Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers (10 page)

QUICKLY, THE COMPANIONS trudged through the marsh, following the sound of the strange voice. Whenever the voice stopped, Uncle Griffinskitch stopped, for it was the only thing that provided them with direction. The voice continued to sing and giggle, growing louder and louder until, at last, they saw a light burning through the fog.

“It’s a campfire!” the professor said excitedly.

“Eh?” came the voice through the fog. “Who goes there?”

“It’s I, Gregor Griffinskitch, from the land of Een,” the wizard replied, staggering ahead. “My company and I have lost our way in the marsh.”

Kendra and the others hurried after Uncle Griffinskitch. They soon found themselves in a small clearing, amidst a messy campsite where a large, Een-like creature sat on an overturned pot.

“A Dwarf!” Jinx exclaimed.

Kendra had never seen a Dwarf. He was more than twice the size of an Een, but he had similar features. His nose was long and sharp, and he had two large ears that narrowed at the ends. The hair on his head was as red as his beard, which sprouted out from his face in a tangled mess of twigs and leaves. Mischief danced in his twinkling eyes, and when he smiled, Kendra could see two crooked rows of rotting teeth. He had a round belly that stretched the buttons on his patched and ragged coat, which, like everything else in the camp, was streaked with grease and dirt.

“What’s this?” the Dwarf said, rising to his small wiry legs to inspect his visitors. “What d’ya call yerselves now?”

“We’re Eens,” Professor Bumblebean announced. “Except for the mouse and grasshopper, of course. But I can assure you that they are true allies.”

“Never heard of ‘em,” the Dwarf said. “Eens that is.”

“My word!” Professor Bumblebean exclaimed. “How could you have never heard of the marvelous land of Een?”

“Ya got gold there in that land of yers?” the Dwarf asked.

“Why, but a little,” the professor replied.

“A little?” the Dwarf said. “Well, I don’t care too much fer a land that has but a little gold!”

“And from where do you hail exactly?” Professor Bumblebean asked, seeming somewhat appalled by the stranger’s talk.

“Where most o’ my kind comes from, of course,” the Dwarf replied. “From Umbor.”

“Ah,” Professor Bumblebean said. “The vast underground kingdom of the Dwarves.”

“That’s right,” the Dwarf said. “Now tell me, who you folks be?”

Uncle Griffinskitch introduced each of them by name. “And you?” the old wizard asked when he was done.

“I’m Pugglemud,” the Dwarf replied.

“Is that your first or last name?” Professor Bumblebean asked.

“Jus’ Pugglemud to you folks,” Pugglemud said. “No self-respectin’ Dwarf tells strangers his whole name. Now what do you funny critters mean by comin’ into my camp?”

Kendra looked about and wondered how Pugglemud could even call it a camp. If you have ever let your room go without tidying for more than a few weeks, then you might be able to picture what the Dwarf’s camp looked like. Cans of food—some open, some half-empty—were strewn about, spilling their innards over Pugglemud’s clothes and other possessions. There was a small tent (which was really nothing more than a blanket thrown over an arched branch), along with a variety of pots, kettles, and other strange tools. A small rusty cauldron simmered on a fire, emitting a less than pleasant smell.

“We can’t get through the marsh,” Jinx told Pugglemud. “Do you know the way out?”

“I might,” Pugglemud said, eyeing Jinx and her vast assortment of weapons. “Now where might you be headed fer?”

“To Krodos,” Uncle Griffinskitch replied.

“Krodos!” Pugglemud exclaimed. “Well, I’ll not be takin’ ya there, that’s fer sure!”

“I do say! Why not?” Professor Bumblebean asked.

“Cuz you’ll just be stealin’ my gold,” Pugglemud accused.

“Gold!” the professor cried. “What gold? I see no gold here.”

“That’s cuz I don’t have it yet, don’t ya know,” Pugglemud replied. “But I will. It’s a waitin’ fer me in the castle. Tee hee!”

