Daisy Meadows - Molly Twinkletail Runs Away

Goldie called to Captain Ace. “Can you set us down somewhere the Boggits won’t see us?”

Ace steered the balloon behind a small hill that was covered in flowering bushes. He lowered the basket and flipped a rope ladder over the side.

The passengers climbed down to the forest floor. “Thanks for the ride!” they said, keeping their voices low so the Boggits wouldn’t hear.

“You’re welcome,” whispered Captain Ace with another salute. “Good luck, Goldie. Good luck, young misses!” He took the rope in his beak and flew silently away.

Goldie led the girls around the hill, creeping from tree to tree. As they got closer to the Treasure Tree, Jess noticed some crumbs on the ground. She looked down.

“Hazelnut chips!” she said softly. “Molly’s definitely here somewhere. I hope the Boggits haven’t noticed her!”

“We’d better make sure we find her first,” whispered Lily.

They peeked out from behind a tree trunk. The Treasure Tree was shaking as the Boggits clambered up its branches. They were as tall as the girls, and wore ragged, filthy clothes. Their rough fur was colored in patches of dingy green, washed-out blue, and sickly yellow, and it was matted with dried mud. They stank of rotting cauliflowers.

The Boggits were so busy ruining the tree they didn’t realize they were being watched.

“Haargh haargh!” Sniff laughed from up where she squatted on a branch, her mouth open so wide the girls could see all her dirty teeth. “If Boggits chuck down silly fruit they go smashed and muddy and covered in ants!”

“Hegga hegga!” Reek chuckled. “Grizelda will be pleased with Boggits for ruining animals’ food.”

Whiffy spun around, flinging peaches in all directions. “Grizelda will laugh when Boggits tell her about silly little mouse who wanted to help Boggits, too!”

Jess and Lily both drew a sharp breath. They must be talking about Molly!

Pongo thumped his chest. “Pongo was clever, telling her to fetch drinks from Sparkly Falls for Boggits.”

Sniff laughed so much she nearly fell out of the tree. “Off mouse run to help. But mouse will never be able to do it. Haargh haargh!”

The Boggits whooped and jumped onto the ground. They ran around the Treasure Tree trunk, kicking squashed fruit at each other.

Jess, Lily, and Goldie stared at one another in alarm.

“Poor Molly,” said Lily. “She just wants to help people—even the horrible Boggits. Now she’s even farther from home. And all alone!”

“At least we know where to find her,” said Jess. “Goldie, how do we get to Sparkly Falls?”

Goldie was already heading back around the flowering bushes. “It’s this way, girls! I know a shortcut.”

The two friends set off after the cat. “Once we’ve rescued Molly,” Jess said, “we’ll work out a way to stop the Boggits from ruining the Treasure Tree.”

“But we’ve got to hurry,” said Lily. “Soon the poor animals won’t have any food left!”

Goldie led the way through the forest, turning onto a sloping stony path.

Suppose Molly falls into the waterfall? Lily thought. Can she swim?

Jess looked worried, too. They hurried along the path even more quickly, toward the roar of the waterfall.

They turned a corner and suddenly, right in front of them, there was a sparkling, rushing curtain of water. It tumbled over a steep rock face, foaming and bubbling as it crashed into the pool below.

“Sparkly Falls!” gasped Lily. “It’s beautiful!”

“And dangerous,” said Goldie quickly. “Watch where you step. The water makes everything slippery.”

They clambered over rocks, getting as close to the waterfall as possible.

“The spray’s soaking us!” Jess shouted over the water’s roar. “Molly must be so frightened.” She cupped her hands around her mouth and called, “Molly!”

“Molly Twinkletail!” echoed Lily.

Goldie darted from rock to rock. “Where can she be?” she said anxiously. “Little Molly will be hard to spot.”

“Look!” yelled Lily. “There’s a dark patch behind the waterfall—I think it’s a cave.”

“It is!” cried Jess. “And there’s Molly!”

Lily couldn’t see her at first, but as the water swished and poured she suddenly made out the little mouse’s shape. She was running from side to side in panic.

“Molly, don’t be frightened,” Lily called. “We’ll get you out of there!”

Jess ran over to the jagged rocks at the side of the falls and began to climb, hoping to get behind the curtain of water. But suddenly she slipped and fell, sliding down toward the foaming, swirling pool beneath!

“Jess!” yelled Lily, her dark eyes wide with horror.

She and Goldie lunged toward Jess as she slithered past. Goldie stretched out a paw to grab her, and together she and Lily pulled Jess to safety.

“Thanks.” Jess gasped. Her heart was hammering with fright.

“Let me try to reach Molly,” said Lily, but Goldie stopped her.

“It’s too dangerous,” Goldie said, pointing at the churning water. “If you fall in, you’ll be swept away.”

Lily felt tearful. “Then what can we do?” She groaned. “If only we could slow the water down, we could get behind it and rescue Molly from the cave.”

“That’s it!” Goldie cried. “And I know who can help. Come on!”

“Don’t worry, Molly. We’ll be back!” Jess yelled, then she and Lily followed the cat upstream. Goldie stopped beside a little yellow cottage with a waterwheel outside.

“Who lives here?” asked Lily.

“The Paddlefoots,” said Goldie, knocking on the door.

A moment later the door opened and a family of beavers rushed out. They were wearing boots, and between them they carried rugs and several picnic baskets.

“Goldie!” the beavers cried. “What a lovely surprise!”

“This is Mr. and Mrs. Paddlefoot,” Goldie said, “their children Bobby and Betsy, and Grandpa and Grandma Paddlefoot.”

“And you must be Jess and Lily!” said Mrs. Paddlefoot. “We’ve heard all about you, haven’t we, children?”

Bobby and Betsy bounced excitedly. “You beat Grizelda!” they chanted.

“Quiet, little ones,” said Mr. Paddlefoot. “Goldie, we’re off to the fair. Aren’t you three going, too?”

Goldie quickly explained about Molly. “We need your help, Mr. Paddlefoot. If you could build a dam to block the waterfall, we could rescue her.”

The adult beavers dropped everything. “Ready and willing we are, Goldie,” said Mr. Paddlefoot. “The Twinkletails are old friends of ours.”

“Bobby and Betsy will help, too, won’t you, children?” added Mrs. Paddlefoot.

“Yay!” they cried.

Mrs. Paddlefoot chose a spot a little upstream, so their cottage wouldn’t be flooded when water built up behind the dam. Lily and Jess ran back downstream and shouted their plan to Molly over the thunder of the waterfall. The little mouse nodded her head to show she’d understood.