Excerpt: Madeline Moffet stood on the corner beside the big sign that said USE DRAGON MOTOR OIL. She liked to think of the sign as a warning, BEWARE OF DRAGONS and the dragons as Mr. and Mrs. Lippett who lived in the farm house beside the sign. Muffs boarded with them. She had been told to go out and play but there was no one to play with except the chickens. They made little friendly noises and tilted their heads. "Talk! Talk!" they said and flocked after her.