What the Witch Left by Ruth Chew Read Free Book Online Page A

jumped.
    Maggie was standing in the kitchen doorway. “Please take a piece,” she said. “Then you can tell me why you’re here.”

Miss Feldman took a piece of fudge and ate it.
    The next moment Mrs. Hastings rushed into the room holding a striped yellow cat by the nape of his neck. At the sight of Maggie Brown she stopped short and dropped the cat.
    “What a beautiful cat!” said Miss Feldman.
    “Do have a piece of fudge, Mrs. Hastings,” said the witch.
    For a minute Mrs. Hastings couldn’t speak. Then she looked at Nora. “I’m on a diet,” she said.
    “Just one piece,” said Nora. “One piece never hurt anybody.”
    Maggie smiled. She looked at theyellow cat. “Nora,” she said. “You haven’t had any of this batch of fudge. Don’t you think you should take a couple of pieces?”
    Nora took two pieces of fudge and ate them.
    Maggie held up the pan to Mrs. Hastings.
    Mrs. Hastings looked at the fudge and at Maggie and the yellow cat. She reached for a piece of candy and bit into it. “Delicious!” she said, putting the rest of the fudge in her mouth. She licked her fingers. “That’s a handsome cat. Could I have him?”
    Nora stooped down and picked up the cat. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Hastings, but he already has a home. I’d better take him back there.” She slipped out of the kitchen, then ran down the stairs and out the front door.
    Nora sat down on her own front steps with the cat on her lap. Tad wagged his tail. “Why did you have to leave justas things were getting interesting?”
    “I wanted to talk to you,” said Nora. “What did you do with the rest of the animals?”
    “I put the kittens in a shopping bag and hung the bag by a rope out the kitchen window. I was afraid the kittens might jump out. I ate some fudge so I could talk to them. They promised to stay quiet till Maggie could take them back into the house.” Tad stretched his neck and looked pleased with himself.
    “Well, what made you eat three pieces of fudge?” asked Nora.

    “I didn’t mean to, but you know how it is with that fudge.” The cat looked atNora with wide yellow eyes. “It sure was a mistake. After I’d eaten that third piece, both birds flew out the kitchen window into the tree. They said they wouldn’t come back till Maggie came home. They didn’t seem to trust me .” The tip of Tad’s yellow tail twitched. “I didn’t think that sparrow knew how to fly,” he said.
    “Where did you get the idea to disguise Lew as a bookend?” Nora wanted to know.
    “That was the lizard’s own idea,” said Tad. “He said he could stand like that for hours. It’s just lucky nobody touched him!”
    The door of the house next door opened, and Miss Feldman came out on the stoop. She was smiling. “Good-bye, Mrs. Brown,” she called back over her shoulder. “Remember to save me one of those kittens you told me about.”
    Tad jumped off Nora’s lap and ran upthe steps next door and through the open doorway. Nora started to follow him.
    Mrs. Hastings was standing inside the door. She was talking to Maggie, who leaned over the bannister of the stairs. “Could you give me the recipe for that wonderful fudge?” said Mrs. Hastings.
    “I wish I could,” said Maggie Brown, “but it’s a family secret.” The witch rubbed her chin. Then she smiled. “Tell you what I’ll do, Mrs. Hastings. I’ll give you a piece every day.”
    Nora stood on the front stoop outside the door. She wondered if Mrs. Hastings would like the animals only part of the day and want to get rid of them the rest of the time. Or maybe she’d get to like them all the time once she started.
    Nora heard her mother calling her for lunch. She went back to her own house. “Tad’s eating lunch at Mrs. Brown’s,” she said. “He’s been helping her today.”
    “That’s good,” said Mrs. Cooper. “I’m glad you children have gotten over that silly notion about Mrs. Brown. You see how right I was when I told you there’s no such thing