Uncle Griffinskitch and Professor Bumblebean exchanged quizzical glances. “You’re going to Krodos?” Uncle Griffinskitch asked. “And there’s gold there?”

“As if you didn’t know, Mr. Sneaky Long-Hair!” Pugglemud said, pointing a scraggly finger at the wizard. “Piles o’ gold. Chests bustin’ their guts with gold. It lines the floor like a carpet! Tee hee!”

“Now look here,” Professor Bumblebean said. “We’re not goldseekers or treasure hunters. We want nothing to do with the gold . . . even if it is yours, which, I suspect, it is not!”

“Are you callin’ me a thief?” Pugglemud demanded.

“No, of course he’s not,” Uncle Griffinskitch said, somewhat impatiently.

“Well, where d’ya think them giants got it all from?” Pugglemud asked. “They stole it, that’s a where! From every corner of the known earth, don’t ya know! So what’s wrong with stealin’ from a thief?”

“What you do at Krodos is your business,” Uncle Griffinskitch told Pugglemud sternly. “We have our own treasure to find there.”

“Treasure?” Pugglemud said, his ears noticeably perking up.

“
Not
gold,” the wizard grunted. “Let’s just say it’s a . . . personal item. Nothing that a fine Dwarf such as yourself would ever want to trouble with.”

“Well, it’s of no account anyhoo,” Pugglemud told them. “I still ain’t takin’ you to Krodos. Why would I?”

“We may be of use to you,” Jinx offered.

Kendra watched Pugglemud cast a critical eye at the grasshopper. “You?” he said. “A tiny whelp of a thing such as yerself? What help can you offer?”

“How’d you like to find out about my ‘help’?” Jinx asked, her hand reaching for her sword.

“There’s no need for that, Captain,” Uncle Griffinskitch said, casting a critical eye at Jinx. “Nonetheless, she is right, Pugglemud. We can be of assistance. We have magic and maps, which we would be willing to share with you. As long as you can get us out of the marsh.”

“Magic, eh?” the Dwarf said, sitting back down on the pot that served as his makeshift chair. “You be a wizard then?”

Uncle Griffinskitch nodded in reply.

“How do I know yer tellin’ the truth?” Pugglemud asked.

“Humph,” Uncle Griffinskitch snorted. “I assure you, I am a wizard.”

“Well, I think ya better give me a bit of a demonstration,” Pugglemud said.

“Humph,” Uncle Griffinskitch snorted again, and Kendra could tell that it was the type of humph that meant he was losing patience. She knew her uncle wouldn’t want to waste his magic. But then again, he had to convince the Dwarf to help them. The old Een closed his eyes and began waving his staff in the air.

“Ain’t nothin’ happening,” Pugglemud declared, still planted firmly on his overturned pot.

“I do say,” Professor Bumblebean said, “you must give it a moment.”

“Give what a moment?” Pugglemud demanded. He stirred uncomfortably, for it seemed that his seat—the pot—was suddenly becoming warm. In fact, it was becoming more than warm; the whole pot began to turn red and hiss with steam.

“Yikes!” Pugglemud cried. He leapt to his feet, and now, all could see that his trousers were on fire. “Put me out! Put me out!” he screeched, slapping at the flames shooting out from his bottom.

Jinx was more than happy to oblige him. With a dirty skillet that was lying on the ground, she scooped up some marsh water and doused the Dwarf.

“There you go,” she said as Pugglemud glared down at his smoldering bottom. “Convinced yet?”

“Think yer funny, don’t you folks?” Pugglemud said irritably. “You just wrecked my best pair o’ trousers.”

“Gee, I’d hate to see his worst pair,” Oki whispered to Kendra.

Uncle Griffinskitch waved his staff again, and Pugglemud’s trousers were magically repaired. Indeed, Kendra thought they now looked in better condition than before the demonstration. “Now,” Uncle Griffinskitch said to Pugglemud. “Let’s discuss an arrangement to get out of this swamp.”

