Chapter Fourteen (part c)

The wart-faced dwarf had already taken her stone. The fat dwarf got so mad he forgot all about the wolf. He dropped the rope and grabbed for Rachael's stone.

"Give it to me, it's mine!" he shouted.

It was just the chance the wolf had been waiting for. He gathered up all his energy and sprang at the wartfaced dwarf. They went down in a tumble of growls and curses, the wart- faced dwarf just barely had time to throw up his hands and shout out for help. The fat dwarf came to his aid right away; he took up his hammer and swung.

It was all over in a moment. The hammer smashed down on the wolf and he rolled away to the ground, howling with pain. The wart-faced dwarf fell back the other way, and he dropped Rachael's stone. Jamie saw his chance and he acted fast; he ran over and grabbed the stone back again.

"It is hers!" he cried and he ran away.

All in all it was a marvelous move, except for one thing. He tripped. Both dwarves were on him in a flash. They dashed right over and raised their hammers.

"Stop!" commanded a voice.

It was Jennifer. She was suddenly standing over Jamie, her hands held out in front of the falling hammers. Unbelievably it worked. The dwarves stopped in mid-swing. They growled and scowled and made all sorts of menacing noises, but for some unknown reason they didn't continue. Then all at once the sprite was there and he picked up the dwarves by the scruffs of their necks.

"Time to go," he told them, holding them out from his trunk at arms-length like two sacks of garbage.

The dwarves were beside themselves with rage.

"You'll get yours, you'll see!" shouted the fat one.
"We'll be back!" yelled the one with warts.

The sprite carried the two dwarves away from the clearing. Everyone was very glad to see them go.

"What's with those guys anyway?" demanded Rachael. 'What did we ever do to them? Lucky the sprite was here."

"Yeah, I didn't know he was so strong!" said Jennifer.

"And I didn't know you were so brave," said Jamie. "You probably saved my life!"

"I did?" said Jennifer.

For a moment she felt completely confused. Then all at once she remembered how she had stood up to the dwarves and stopped them from hurting Jamie. It seemed impossible but she knew it was true. Something had changed. She didn't feel afraid anymore, not about the dwarves, not about anything. Jennifer smiled.

"I really did do something, didn't I?" she said happily.

"You sure did," said Rachael. 'Are you crazy or what? You could've gotten creamed just like the wolf did!"

"The wolf! " cried Jennifer. "I forgot all about him. I hope he's all right!"