Free Colin and the Magic Bookmark by Merv Lambert Page B

curved, pointed shapes of the roofs of a large red building could be seen.
    â€œHey, you there!”
    Colin found that he was being addressed by a large, fierce, oriental man carrying a curved sword. This was obviously some kind of guard. The bookmark glowed in his pocket. To his surprise Colin realised that he understood the man, who was continuing to shout at him in what sounded like Chinese.
    â€œWhat are you doing here?”
    Again to his own amazement Colin found himself answering in Chinese.
    â€œI am new here. I think I am to help with the gardens.”
    The big man frowned. “Oh. What is your name?”
    â€œColin.”
    â€œKoh-Lin?” The guard pronounced it differently. “Then you need to go to the hut at the end of this path. Ask for Glo-Bagg. And don’t let the Emperor see your little dog. He will probably want to eat it!”
    Colin gave a little bow, said, “Thank you,” to the guard and hurried off down the path with Sammy. He had a strong feeling that he had been transported hundreds of years back in time. As he rounded a bend in the path, he saw a small wooden hut with a thatched roof. Beside it and hidden by a large bush was a small, square wooden platform raised off the ground. Somehow Colin knew it was called a kang. A short, wide man with a drooping black moustache was lying on his back on it and appeared to be asleep.
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    Colin coughed politely. “Excuse me. I’m looking for Glo-Bagg,” he said.
    The man stirred. “Go away!” he grumbled. “Can’t you see I’m busy?”
    Colin was not so easily put off. “Are you Glo-Bagg?” he said.
    â€œNo, no, no, yes. What do you want?”
    â€œI’ve been sent to help you. The guard said I would find you here.”
    â€œOh, he did, did he? Well, I suppose I could do with some help. You know I’m very busy indeed. Rushed off my feet.”
    â€œOh, yeah?” thought Colin. Glo-Bagg had been really busy a couple of minutes ago, hadn’t he? Colin kept his thoughts to himself.
    â€œYou can start on the vegetable patch behind this hut. Weed it and dig it over. There’s a digging tool just behind the door.”
    Colin slipped into the hut and picked up a pole with a sharp, curved piece of iron attached to one end of it. The flat blade was fairly wide, but one side of it ended in a sharp point. To Colin it looked like a pickaxe with a flattened head. Soon he was quite happily digging with it in the vegetable garden. The sharp point broke the soft soil easily and the pile of uprooted weeds grew rapidly. Sammy was snoozing in the shade cast by a small orange-tree.
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    Once during the morning Glo-Bagg came by to see what Colin was doing.
    â€œHumph!” he grunted, but he handed Colin a bowl of fruit-juice to drink. There was only one wasp floating in it.
    â€œThank you,” Colin said.
    â€œHumph!” repeated Glo-Bagg, turned his back and walked away to lie down again on his sleeping-platform.
    Colin flipped the dead wasp out of the fruit-juice, which he drank gratefully. He left half of it for Sammy, who quickly lapped it up and went to sit in the shade. It really was very hot. Colin had more or less finished clearing the vegetable plot, when he heard quite loud snores coming from the kang. Obviously Glo-Bagg was once again very, very busy!
    By now Colin was feeling hungry, so he reached up and picked a ripe orange from the small tree, peeled it and began to eat it.
    â€œOi!” came a loud shout. “What are you doing? That is forbidden! You may not eat the Emperor’s fruit!”
    Three large guards, all carrying curved swords and wearing strange iron helmets, were glaring at Colin.
    â€œTake him!” ordered the leader, the largest of the three.
    The other two dashed forward intent on seizing Colin by the arms. The bookmark throbbed. Colin merely pushed his head forward and butted both of them gently between the eyes. They