Pugglemud rubbed his bushy red beard and for the longest time didn’t say a word. Uncle Griffinskitch and the rest stood there uncomfortably until at last the Dwarf spoke: “Well, I got my own magic stuff. Still, I ain’t no wizard. And they say there’s fierce beasts guarding all that gold fer them giants. Are ya sure yer not after my gold?”

“Absolutely not,” Uncle Griffinskitch said.

“All right then,” the greasy Dwarf said. “But if ya cross me, there’ll be trouble.”

“You can trust us,” Uncle Griffinskitch promised.

“Then we have a deal,” Pugglemud said, sticking out his hand to shake with the wizard. “I’ll help you get outta the swamp, and you’ll help me get to all that gold. Tee hee! Now let’s sit down and eat somethin’ before we get on our way.”

With that, the ragged Dwarf bent over his campfire and gave his dinner pot a cheerful stir. Whatever he was cooking smelled horrible, and Kendra couldn’t help but to wriggle her nose in disgust.

“The thing is,” Kendra heard Captain Jinx whisper to Uncle Griffinskitch, “can we trust him?”

SOMETIMES, A LITTLE HOPE can go a long way. Just knowing that the marshlands would soon be behind them lifted the hearts of the company. They happily ate their meal, and afterwards, Pugglemud packed his camp. (Though Kendra noticed that he more or less just crammed everything into one large knapsack.)

“So, how do we get out of here?” Captain Jinx asked the Dwarf.

“Eh? Oh, that’s not so tough,” Pugglemud said, pulling out a small silver cylinder. It looked rather like a flashlight, but when he flicked the switch, it didn’t cast light, but instead a perfect window through the fog. For the first time in days, they could suddenly see into the distance.

“My word!” Professor Bumblebean exclaimed. “What an incredible device!”

“Like I said, I have some of my own magic,” Pugglemud said.

Kendra and the others fell in line behind the Dwarf and set on their way. Their pace was now quick and sure, and only a few hours later, they left behind the marshlands and reentered a world of light and sunshine.

“Myself, I don’t like no sun,” Pugglemud said, squinting. “We Dwarves are used to bein’ underground huntin’ fer gold and such. That swamp suited me jus’ fine. But the castle of Krodos ain’t in that marsh, so we gotta leave it behind.”

“The mountains are closer than ever,” Jinx said, pointing to the cold blue peaks that towered before them. “We still have a few hours of light left. I bet we can reach them before nightfall.”

“A good plan,” Professor Bumblebean agreed. “Let’s put as much distance as possible between us and that swamp.”

Kendra was glad to feel the warmth of the sun on her head again. The dampness and gloom had been adding to her mood of fright and despair. For a moment, at least, she felt a little better. They marched hard, without break, and it wasn’t long before Oki started complaining to Kendra that he had to go to the bathroom worse than anytime he could ever remember.

“You better ask Jinx if we can stop,” Kendra told him.

“No way!” Oki said. “She’s grouchier than ever since being stuck in that marsh.”

“I’ll ask her then,” Kendra said. “Jinx, can we stop? Oki needs a bathroom break.”

“Why didn’t you go back in the marsh?” Jinx demanded of Oki.

“I didn’t have to go then,” Oki replied. “But I really have to go now.”

“I want to make the mountains by nightfall,” Jinx said over her shoulder. “We’re not stopping now. Just hold it.”

“But—”

“You can always go and catch up with us afterwards,” the grasshopper said flatly.

“I’ll wait for you, Oki,” Kendra told her friend.

“No, then we’ll both be left behind,” Oki said. “I guess I’ll just try and hold it.”

Of course, this was easier said than done. If you have ever been on a long car ride without knowing when the next bathroom was going to appear, then you probably know exactly how Oki felt. Kendra did her best to distract the little mouse, but it seemed he could think of nothing but going to the bathroom.

Finally, they reached the base of the mountains, and Jinx stopped so they could set up camp. Oki eagerly dropped his pack and darted for the bushes.

“That’s a strange little feller,” Pugglemud said, as Oki scurried past him.

