a little test drive.”
    â€œA test drive ?” asked the Witch Mother. “What on earth do you mean?”
    â€œI want to check that everything works properly, Pamela. And then, if it doesn’t, you’ll be able to fix it.” DomDaniel glared at her. “ Won’t you? ”
    â€œ But what about the toad? ”
    â€œYou’ll get your toad. A bargain is a bargain,” said DomDaniel. “But I won’t be rushed, Pamela. I am going to sit here and get used to my new Clothes ; then we shall take a little walk around the Port. To make sure that nothing falls off.”
    Veronica and Daphne were overtaken by a fit of giggles but Linda was made of sterner stuff. A walk with DomDaniel presented the opportunity she had been looking for.
    â€œNow that we shall have a Darke Toad,” Linda said to the Witch Mother, “we will need a servant to answer the door.”
    â€œOoh, yes,” Veronica chimed in. “A servant . That would be fun. But one that lasts, not like all the other ones.”
    â€œThey never last, Veronica,” said the Witch Mother. “That’s the trouble. You just can’t get the staff nowadays.”
    â€œMaybe if we fed them,” said Daphne, “they would last a bit longer.”
    â€œFeed them!” The Witch Mother sounded shocked. “Don’t be ridiculous, Daphne.”
    But Linda wanted a servant. And what Linda wanted, Linda got—especially now, after Dorinda’s elephant ears.
    Linda had it all worked out. “We’re not dragging some idiot Port girl off the streets this time; we need a professional who is used to a tough life. I reckon if we feed one just a bit—we don’t have to give it much—then we’ll get at least six months’ use before it wears out.”
    The Witch Mother looked impressed. She had never had a servant long enough to wear one out.