1. Into the Woods.
"Help, A monster!" said Annie.
"Yeah, sure!" said Jack. "A real monster in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania."
"Run, Jack!" said Annie. She ran up the road. 
Oh, brother.
This is what he got for spending time with his seven-year-old sister.
Annie loved pretend stuff. But Jack was eight and a half. He liked real things.
"Watch out, Jack! The monster's coming! Race you!"
"No, thanks!" said Jack.
Annie raced alone into the woods. Jack looked at the sky. The sun was about to set.
"Come on, Annie! It's time to go home!"
But Annie had disappeared. Jack waited. No Annie.
"Annie!" he shouted again. 
"Jack! Jack! Come here!" 
Jack groaned.
"This better be good," he said.
Jack left the road and headed into the woods. The trees were lit with a golden late-afternoon light.
"Come here!" called Annie.
There she was standing under a tall oak tree.
"Look," she said. She was pointing at a rope ladder. The longest rope ladder Jack had ever seen.
"Wow," he whispered.
The ladder went all the way up to the top of the tree.
There -- at the top -- was a tree house. It was tucked between two branches.
"That must be the highest tree house in the world," said Annie.
"Who built it?" asked Jack. "I've never seen it before."
"I don't know. But I'm going up," said Annie.
"No. We don't know who it belongs to." said Jack.
"Just for a teeny minute," said Annie. She started up the ladder.
"Annie, come back!" 
She kept climbing.
Jack sighed. 
"Annie, it's almost dark. We have to go home."
Annie disappeared inside the tree house.
"An-nie!"
Jack waited a moment. He was about to call again when Annie poked her head out of the tree house window.
"Books!" she shouted.
"What?" 
"It's filled with books!"
Oh, man! Jack loved books.
He pushed his glasses into place. He gripped the sides of the rope ladder, and up he went.
2. The Monster.
Jack crawled through a hole in the tree house floor.
Wow. The tree house was filled with books. Books everywhere, very old books with dusty covers. New books with shiny, bright covers.
"Look. You can see far, far away, " said Annie. She was peering out the tree house window.
Jack looked out the window with her. Down below were the tops of the other trees. In the distance he saw the Frog Creek library, the elementary school, the Park. 
Annie pointed in the other direction.
"There's our house!" she said. 
Sure enough, there was their white wooden house with the green porch. Next door was their neighbor's black dog -- Henry. He looked very tiny.
"Hi, Henry!" shouted Annie.
"Shush!" said Jack. "We're not supposed to be up here." 
He glanced around the tree house again.
"I wonder who owns all these books," he said. He noticed bookmarks were sticking out of many of them.
"I like this one," said Annie. She held up a book with a castle on the cover.
"Here's a book about Pennsylvania," said Jack. He turned to the page with the bookmark.
"Hey, there's a picture of Frog Creek in here," said Jack. "It's a picture of these woods!"
"Oh, here's a book for you," said Annie. She held up a book about dinosaurs. A blue silk bookmark was sticking out of it.
"Let me see it." Jack set down his backpack and grabbed the book from her. 
"You look at that one, and I'll look at the one about castles," said Annie.
"No, we better not," said Jack. "We don't know who these books belong to."
But even as he said this, Jack opened the dinosaur book to where the book mark was. He couldn't help himself. 
He turned to a picture of an ancient flying reptile. A Pteranodon. 
He touched the huge bat-like wings.
"Wow," whispered Jack. "I wish I could see a Pteranodon for real." 
Jack studied the picture of the odd-looking creature soaring through the sky.
"Ahhh!" screamed Annie.
"What?" said Jack.
"A monster!" Annie cried. She pointed to the tree house window.
"Stop pretending, Annie", said Jack.
"No, really!" said Annie.
Jack looked out the window. A giant creature was gliding above the treetops! He had a long, weird crest on the back of his head. A skinny beak, and huge bat-like wings!
It was a real live Pteranodon!
The creature curved through the sky. He was coming straight toward the tree house. He looked like a glider plane!
The wind began to blow. The leaves trembled.
Suddenly the creature soared up high into the sky. Jack nearly fell out the window trying to see it.
The wind picked up. It was whistling now.
The tree house started to spin.
"What's happening?" cried Jack.
"Get down!" shouted Annie.
She pulled him back from the window. The tree house was spinning faster and faster. Jack squeezed his eyes shut. He held on to Annie.
Then everything was still, absolutely still.
Jack opened his eyes. Sunlight slanted through the window. There was Annie, the books, his backpack. 
The tree house was still high up in an oak tree. But it wasn't the same oak tree.
3. Where is Here?
Jack looked out the window. He looked down at the picture in the book. He looked back out the window. 
The world outside and the world in the picture -- they were exactly the same.
The Pteranodon was soaring through the sky. The ground was covered with ferns and tall grass. There was a winding stream, a sloping hill and volcanoes in the distance.
"Wh-where are we?" stammered Jack.
The Pteranodon glided down to the base of their tree. The creature coasted to a stop and stood very still.
"What happened to us?" said Annie. She looked at Jack. He looked at her.
"I don't know," said Jack. "I was looking at the picture in the book -- "
"And you said, 'Wow, I wish I could see a Pteranodon for real,'" said Annie.
"Yeah, and then we saw one. In the Frog Creek woods." said Jack.
"Yeah, and then the wind got loud. And the tree house started spinning," said Annie.
"And we landed here," said Jack. 
"And we landed here," said Annie.
"So that means..." said Jack. 
"So that means... what?" said Annie.
"Nothing," said Jack. He shook his head. "None of this can be real."
Annie looked out the window again. "But he's real," she said. "He's very real."
Jack looked out the window with her. The Pteranodon was standing at the base of the oak tree like a guard. His giant wings were spread out on either side of him.
"Hi!" Annie shouted.
"Shush!" said Jack. "We're not supposed to be here."
"But where is here?" said Annie.
"I don't know," said Jack.
"Hi!" Annie called again to the creature.
The Pteranodon looked up at them.
"Where is here?" Annie called down.
"You're nuts. He can't talk," said Jack. "But maybe the book can tell us."
Jack looked down at the book. He read the words under the picture: 
This flying reptile lived in the Cretaceous period. It vanished 65 million years ago.
No, Impossible. They couldn't have landed in a time 65 million years ago.
"Jack," said Annie. "He's nice."
"Nice?"
"Yeah, I can tell. Let's go down and talk to him."
"Talk to him?"
