"That's great news," I told her. "Anyway, we're going to get you back to Malkin Tower for safety."At my words, alarm flickered onto her face."It's not that bad," I told her, trying to be reassuring. "It's in our hands now and perfectly safe."I hoped never to see that grim place again," she said."It's for the best, Ellie. You'll be safe there until we can get you home to the farm. Before you know it, everything will be back to normal."I'd like to think so, Tom, but the truth is I haven't much hope. All I ever wanted was to be a good wife to Jack and have my own family to love. But what's happened has spoiled everything. I don't see things ever getting back to how they were. I'll just have to put a brave face on it for poor little Mary's sake."At that moment Jack came to his feet and shuffled toward me, a puzzled expression on his face."Great to see you on your feet, Jack!" I said, holding out my arms to greet him.

The old Jack would have gripped me in a bear hug and almost crushed my ribs in his exuberance, but my brother was far from being recovered. He halted about three paces away, and his mouth just opened and closed a few times; then he shook his head in bewilderment. He seemed steady enough on his feet, but words had deserted him. I just hoped that Alice would be able to find something in Mam's trunk to help him.Soon after sunset we thanked Agnes Sowerbutts and were on our way, the rain having eased to a light drizzle.Alice and I were walking ahead, leading the way, but our pace wasn't very fast. The rain finally stopped altogether, but there was thick cloud and it was very dark, which at least made it harder for anyone lying in wait to spot us. Little Mary was nervous and kept clinging to her mother, who had to keep stopping to comfort her. Jack just ambled along as if he'd all the time in the world, but he stumbled into things and at one point tripped over a log, making enough noise to alert every witch in Pendle.

Our plan was to keep to the east, passing Crow Wood far to the right. The first part -went well, but as we curved round to approach the tower directly from the north, I started to become increasingly uneasy. I could sense something out there in the dark. At first I hoped my imagination was playing tricks, but the clouds were being ripped and torn by the wind and starting to fragment, the sky growing lighter by the minute. Then the moon found a gap in the clouds and the whole area was lit with a faint silver light. When I glanced back over my shoulder, I could actually see figures in the distance before a large cloud once more plunged us into darkness."They're behind us, Alice, and getting nearer," I told her, keeping my voice low so as not to alarm the others."Witches. Lots of em!" Alice agreed. "Some of their menfolk, too."We'd entered the trees of Crow Wood and were moving toward a fast-flowing stream, closing on it with every step. I could hear the rush and hiss of water boiling over rocks.

"We'll be safe if we can just get across!" I shouted.Luckily the bank was low, and I steadied Ellie as she hastened across, carrying Mary. The water hardly reached our knees, but the rocks were very slippery underfoot. Jack made heavy weather of it and fell twice, the second time close to the far edge, but he dragged himself up onto the muddy bank without complaining. We'd all reached the far side and I was relieved that the immediate danger was over. The witches would never be able to cross. But at that moment the moon came out again briefly, and I saw something that filled me with dismay. Twenty or so yards to our right was a witch dam, a heavy wooden board suspended above the water. Supported by ropes that ran across pulleys to handles on either side of the stream, the board was fitted between two grooved posts that would guide it into position as it was lowered.We'd gained a little time, but it wouldn't be enough. It would take our enemies just a few moments to lower the dam into position and stop the flow of water. Once across, they'd catch us long before we reached the tower.

"There's a way to stop em, Tom!" Alice yelled. "It's not hopeless. Follow me!" She ran toward the witch dam. Flickering moonlight lit the scene briefly, and Alice pointed to the water underneath the board. I could see what appeared to be a thick, dark line running directly from bank to bank."It's a groove, Tom," Alice shouted. "Clan menfolk move the stones away and cut a trench in the bed of the stream. Then they line it with wood. It makes a tight seal so that the water can't get through. If we can put some of the stones back, they won't be able to lower it fully."It was worth a try, and I followed Alice down the bank into the water. In theory it was easy. All we had to do was find a few stones and put them in the trench. In practice it was very difficult. It was dark, and the first time I plunged my arms down past my elbows into the cold water, my fingers couldn't get a grip on anything. The first stone I found was deeply embedded and wouldn't budge. The second was smaller but still too heavy to lift, and my fingers kept losing their grip.At the third attempt I found a stone just a little bigger than my fist. Alice was ahead of me and had already put two stones into place close to our side of the bank."There, Tom! Place it close to mine. Won't take too many."

By now I could hear hoarse breathing and the rapid slap of feet against the damp ground. After a further struggle I found another stone-this was twice the size of my first-and I splashed it down toward the trench, positioning my shoulder against the lower edge of the raised board to help me aim in the darkness. But our pursuers were very close now. When the moon came out again, I glimpsed the burly figure of a man reaching for the handle.I found another stone and just managed to drop it into the trench when I heard the wheel turning. The board began to rumble downward. I was going to search again, but Alice gripped my arm."Come on, Tom. That'll do! Won't be able to make a seal, and the water will still flow."So I followed Alice back up onto the bank; we ran to where Jack, Ellie, and Mary were waiting and led them off through the trees. Had we done enough? Was Alice right?Ellie was exhausted by now and stumbled along at a snail's pace, still clutching her daughter. We needed to move faster. Much faster."Give Mary to me," Alice insisted, holding out her arms for the child.For a moment I thought that Ellie would refuse, but she nodded her thanks and handed over the child. With the rumble of the board growing fainter behind us, we kept going until we reached the clearing. The tower was ahead. We were almost safe.As we came within shouting distance of the tower, my hopes soared: I heard a grinding noise from within, and as I watched, the moon came out again and, with a clanking of chains, the drawbridge began to descend. Worried by our late return, the Spook must have been watching from the battlements and seen our approach.But as we reached the very edge of the moat, I heard a guttural shout behind us. I glanced back at the trees, and my hopes sank faster than the last stone I'd dropped into the trench. There were shadowy figures sprinting over the grass toward us. The witches must have crossed the stream after all.

"We should have used more stones," I said bitterly."No, Tom, we did enough," Alice said, handing Mary back to Ellie. "Ain't witches, but it's almost as bad. Clan menfolk, they are."There were at least half a dozen of them rushing at us, angry men with wild eyes, brandishing long knives, blades glittering silver in the moonlight. But the drawbridge was down now, and we backed onto it, Alice and I taking up a defensive position on its very edge, keeping the others between us and the big iron-studded door. The Spook would be descending the steps now, just as fast as he was able. But our enemies were almost on us.I could hear my master drawing back the heavy bolts, but would he be in time? Ellie gave a cry behind me, and then I heard the sound of the big door grinding on its hinges. I raised my staff to defend myself, hoping to deflect the blade that was arcing toward my head. But someone else was beside me now. It was the Spook, and out of the comer of my eye I saw his staff spear forward at my assailant. The man screamed and fell sideways into the moat with a tremendous splash.