Ginger and Douglas looked first at and through Hubert and then all around the field.
“Yes, he seems to have gone,” said Ginger sadly. “I’m ’fraid he mus’ have found the grass!”
“I’-I’m here!” squeaked Hubert desperately, looking rather pale.
“I’ll jus’ see if he’s hidin’ over there,” said William and proceeded literally to walk through Hubert. Hubert got the worst of the impact and sat down suddenly and heavily.
“Boo-hoo!” he wailed rising to his feet. He was promptly walked into by Ginger and sat down again with another yell.
“’S mos’ mysterious where he’s got to,” said William. “Let’s call him!”
They yelled “Hubert!” about the field, callously disregarding that youth’s sobbing replies. Whenever he rose to his feet one of them walked through him and he sat down again with a bump and a yell.
“Did the witch say anything about makin’ them visible again?” said William anxiously.
“No,” said Douglas sadly, “I’m ’fraid he’ll always be invisible now and he’ll die slow of starvation ’cause no one’ll ever see him to give him anything to eat.”
Hubert began to bellow unrestrainedly. He rose to his feet, dodged both Ginger and Douglas who made a dart in his direction, and ran howling towards the stile.