Annie started down the rope ladder.
"Hey!" shouted Jack.
But Annie kept going.
"Are you crazy?" Jack called.
Annie dropped to the ground. She stepped boldly up to the ancient creature.
4. Henry.
Jack gasped as Annie held out her hand. Oh, brother. She was always trying to make friends with animals. But this was going too far.
"Don't get too close to him, Annie!" Jack shouted. 
But Annie touched the Pteranodon's crest. She stroked his neck. She was talking to him. 
What in the world was she saying? 
Jack took a deep breath. Okay. He would go down too. It would be good to examine the creature. Take notes, like a scientist.
Jack started down the rope ladder. 
When he got to the ground, Jack was only a few feet away from the creature. The creature stared at Jack. His eyes were bright and alert.
"He's soft, Jack." said Annie. "He feels like Henry."
Jack snorted. "He's no dog, Annie."
"Feel him, Jack." said Annie. 
Jack didn't move.
"Don't think, Jack. Just do it." 
Jack stepped forward. He put out his arm, very cautiously. He brushed his hand down the creature's neck.
Interesting! A thin layer of fuzz covered the Pteranodon's skin.
"Soft, huh?" said Annie.
Jack reached into his backpack and pulled out a pencil and a notebook. 
He wrote: fuzzy skin. 
"What are you doing?" asked Annie.
"Taking notes." said Jack. "We're probably the first people in the whole world to ever see a real live Pteranodon." 
Jack looked at the Pteranodon again. The creature had a bony crest on top of his head. The crest was longer than Jack's arm.
"I wonder how smart he is," Jack said.
"Very smart!" said Annie.
"Don't count on it," said Jack. "His brain's probably no bigger than a bean."
"No, he's very smart. I can feel it!" said Annie. "I'm going to call him Henry."
Jack wrote in his notebook: small brain?
Jack looked at the creature again. "Maybe he's a mutant." he said.
The creature tilted his head.
Annie laughed. "He's no mutant, Jack."
"Well, what's he doing here then? Where is this place?" said Jack.
Annie leaned close to the Pteranodon.
"Do you know where we are, Henry?" she asked softly.
The creature fixed his eyes on Annie. His long jaws were opening and closing, like a giant pair of scissors.
"Are you trying to talk to me, Henry?" asked Annie.
"Forget it, Annie." 
Jack wrote in his notebook: mouth like scissors? 
"Did we come to a time long ago, Henry?" asked Annie. "Is this a place from long ago?" Suddenly she gasped. "Jack!" 
He looked up.
Annie was pointing toward the hill. On top stood a huge dinosaur!
5. Gold in the Grass
"Go! Go!" said Jack. He threw his notebook into his pack. He pushed Annie toward the rope ladder.
"Bye, Henry!" she said.
"Go!" said Jack. He gave Annie a big push.
"Quit it!" she said. But she started up the ladder. Jack scrambled after her.
They tumbled into the tree house. They were panting as they looked out the window at the dinosaur. He was standing on the hilltop, eating flowers off a tree.
"Oh, man!" whispered Jack. "We are in a time long ago!"
The dinosaur looked like a huge rhinoceros. Only he had three horns instead of one: two long ones above his eyes and one on his nose. He had a big shield-like thing behind his head.
"Triceratops!" said Jack.
"Does he eat people?" whispered Annie.
"I'll look it up." Jack grabbed the dinosaur book. He flipped through the pages.
"There!" he said. He pointed t o a picture of a Triceratops. 
He read the caption: The Triceratops lived in the late Cretaceous period. This plant-eating dinosaur weighed over 12,000 pounds.
Jack slammed the book shut. "Just plants, no meat."
"Let's go see him," said Annie.
"Are you nuts?" said Jack. 
"Don't you want to take notes about him?" asked Annie. "We're probably the first people in the whole world to ever see a real live Triceratops."
Jack sighed. She was right. 
"Let's go!" he said. 
He shoved the dinosaur book into his pack. He slung it over his shoulder and started down the ladder. 
On the way down, Jack stopped.
He called up to Annie, "Just promise you won't pet him."
"I promise."
"Promise you won't kiss him."
"I promise."
"Promise you won't talk to him."
"I promise."
"Promise you won't -- "
"Go! Go!" she said.
Jack went. 
Annie followed.
When they stepped off the ladder, the Pteranodon gave them a kind look.
Annie blew a kiss at him.
"Be back soon, Henry!" she said cheerfully.
"Shush!" said Jack. And he led the way through the ferns, slowly and carefully.
When he reached the bottom of the hill, he kneeled behind a fat bush. 
Annie knelt beside him and started to s peak.
"Shush!" Jack put his finger to his lips.
Annie made a face.
Jack peeked out at the Triceratops.
The dinosaur was incredibly big, bigger than a truck. He was eating the flowers off a magnolia tree.
Jack slipped his notebook out of his pack. He wrote: eats flowers.
Annie nudged him. Jack ignored her. He studied the Triceratops again. He wrote: eats slowly.
Annie nudged him hard. Jack looked at her.
Annie pointed to herself. She walked her fingers through the air. She pointed to the dinosaur. She smiled.
Was she teasing? 
She waved at Jack.
Jack started to grab her. 
She laughed and jumped away. She fell into the grass. In full view of the Triceratops!
"Get back!" whispered Jack.
Too late. The big dinosaur had spotted Annie. He gazed down at her from the hilltop. Half of a magnolia flower was sticking out of his mouth.
"Oops!" said Annie.
"Get back!" Jack shouted at her.
"He looks nice, Jack."
"Nice? Watch out for his horns, Annie!"
"No. He's nice, Jack."
Nice? 
But the Triceratops just gazed calmly down at Annie. Then he turned and loped away down the side of the hill.
"Bye!" said Annie. She turned back to Jack. "See?"
Jack grunted. But he wrote in his notebook: Nice.
"Come on, let's look around some more." said Annie.
As Jack started after Annie, he saw something glittering in the tall grass. He reached out and picked it up. 
A medallion, a gold medallion. A letter was engraved on the medallion. A fancy M.
"Oh, man. Someone came here before us." Jack said softly.
6. Dinosaur Valley
"Annie, look at this!" Jack called. "Look what I found!"
Annie had gone up to the hilltop. She was busy picking a flower from the magnolia tree.
"Annie, look! A Medallion!"
But Annie wasn't paying attention to Jack. She was staring at something on the other side of the hill.
"Oh, wow!" she said.
