Part 24 (1/2)

”A sidetrack? Where does it lead?”

”Sidetracks only go around in circles. It's in their nature.”

”But that's not right. I can't get sidetracked now. I need to find a magic horse.”

”Nothing like that here,” the owl said.

”Actually, I'm looking for a golden candlestick.”

”Sounds nice,” said the owl, ”but I don't have one.”

”Even a magic ring would be nice.”

The owl gave a guilty start. ”Oh, the ring! I've got it right here.”

The owl burrowed in his feathers, found a ring, and gave it to Oliver.

Oliver turned it in his fingers. It was a pretty ring, with a large sapphire in a plain gold setting. He thought he could see shadows move in the gem's depths.

”You shouldn't stare at that for too long,” the owl said. ”It's meant for doing magic, not for looking at.”

”What magic? What am I supposed to do with it?”

”Haven't they told you?”

”No.”

”Well, then,” the owl said, ”someone has been very remiss. I think you have every right to complain.”

Oliver looked around, but there was no one to complain to. Only the owl.

”That's a h.e.l.l of a note,” Sir Oliver said. ”How am I supposed to have fine adventures if I'm stuck here?”

”We could play a hand or so of patience,” the owl suggested. ”To pa.s.s the time.”

”I don't think so,” Oliver said. ”I don't play card games with birds.”

The owl took a small deck of cards out from under his wing and began to shuffle them. He gave Oliver a quizzical look.

”Go ahead, deal,” Oliver said.

Soon Oliver was engrossed in the game. He had always liked patience. It helped to pa.s.s the time.

”Your deal,” said the owl.

Chapter 9.

Back at the inn, Azzie wiped his crystal ball and gazed into it. It remained cloudy until he remembered to say, ”Show me what Sir Oliver is up to.” The crystal ball flashed to acknowledge the message, and the cloudiness was replaced by a scene of Oliver in a gray foresty place, playing patience with a screech owl.