Catweazle

identify it?’
    ‘How
d’you mean?’ said Sam. ‘They’re all a bit alike, aren’t they?’
    ‘In
more ways than one,’ said Bottle, indicating a row of broomsticks with most of
the broom bit burnt off.
    ‘Are
you collectin’ ’em?’ said Sam, beginning to wonder what it was all about.
    ‘ ’Ave
you ever lit the Beltane Fire?’ said Bottle leaning over the desk.
    ‘The
which fire?’ said Sam, very surprised.
    ‘Ah,
then you admit it!’ rapped Bottle.
    ‘What?’
said Sam, who hadn’t admitted anything.
    ‘Lighting
the Witch Fire,’ said Bottle grimly.
    Sam
just looked at him blankly.
    ‘Are
you or are you not responsible for burning this broom?’ said the policeman.
    ‘That’s
not a crime is it?’
    ‘Not
any longer, alas. You are lucky to be living in the twentieth century,
Woodyard, and not four or five hundred years ago,’ said Bottle pompously. ‘Who
else is doin’ this?’
    ‘Doin’
what?’ asked Sam, bewildered.
    ‘Holdin’
Sabbats in the woods. It’s all in here you know,’ Bottle continued, showing Sam
his copy of Witchcraft Today.
    ‘But I
don’t know ânything about witchcraft!’ protested Sam, getting very alarmed.
    ‘ ’Ow
many in the coven?.’
    ‘What oven?’
asked Sam.
    ‘I
shudder to think what abominable practices you people get up to.’
    ‘Listen,
Sergeant - ’
    ‘I will
not have this sort of thing goin’ on round West-bourne, interrupted Bottle,
wiping his forehead. ‘You’re stayin’ here until I get to the bottom of this.’
    But try
as he might, Bottle couldn’t get Sam to confess to anything. The interrogation
had gone on for over two hours when there was a crash of glass and a primitive
arrow quivered in the counter where Charlie Cooper sat filling in his Pools.
    Sergeant
Bottle came out of his office like a charging rhinoceros.
    ‘Great
’Eavens,’ he gasped and pulled out the arrow, again carefully using his
handkerchief. There was a message wrapped round the arrow and Bottle unfolded
it with trembling hands.
     
    ‘Sam is innocent, set him free,
    In the churchyard, there I’ll be,’
     
    he read in an awed voice.
‘It’s signed Beelzebub, Cooper.

    They’re
comin’ out into the open at last,’ he breathed.
    ‘Who
are, Sergeant?’ asked Charlie Cooper.
    ‘You
keep an eye on Woodyard,’ said Bottle excitedly, as he prepared to leave for
the churchyard. ‘We’ve got ’em rattled, my lad. We’ve got ’em rattled.’
    In the
churchyard, Carrot and Catweazle crouched behind a pair of ancient headstones.
    ‘I
don’t think he’ll show up,’ whispered Carrot.
    ‘He is
coming,’ said Catweazle tapping his forehead. ‘In here are the pictures.’
    ‘But
suppose it doesn’t work?’
    Catweazle
took Adamcos from its sheath.
    ‘Thou
flap-eared rabbit! I will not fail thee.’
    Carrot looked
at the knife with some trepidation.
    ‘Don’t
get carried away,’ he said.
    ‘Fear
not,’ said Catweazle as Bottle appeared in the distance.
    ‘O.K.’
said Carrot, crouching down again. ‘Give it all you’ve got!’
    Slowly
Catweazle rose from behind the gravestone.
    Bottle
stopped dead when he saw him. ‘I have reason
    to
believe that I have just received a communication from you - on an arrer,’ he
said, looking at Catweazle with alarm.
    ‘ ’Tis
so,’ said Catweazle warily.
    ‘Er
yes, well,’ Bottle cleared his throat. ‘If you are in any way connected with
the disappearances of approximately thirty brooms, I must ask you to accompany
me to the station.’
    ‘Thou
pudding,’ said Catweazle calmly.
    ‘What
did you call me?’ spluttered Bottle.
    ‘Learn
the mysteries,’ said Catweazle, beckoning the policeman with a horny
forefinger.
    ‘What
are you looking at me like that for?’ said Bottle, getting a little worried.
    Catweazle
began to wave Adamcos in front of his face and slowly Bottle’s eyes began to
glaze over, until he was well and truly in a trance.
    ‘Zazel,
Hasmael, Barsabel, Shedbarshemoth. Thou shalt release Sam Woodyard. Set him
free,’ intoned Catweazle as he hypnotized the policeman. Bottle stood
obediently before the sorcerer and then when he was well and truly in a trance,
Catweazle turned him round and sent him on his way with a gentle push.
    When
Bottle returned to the police station, he was breathing heavily and there was a
stupid smile on his face. Mr Bennet had arrived, worried by Sam’s continued absence,
and was arguing with P.C. Cooper. He stopped when Bottle came in, but