A Matter-of-Fact Magic Book (2 page)

Nora sat down to do her homework, but she kept thinking about Tad.

At supper time Tad had not come home. “Where is Tad?” asked Mrs. Cooper.

“Next door with Maggie Brown,” Nora said.

“
Mrs
. Brown is what you call her,” said Nora’s mother. “Please, Nora, go next door and tell Tad to come home.”

Nora wanted very much to go to see Maggie Brown, but at the same time she was afraid of what might happen to her in the witch’s house. There was no use telling her mother about it. Her mother didn’t believe in witches. Maybe if Nora
had a good luck charm it would keep her safe. She remembered the old horseshoe her father used as a paperweight on his desk. She went to get it.

Nora climbed the stoop of the brown-stone house next door. Like many houses in Brooklyn, it looked just like all the others on the block. But instead of one doorbell like Nora’s house, it had two. Nora pressed the upstairs bell.

While she waited, Nora stroked the horseshoe. Nobody answered the bell. Nora pressed it again.

Almost at once the door opened a very little crack. A bright green eye looked out.

“Come in quickly,” said Maggie Brown. “I don’t want Henry to escape.” She grabbed Nora’s arm and pulled her into the house. The door slammed shut behind them.

Maybe Henry is a boy the witch has caught, thought Nora.

She looked around the little front hall. “I just came to tell Tad to come home,” she said. “Where is he?”

“Upstairs,” said Maggie Brown. “Come on up.” She led the way. Nora followed, holding tight to the horseshoe.

At the top of the stairs Maggie turned to the right and went down the long hall to the kitchen at the back of the house. Tad was sitting on the floor wiggling a string in front of a cream-colored Siamese cat.

She’s enchanted him already, thought Nora. She knew Tad hated cats.

“Look at Henry. He’s more than a
hundred years old,” said Tad.

“Really?” Nora went over to the cat.

“Maggie says he’s lived for twenty people years, and one people year is like seven cat years,” Tad said.

Just then something cold and wet touched Nora’s knee. She looked down to see a graceful little dog with large brown eyes looking up at her. It looked more like a deer than a dog. Nora patted the dog’s smooth head, and it slowly wagged its long tail.

“She’s an Italian greyhound,” said Tad.

“How can she be a greyhound?” Nora said. “She’s not gray. She’s brown. What’s her name?”

“Taffy,” said Maggie Brown. “Come and see the rest of the family.” She led Nora into a small bedroom. A ragged green parakeet sat on a perch. There was a black lizard on the floor. He was about
two feet long and very ugly. The lizard stuck out his forked tongue at Nora.

Nora stepped back into the hall. “I have to go,” she said. “Mother wants us home for supper.”

Maggie bent over to stroke the lizard. “I’m sorry you can’t stay. I wanted to give you some fudge. Never mind. You can have some to take home.”

Nora went to the kitchen to get Tad.

Maggie gave each of them a piece of fudge.

Nora said, “Thank you.”

And then she heard Tad say, “Can’t I have two pieces, Maggie?”

The witch looked at him.

“Oh, please, Maggie. It’s such good fudge.”

Maggie smiled. “Promise you’ll save one piece for tomorrow.”

“I promise,” Tad said.

Maggie gave him another piece. “Here’s another one for
you too, Nora. Remember, don’t eat both pieces tonight. Run along now. Your mother will be angry with me.” She giggled as if she didn’t care in the least.

Nora could hear her still cackling away as she and Tad ran down the stairs to the front door.

Mrs. Cooper was angry because Tad and Nora were late for supper. “Nora, I told you to tell Tad to come home, not to stay there yourself.”

She was not happy about the fudge either. “Too many sweets are bad for you,” she said.

Nora had already decided not to eat the candy. She was sure it was enchanted.

Tad wanted to eat a piece before supper. Mrs. Cooper took all the fudge and put it in the kitchen to save for later.

After supper Mr. Cooper went into the kitchen. Nora saw him reach for a piece of fudge. “Don’t eat it, Daddy! It’s enchanted!”

Nora’s father laughed. “That’s the best excuse for keeping it all to yourself I ever heard.” He popped a piece into his mouth. “Nothing wrong with this fudge. It’s the best I ever tasted.”

He was going to take another piece when Tad came into the kitchen. “Daddy!” said Tad. “That’s
my
candy!” Tad grabbed the biggest piece and stuffed it into his mouth.

Mr. Cooper put his hand in his pocket, but it seemed to Nora that he couldn’t take his eyes off the fudge. Then he looked
around. “Where’s Skip? I haven’t seen him this evening.”

Mrs. Cooper was bringing the dirty plates out from the dining room. “That dog!” she said. “He really must be taught to obey. I can’t get him to do anything I want him to.”

“He’s just thinking for himself,” said Mr. Cooper. Skipper came into the kitchen looking for after-dinner scraps. Mr. Cooper gave him a piece of meat from one of the plates.

“Oh, John!” said Mrs. Cooper. “How can I train him not to beg if you do that? I have a hard enough time keeping the children from giving him leftovers. I never thought
you’d
start doing it.” She began to put the dishes in the dishwasher.

It was strange, thought Nora. Daddy almost never paid any attention to the dog. He was always too busy. Suddenly Nora had an idea. “Tad,” she said, “did Maggie
give you any fudge when you were in her house?”

Tad was sitting on the floor with his arm around Skipper, who was licking Tad’s nose. He didn’t seem to hear Nora. She went over to him. “Tad, answer me. Did you eat any fudge when you were next door?”

Tad looked at her. “Fudge? Yes. Before Maggie introduced me to Henry. Listen to Skipper.”

Nora could hear the dog making the little snuffling whistling noise he always made if anybody petted him. She gave him a pat.

“Nora,” said Tad, “can’t you hear? He’s talking!”

“Of course he is, silly.”

“But, Nora, I can understand him. Can’t you?”

Nora stared at Tad. He seemed to mean what he said.

The idea Nora had was getting clearer. She looked at her father. There were still two pieces of fudge on the plate. He reached for one of them.

Nora’s mother saw him too. “John, that’s the children’s candy! Besides, you’re getting fat.”

Mr. Cooper looked up. “One more won’t hurt,” he said.

Nora grabbed the two pieces of candy and ran out of the room. What was it the witch had said? Save one for tomorrow!