The Binkle and the Catawampus Compass (Binkles and Magic) Read Free Page A

Jeep didn’t hesitate, despite a half-remembered warning against taking food from strangers.
    Jeep pinched off a crumb of the cookie before he shoved the whole thing into his mouth. Not bad, but not nearly enough. He secretly slid the crumb into his left pocket to let the mouse gobble it from his fingers.
    “Where am I? How’d ya find me?”
    “Harrumph¼ Let’s go. Follow me, Laddie” was the only answer he got.
    Jeep felt powerless to resist the man’s commanding voice. Besides, he badly wanted to trust him. Maybe he can help me get home.
    As Jeep started to rise from his lumpy bed of leaves he stumbled, lost his balance, and fell back down. Both legs were asleep. His knotted-up muscles all screamed, No!¼ Leave us alone! It hurts too much! His next try Jeep gritted his teeth and moved with extra care.
    The stranger poked his extra-tall staff at the struggling boy. Jeep ducked away, before he realized that it wasn’t going to smack him. Then Jeep grabbed it to steady himself. After several false starts and clumsy maneuvers, a wobbly Jeep finally stood. “Can you walk, Laddie?” “Sure. I think so,” Jeep insisted with more confidence than he felt.
    With that, the man and his animals started back toward where they came from. Jeep slowly limped behind them, leaning on the staff.
    A warning voice piped up in Jeep’s head, Should you trust this guy? He’s awful weird. But then, everything’s weird tonight—the fall, his arrival, and all those animals.
      Although he couldn’t think of a single good reason to trust the wrinkled stranger, Jeep ignored his grumbling doubts and stumbled onward.
    The odd little man dodged around rocks and trees as though following a trail that was invisible to Jeep. Sometimes he’d vanish, only to reappear further ahead. Jeep strained to stay close, but it was tough going on his tender leg. He found it easier to watch the dog since at least it stayed solid.
    The strangeness kept repeating itself. The occasional sound of “Kittens hendrini!” reminded Jeep that this weird person didn’t belong in the world he was used to. And that wasn’t the only clue.
    Jeep whispered to the hitchhiking mouse. “Sit tight. I’ll get us out of here—somehow. Just don’t let him see you.” His brave, protective words made Jeep feel a tad bolder.
    Although they didn’t cover all that much distance, Jeep’s leg hurt so much it seemed like a long way to him. Jeep couldn’t tell what direction they went since everything in the dim, overgrown woods looked the same. There was no way he’d be able to retrace his steps.
    At one point, the little man stepped behind a large boulder. But when Jeep reached it, he froze. There was no one there! And the path had ended. He disappeared—gone! Even though there’s no place to go! I’m lost again!
    All the fears the boy had managed to thrust aside during his dark hours of suffering rushed in. Jeep sank to his knees—exhausted, discouraged, and weary to the bone. No more! I can’t stand any more, I just can’t!
     At the point of Jeep giving up, the stranger’s voice called out, “This way,” In the same moment and without warning, his wrinkled face popped out of a hole which had been hidden in the rock’s shadow near his feet. The sight of the head without a body startled Jeep, making him titter with nervous relief. The bodiless head vanished again. And Jeep didn’t waste any time following.
    Climbing down into the underground crevice was tricky and made his tender leg hurt worse. Gosh! Seems kinda like falling down a rabbit hole.
    Jeep found himself in a rock tunnel, which wasn’t dark for some reason. Once out of the biting wind Jeep felt warmer. He patted the mouse in his pocket and whispered, “See, not so chilly down here. Wanna bet we’ll run into a white rabbit?”
     The rock ceiling (which was plenty high for the man) was so low Jeep had to walk bent way over. Since the staff was too tall he dragged it along behind. Most of the way,