“You don’t know the half of it,” Jinx muttered.

When Oki returned to camp, he was trembling head to tail. This didn’t really surprise Kendra, for most everything seemed to put a fright into Oki, but what did startle her was that his whole body seemed to be changing color.

“Oki!” Kendra cried, taking a close look at the mouse. “What happened? You’re turning yellow!”

“What do you mean?” Oki asked, but when he held his paws up, they were indeed turning yellow.

“And your tail!” Jinx exclaimed, bounding over to the mouse. “It’s yellow, too!”

“What?” Oki cried, frantically twirling around, trying to see his tail.

“What’s going on now?” Uncle Griffinskitch demanded, for now Oki had captured the attention of everyone in the camp.

“All I did was go to the bathroom,” Oki told the old wizard. “But there was this big flower, and it got upset.”

“How does a flower get upset?” Jinx asked impatiently. “Flowers don’t talk.”

“This one does,” Oki said uncomfortably. Not only was he turning more yellow with each passing moment, but his body was beginning to swell up like a balloon.

“My word!” Professor Bumblebean declared, and he hurriedly began flipping through one of his books.

“Well, what did this plant say?” Kendra prodded Oki.

“It was a real grouch,” he said. “Grouchier than . . . than . . . than . . .”

“Grouchier than what?” Kendra asked.

“Well, grouchier than Jinx,” Oki said.

“I’ll show you grouchy,” the grasshopper snarled, but now Oki was beginning to swell so much that he was growing in size. He now easily dwarfed Jinx.

“We have to do something!” Kendra cried. “What’s happening to him?”

“Where is this plant?” Jinx demanded, craning her neck to look at Oki’s changing form. “I’m going to have a look.”

“No!” Uncle Griffinskitch commanded. “It’s obviously dangerous. Quickly, Oki, tell us what else happened.”

“Well, as I was going to the bathroom, the plant started yelling at me,” Oki explained. “It said, ‘How would you like it if I went into your house and just started peeing everywhere?’ And all I could think of was how upset my mother would be if anyone started doing that, let alone some strange plant, and—”

“Get to the point,” Uncle Griffinskitch grunted. Oki was growing more round and bulbous with each passing moment, and they all had to step back to keep out of his way.

“I think you critters are more trouble than yer worth!” Pugglemud remarked. “I never heard of no strange plants ’round here.”

“Well, this one is strange,” Oki squeaked. “It coughed on me!”

“Did you say ‘cough’?” Professor Bumblebean asked, but before Oki could answer, he threw down his book and began flipping through another.

Long green stalks were now beginning to grow out of Oki’s ears and the top of his head, and giant tears began rolling down his cheeks.

“There’s no reason to cry,” Jinx told him. “We’ll find a way to fix you.”

“That’s not it,” Oki said. “My eyes are stinging so much that I can’t help crying.”

“Stinging!” Kendra cried. “I don’t get it.”

“Don’t worry,” Professor Bumblebean said, “I’ve read about this plant. It changes you into whatever you are thinking about when it coughs on you. This is very interesting!”

“Not to me!” Oki cried.

“Oh, no,” Kendra groaned. “Oki, just what were you thinking of when that plant coughed?”

“Days of Een!” Uncle Griffinskitch cried, as he gazed up at the giant round bulb that was now overtaking the mouse’s entire body. “Onions!”

“You idiot!” Jinx snapped at Oki. “Always thinking about onions.”

“Well, technically speaking, I’m sure he was trying
not
to think about onions,” Professor Bumblebean said.

“Oh, my,” Oki murmured. “I don’t think I’ll ever go to the bathroom again!”

“Well, ya gotta,” Pugglemud said, trying to console the mouse. “You just can’t go turnin’ off them waterworks, don’t ya know!”

“Waterworks?” Oki said. His feet had completely disappeared, and now he rocked back and forth on the round bottom bulb of the onion plant that he was becoming.

