Dragon Gold Read Online Free Page A

slayers to fight with or maidens to steal, no villages to burn. If I get out for a bit of a joy-flight, people just think I’m some kind of new jet fighter and hardly pay me any attention at all.’
    â€˜I can see how boring that would be,’ Ben said politely.
    â€˜Absolutely dreary,’ the dragon said. ‘It has been so pleasant having Princess Sarah here to stay. I really do not think I can allow you to take her.’
    â€˜Except that she’s not really a princess,’ Ben said. ‘She’s just a little girl. And her mum and dad really miss her.’
    â€˜I’d miss her too if she wasn’t around, I suppose,’ James said. ‘She’s not so bad, for a little sister.’
    â€˜Thanks a lot,’ said Sarah, putting her nose in the air. ‘I wish I could say the same about you.’
    â€˜You would all be welcome to stay,’ the dragon said eagerly. ‘I’m sure I would find the four of you quite entertaining, for a while at least. A wizard, a knight, a pirate and a princess should make for some interesting and bloody battles.’
    â€˜Thank you, but we really can’t stay,’ Ben said nervously. ‘It’s a school day tomorrow.’
    The dragon sighed. The gust of hot smoky air made them all cough and wipe their eyes. ‘Don’t worry about me,’ it said unhappily. ‘I’ll just stay here, all by myself, with no-one to talk to. I’ll be fine.’ It lifted one claw and wiped its eyes.
    â€˜Oh, you poor thing,’ Sarah said, reaching up her hand to pat the dragon’s snout. ‘I wish I could stay a little while longer but my mum and dad must be so worried. They won’t know that you’re really a nice dragon, who doesn’t like eating little girls.’

    The dragon looked miserable. ‘Well, go on then,’ it said. ‘Go home. Don’t give me a thought. I guess I’ll just have to pretend the pirates are still alive.’
    It waved its claw. All the skeletons sitting round the table got up and began to dance a lively hornpipe, jaws clacking. Round and round the skeletons danced, kicking out their white shinbones, snapping their bony fingers, grinning horribly.

    Then the dragon waved its claw again, and the skeletons all collapsed back into their chairs.
    â€˜Boring,’ the dragon said. ‘Really, I don’t know why I ever brought them here. All they did was eat and drink and squabble over my treasure. And I got so tired of conjuring roast beef and beer. In the end I simply had to sizzle them where they sat, just to get some peace. What I wouldn’t give for someone intelligent to talk to!’
    Ben suddenly had an idea. ‘Hey, can you conjure up any food? Any food at all?’
    â€˜Of course,’ the dragon said. ‘Why, are you hungry? What would you like? A baked swan?’
    â€˜How about some chips and lollies?’ James asked eagerly. He’d been rather disappointed with Ben’s midnight feast.
    â€˜How about pilchards and cream?’ Ben asked.

CHAPTER TEN
    â€˜Yuk!’ said James and Sarah and Tim.
    â€˜Certainly I can,’ the dragon said, looking astonished. ‘Is that what small boys like to eat these days? Times undoubtedly have changed.’
    â€˜Not that much,’ James said.
    Ben ignored them all, clearly excited by his idea. ‘If I find someone to stay and keep you company, will you give me some of your treasure? Please? I don’t want much, just enough to buy a big house with a big garden and a dog.’
    â€˜Certainly not,’ the dragon said. ‘Surely Princess Sarah is treasure enough?’
    Sarah smirked at the boys, but then turned and looked up at the dragon imploringly, clasping both her hands together. ‘Please? Really, they’ve been very brave, don’t you think?’
    The dragon hesitated.
    â€˜Please?’ Ben asked.
    â€˜Please?’ James