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.Nothing could save them now, but at least, decided Peter, he wouldgo down fighting.Jack, too, seemed to realize the hopelessness of theirsituation and, turning his head, boldly confronted the Scares, doubling up hisPage 15 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlwooden fists prepared to struggle till he fell.With noodle soup in his goat'sbeard and fury in his pig eyes, Harum Scarum rushed at Peter.As he did, thepirate sack jerked out of the little boy's hand.The strings had been loosenedby Peter's wild swings and now the mouth was open wide.Sailing through theair like a small Zeppelin, it scooped up Harum Scarum, then the ten Scaresbehind him, then the ten Scares behind them, snapping and swallowing, snappingand swallowing till not a Scare nor a Fraid Cat remained in the courtyard.Then swiftly the sack returned to Peter and quietly collapsed at his feet.There was not a sound in that whole strange city, nor a single Scare in thesack."Why didn't you tell me you had a grab bag?" stutteredJack."Tie it up quick; do you want it to grab us?" With trembling hands andstiff fingers Peter pulled the cords in the top of the sack, and sinking downin a tired heap leaned his head against the stones.The battle with the Scaresand the strange behaviour of the pirate's sack had almost been too much forhim.Where in Pete had the Scares gone and how could the sack be empty? Jackequally agitated took several jerky steps up and down and then paused in frontof Peter."What now?" asked Jack Pumpkinhead inquiringly."What now?""Let's get out of here!" exclaimed Peter, and taking a longbreath he jumped to his feet."Are we going to take that?" Fearfully Jack pointed to thepirate's sack."Of course!" said Peter, trying to speak in a matter offact voice."It might help us out again.""Do you wish to be helped out of sight?" wheezed Jacksarcastically."Why, it may swallow us any minute that our backs are turned.""Not if we keep it tied," answered Peter with moreconfidence than he felt."We really ought to take it to the Emerald City toshow the Wizard.I don't believe even the Wizard has seen a sack like this.It's a trained sack, I suppose.That pirate taught it to swallow his enemiesand now it will swallow ours."All right, bring it if you must, but don't swing it nearme.Straightening his head resignedly, Jack began looking around for the pegthat had fallen out of his knee joint.When Peter had found and replaced thelittle wooden piece, they hurried quickly to the entrance of the city.Thegate keeper had been swallowed with the rest of the Scares and though Jack andPeter pulled and pushed and tugged they could not budge the iron bolts."Maybe there's another way," puffed Peter, finally givingup the attempt.Turning from the entrance, they walked round and round thecourtyard and climbed wearily up and down the rocks, but could find no breakin the wall, nor any way out of the grim City.The dead silence, now that the Scares were gone, wasdreadfully depressing.Thoroughly discouraged, Peter and Jack sat down on ablock of granite.Leaning his head against a red pillar, Peter took a lastdespairing look around.As his eye travelled slowly over the court, a redstone griffin, or what Peter had supposed to be a red stone griffin, rosemajestically from the base of a pillar.With a terrific stretch and yawn itopened its eyes, blinked in surprise at Peter and Jack, then raising one clawcalled gently, "Who? What? Whither? Why?"Page 16 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlCHAPTER 5Peter Meets the Iffin"BOY! Pumpkin! Emerald City! Because!" answered Jack whowas extremely literal."If everyone would answer me as sensibly as he does," saidthe griffin, "I'd talk all day.So you say you're leaving this place because-""Because we hate it," said Peter, looking steadily at thestrange speaker.So many things had happened in the last hour that Peter feltonly a slight twinge of surprise at the creature's curious appearance andconversation."Are you a griffin?" Peter asked, rubbing his forehead wearily.It looked not unlike pictures he had seen of this rare and fabulousmonster-being sandy red in color, with a huge lion's body and dragon's claws
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