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kill you in the end."

"God dwells in New England," said Purity.

"He visits here as he visits all places, and I dare say he finds much to be glad of in these farms and villages. A garden of the soul. But still aslither with snakes, like every other place."

"If you plan to kill me," said Purity, "you'd better do it quick, because I'm going now to denounce you and send them after you."

"Then be off," said Verily. "They'll either find us or they won't, depending on what Alvin decides. And if they do find us, keep this in mind: All he wants is for people to have a chance at happiness. Even you."

"My happiness doesn't depend on a witch!"

"Does so," said Verily. "But up to now, the witches it depended on were dead."

Tears appeared in her eyes; her face reddened; she would have slapped him again except she remembered that it did no good. Instead she turned and ran from him into the woods, almost bumping into Alvin and Mike Fink, who were returning along the path. A moment later she was gone.

"I think you lost, Very," said Alvin. "Or was that your plan?"

"She's not at her best," said Verily. He looked from Mike to Arthur to Alvin. "Well, is it time for us to put on seven-league boots?"

Alvin grinned at him. "Wouldn't you rather we tied you to the mast as we sailed on past the siren?"

Verily was startled. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that I saw how you were looking at her. She struck something in you."

"Of course she did," said Verily. "She's been strangled by the need to hide her very considerable knack, and now she finds that her parents were killed for the same cause. She has to distinguish between herself and those who knowingly do witchcraft. She has to draw the line of virtue and stand on the right side of it without denying what she is and what she knows. I lived that life, except that my parents were fortunate enough to stay alive. I understand something of what she's going through."

"Inconvenient time for her to come to her crisis of faith, don't you think?" said Alvin.

"Don't make more of this than it is," said Verily. "As I told her, if she denounces us the authorities will either find us or not, depending on what you decide."

Mike snorted. "That's an easy one."

At that moment Arthur Stuart and a dripping, somewhat-dressed Audubon appeared. "She's gone," Arthur Stuart said.

"That is good, the way I am dress," said Audubon.

"She's gone to report us," said Mike Fink, "and here we are jawing."

"It's up to Alvin whether we run or wait," said Verily. "She might not denounce us."

"But then she might," said Mike. "And if she does, let's not be here." But Verily and Alvin were looking at each other, deciding some question that the others hadn't heard.

"Is there some reason," Alvin asked, "why I might choose to let them find us?"

Still Verily declined to answer.

"To save her," said Arthur Stuart.

Now they all looked at Arthur. He looked at Alvin, just as intently as Verily had the moment before. Alvin had the distinct impression that he was supposed to understand some unspoken explanation.

"How would it save her, for us to be caught?" asked Alvin.

"Because the way she's acting," said Arthur Stuart, "she's going to get herself killed. Unless we save her."

Mike Fink came between them. "Let me get this straight. You want us to get locked up and tried as witches so we can save her?"

"How would us getting locked up help her?" said Alvin.

"How many birds can I paint in jail?" asked Audubon.

"You wouldn't stay in jail long," said Verily. "Witch trials are notoriously quick."

"What is it about a woman that makes her life worth the lives of four men and a boy?" demanded Mike.

Verily laughed in exasperation. "What are you thinking, Mike? This is Alvin Smith. The Maker of the Golden Plow. How long do you suppose he'd let us wait in jail?"

"You really don't want to leave her behind, do you, Very?" said Alvin. "Or you neither, Arthur Stuart, is that right?"

"Sure is," said the boy,

"That's right," said Verily.

"Goodness gracious," said Mike sarcastically. "Is this love we're talking about?"

"Who's in love?" demanded Arthur.

"Verily Cooper's in love with Miss Purity," said Mike Fink.

"I don't think so," said Verily.

"He must be," said Mike, "because he's let her go off to denounce us to the authorities and he wants us to get arrested because he thinks that'll make