Jennifer Jane and the treasure 4/5

Clarence walked out of his cave. "What's going on out here?" he said. "Why, hello, it's that jolly nice little human gel, Jennifer Thingummy."

"Jennifer Jane," said Jennifer Jane a bit nervously, (after all, Clarence had thought about eating her once) "and I've come to get my Dad's treasure back."

"You've WHAT?" roared Clarence and flames at least two feet long came out of his nostrils.

Jennifer Jane felt more confident when he started talking. At least he hadn't tried to eat her straight away.

"Did you come to my Dad's garden last night and take a little iron bound wooden box from a hole by a tree stump?" she asked.

"AHA!" said Clarence; "it was yours, was it? I smelt a new treasure for the first time in hundreds of years, so I had to come and get it to add to my collection. I didn't know it was your garden though," he added.

"Well, please will you give it back to me," said Jennifer Jane bravely.

"SHAN'T," said Clarence.

"But it belongs to my Dad."

"Bad luck," replied Clarence, "it belongs to me now and finder’s keepers!" This time he breathed flames three feet long and then he turned round and went back into the cave.

Jennifer Jane followed him in. "My Dad found it and he wants it back to show to Mr Saunders from the museum."

"Just you try and get it," said Clarence, "Possession is nine tenths of the law and there it stays on top of MY heap of treasure."

Jennifer Jane realised that she wasn't going to be able to talk Clarence into returning the box. He just sat in front of his treasure, looking at Jennifer Jane and breathing out small flames all the time.

Jennifer Jane suddenly remembered something that Clarence had said at their last meeting. 'No crunchy bits, no flames,' he'd said and he'd just told her that he hadn't eaten for a week. This gave her an idea.

"Gosh, Mr Clarence, I bet you were jolly fierce when you were defending your treasure in the good old days. How far could you breathe flames then?"

"Ah, the good old days," sighed Clarence dreamily, "oh, easily a hundred yards or so, old thing."

"Wow!" said Jennifer Jane, "that must have been an impressive sight. Could you do it now to show me?"

"All right," said Clarence "but we'll both go outside and you stand where I can see you; no dashing into the cave when my back's turned. I wasn't born yesterday," he said, with a cunning grin. "Now then, you and your friend stand to one side. After all, you wouldn't like to get in the way and be fried to a crispy golden brown, all ready to be served up with a couple of pounds of baked apples and onion sauce....."

Clarence was talking more and more slowly and his golden eyes were turning green and dreamy.

"No, I mustn't," he muttered, "I did promise."

Jennifer Jane spoke up quickly. "See if you can reach a hundred yards," she said.

Clarence took a deep breath. The flames roared out of his nostrils.

"Not bad," said Jennifer Jane "but I think that must have only been about fifty yards or so."

"I need more practice," said Clarence and the flames roared out again. "Oh, botheration, the fire in my tummy has just gone out! Demonstration over for the day, I'm afraid." He turned round and went back into his cave.

Jennifer Jane looked at the witch with a grin. "Can I borrow your broomstick for a moment?" she asked.

"Well, it's very irregular," said the witch "but you helped me get it, so I'll lend it to you, but please promise not to break it or we'll never get home for tea."

"I promise," said Jennifer Jane, wondering how on earth she'd manage to break the strong new birch broom, even if she tried.

She went back into the cave carrying the broom.

"Well, well," said Clarence. "Are you still here? Can't you leave a chap alone? I'm jolly tired after all that flaming and I'm going to have forty winks."

"I've come to get my Dad's box," said Jennifer Jane "and you can't hurt me, now that your flames have gone out."

"Oh, very clever, I must say," said Clarence, "can't hurt you, indeed." He stood up, opened his wings and started to walk slowly towards her in a very threatening manner.