Chapter 18 Basti

Mr. Ding Beimo had been anxiously watching what happened next to the ancient stone cross, and when Huo Zhenbo took Kaspar and Zobel away, he finally lost his self-control for a split second. "You rascal!" he shouted, "You rascal, I'll give you something to try!" As he spoke, he knocked on the table with his fist.Then, the crystal ball on the velvet cushion jumped up and down. "Ah, Master Ding Beimer!" In this way, it was too late for Mrs. Shuro Tarbeck to stop it.Seeing the ball darken, it seems that black smoke is surging from the center of the ball, enveloping the image.

"This is troublesome!" Mrs. Shuo Tabek raised her hands and patted her head. "If I hadn't reminded you in advance, I wouldn't have mentioned your qualifications. Your luck is really bad! Why are you knocking on the table again?" "Unfortunately," groaned Chief Constable Dingbermore, "how can you stop your temper when you're angry?" Mrs. Shura Tabek wrapped the crystal ball in black cloth and packed it up. "For me, this is nothing," the lady explained. "After a day or two, the ball will be usable again. Just wait. But for you, it's a big deal! Huo Zhenbo brought the children to the Where is it, and how are you going to find out?"

Too bad Mr. Dingbelmore hadn't thought about it at all!Can Mrs. Shura Tarbeck really support her?For example, do card divination, or use used coffee scraps for fortune telling. "Of course, the methods you describe can be done," said Madame, "but, to be honest, I don't attach much importance to them. It would be better for you to use dogs." Some.—yes, sure!" "dog?" "Let the dog follow Huo Zhenbo." Mr. Ding Beimo scratched his neck: "Your proposal is still a bit problematic. How, can you lend me Basty? I think it is the easiest. In this way, I don't have to go to acquaintances one by one , asked them if they could borrow a dog..."

"Basty?" Mrs. Shuro Tarbeck puffed on her cigarette, "Actually, Basty..." "Too stupid to do it?" "Nothing!" "Then, is it because of cowardice?" "You don't seem to know Basty very well." "Ah, I see, it won't listen to me..." Shura Tabek made a gesture that was also wrong. "You don't know anything yet, Mr. Dingbermore—yes, my honest Basty, there's only one difficulty.—Come here, please!" Mrs. Ding Beimer led Mr. Basty's cabin. Basty heard the footsteps of two people, yelled and scratched the board with his front feet.

"Don't be afraid to open the door—it won't do anything to you." Mrs. Shura Tarbeck pushed the latch.So Basty yelled loudly and happily, went out the door, and rushed to Madam.Mr. Ding Beimer stepped back two or three steps, and put his hands on his head. "But—isn't this a crocodile?" said Mr. Ding Beimer in alarm. "That's not the case!" said Mrs. Shuro Tarbeck, correcting Mr. Dimbermer. "Basty is just a crocodile-like shape. In fact, it is a real Duckfant [note: a long body and short legs terrier]. If not, why should I pay the dog tax?"

In fact, Basty wears a collar with a dog license. "Nevertheless!" said Mr. Dingbermore, "your—well—your dog is very strange." Mrs. Shura Tarbeck grabbed the fur shawl and pulled it awkwardly. "To tell you the truth..." said Madame, "when I was young, I learned a little magic as well as clairvoyance. Frankly speaking, I am happiest when I am doing magic at the end of the day's work.-- And, This terrible thing happened..." Madam said, pointing to Basty, Basty was lying at Madam's feet, twisting his body.It fully understands that the conversation is turning to itself.

"One day, I want to use magic to turn this dog into a St. Barnard breed [Note: In the Swiss mountains, a large dog that helps save people's lives]. I don't know why I did it, probably because I was bored. , to pass the time..." "How I got it wrong on that bad day, I still don't quite understand. In short, poor Basty, from that day on, took the shape of a crocodile.—In fact, it's still the same as ever , is a lovely, handsome Dachshund dog." Mrs. Shura Tarbeck, her eyes were wet with tears, had to rub her nose. "Then you will understand why I keep poor Basty from being seen?"

Mr. Dimbermore was quite clear about the matter: "Then—why not use magic to bring it back?" "Of course it was done," Mrs. Shuro Tarbeck said, "but I didn't do it well, and finally despaired." "Since then, I have lost the joy of magic. You understand? But enough of the old saying! If you don't care what it looks like—you can take Basty to track the thieves."