"Okay." Nita stepped in beside him. "Where you headed? The Grand Central worldgate?" "No, there are delays there this morning. The book says to use Penn Station instead. What time have you got?" Nita squinted up at the Sun. "Nine thirty-five." "Show-off. Use the watch; I need the Naval Observatory time." "Nine thirty-three and twenty seconds," Nita said, scowling at her Timex, "now.""Not bad. Let's haul it before—" "What are you doing!" yelled Nita's father, inside the house. Nita and Kit both jumped guiltily, then looked at each other.Nita sighed."Too late," Kit said.At nine thirty-three and twenty-eight seconds, the screen door opened andHIGHWIZARDRY 341pairine was propelled firmly out of it. Nita's father put his head out after Dairine, and looked up the driveway. "Take her with you," he said to Nita, and meant that too."Yes, sir," Nita said, trying not to sound surly as the screen door slammed shut. Kit rolled his eyes and slowly began adding another set of symbols to those already inside the circle. Dairine scuffed over to them, looking at least as annoyed as Nita felt."Well," Dairine said, "I guess I'm stuck with you." "Get in," Kit said, sounding resigned. "Don't step on the lines." "And try not to freak out too much, okay?" Nita said. Dairine stepped over the bounds of the circle and stood there with her arms folded, glaring at Nita. "What a great time we're all going to have," Kit said, opening his manual. He began to read in the wizardly Speech, fast. Nita looked away from her sister and let Kit handle it.The air around them began to sing—the same note ears sing when they've been in a noisy place too long; but this singing got louder, not softer, as seconds passed. Nita had the mild satisfaction of seeing Dairine start to look nervous at that, and at the slow breeze beginning around them when every-where else the summer air was still.
