Dragon Gold Read Online Free Page B

asked.
    â€˜Peas?’ said Tim.
    The dragon shook its huge, horned head, sending a halo of smoke billowing out. The children all coughed and waved the smoke away from their faces.
    â€˜You may take your princess,’ the dragon said. ‘I will not stop you. But a dragon never allows a treasure-seeker to get away with a single coin or jewel. It is against every known dragon principle.’
    â€˜We wouldn’t tell anyone,’ Ben said. ‘We’d pretend we found it.’
    The dragon snorted, sending out a great gust of smoke and cinders.
    â€˜You said . . . you’d give . . . anything . . . for someone intelligent . . . to talk to,’ Ben said through his coughs and wheezes.
    â€˜Well, yes, but. . .’
    â€˜You wouldn’t be lonely any more,’ Ben said. ‘My friend is not interested in treasure. As long as he gets pilchards and cream every day, I’m sure he’ll be happy to keep you company. And he likes to talk. He talks an awful lot.’
    â€˜Really?’ the dragon asked.
    â€˜Really,’ Ben said.
    â€˜Very well then,’ the dragon said grandly. ‘You may take as much as you can carry.’
    â€˜Yippee!’ Ben shouted.
    â€˜Me too?’ Tim asked.
    â€˜And me?’ James said.
    â€˜And me?’ Sarah said.
    The dragon hissed out a long spray of sparks. ‘See? It’s always the same. Only ever interested in my treasure.’
    â€˜Please,’ Sarah asked winningly, fluttering her eyelashes. ‘To remind me of you.’
    The dragon sighed and smiled, and shrugged its gaunt golden shoulders. ‘Very well. I cannot withstand Princess Sarah’s smile. You three may each choose one thing, and one thing only, as a memento of me.’
    Sarah jumped up and down with excitement. ‘I’ll keep my diamond tiara,’ she said. ‘Can I have the bracelets too?’
    The dragon hissed at her, and the bed, the dresses and the dolls all disappeared in a swirl of smoke. Only the diamond tiara was left, rather askew on Sarah’s head.

    â€˜I guess not,’ she said.
    James and Tim both grabbed golden swords with jewels in their hilts, and began to whack at each other. Ben stared round at the treasure, feeling rather overwhelmed. He wished his pyjamas had pockets, or that his hands were bigger.
    â€˜Tie the corners of your cloak together to make a sack,’ Sarah suggested. ‘And pile it up on your flying carpet. I’m sure the dragon won’t mind carrying us home.’ She smiled up at the dragon, who was blowing smoke rings and pretending not to see what the boys were doing. ‘You don’t mind, do you?’
    â€˜Not at all, Princess Sarah,’ the dragon answered politely. ‘It would be my pleasure to serve you. Besides, I quite enjoy a nice joy-flight.’
    So Ben made a treasure sack out of his cloak, and piled jewels and golden cups and candelabras on the flying carpet. By the time he finished, his arms were aching. He scrummaged around until he had found another golden sword and thrust that through his sash, then filled up his wizard’s hat with golden coins.
    â€˜Don’t forget our bet,’ James whispered. ‘Some of this treasure is mine.’
    â€˜Some of it,’ Ben whispered back. ‘One handful.’
    â€˜Two handfuls, and all my pockets.’
    â€˜OK,’ Ben said, too happy to argue.

CHAPTER ELEVEN
    The dragon made a cradle out of its immense claws and the children climbed in rather nervously, Ben dragging his red and black striped treasure bag and bulging wizard’s hat with him. None of them could help screaming when the dragon launched into the air, for it went so high so fast, and they were flung up against the very hard claws, which were rather like the bars of an ivory cage.
    Once it was aloft, though, it was much better, for the dragon flew very smoothly. They soared over the ocean of gold and