"Annie!" 
Clutching her magnolia flower, she took off down the hill. 
"Annie, come back!" Jack shouted. But Annie had disappeared.
"I'm going to kill her." Jack muttered.
He stuffed the gold medallion into his jeans pocket. Then he heard Annie shriek.
"Annie?" Jack heard another sound as well, a deep, bellowing sound. Like a tuba.
"Jack! Come here!" Annie called.
"Annie!" Jack grabbed his backpack and raced up the hill. 
When he got to the top, he gasped.
The valley below was filled with nests. Big nests made out of mud. And the nests were filled with tiny dinosaurs!
Annie was crouching next to one of the nests. And standing over her was a gigantic duck-billed dinosaur!
"Don't panic. Don't move." said Jack.
He stepped slowly down the hill toward Annie. The huge dinosaur was towering above Annie, waving her arms, making her tuba sound.
Jack stopped. He didn't want to get too close. He knelt on the ground.
"Okay. Move toward me, slowly." he said.
Annie started to stand up.
"Don't stand, crawl." said Jack.
Clutching her flower, Annie crawled toward Jack. 
The duckCbilled dinosaur followed her, still bellowing.
Annie froze. 
"Keep going!" Jack said softly.
Annie started crawling again. Jack inched farther down the hill until he was just an arm's distance from Annie. He reached out and grabbed her hand. He pulled Annie toward him.
"Stay down." he said. He crouched next to her. "Bow your head. Pretend to chew."
"Chew?"
"Yes. I read that's what you do if a mean dog comes at you."
"She's no dog, Jack." said Annie.
"Just chew," said Jack.
Jack and Annie both bowed their heads and pretended to chew.
Soon the dinosaur grew quiet. Jack raised his head.
"I don't think she's mad anymore," he said.
"Thanks, Jack, for saving me," said Annie.
"You have to use your brain," said Jack. "You can't just go running to a nest of babies. There's always a mother nearby."
Annie stood up.
"Annie!"
Too late! 
Annie held out her magnolia flower to the dinosaur. 
"I'm sorry I made you worry about your babies," she said.
The dinosaur moved closer to Annie. She grabbed the flower from her. She reached for another.
"No more." said Annie. 
The dinosaur let out a sad tuba sound.
"But there are more flowers up there." Annie said. She pointed to the top of the hill. "I'll get you some."
Annie hurried up the hill. The dinosaur waddled after her.
Jack quickly examined the babies. Some were crawling out of their nests. 
Where were the other mothers? 
Jack took out the dinosaur book. He flipped through the pages. He found a picture of some duck-billed dinosaurs. He read the caption: The Anatosauruses lived in colonies. While a few mothers baby-sat the nests, others hunted for food.
So there must be more mothers close by.
"Hey, Jack!" Annie called.
Jack looked up. Annie was at the top of the hill, feeding magnolia flowers to the giant Anatosaurus!
"She's nice, too, Jack." Annie said.
But suddenly the Anatosaurus made her terrible tuba sound. Annie crouched down and started to chew. 
The dinosaur barged down the hill. She seemed afraid of something.
Jack put the book down on top of his pack. He hurried up to Annie.
"I wonder why she ran away." said Annie. "We were starting to be friends."
Jack looked around. What he saw in the distance almost made him throw up. 
An enormous ugly monster was coming across the plain. He was walking on two big legs and swinging a long, thick tail and dangling two tiny arms. He had a huge head. And his jaws were wide open. 
Even from far away Jack could see his long, gleaming teeth.
"Tyrannosaurus rex!" whispered Jack.
7. Ready, Set, Go!
"Run! Annie, Run!" cried Jack. "To the tree house!"
They dashed down the hill together. Through the tall grass, through the ferns, past the Pteranodon, and right to the rope ladder.
They scrambled up. Seconds later they tumbled into the tree house.
Annie leaped to the window.
"He's going away!" she said, panting.
Jack pushed his glasses into place. He looked through the window with her. 
The Tyrannosaurus was wandering off. But then the monster stopped and turned around.
"Duck!" said Jack.
The two of them hunched down. 
After a long moment, they raised their heads. They peeked out again.
"Coast clear." said Jack.
"Yay," whispered Annie.
"We have to get out of here." said Jack.
"You made a wish before." said Annie.
"I wish we could go back to Frog Creek." said Jack.
Nothing happened.
"I wish -- "
"Wait. You were looking at a picture in the dinosaur book. Remember?" 
The dinosaur book.
Jack groaned. "Oh! No! I left the book and my pack on the hill. I have to go back."
"Oh, forget it." said Annie.
"I can't," said Jack. "The book doesn't belong to us. Plus my notebook's in my pack with all my notes."
"Hurry!" said Annie.
Jack hurried down the rope ladder. He leaped to the ground. He raced past the Pteranodon, through the ferns, through the tall grass, and up the hill.
He looked down. 
There was his pack, lying on the ground. On top of it was the dinosaur book. 
But now the valley below was filled with Anatosauruses, all standing guard around the nests.
Where had they been? Did fear of the Tyrannosaurus send them home? 
Jack took a deep breath.
Ready! Set! Go!
He charged down the hill. He leaped to his backpack. He scooped it up. He grabbed the dinosaur book.
A terrible tuba sound! Another! Another! All the Anatosauruses were bellowing at him.
Jack took off. He raced up to the hilltop. He started down the hill. He stopped. 
The Tyrannosaurus rex was back! And he was standing between Jack and the tree house!
8. A Giant Shadow
Jack jumped behind the magnolia tree. His heart was beating so fast that he could hardly think.
He peeked out at the giant monster. The horrible-looking creature was opening and closing his huge jaws. His teeth were as big as steak knives. 
Don't panic. Think.
Jack peered down at the valley.
Good. The duck-billed dinosaurs were sticking close to their nests.
Jack looked back at the Tyrannosaurus.
Good. The monster still didn't seem to know he was there.
Don't panic. Think. Think. Maybe there's information in the book.
Jack opened the dinosaur book. He found Tyrannosaurus rex. He read: Tyrannosaurus rex was the largest meat-eating land animal of all time. If it were alive today, it would eat a human in one bite.
Great! The book was no help at all.
Okay. He couldn't hide on the other side of the hill. The Anatosauruses might stampede.
Okay. He couldn't run to the tree house. The Tyrannosaurus might run faster.
Okay. Maybe he should just wait. Wait for the monster to leave.
