is without half trying," Max said from inside the bag.
"I think he's cute," I said.
"But given that every normal person, and also dwergs, trolls, and I don't know what else, finds him
unbearable to look at and scary to the point of fainting or throwing up, or both, we thought it would be best to conceal him so you could work the boat without getting everybody drowned," Molly said.
"I have a strong inclination to head for shore," Harold said. "Was that what you wanted me to do?"
"Yes," Max said. "Make with the paddles."
We helped Harold drag the coracle out of the river. He chained it to a sapling with a bicycle chain and lock, and we covered it with branches.
"What now?" Harold asked.
"I'm coming out of the bag," Max said.
"Do you have to?" Harold asked.
"Just close your eyes tight," Max said. "Nobody is asking you to look."
"I'll just take a tiny peek," Harold said. "Ack! That's enough."
"Sissy!" Max said. Then to Molly and me, "It's too awkward for me to travel with you in daylight and a populated area. Let's meet somewhere after dark. Can you get to Poughkeepsie from here?"
"Harold says there's a bus," I said.
"Fine. I'll meet you outside the old lady's house when it gets good and dark."
"But she said she was frightened when she saw you," I said.
"Well, you can warn her not to look outside. Anyway, it will be just the three of us."
I was petting Max's cute head. He still looked like a puppy to me. Molly was forcing herself to look at him, but there were tears streaming down her cheeks. She looked as though she had been slicing onions. Harold had tears streaming down his cheeks too, though his eyes were closed tight.
"Okay, I am going to disappear now," Max said. "I'll see you tonight."
"He's gone," I told Harold.
"I need to lie down," Harold said. "But first I'll show you where to catch the bus."
"You're not coming with us?"
"No. I'm going to see if I can sell the coracle. And then I am going to check in to a cave somewhere and try to sleep off the glimpse I had of that Wolluf."
CHAPTER 39
Fuss on the Bus
On the bus, Molly went to summing up. "Let's see ... the trolls think you're Elizabeth Van Vreemdeling; the Wolluf, who seems to be the most important supernaturalnik in the valley, thinks so; I think so; Professor Tag thinks you probably are; and Chicken Nancy doesn't say you are and doesn't say you aren't but thinks you shouldn't rule out the possibility. I'm wondering if maybe you're ready to change your vote."
"Look," I said. "You can't take a poll and convince me that I am someone I know I am not just because a certain number of people believe I am. It doesn't work that way. I know I am not Elizabeth ... If I were, I would know it. To me that makes perfect sense."
"So you're saying you know you are not Elizabeth Van Vreemdeling because you just know itâno reason, just know. Is that right?"
"Of course. How does anybody know they are who they are?"
"It's an interesting question. What if everybody you knew and everybody you
ever
knew called you Susie Bunny Booboo? What would you think then?"
"I'd think it was a gagâthey were all doing it on purpose."
"Or?"
"That they were all crazy."
"Or?"
"That I was crazy. Do you think I am crazy?"
"Not at all, and I am in a position to be able to tell. But don't you think it is just possible that if absolutely everyone called you Susie Bunny Booboo that it might be your name."
"Well, for the sake of argument, it might be possible, but it isn't my name. I am not Susie Bunny Boo-boo, and I am not Elizabeth Van Vreemdeling."
"You are not because...?"
"Because that is not my name."
"And what is your name?"
"You know my name. My name is Audrey."
"Audrey what? What is your second name?"
"It's funny. I never had a second name. Or I never knew one."
"So all you know is your first name. Your second name could be anything at all?"
I suppose so.
"Could it be Van Vreemdeling?"
"It could, but you are just playing games with my brain. It could
"I think he's cute," I said.
"But given that every normal person, and also dwergs, trolls, and I don't know what else, finds him
unbearable to look at and scary to the point of fainting or throwing up, or both, we thought it would be best to conceal him so you could work the boat without getting everybody drowned," Molly said.
"I have a strong inclination to head for shore," Harold said. "Was that what you wanted me to do?"
"Yes," Max said. "Make with the paddles."
We helped Harold drag the coracle out of the river. He chained it to a sapling with a bicycle chain and lock, and we covered it with branches.
"What now?" Harold asked.
"I'm coming out of the bag," Max said.
"Do you have to?" Harold asked.
"Just close your eyes tight," Max said. "Nobody is asking you to look."
"I'll just take a tiny peek," Harold said. "Ack! That's enough."
"Sissy!" Max said. Then to Molly and me, "It's too awkward for me to travel with you in daylight and a populated area. Let's meet somewhere after dark. Can you get to Poughkeepsie from here?"
"Harold says there's a bus," I said.
"Fine. I'll meet you outside the old lady's house when it gets good and dark."
"But she said she was frightened when she saw you," I said.
"Well, you can warn her not to look outside. Anyway, it will be just the three of us."
I was petting Max's cute head. He still looked like a puppy to me. Molly was forcing herself to look at him, but there were tears streaming down her cheeks. She looked as though she had been slicing onions. Harold had tears streaming down his cheeks too, though his eyes were closed tight.
"Okay, I am going to disappear now," Max said. "I'll see you tonight."
"He's gone," I told Harold.
"I need to lie down," Harold said. "But first I'll show you where to catch the bus."
"You're not coming with us?"
"No. I'm going to see if I can sell the coracle. And then I am going to check in to a cave somewhere and try to sleep off the glimpse I had of that Wolluf."
CHAPTER 39
Fuss on the Bus
On the bus, Molly went to summing up. "Let's see ... the trolls think you're Elizabeth Van Vreemdeling; the Wolluf, who seems to be the most important supernaturalnik in the valley, thinks so; I think so; Professor Tag thinks you probably are; and Chicken Nancy doesn't say you are and doesn't say you aren't but thinks you shouldn't rule out the possibility. I'm wondering if maybe you're ready to change your vote."
"Look," I said. "You can't take a poll and convince me that I am someone I know I am not just because a certain number of people believe I am. It doesn't work that way. I know I am not Elizabeth ... If I were, I would know it. To me that makes perfect sense."
"So you're saying you know you are not Elizabeth Van Vreemdeling because you just know itâno reason, just know. Is that right?"
"Of course. How does anybody know they are who they are?"
"It's an interesting question. What if everybody you knew and everybody you
ever
knew called you Susie Bunny Booboo? What would you think then?"
"I'd think it was a gagâthey were all doing it on purpose."
"Or?"
"That they were all crazy."
"Or?"
"That I was crazy. Do you think I am crazy?"
"Not at all, and I am in a position to be able to tell. But don't you think it is just possible that if absolutely everyone called you Susie Bunny Booboo that it might be your name."
"Well, for the sake of argument, it might be possible, but it isn't my name. I am not Susie Bunny Boo-boo, and I am not Elizabeth Van Vreemdeling."
"You are not because...?"
"Because that is not my name."
"And what is your name?"
"You know my name. My name is Audrey."
"Audrey what? What is your second name?"
"It's funny. I never had a second name. Or I never knew one."
"So all you know is your first name. Your second name could be anything at all?"
I suppose so.
"Could it be Van Vreemdeling?"
"It could, but you are just playing games with my brain. It could
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