The Magician's Sons

Chapter 15

Copernicus searched every corner of every room. He found nothing to terrify him. In one chamber, there were large trunks stuffed full of the oddest things. There were masquerade masks, boxes that opened in peculiar ways, and many beautifully made costumes. In another room, he found telescopes and strange maps which he couldn't understand.

The longer Copernicus searched, the calmer and happier he began to feel. When he thought about it, it wasn't so bad to be alone for a change. For once, he had enough time to be still and think without someone demanding his attention. But was he really quite alone?

A distant, long creaking noise made Copernicus's hair stand on end. He spun around and held his candle high to see into the dimness of the hall. Had that been a footfall? Terror struck, the boy pressed his back against the corridor's wall and looked up and down the passage. Two awful minutes passed. Nothing came. He took a deep breath and tried to calm down.

"You're daft!" he chided himself. "There's nobody here. Nobody but me. I couldn't have heard nothin'." Oh, but he had. Hardly a second later, another definite creak came from somewhere in the house. He shuddered and swallowed hard.

The noise of footsteps began to sound clearer and clearer. They were echoing down the hall, and Copper was sure they were coming from his right. Panicked, he blew out his candle to keep from being seen. Then he started hurrying quietly in the opposite direction.

Who could the person be? A burglar? A tramp? Charlie's ghastly tales came back to his mind. They weren't real! They weren't true! he told himself. He knew such horrors didn't exist. But that didn't solve his problem. The fact remained that he wasn't alone.

The footsteps sounded louder than ever. Were they gaining on him? Stealing up behind him? The way sound echoed through those corridors, he could hardly tell where the noise was coming from.

I'll hide somewhere! he planned. There were plenty of empty rooms to choose from. He darted to one of them and reached for the door knob. But before he even touched it, the door swung open as if it had a will of its own, and an enormous shadow form appeared in the entrance. Copernicus let out a cry, staggering backward and stumbling over a loose floor board. He felt a huge hand grab his arm and jerk him upright before he lost his balance.

"Please, don't hurt me!" the boy whimpered, cowering like a frightened animal.

"'Urt you?" a voice repeated. It was as deep as a roll of thunder echoing down the hall, but its tone stunned the boy. No matter how mighty and dreadful the brute's size, that voice couldn't have been taken as evil for anything in the world. "Ah, c'mon little fella, I wouldn't 'urt you!" the man went on. "I didn't mean t' scare ya. I've only been a-sweepin' the chimbleys. An' it made such an awful mess 'at I 'ad t' go a-sweepin' the floors arter it. See, kid? I ain't no ogre." He held out his big, calloused hands for the boy to look at, completely human but black with coal.

Still quaking, Copernicus dared to lift his eyes toward the man. The fellow's face was filthy too, but it was kindly. As soon as Copper looked at him, the man gave a broad grin.

"You mean...you're only the chimney sweep?" the lad asked, beginning to feel relieved.

"Well, I...I dunno 'bout that one," the man answered, looking almost confused. "I ain't just a chimbley sweep. Come t' fink of it, I dunno just what I am. I reckon I'm just Bob. An' Bob, he does a little bit o' everfing. 'Round 'ere, I do a bit o' cookin' an' a bit o' cleanin' up an' a bit o' fixin' where it needs it. Whatever I finds 'at Boss needs done, I sets me arm t' the task."

"Boss?"

"Ah, ya knows who I mean: the bloke what brought you 'ere."

"Oh!" Copper exclaimed in understanding. "You work for Mr. Dross!" He laughed, letting go of his fears. "I'm awful glad! I was afraid, at first, because I thought I was all alone. And then I was afraid you were a housebreaker. But now that I know you're not one, I don't guess I've got to be afraid of anything! My name's Copernicus. Or you might call me Copper if you like."