Jack peeked around the tree. The Tyrannosaurus had wandered closer to the hill. 
Something caught Jack's eye. Annie was coming down the rope ladder! 
Was she nuts! What was she doing?
Jack watched Annie hop off the ladder.
She went straight to the Pteranodon. She was talking to him. She was flapping her arms. She pointed at Jack, at the sky, at the tree house.
She was nuts!
"Go! Go back up the tree!" Jack whispered. "Go!"
Suddenly Jack heard a roar. The Tyrannosaurus rex was looking in his direction. 
Jack hit the ground. The Tyrannosaurus rex was coming toward the hill.
Jack felt the ground shaking.
Should he run? Crawl back into Dinosaur Valley? Climb the magnolia tree? 
Just then a giant shadow covered Jack. He looked up. The Pteranodon was gliding overhead. The giant creature sailed down toward the top of the hill.
He was coming straight for Jack.
9. The Amazing Ride
The Pteranodon coasted down to the ground. He stared at Jack with his bright, alert eyes.
What was Jack supposed to do? Climb on?
"But I'm too heavy," thought Jack. 
Don't think. Just do it.
Jack looked at the Tyrannosaurus. He was starting up the hill. His giant teeth were flashing in the sunlight.
Okay. Don't think. Just do it!
Jack put his book in his pack. Then he eased down onto the Pteranodon's back. He held on tightly. 
The creature moved forward. He spread out his wings -- and lifted off the ground!
They teetered this way, then that. 
Jack nearly fell off. 
The Pteranodon steadied himself, and then rose into the sky.
Jack looked down. The Tyrannosaurus was chomping the air and staring up at him. 
The Pteranodon glided away. He sailed over the hilltop. He circled over the valley. Over all the nests filled with babies. Over all the giant duck-billed dinosaurs.
Then the Pteranodon soared out over the plain -- over the Triceratops who was grazing in the high grass.
It was amazing! It was a miracle!
Jack felt like a bird, as light as a feather.
The wind was rushing through his hair. The air smelled sweet and fresh. 
He whooped. He laughed.
Jack couldn't believe it. He was riding on the back of an ancient flying reptile!
The Pteranodon sailed over the stream, over the ferns and bushes.
Then he carried Jack down to the base of the oak tree.
When they came to a stop, Jack slid off the creature's back and landed on the ground. 
Then the Pteranodon took off again and glided into the sky.
"Bye, Henry." whispered Jack.
"Are you okay?" Annie shouted from the tree house.
Jack pushed his glasses into place. He kept staring up at the Pteranodon.
"Jack, are you okay?" Annie called.
Jack looked up at Annie. He smiled.
"Thanks for saving my life," he said. "That was really fun."
"Climb up!" said Annie.
Jack tried to stand. His legs were wobbly. He felt a bit dizzy.
"Hurry!" shouted Annie. "He's coming!"
Jack looked around. The Tyrannosaurus was heading straight toward him!
Jack bolted to the ladder. He grabbed the sides and started up.
"Hurry! Hurry!" screamed Annie.
Jack scrambled into the tree house.
"He's coming toward the tree!" Annie cried.
Suddenly something slammed against the oak tree. The tree house shook like a leaf. 
Jack and Annie tumbled into the books.
"Make a wish!" cried Annie.
"We need the book! The one with the picture of Frog Creek!" said Jack. "Where is it?"
He pushed some books aside. He had to find that book about Pennsylvania.
There it was!
He grabbed it and tore through it, looking for the photograph of the Frog Creek woods. 
He found it! Jack pointed to the picture.
"I wish we could go home!" he shouted.
The wind began to moan, softly at first.
"Hurry!" Jack yelled.
The wind picked up. It was whistling now. 
The tree house started to spin. It spun faster and faster.
Jack closed his eyes. He held on tightly to Annie.
Then everything was still, absolutely still.
10. Home Before Dark
A bird began to sing.
Jack opened his eyes. He was still pointing at the picture of the Frog Creek woods. 
He peeked out the tree house window. Outside he saw the exact same view.
"We're home." whispered Annie.
The woods were lit with a golden late-afternoon light. The sun was about to set. 
No time had passed since they'd left.
"Ja-ack! An-nie!" a voice called from the distance.
"That's Mom!" said Annie, pointing.
Jack saw their mother far away. She was standing in front of their house. She looked very tiny.
"An-nie! Ja-ack!" she called.
Annie stuck her head out the window and shouted, "Come-ing!"
Jack still felt dazed. He just stared at Annie.
"What happened to us?" he said.
"We took a trip in a magic tree house." said Annie simply.
"But it's the same time as when we left." said Jack.
Annie shrugged.
"And how did it take us so far away?" said Jack. "And so long ago?"
"You just looked at a book and said you wished we could go there," said Annie. "And the magic tree house took us there."
"But how?" said Jack. "And who built this magic tree house? Who put all these books here?"
"A magic person, I guess." said Annie.
A magic person?
"Oh, look!" said Jack. "I almost forgot about this." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the gold medallion. "Someone lost this back there... in dinosaur land. Look, there's a letter M on it."
Annie's eyes got round. "You think M stands f or magic person?" she said.
"I don't know," said Jack. "I just know someone went to that place before us."
"Ja-ack! An-nie!" came the distant cry again.
Annie poked her head out the window. "Come-ing!" she shouted.
Jack put the gold medallion back in his pocket. He pulled the dinosaur book out of his pack. And put it back with all the other books. Then he and Annie took one last look around the tree house.
"Good-bye, house." whispered Annie.
Jack slung his backpack over his shoulder. He pointed at the ladder.
Annie started down. Jack followed. Seconds later they hopped onto the ground and started walking out of the woods.
"No one's going to believe our story." said Jack.
"So let's not tell anyone." said Annie.
"Dad won't believe it." said Jack.
"He'll say it was a dream." said Annie.
"Mom won't believe it." said Jack.
"She'll say it was pretend." said Annie.
"My teacher won't believe it." said Jack.
"She'll say you're nuts." said Annie. 
"We better not tell anyone." said Jack.
"I already said that." said Annie.
Jack sighed. "I think I'm starting to not believe it myself." he said.
They left the woods and started up the road toward their house.
As they walked past all the houses on their street, the trip to dinosaur time did seem more and more like a dream. 
Only this world and this time seemed real.
Jack reached into his pocket. He clasped the gold medallion. He felt the engraving of the letter M. It made Jack's fingers tingle.
Jack laughed. Suddenly he felt very happy.
