The Dragon's Eye Read Online Free PDF

there’s no need for a young fellow to go snooping around in there. But I know what young fellows are like!” And with a broad smile, he locked the door again and pocketed the key.
    And with that, the two men got back onto the oxcart, turned it around, and set off down the long drive towards the main road. Darcy winked at me and set off in exactly the opposite direction, towards the forest.
    â€œSee you later,” he said.
    When I was sure they had all gone, I went back into the house and shut the door. I took up my book and started to read it, but I couldn’t concentrate. I just had to find out what was in that crate. I knew there was a little window around the back of the shed with a broken latch, because I had managed to climb through it a couple of days before. Inside, it had been empty apart from a few old sacks, some coal, and three wooden beams stacked against a wall. So I went out to the shed and, trying my best not to get my clothes dirty, climbed in and went over to look at the crate. I lifted the tarpaulin that covered it, and a deafening screech sounded, making me stumble backwards towards the window. For inside the crate was a creature that could only be described as a baby dragon — the same one that had tried to attack me in London. It was clawing at the bars of the cage, shaking it and rocking it backwards and forwards most worryingly, beating its wings and looking at me so piercingly that I could not take my gaze from it even for a moment. I felt just as a frog must feel when it is being hypnotised by a snake. I couldn’t move a muscle. All I could do was gaze into the creature’s eyes as a wisp of smoke curled up from its nostrils.

 

    The first thing that anyone who has ever studied dragons is likely to find out is that they can be extremely unpredictable. It is hard to know whether they will take a liking to you or not without actually putting yourself at risk. This was only the second time that I had seen a dragon, but from its size, even I could tell that it was only a baby. I guessed that it had been clawing at the cage because it wanted to get out. But there was something sadder and droopier about it than I would have expected in a terrifying fire-breathing monster. As I looked more closely, I noticed that it had sticky yellow phlegm dripping from its nose. Yet it was a fascinating creature. Its jet-black eyes were alive with intelligence. I just couldn’t resist staring into them.
    Some time later, I vaguely heard Dr. Drake and Beatrice returning from their trip. I heard them go into the house. Then I heard them come out again and call my name over and over. They sounded anxious. I should have called back, but I couldn’t. All I wanted to do was look into those black eyes. Something inside made me desperate to free the dragon. I began fumbling with the lock.
    Then Dr. Drake burst into the shed and quickly pulled the tarpaulin back over the crate. The moment the dragon was out of sight, I came to myself again. I started to feel frightened and backed over to the door.
    â€œI’m sorry, little Scorcher,” said Dr. Drake, lifting the tarpaulin just enough so that he could peer underneath it. “I’m afraid you are going to have to stay here until I can get something a bit more fireproof fixed up for you. But I have brought you a treat at least!”
    He took out a bag and pushed one or two pieces of meat through the bars, which the baby dragon devoured hungrily.
    He carefully watched it eat, as though he was evaluating its condition. Then he did something really strange. He began to sing the dragon a soft, gently lilting song that seemed to send it to sleep. I could not make out any of the words but it felt strangely comforting.
    Dr. Drake replaced the tarpaulin and said to me quietly, “You are an extremely disobedient boy, Daniel. You do not have any idea of the disastrous consequences that your actions could have. You have no idea how