"Jane Yolen - Lost Girls" - читать интересную книгу автора (Yolen Jane)

signal. 'Larm! 'Larm!"
"Come on, you lot," Wendy cried. "Places, all." She turned her back to
Darla, grabbed up a soup ladle, and ran out of the room.
Each of the girls picked up one of the kitchen implements and followed.
Not to be left behind, Darla pounced on the only thing left, a pair of silver
sugar tongs, and pounded out after them.
They didn't go far, just to the main room again. There they stood silent
guard over the bolt-holes. After a while тАФ not quite fifteen minutes, Darla
guessedтАФTink fluttered in with a more melodic all clear and the boys
slowly slid back down into the room.
Peter was the last to arrive.
"Oh, Peter, we were so worried," Wendy said.
The other girls crowded around. "We were scared silly," Madja added.
"Weepers!" cried Nancy.
"Knees all knocking," added JoAnne.
"Oh, this is really too stupid for words!" Darla said. "All we did was
stand around with kitchen tools. Was I supposed to brain a pirate with
these?" She held out the sugar tongs as she spoke.
 The hush that followed her outcry was enormous. Without another
word, Peter disappeared back into the dark. One by one, the Lost Boys
followed him. Tink was the last to go, flickering out like a candle in the
wind.
"Now," said Madja with a pout, "we won't even get to hear about the
fight. And it's the very best part of being a Wendy."
Darla stared at the girls for a long moment. "What you all need," she
said grimly, "is a backbone transplant." And when no one responded, she
added, "It's clear the Wendys need to go out on strike." Being the daughter
of a labor lawyer had its advantages. She knew all about strikes.
"What the Wendys need," Wendy responded sternly, "is to give the
cupboards a good shaking-out." She patted her hair down and looked
daggers at Darla. "But first, cups of tea all 'round." Turning on her heel,
she started back toward the kitchen. Only four girls remained behind.
Little Lizzy crept over to Darla's side. "What's a strike?" she asked.
"Work stoppage," Darla said. "Signs and lines."
Nancy, Martha, and JoAnne, who had also stayed to listen, looked
equally puzzled.
"Signs?" Nancy said.
"Lines?" JoAnne said.
"Hello..." Darla couldn't help the exasperation in her voice. "What year
do you all live in? I mean, haven't you ever heard of strikes? Watched
CNN? Endured social studies?"
"Nineteen fourteen," said Martha.
"Nineteen thirty-three," said Nancy.
"Nineteen seventy-two," said JoAnne.
"Do you mean to say that none of you areтАж" Darla couldn't think of
what to call it, so added lamely, "new?"
Lizzy slipped her hand into Darla's. "You are the onliest new Wendy
we've had in years."
"Oh," Darla said. "I guess that explains it." But she wasn't sure.
"Explains what?" they asked. Before Darla could answer, Wendy called