“Myself, I only go once a day,” the Dwarf announced. “But I pass a lot of wind, so maybe that makes up fer it.”

“This isn’t helping,” Oki fretted, but it was becoming harder and harder for him to speak, for his mouth was disappearing.

“It’s beans that give me the worst gas,” Pugglemud continued. “Whew! You don’t want to be around me after a plate o’ good beans!”

“I hardly want to be around you at all,” Jinx snapped.

“Oh, please everyone, stop arguing so that the professor can find a cure for Oki!” Kendra cried.

“Ah, here it is!” Professor Bumblebean declared, pounding his fist on his open book. “It’s called the wheezing wonder plant of Krodos. Its scientific name is—”

“Oh, do hurry, Professor,” Kendra said. “Isn’t there some way to help Oki?”

“Of course,” the studious Een replied, pushing up his glasses. “There’s an antidote to this unfortunate condition our dear Oki has contracted. Let’s see . . . oh, Elder Griffinskitch, I’ll need your help to collect some ingredients. Then we need to boil up a small potion.”

“But how will Oki drink it?” Kendra asked worriedly.

“Well, we spray it on him,” the professor replied. “Rather like fertilizer, I do think.”

Uncle Griffinskitch peered into Professor Bumblebean’s book and began memorizing the list of ingredients.

“I’ve got it,” he said after a moment. The old wizard turned and quickly hobbled out of sight.

“Oh, look at him now!” Kendra exclaimed, for now Oki could not be recognized at all. He had completely transformed into a giant onion.

“He must have been thinking about a pretty big onion,” Jinx remarked.

“Or
not
thinking about one,” Professor Bumblebean added.

It was only an hour or so later when Uncle Griffinskitch returned with a small sack full of strange flowers and grasses. “Let’s get a pot boiling,” he said. “We’ll have to risk a fire for once. I’ll do my best to shield us from any monsters that might be out there.”

“I wouldn’t be worrying about that anyhoo,” Pugglemud said as Kendra and Jinx began gathering up a small pile of sticks for the fire.

“Why do you say that?” Professor Bumblebean asked.

“Because this ain’t the friendliest part of the world, don’t ya know,” Pugglemud replied. “Even Ungers and fellers like them know enough to stay away . . . less they mean to go rob the castle like us folks.”

“Well, despite your intentions, we certainly aren’t here to rob or plunder,” the professor declared.

“Sure, whatever you say,” Pugglemud responded.

“Just how much gold do these giants have, anyway?” Professor Bumblebean inquired.

“Beats me,” Pugglemud said. “All I ever heard is rumors. I never actually met anyone who went to the castle and lived to tell about it!”

It took twenty minutes for the cauldron and its belly of ingredients to come to a boil, another hour for it to simmer, and yet another for it to cool. It was an anxious time for Kendra, but at least it helped take her mind off her own troubles.

The sun had completely set by the time Professor Bumblebean and Uncle Griffinskitch finally took the potion and poured it into a small pouch. Jinx used one of her tiniest knives to poke a line of holes in the bottom of the pouch. And there they had it—a homemade watering can.

Uncle Griffinskitch waved his staff, and the bag magically floated above the large onion that had once been Oki, sprinkling potion on the plant’s long green stalks. In only a few minutes, these stalks began to wither and retreat, the bulb of the onion started to shrink, and soon enough, Oki was standing before them, good as new.

“Oh, thank goodness you’re okay,” Kendra told her friend, hugging him tight.

“My mom was so sure that something horrible would happen to me,” Oki said, clearly relieved to be back to his normal self. “But I bet you she never imagined that I would have been turned into an onion!”

“There you have it, Captain,” Professor Bumblebean said to Jinx. “My books have proved their usefulness after all.”

“It’s true,” Jinx said. “I even used some of your pages to start the fire.”

“Excuse me?” the professor cried, not realizing that Jinx was just joking.

“Humph,” Uncle Griffinskitch grunted. “This has been enough excitement for one day. Everyone to bed. Tomorrow, we venture into the mountains.”