THE SPELL BEGINS TO BREAK Now we must go bar and Mrs Beaver and the three other children. As soon as Mr Beaver said, "Theres no time to lose," everyone began bundling themselves into coats, except Mrs Beaver, who started pig up sacks and laying them oable and said: "Now, Mr Beaver, just reach down that ham. And heres a packet of tea, and theres sugar, and some matches. And if someone will get two or three loaves out of the crock over there in the er.」
"What are you doing, Mrs Beaver?" exclaimed Susan.
"Pag a load for each of us, dearie," said Mrs Beaver very coolly. "You didnt think wed set out on a journey with nothing to eat, did you?」
"But we havent time!" said Susan, buttoning the collar of her coat. "She may be here any minute.」
"Thats what I say," chimed in Mr Beaver.
"Get along with you all," said his wife. "Think it over, Mr Beaver. She t be here for quarter of an hour at least.」
"But dont we want as big a start as ossibly get," said Peter, "if were to reach the Stoable before her?」
"Youve got to remember that, Mrs Beaver," said Susan. "As soon as she has looked in here and finds were gone shell be off at top speed.」
"That she will," said Mrs Beaver. "But we t get there before her whatever we do, for shell be on a sledge and well be walking.」
"Then - have we no hope?" said Susan.
"Now dont you get fussing, theres a dear," said Mrs Beaver, "but just get half a dozen handkerchiefs out of the drawer. Course weve got a hope. We t get there before her but we keep under cover and go by ways she wont exped perhaps well get through.」
"Thats true enough, Mrs Beaver," said her husband. "But its time we were out of this.」
"And dont you start fussiher, Mr Beaver," said his wife. "There. Thats better.
Theres five loads and the smallest for the smallest of us: thats you, my dear," she added, looking at Lucy.
"Oh, do please e on," said Lucy.
"Well, Im nearly ready now," answered Mrs Beaver at last, allowing her husband to help her into; her snow-boots. "I suppose the sewing maes took heavy t?」
"Yes. It is," said Mr Beaver. "A great deal too heavy. And you dont think youll be able to use it while were on the run, I suppose?」
"I t abide the thought of that Witch fiddling with it," said Mrs Beaver, "and breaking it or stealing it, as likely as not.」
"Oh, please, please, please, do hurry!" said the three children. And so at last they all got outside and Mr Beaver locked the door ("Itll delay her a bit," he said) and they set off, all carrying their loads over their shoulders.
The snow had stopped and the moon had e out when they began their jourhey went in single file - first Mr Beaver, then Lucy, theer, then Susan, and Mrs Beaver last of all. Mr Beaver led them across the dam and on to the right bank of the river and then along a very rough sort of path among the trees right down by the river-bank. The sides of the valley, shining in the moonlight, towered up far above them oher hand.
"Best keep down here as much as possible," he said. "Shell have to keep to the top, for you couldnt bring a sledge down here.」
It would have been a pretty enough se to look at it through a window from a fortable armchair; and even as things were, Lujoyed it at first. But as they went on walking and walking - and walking and as the sack she was carryi heavier and heavier, she began to wonder how she was goin