The Song of the Winns (38 page)

As Rebus and Uncle Ebenezer argued good-naturedly about precisely who had fainted in terror and who had bravely scaled the sheer icy wall of the crevasse—for Rebus seemed to have an entirely contrary recollection of the adventure—Alistair turned to stare at the silver gleam of the Winns. He remembered when he had first heard of it, as Timmy had sung of his love for Gerander's mighty river:

“Wherever the Winns takes me, that's where I'll be,

For me and the Winns will always flow free.”

He felt his happiness dim a fraction as he thought of the setbacks FIG had suffered in their efforts to free Gerander, and of the new challenges they faced if Queen Eugenia really meant to reunite Greater Gerander; that would mean Shetlock, too, was in danger. He thought of what Alice had said: he was an heir of Cornolius. So like Zanzibar, like his mother and Timmy the Winns, he had a responsibility to his country that ran deeper than his family ties. He must learn to think with his head as well as his heart, then, he realized; he would have to put the good of all Gerander ahead of his own needs.

He would do it, he vowed. He would do whatever it took to ensure that the Winns ran free again.

Acknowledgments

For doing what they do so well I would like to thank David Francis, Tegan Morrison, Lydia Papandrea, Mel Maxwell, Kate O'Donnell, Priscilla Nielsen, Barbara Mobbs, and Helen Glad. And thanks to David and Rhonda Legge, for sharing their scary story!

FRANCES WATTS worked as an editor for ten years before writing her best-selling picture book
Kisses for Daddy
(illustrated by David Legge). Other books include the award-winning
Parsley Rabbit's Book about Books; Captain Crabclaw's Crew
(both illustrated by David Legge);
A Rat in a Stripy Sock
(illustrated by David Francis); and
Goodnight, Mice!
(illustrated by Judy Watson). Frances has also written a series of chapter books about two unlikely superheroes,
Extraordinary Ernie and Marvellous Maud
(illustrated by Judy Watson). Her books have been published in 20 countries. Frances lives in Sydney and divides her time between writing and editing.

www.franceswatts.com

Also in The Song of the Winns trilogy:

BOOK ONE:
The Secret of the Ginger Mice