He couldn't explain what had happened today. But he knew for sure that their trip in the magic tree house had been real.
Absolutely real!
"Tomorrow," Jack said softly, "We'll go back to the woods."
"Of course!" said Annie.
"And we'll climb up to the tree house." said Jack.
"Of course!" said Annie.
"And we'll see what happens next," said Jack.
"Of course!" said Annie. "Race you!"
And they took off together, running for home. 
1. The Dark Woods 
Jack couldn't sleep. 
He put his glasses on. He looked at the clock: 5:30. Too early to get up. 
Yesterday, so many strange things had happened. 
Now he was trying to figure them out. He turned on the light. He picked up his notebook. He looked at the list he'd made before going to bed. 
Found tree house in woods 
Found lots of books in it 
Pointed to Pteranodon picture in book 
Made a wish 
Went to time of dinosaurs
Pointed to picture of Frog Creek woods 
Made a wish 
Came home to Frog Creek
Jack pushed his glasses into place. Who was going to believe any of this? 
Not his mom, or his dad, or his third-grade teacher, Ms. Watkins. Only his seven-year-old sister, Annie. She'd gone with him to the time of the dinosaurs. 
"Can't you sleep?" 
It was Annie, standing in his doorway. 
"Nope," said Jack. 
"Me neither," said Annie. "What are you doing?" 
She walked over to Jack and looked at his notebook. She read the list. 
"Aren't you going to write about the gold medal?" she asked. 
"You mean the gold medallion," said Jack. 
He picked up his pencil and wrote: found this in dinosaur time
"Aren't you going to put the letter M on the medal?" said Annie. 
"Medallion," said Jack. "Not medal." 
He added an M: 
"Aren't you going to write about the magic person?" said Annie. 
"We don't know for sure if there is a magic person," said Jack. 
"Well, someone built the tree house in the woods. Someone put the books in it. Someone lost a gold medal in dinosaur time." 
"Medallion!" said Jack for the third time. "And I'm just writing the facts. The stuff we know for sure." 
"Let's go back to the tree house right now," said Annie. "And find out if the magic person is a fact." 
"Are you nuts?" said Jack. "The sun's not even up yet." 
"Come on," said Annie. "Maybe we can catch them sleeping." 
"I don't think we should," said Jack. 
He was worried. What if the "magic person" was mean? What if he or she didn't want kids to know about the tree house? 
"Well, I'm going," said Annie. 
Jack looked out his window at the dark-gray sky. It was almost dawn. He sighed. 
"Okay. Let's get dressed. I'll meet you at the back door. Be quiet." 
"Yay!" whispered Annie. She tiptoed away as quietly as a mouse. 
Jack put on jeans, a warm sweatshirt, and sneakers. He tossed his notebook and pencil in his backpack. He crept downstairs. 
Annie was waiting by the back door. She shined a flashlight in Jack's face. 
"Ta-da! A magic wand!" she said. 
"Shhh! Don't wake up Mom and Dad," whispered Jack. "And turn that flashlight off. We don't want anyone to see us." 
Annie nodded and turned it off. Then she clipped it onto her belt. 
They slipped out the door into the cool early-morning air. Crickets were chirping. The dog next door barked. 
"Quiet, Henry!" whispered Annie. 
Henry stopped barking. Animals always seemed to do what Annie said. 
"Let's run!" said Jack. 
They dashed across the dark, wet lawn and didn't stop until they reached the woods. 
"We need the flashlight now," said Jack. 
Annie took it off her belt and switched it on. 
Step by step, she and Jack walked between the trees. Jack held his breath. 
The dark woods were scary. 
"Gotcha!" said Annie, shining the flashlight in Jack's face. 
Jack jumped back. Then he frowned. 
"Cut it out!" he said. 
"I scared you," said Annie. 
Jack glared at her. 
"Stop pretending!" he whispered. "This is serious." 
"Okay, okay." 
Annie shined her flashlight over the tops of the trees. 
"Now what are you doing?" said Jack. 
"Looking for the tree house!" 
The light stopped moving. 
There it was. The mysterious tree house. At the top of the tallest tree in the woods. 
Annie shined her light at the tree house, and then down the tall ladder. All the way to the ground. 
"I'm going up," she said. She gripped the flashlight and began to climb. 
"Wait!" Jack called. 
What if someone was in the tree house? 
"Annie! Come back!" 
But she was gone. The light disappeared. Jack was alone in the dark. 
2. Leaving Again 
"No one's here!" Annie shouted down. 
Jack thought about going home. Then he thought about all the books in the tree house. 
He started up the ladder. When he was nearly to the tree house, he saw light in the distant sky. Dawn was starting to break. 
He crawled through a hole in the floor and took off his backpack. 
It was dark inside the tree house. 
Annie was shining her flashlight on the books scattered about. 
"They're still here," she said. 
She stopped the light on a dinosaur book. It was the book that had taken them to the time of the dinosaurs. 
"Remember the Tyrannosaurus?" asked Annie. 
Jack shuddered. Of course he remembered! How could anyone forget seeing a real live Tyrannosaurus rex? 
The light fell on a book about Pennsylvania. A red silk bookmark stuck out of it. 
"Remember the picture of Frog Creek?" said Annie. 
"Of course," said Jack. That was the picture that had brought them home. 
"There's my favorite," said Annie. 
The light was shining on a book about knights and castles. There was a blue leather bookmark in it. 
Annie turned to the page with the bookmark. There was a picture of a knight on a black horse. He was riding toward a castle. 
"Annie, close that book," said Jack. "I know what you're thinking." 
Annie pointed at the knight. 
"Don't, Annie!" 
"We wish we could see this guy for real," Annie said. 
"No, we don't!" shouted Jack. 
They heard a strange sound. 
"Neeee-hhhh!" 
It sounded like a horse neighing. 
They both went to the window. 
Annie shined the flashlight down on the ground. 
"Oh no," whispered Jack. 
"A knight!" said Annie. 
A knight in shining armor! Riding a black horse! Through the Frog Creek woods! 
Then the wind began to moan. The leaves began to tremble. 
It was happening again. 
"We're leaving!" cried Annie. "Get down!" 
The wind moaned louder. The leaves shook harder. 
And the tree house started to spin. It spun faster and faster! 
Jack squeezed his eyes shut. 
Then everything was still. 
Absolutely still. 
Jack opened his eyes. He shivered. The air was damp and cool. The sound of a horse's whinny came again from below. 
