The Secret of Platform 13 by Eva Ibbotson

whispered Ben. He hadn’t expected to be allowed to watch, but Odge had told him not to be silly .
    ‘Of course you’re watching. We’ll hide in the shrubbery with the mistmaker; no one will mind you being there.’
    And they didn’t. It was strange how well Ben fitted in. He spoke to the ghosts as easily as the Islanders and even Odge’s aunt, the Old Woman of Gloominess, had patted him on the head without turning him the least bit bald.
    The Raymond Trottle Magic Show began with a fly-past of Important Birds.
    First a skein of geese flew in perfect formation across the moon, dipping their wings in salute as they passed over the Prince. Next the enchanter who had brought them called up a cloud of coal black ravens who swooped and circled over Raymond’s head – and then he stretched out an arm, and from a tree full of nightingales came music so glorious that Ben and Odge vanished for a moment as the mistmaker folded his paws over his chest and sighed.
    Last came three dozen snow-white doves which did the most amazing aerial acrobatics and turned to green, to orange, to pink, as the wizards changed the light on their flares. Then one bird left the flock, pulled a sprig of greenery from a laurel bush, flew with it in his beak to Raymond’s throne – and laid it in his lap. It was just like this that the dove in the ark had come to Noah and shown him that his troubles were over, and all the watchers were very much moved.
    And what did Raymond Trottle say? He said: ‘I’ve seen that on the telly . ’
    But now the waters of the lake began to shimmer and shine. Then slowly , very slowly – three spouts of water rose from the centre, and on the top of each spout sat a beautiful girl who began to sing and comb her hair.
    ‘Of course, there are far more mermaids than this on the Island, Your Royal Highness,’ said Cor who was standing beside the Prince.
    Not only more, but of better quality, thought the wizard, who was beginning to realize what Ernie had meant when he said magic wasn’t what it was. One of the mermaids came from the Pimlico Swimming Baths and the chlorine in the water hadn’t done much for her voice; the second had cut her hair into spikes after a pop group came to give an open air concert by the lake where she lived, so though she could sing, she couldn’t really comb. As for the third lady , s he was Melisande from the fountain at Fortlands and as she sang and combed, she kept pointing to her feet. No one knew why she minded so much about being taken for a mermaid, but she did.
    Everyone clapped when it was over, though Raymond didn’t seem very excited, and then Melis-ande’s uncle, whom they called the Plodger, came forward. He was wearing his wellies and the woolly hat he wore to work in the sewers, but he bowed very respectfully to the Prince and said: ‘I shall search for the treasure of the lake.’
    He then walked to the water’s edge . . . plodged into the shallows, kept on till the water came to his waist, his chin, his woolly hat . . . and disappeared!
    No one was worried about this because merrows can breathe under water, but they were very interested.
    The Plodger was gone a long time and when he came back he was holding a large fish by the tail. The fish was flopping and wriggling and the Plodger, though covered in slime and waterweed, looked pleased.
    The wizards and witches whispered among themselves because they knew what was coming, and in the bushes Odge said: ‘This is going to be good; he’s found a Special Carp!’
    The Plodger came right up to Raymond; he still held the fish upside down and the fish went on wriggling and thrashing its tail. Then suddenly it gave a big hiccup and out of its mouth there came – a beautiful ring! Swallowing rings is something certain fish do – one can read about it in the fairy tales – but finding a fish who has done it when you’re wandering about on the bottom of a grey and murky lake is really difficult, and from the watchers