She was getting sleepy again when the Owl returned. “Now we‘re ready,” it said.
“You’d better lead the way,” said Jill. “I don‘t know all these passages yet.”
“Tu.whoo!” said the Owl. “We’re not going through the castle. That would never do. You must ride on me. We shall fly.”
“Oh!” said Jill, and stood with her mouth open, not much liking the idea. “Shan‘t I be too heavy for you?”
“Tu.whoo, tu.whoo! Don’t you be a fool. I‘ve already carried the other one. Now. But we’ll put out that lamp first.” As soon as the lamp was out, the bit of the night which you saw through the window looked less dark.no longer black, but grey. The Owl stood on the window.sill with his back to the room and raised his wings. Jill had to climb on to his short fat body and get her knees under the wings and grip tight. The feathers felt beautifully warm and soft but there was nothing to hold on by. “I wonder how Scrubb liked his ride!” thought Jill. And just as she was thinking this, with a horrid plunge they had left the window.sill, and the wings were making a flurry round her ears, and thenight air, rather cool and damp, was flying in her face.