"I think we're here," whispered Annie. She was still holding the castle book. 
Jack peeked out the window. A huge castle loomed out of the fog. 
He looked around. The tree house was in a different oak tree. And down below, the knight on the black horse was riding by. 
"We can't stay here," said Jack. "We have to go home and make a plan first." 
He picked up the book about Pennsylvania. He opened it to the page with the red silk bookmark. He pointed to the photograph of the Frog Creek woods. 
"I wish -- " 
"No!" said Annie. She yanked the book away from him. "Let's stay! I want to visit the castle!" 
"You're nuts. We have to examine the situation," said Jack. "From home." 
"Let's examine it here!" said Annie. 
"Come on." He held out his hand. "Give it to me." 
Annie gave Jack the book. "Okay. You can go home. I'm staying," she said. 
She clipped the flashlight to her belt. 
"Wait!" said Jack. 
"I'm going to take a peek. A teeny peek," she said. And she scooted down the ladder. 
Jack groaned. Okay, she had won. He couldn't leave without her. Besides, he sort of wanted to take a peek himself. 
He put down the book about Pennsylvania. He dropped the castle book into his pack. He stepped onto the ladder. And headed down into the cool, misty air. 
3. Across the Bridge 
Annie was under the tree, looking across the foggy ground. 
"The knight's riding toward that bridge, I think," said Annie. "The bridge goes to the castle." 
"Wait. I'll look it up," said Jack. "Give me the flashlight!" 
He took the flashlight from her and pulled the castle book out of his pack. He opened it to the page with the leather bookmark. He read the words under the picture of the knight: 
This is a knight arriving for a castle feast. Knights wore armor when they traveled long and dangerous distances. The armor was very heavy. A helmet alone could weigh up to forty pounds. 
Wow. Jack had weighted forty pounds when he was five years old. So it'd be like riding a horse with a five-year-old on your head. 
Jack pulled out his notebook. He wanted to take notes, as he'd done on their dinosaur trip. 
He wrote: Heavy head 
What else? 
He turned the pages of the castle book. He found a picture that showed the whole castle and the buildings around it. 
"The knight's crossing the bridge," said Annie. "He's going through the gate.... He's gone." 
Jack studied the bridge in the picture. He read: 
A drawbridge crossed the moat. The moat was filled with water, to help protect the castle from enemies. Some people believe crocodiles were kept in the moat. 
Jack wrote in his notebook: Crocodiles in moat
"Look!" said Annie, peering through the mist. "A windmill! Right over there!" 
"Yeah, there's a windmill in here, too," said Jack, pointing at the picture. 
"Look at the real one, Jack," said Annie. "Not the one in the book." 
A piercing shriek split the air. 
"Yikes," said Annie. "It sounded like it came from that little house over there!" She pointed through the fog. 
"There's a little house here," said Jack, studying the picture. 
He turned the page and read: 
The hawk house was in the inner ward of the castle. Hawks were trained to hunt other birds and small animals. 
Jack wrote in his notebook: hawks in hawk house 
"We must be in the inner ward," said Jack. 
"Listen!" whispered Annie. "You hear that? Drums! Horns! They're coming from the castle. Let's go see." 
"Wait," said Jack. He turned more pages of the book. 
"I want to see what's really going on, Jack. Not what's in the book," said Annie. 
"But look at this!" said Jack. 
He pointed to a picture of a big party. Men were standing by the door, playing drums and horns. He read: 
Fanfares were played to announce different dishes in a feast. Feasts were held in the Great Hall. 
"You can look at the book. I'm going to the real feast," said Annie. 
"Wait," said Jack, studying the picture. It showed boys his age carrying trays of food. Whole pigs. Pies. Peacocks with all their feathers. Peacocks? 
Jack wrote: They eat peacocks? 
He held up the book to show Annie. "Look, I think they eat -- " 
Where was she? Gone again. 
Jack looked through the fog. 
He heard the real drums and the real horns. He saw the real hawk house, the real windmill, the real moat. He saw Annie dashing across the real drawbridge. Then she vanished through the gate leading to the castle. 
4. Into the Castle 
"I'm going to kill her," muttered Jack. 
He threw his stuff into his pack and moved toward the drawbridge. He hoped no one would see him. 
It was getting darker. It must be night. 
When he got to the bridge, he started across. The wooden planks creaked under his feet. 
He peered over the edge of the bridge. Were there any crocodiles in the moat? He couldn't tell. 
"Halt!" someone shouted. A guard on top of the castle wall was looking down. 
Jack dashed across the bridge. He ran through the castle gate and into the courtyard. 
From inside the castle came the sounds of music, shouting, and laughter. 
Jack hurried to a dark corner and crouched down. He shivered as he looked around for Annie. 
Torches lit the high wall around the courtyard. The courtyard was nearly empty. 
Two boys led horses that clopped over the gray cobblestones. 
Jack turned. It was the knight's black horse! 
He peered into the darkness. 
There was Annie. 
She was hiding behind a well in the center of the courtyard. She waved at him. 
Jack waved back. He waited till the boys and horses disappeared inside the stable. Then he dashed to the well. 
"I'm going to find the music!" whispered Annie. "Are you coming?" 
"Okay," Jack said with a sigh. 
They tiptoed together across the cobblestones. Then they slipped into the entrance of the castle. 
Noise and music came from a bright room in front of them. They stood on one side of the doorway and peeked in. 
"The feast in the Great Hall!" whispered Jack. He held his breath as he stared in awe. 
A giant fireplace blazed at one end of the noisy room. Antlers and rugs hung on the stone walls. Flowers covered the floor. Boys in short dresses carried huge trays of food. 
Dogs were fighting over bones under the tables. 
People in bright clothes and funny hats strolled among the crowd. Some played funny-shaped guitars. Some tossed balls in the air. Some balanced swords on their hands. 
Men and women dressed in capes and furs sat at long, crowded wooden tables. 
"I wonder which one is the knight," said Jack. 
"I don't know," whispered Annie. "But they're eating with their fingers." 
Suddenly, someone shouted behind them. 
Jack whirled around. A man carrying a tray of pies was standing a few feet away. 
"Who art thou?" he asked angrily. 
"Jack," squeaked Jack. 
"Annie," squeaked Annie. 
Then they ran as fast as they could down a dimly lit hallway. 
5. Trapped
"Come on!" cried Annie. 
Jack raced behind her. 
Were they being followed? 
