hild; why?”

    “Could they pull a balloon?”

    “Undoubtedly, but—”

    “ill Serafina Pekkala be coming?”

    “t time to explain tics of cions. t poerests of her clan.

    But it may be t s happening elsewhere. Lyra, youre needed inside. Run, run!”

    Sced out of toward hick snow.

    “ts like t in Jordan—theyre daemons!”

    “Yes,  tell Billy, t tell anyone yet. Come on back.”

    Being racks t daemons ering or drifting atle bleak cries of loss and longing. prints urned to oget it cost til tctering and falling and running ter  difficulty, taking off. tral against t, feeble and erratic t ttered do t gray goose il t against the profound dark.

    Roger ugging at Lyras arm.

    “Quick,” heyre nearly ready.”

    tumbled ao join Billy, s y, because people ling and pus from t before they did, Lyra said:

    “Pass t to be ready to escape. t to knoo get t as soon as  to keep t, understand?”

    Billy nodded, and Roger said, “s the signal?”

    “time comes, Ill set it off.”

    ted to be counted off. If anyone in tion Board o do ter; because to go to, eaco be ticked off against te list, and of course t in alpical order; and none of ts o keeping control. So te t t no one was running around anymore.

    Lyra ciced. t very good at t all. t of  fire drills, t kno, t get co stand in line properly; and t be to age.

    t finisraction, t of vie  possible.

    So turn and scan till air.

    t it ion opposite to t t . Very soon it