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hisses of their own.
    The silence was broken by the strum of the whistleharp. The whiskery man raised his voice again in song, and there was no longer any doubt in Janner’s mind that he was indeed Armulyn the Bard. The people sat enthralled as he sang the
Ballad of Lanric and Rube,
1 and Janner and Tink found themselves pushing down tears as they listened to the tragic tale. After that he sang another for the rapt audience, then another, until the sun sank westward and the light grew golden, lengthening the shadows across the lawn.
    As if the bard somehow knew, he ended his final song just moments before the sound of a low horn tore through the dusking air. Armulyn smiled widely and the many listeners gasped with excitement.
    â€œThe dragons,” Janner said, grabbing Tink by his shoulders. Tink smiled back at him with his sticky, purple cheeks.
    â€œLet’s go,” Tink said. “We have to find a good seat.”
    â€œCome on, Leeli!” Janner yelled, turning to go. People in the crowd were pulling one another to their feet and surging back toward the town. “Leeli?” Janner repeated, turning around when she didn’t answer.
    But Leeli was gone.
    Janner told himself to calm down. The same thing had happened earlier. She couldn’t have gone far. She had just been there on the lawn, rubbing Nugget’s belly, hadn’t she?
    â€œLeeli Igiby!” he called, turning in every direction. People were everywhere, jostling the boys as they moved past.
    â€œOut of the way, boy,” said an old man with a cane, holding his pants up to his chin as he pushed by. The Torrboro women’s wide dresses rustled past Janner and Tink, tugging them this way and that. Then a boisterous cluster of Dugtowners appeared like a wall before them. Janner found himself ducking under elbows and diving between legs, and twice he tripped over the Torrboro women’s flopping, pointy shoes.
    Tink was nowhere to be seen, but Janner knew he was near because of the shouts of surprise and the cursing coming from his left. Janner worried that the Fangs might be drawn to this new commotion, but to his relief the crowd finally thinned and he saw that the Fangs were gone.
    â€œThat was almost fun,” Tink said, brushing himself off. Janner spun around and grabbed Tink by his collar.
    â€œThere’s nothing fun about this, Tink. Do you realize that she could be hurt? She could have been snatched up by a Fang, or killed by one!
We have to find her.
” Janner glared at his brother. Was Tink really so foolish that he didn’t realize how bad their situation was? As worried as he was for Leeli, Janner was also thinking of his own skin. What would Podo do when he found out that Janner had failed in his duty? How would he live with himself if something actually happened to his sister?
    Tink flung Janner’s hands from his shirt and backed away. He looked around Dunn’s Green at the remaining people folding up their blankets and gathering their belongings for the walk to the cliffs. It finally sunk in for Tink that their situation was dire, and he put his hands to his mouth, turning in all directions, to yell over and again, “Leeli!”
    Podo had taught them that if ever they were separated they were to meet at the last place they had all been together. Surely Leeli would be waiting for them innocently with Nugget in her lap once the rest of the throng had cleared.
    â€œShe must be right around here, Tink. I know she was here with Nugget just a few minutes ago.” Janner scanned the lawn with a hand on his forehead.
    Tink didn’t answer. His eyebrows were scrunched together and he was wringing his hands, calling her name with a tremble in his voice.
    â€œShe’ll be fine, you’ll see,” Janner said, trying to sound optimistic.
    Tink and Janner called for her until the crowd was nearly dispersed, but still she was nowhere to be seen. Janner asked the stragglers if