"Here! Quick!" Annie dashed toward a door off the hallway. She pushed the door open. The two of them stumbled into a dark, cold room. The door creaked shut behind them. 
"Give me the flashlight," said Annie. Jack handed it to her, and she switched it on. 
Yikes! A row of knights right in front of them! 
Annie flicked off the light. 
Silence.
"They aren't moving," Jack whispered. 
Annie turned the light back on. 
"They're just suits," Jack said. 
"Without heads," said Annie. 
"Let me have the flashlight a second," said Jack. "So I can look in the book." 
Annie handed him the flashlight. He pulled out the castle book. He flipped through the pages until he found what he was looking for. 
Jack put the book away. 
"It's called the armory," he said. "It's where armor and weapons are stored." 
He shined the flashlight around the room. 
"Oh, man," whispered Jack. 
The light fell on shiny breastplates, leg plates, arm plates. On shelves filled with helmets and weapons. On shields, spears, swords, crossbows, clubs, battle-axes. 
There was a noise in the hall. Voices! 
"Let's hide!" said Annie. 
"Wait," said Jack. "I got to check on something first." 
"Hurry," said Annie. 
"It'll take just a second," said Jack. "Hold this." He handed Annie the flashlight. 
He tried to lift a helmet from a shelf. It was too heavy. 
He bent over and dragged the helmet over his head. The visor slammed shut. 
Oh, forget it. It was worse than having a five-year-old on your head. 
More like having a ten-year-old on your head. 
Not only could Jack not lift his head, he couldn't see anything, either. 
"Jack!" Annie's voice sounded far away. "The voices are getting closer!" 
"Turn off the flashlight!" Jack's voice echoed inside the metal chamber. 
He struggled to get the helmet off. 
Suddenly he lost his balance and went crashing into other pieces of armor. 
The metal plates and weapons clattered to the floor. 
Jack lay on the floor in the dark. 
He tried to get up. But his head was too heavy. 
He heard deep voices. 
Someone grabbed him by the arm. The next thing he knew, his helmet was yanked off. He was staring into the blazing light of a fiery torch. 
6. Ta-da! 
In the torchlight, Jack saw three huge men standing over him. 
One with very squinty-eyes held the torch. One with a very red face held Jack. And one with a very long mustache held on to Annie. 
Annie was kicking and yelling. 
"Stop!" said the one with the very long mustache. 
"Who art thou?" said the one with the very red face. 
"Spies? Foreigners? Egyptians? Romans? Persians?" said the squinty-eyed one. 
"No, you dummies!" said Annie. 
"Oh, brother," Jack muttered. 
"Arrest them!" said Red-face. 
"The dungeon!" said Squinty-eyes. 
The guards marched Jack and Annie out of the armory. Jack looked back frantically. Where was his backpack? 
"Go!" said a guard, giving him a push. 
Jack went. 
Down they marched. Down the long, dark hallway. 
Squinty, Annie, Mustache, Jack, and Red. Down a narrow, winding staircase. 
Jack heard Annie shouting at the guards. "Dummies! Meanies! We didn't do anything!" 
The guards laughed. They didn't take her seriously at all. 
At the bottom of the stairs was a big iron door with a bar across it. 
Squinty pushed the bar off the door. Then he shoved at the door. It creaked open. 
Jack and Annie were pushed into a cold, clammy room. 
The fiery torch lit the dungeon. There were chains hanging from the filthy walls. Water dripped from the ceiling, making puddles on the stone floor. It was the creepiest place Jack had ever seen. 
"We'll keep them here till the feast is done. Then turn them over to the Duke," said Squinty. "He knows how to take care of thieves." 
"There will be a hanging tomorrow," said Mustache. 
"If the rats don't get them first," said Red. 
They all laughed. 
Jack saw that Annie had his backpack. She was quietly unzipping it. 
"Come on, let's chain the two of them," said Squinty. 
The guards started toward them. Annie whipped her flashlight out of the pack. 
"Ta-da!" she yelled. 
The guards froze. They stared at the shiny flashlight in her hand. 
Annie switched the light on. The guards gasped in fear. They jumped back against the wall. 
Squinty dropped the torch. It fell into a dirty puddle on the floor, sputtered, and went out.
"My magic wand!" Annie said, waving the flashlight. "Get down. Or I'll wipe you out!" 
Jack's mouth dropped open. 
Annie fiercely pointed her light at one, then the other. Each howled and covered his face. 
"Down! All of you! Get down!" shouted Annie. 
One by one, the guards lay down on the wet floor. 
Jack couldn't believe it. 
"Come on," Annie said to him. "Let's go." 
Jack looked at the open doorway. He looked at the guards quaking on the ground. 
"Hurry!" said Annie. 
In one quick leap, Jack followed her out of the terrible dungeon.
7. A Secret Passage 
Annie and Jack raced back up the winding stairs and down the long hall way. 
They hadn't gone far when they heard shouting behind them. 
Dogs barked in the distance. 
"They're coming!" Annie cried. 
"In here!" said Jack. He shoved open a door off the hallway and pulled Annie into a dark room. 
Jack pushed the door shut. Then Annie shined her flashlight around the room. There were rows of sacks and wooden barrels. 
"I'd better look in the book," said Jack. "Give it to me!" 
Annie gave him the flashlight and his backpack. He pulled out the book and started tearing through it. 
"Shhh!" said Annie. "Someone's coming." 
Jack and Annie jumped behind the door as it creaked open. 
Jack held his breath. A light from a torch danced wildly over the sacks and barrels. The light disappeared. The door slammed shut. 
"Oh, man," whispered Jack. "We have to hurry. They might come back." 
His hands were trembling as he flipped through the pages of the castle book. 
"Here's a map of the castle," he said. "Look, this must be the room we're in. It's a storeroom." 
Jack studied the room in the book. 
"These are sacks of flour and barrels of wine." 
"Who cares? We have to go!" said Annie. "Before they come back!"
"No. Look," said Jack. He pointed at the map. "Here's a trapdoor." He read aloud: 
This door leads from the storeroom through a secret passage to a precipice over the moat. 
"What's a precipice?" said Annie. 
"I don't know. We'll find out," said Jack. "But first we have to find the door." 
Jack looked at the picture carefully. Then he shined the flashlight around the room. 
The floor of the room was made up of stones. The trapdoor in the picture was five stones away from the door to the hall. 
Jack shined the light on the floor and counted the stones. "One, two, three, four, five." 
He stamped on the fifth stone. It was loose! 
