“There is a boat coming this way!” exclaimed Mary Frances.
The cat began to shiver. His fur stood up on end. His tail lashed to and fro.
“It’s the old witch’s boat!” he cried. “She’s the pirate’s wife. I’m not afraid! I’m not afraid! I’m not afraid, though!” And he kept on saying, “I’m not afraid!” so often that Mary Frances began to laugh.
“St-stop that laughing!” came the voice of the old witch. “St-stop that laughing this instant, unless you have the lost st-story!”
“And if we have it, Madam Witch,” called out the cat, “what then?”
By this time the boat was quite near. They could see the old witch tremble. She turned almost as white as snow. Her two front teeth chattered.
“If you had it, the curtain would part!” she suddenly exclaimed, laughing. “I forgot for a moment! Don’t try to fool me, Cat! Away with you! Away with you! Find it, if you can! Find it, if you can! Ha, ha! Ha, ha! Haw, haw, haw!” and she waved an oar at the boat.
Then Mary Frances saw that all around the island was stretched an iron-chain curtain.
“Don’t look at it, S-Sissy,” said the old witch. “It’s so s-strong that s-steel will not s-saw it. It will remain about St-Story Island, and will not open until the lost st-story is found; and until it is found not a boy or girl in the world will hear a new st-story!”