One Witch at a Time by Stacy DeKeyser

Agatha pushed away from the wall and dashed toward the storehouse.
    Before Rudi could follow, Susanna gasped. Her mouth hung open, and she pointed at the courtyard.
    Rudi froze. “What’s wrong?”
    â€œThere!” cried Susanna, forgetting all about being quiet. “Hildy!”
    â€œWhere? Who?” And then he remembered. Hildy was Susanna Louisa’s pet hen.
    â€œThat’s impossible, Susanna. Hildy is back home in Brixen.”
    â€œNo! That’s her!” And Susanna Louisa scrambled to climb the low wall.
    â€œRudi!” said Agatha from the other direction. “Are you coming?”
    Rudi felt the blood drain from his head. He had no choice. He was responsible for Susanna Louisa. He could not let her be seized by the Giant because of a familiar-looking chicken.
    â€œWait!” he called to Agatha. He fumbled in hispocket, and then finally drew out the little pouch and tossed it to her. In a single motion she caught the pouch, turned, and bolted toward the storehouse.
    Susanna had managed to climb onto the wall, and now she stood with a full view of the courtyard. And the chickens had a full view of her. They scurried and squawked, and Rudi would have shushed them if he’d thought it would do any good.
    â€œHildy!” called Susanna. “Come here!”

    Rudi frantically tugged at Susanna’s ankle. “I don’t think chickens come when you call them.”
    â€œOf course they don’t. You have to go get her.”
    â€œDon’t be silly, Susanna! That hen only looks like Hildy.”
    â€œThat is her! I’d know her speckles anywhere. Besides, I can prove it. She has a scar on her leg. She got it in a fight with a mean rooster. And I rescued her, and now she’s my very own hen, and that nasty hexenmeister can’t have her!”
    Several thoughts swirled in Rudi’s head. But the first thing he blurted was, “ You rescued Hildy from a rooster? How?”
    â€œEasy. I stood in the yard and screamed until Papa came running and separated them with a rake.”
    â€œOh.”
    â€œAnd ever since, Hildy is my very own hen. I’d know heranywhere. How did she get to Petz? We need to take her home! Please, Rudi. We can’t leave Hildy here!”
    Rudi winced. Despite his better judgment, something told him they would not be leaving without this hen. And something else told him that because of the racket they were making, they might have company very soon. He glanced toward the storehouse, but there was no sign yet of Agatha. How long could it take to toss a handful of beans into the proper sack?
    â€œHildy!” Susanna called again. “Come here now!”
    Before he could change his mind, Rudi climbed onto the low stone wall. He kept one eye on the storehouse and one eye on the speckled hen, who fluttered toward him just inside the wall. As soon as Hildy passed him, Rudi leaped down and gave chase. Susanna jumped in front of Hildy to block her path. In the confusion, the hen flapped into a corner of the yard. Seeing his chance—perhaps his only chance—Rudi dove onto the cobbles and wrapped his arms around Hildy.
    Hildy squawked wildly and pecked the air. She kicked her legs, and tried to flap her wings, but Rudi held on tight.
    â€œHere, Rudi!” It was Agatha, appearing out of nowhere and offering an empty burlap sack.
    In a flurry of speckled feathers, Rudi grabbed the sack and stuffed Hildy in.
    â€œWe did it!”Susanna threw her arms around Agatha. “Hildy! You’re saved!”
    Inside the sack, Hildy gave one last halfhearted flutter, as if already accepting her fate. The other chickens, apparently relieved that the attention had not been directed at them, went back to their clucking and scratching. Rudi sat sprawled on the cobbles, breathless and hot. He had torn his pants and bruised his knee. His knuckle was bleeding.
    â€œThank you, Rudi!” whispered Susanna Louisa, as if