Tilly and the Late Echo Well

A tiny silver bell sat at the bottom of the bucket. Freddie had just pulled it up from the old well at the edge of the village.

"That's funny," said Freddie. "Who dropped a bell?"

Today was the first day at the new treehouse school. It was built into the widest branch of a tall, leaning tree. Freddie wanted to go up the rope ladder and say hello to someone. Just one someone. But Freddie's tummy felt fluttery, and his feet felt stuck.

He leaned over the well. "Hello?" he whispered.

Nothing came back. Then, a second late, a small voice said, "Hello?"

Freddie wasn't surprised. The well always answered a second late. Everyone in the village knew that.

He walked to the ladder with the bell in his pocket. Up top, children were laughing. A loud, clanging noise rattled through the leaves. CLANG-CLANG-CLANG! Freddie stopped on the third rung. It was far too loud to climb into.

He tried to say hello to the air. Only a squeak came out. He tried to wave. His hand stayed in his pocket, holding the bell.

Then a girl leaned over the edge, holding a broken dinner bell. Its handle was snapped off. "It won't ring right," she said. "It just clangs. I'm Florence. I'm in charge of the bell today."

Freddie pulled out his silver bell. He hadn't planned to. It was just in his hand.

"Oh," said Florence. "That could fit!"

Freddie climbed one rung. Then another. Then another. He passed her the little bell. She tied it where the handle had been, using a bit of string.

Florence shook it. Ting-a-ling!

It was soft and bright, like a spoon in a teacup. Down in the well, a second later, it rang again. Ting-a-ling!

Florence giggled. Freddie giggled too, and the giggle was loud enough to hear.

"Come and sit," she said. "I saved you a spot."

Freddie sat on the wide branch, with the leaves moving above him. The bell rang once more, and the well rang back.