The Dragon's Eye Read Online Free PDF Page B

dangerous creatures like this can be. I had thought that studying some interesting books would have helped to curb at least some of your insatiable curiosity, but I now see that I was wrong. Come and see me in my study at eight o’clock. Now, have you any questions?”
    â€œCan I ask you about the dragon, sir?” I said.
    â€œAll that I can tell you about the dragon, Daniel, is that he was left on my doorstep in London, that I have seen him before, that his name is Scorcher, and that he is sick, which is highly unusual in a dragon. I have some skill in healing dragons, however, which is why I have been out in the forest collecting special herbs.”
    â€œHow do you know so much about dragons?” I said.
    â€œThat is simple, Daniel,” said Dr. Drake. “I am a
dragonologist.
”
    And with that, he led me out of the coal shed and back to the house, where Beatrice was very glad to see me. I was still upset that she had spent so much more time with Dr. Drake than I had, so I ignored her by pretending to read about the history of benzene in the manufacturing industries until she said, “Daniel, that book is upside down.”
    â€œIs it?” I said, without bothering to turn it over. “Of course, you won’t believe me as usual, but Dr. Drake is looking after a baby dragon.”
    â€œI know,” she said.
    Suddenly I felt myself getting really angry.
    â€œYou
know
?” I said. “So you believe in dragons now?”
    â€œYes,” said Beatrice. “I would never have believed in them, of course, but then I actually saw one in the wild.”
    I was thunderstruck.
    â€œYou saw one in the wild?”
    â€œYes, Daniel. The one in the forest seems a bit dumb. I was scared at first, but Dr. Drake says it’s all right as long as you are careful.”
    â€œBut why is he teaching you about dragons and not me?” I shouted.
    â€œBut he will teach you! That’s what the summer school is all about. He is just very upset that you went sneaking round his shop without —”
    â€œOh, come off it!” I said. “I was looking for him. Could anyone
not
have looked through that keyhole when they heard all that screeching and roaring? Could anyone
not
have looked in the coal shed, knowing what was inside?”
    â€œBut dragons are dangerous, Daniel. All you have to do is prove to Dr. Drake that he can trust you, and he will teach you all about them. And I’ve found out that he isn’t a ‘dracocologist’ at all. He’s a dragonologist.”
    â€œI
know,
” I said.
    At dinner that night Darcy joined us for the first time. He looked happy as he came out of Dr. Drake’s study. Obviously whatever errand he had been on had been a success.
    â€œSo you are going to study dragons, too?” he said to us as we waited for the adults to arrive.
    â€œYes,” said Beatrice. “Will it just be us three?”
    â€œNo,” said Darcy. “Last year there was another boy. This year he’s bringing his sister.”
    â€œWhat are they like?” asked Beatrice.
    â€œWell, they’re rich,” said Darcy. “But they’re all right. The girl is named Alicia, and the boy is named William. Everyone calls him Billy, though. He’s got some funny ideas, but don’t let that worry you. They’re the son and daughter of Lord Chiddingfold. He’s a man in the government. He’s the Minister for —”
    â€œThank you, Darcy,” said Dr. Drake, who had just come in. “I am glad to see you three have been introducing yourselves. But class does not begin for a few days yet.”
    After dinner, at eight o’clock, I knocked on the door of Dr. Drake’s study.
    â€œCome in, Daniel,” he said.
    And so in I went. Dr. Drake was sitting behind a large desk, with a pen in his hand.
    â€œI shall only be a moment,” he said. “Do sit down.”
    I sat on a chair facing