He put the flashlight on the floor. He worked his fingers under the thin sheet of stone and tried to lift it. 
"Help," Jack said. 
Annie came over and helped him lift the stone square out of its place. 
Underneath was a small wooden door. 
Jack and Annie tugged on the rope handle of the door. The door fell open with a thunk. 
Jack picked up the flashlight and shined it on the hole. 
"There's a little ladder," he said. "Let's go!" 
He clipped on the flashlight and felt his way down the small ladder. Annie followed. When they both reached the bottom of the ladder, Jack shined the light around them. There was a tunnel!
He crouched down and began moving through the damp, creepy tunnel. The flashlight barely lit the stone walls. He shook the light. Were the batteries running down? 
"I think our light's dying!" he said to Annie. 
"Hurry!" she called from behind. 
Jack went faster. His back hurt from crouching. 
The light got dimmer and dimmer. 
He was desperate to get out of the castle before the batteries died completely. 
Soon he reached another small wooden door. The door at the end of the tunnel! 
Jack unlatched the door and pushed it open. 
He poked his head outside. 
He couldn't see anything in the misty darkness. 
The air felt good. Cool and fresh. He took a deep breath. 
"Where are we?" whispered Annie behind him. "What do you see?" 
"Nothing, but I think we've come to the outside of the castle," said Jack. "I'll find out." 
Jack put the flashlight in his pack. He put the pack on his back. He stuck his hand out the door. He couldn't feel the ground. Just air. 
"I'm going to have to go feet first," he said. 
Jack turned around in the small tunnel. He lay down on his stomach. He stuck one leg out the door then the other. 
Jack inched down, bit by bit, until he was hanging out the door, clinging to the ledge. 
"This must be the precipice!" he called to Annie. "Pull me up!" 
Annie reached for Jack's hands. "I can't hold you!" she said. 
Jack felt his fingers slipping. Then down he fell. 
Down through the darkness. 
SPLASH! 
8. The Knight 
Water filled Jack's nose and covered his head. His glasses fell off. He grabbed them just in time. He coughed and flailed his arms. 
"Jack!" Annie was calling from above. 
"I'm in... the moat!" said Jack, gasping for air. He tried to tread water and put his glasses back on. With his backpack, his shoes, and his heavy clothes, he could hardly stay afloat. 
SPLASH! 
"Hi! I'm here!" Annie sputtered. 
Jack could hear her nearby. But he couldn't see her. 
"Which way's land?" Annie asked. 
"I don't know! Just swim!" 
Jack dog-paddled through the cold black water. 
He heard Annie swimming, too. At first it seemed as if she was swimming in front of him. But then he heard a splash behind him. 
"Annie?" he called. 
"What?" Her voice came from in front. Not behind. 
Another splash. Behind. 
Jack's heart almost stopped. Crocodiles? He couldn't see anything through his water streaked glasses. 
"Annie!" he whispered. 
"What?" 
"Swim faster!" 
"But I'm here! I'm over here! Near the edge!" she whispered. 
Jack swam through the dark toward her voice. He imagined a crocodile slithering after him. 
Another splash! Not far away! 
Jack's hand touched a wet, live thing. 
"Ahhhh!" he cried. 
"It's me! Take my hand!" said Annie. 
Jack grabbed her hand. She pulled him to the edge of the moat. They crawled over an embankment onto the wet grass. 
Safe! Another splash came from the moat waters. 
"Oh, man," Jack said. 
He was shivering all over. His teeth were chattering. He shook the water off his glasses and put them back on. 
It was so misty he couldn't see the castle. He couldn't even see the moat, much less a crocodile. 
"We... we made it," said Annie. Her teeth were chattering, too. 
"I know," said Jack. "But where are we?" He peered at the foggy darkness. 
Where was the drawbridge? The windmill? The hawk house? The grove of trees? The tree house? 
Everything had been swallowed up by the thick, soupy darkness. 
Jack reached into his wet backpack and pulled out the flashlight. He pushed the switch. No more light. 
They were trapped. Not in a dungeon. But in the still, cold darkness. 
"Neeee-hhhh!" 
A horse's whinny. 
Just then the clouds parted. A full moon was shining in the sky. A pool of light spread through the mist. 
Then Jack and Annie saw him just a few feet away. The knight. 
He sat on the black horse. His armor shone in the moonlight. A visor hid his face. But he seemed to be staring straight at Jack and Annie. 
9. Under the Moon 
Jack froze. 
"It's him," Annie whispered. 
The knight held out his gloved hand. 
"Come on, Jack," Annie said. 
"Where are you going?" said Jack. 
"He wants to help us," said Annie. 
"How do you know?" 
"I can just tell," said Annie. 
Annie stepped toward the horse. The knight dismounted. The knight picked Annie up and put her on the back of his horse. 
"Come on, Jack," she called. 
Jack moved slowly toward the knight. It was like a dream. 
The knight picked him up, too. He placed Jack on the horse, behind Annie. 
The knight got on behind them. He slapped the reins. 
The black horse cantered beside the moonlit water of the moat. 
Jack rocked back and forth in the saddle. The wind blew his hair. He felt very brave and very powerful. He felt as if he could ride forever on this horse, with this mysterious knight. 
Over the ocean. Over the world. Over the moon. 
A hawk shrieked in the darkness. 
"There's the tree house," said Annie. She pointed toward a grove of trees. 
The knight steered the horse toward the trees. 
"See. There it is," Annie said, pointing to the ladder. 
The knight brought his horse to a stop. He dismounted and helped Annie down. 
"Thank you, sir," she said. And she bowed. 
Then Jack. "Thank you," he said. And he bowed also. 
The knight got back on his horse. He raised his gloved hand. Then he slapped the reins and rode off through the mist. 
Annie started up the tall ladder, and Jack followed. They climbed into the dark tree house and looked out the window. 
The knight was riding toward the outer wall. They saw him go through the outer gate. 
Clouds started to cover the moon again. 
For a brief moment, Jack thought he saw the knight's armor gleaming on the top of a hill beyond the castle. 
The clouds covered the moon completely. And a black mist swallowed the land. 
"He's gone," whispered Annie. 
Jack shivered in his wet clothes as he kept staring at the blackness. 
"I'm cold," said Annie. "Where's the Pennsylvania book?" 
Jack heard Annie fumble in the darkness. He kept looking out the window. 
"I think this is it," said Annie. "I feel a silk bookmark." 
Jack was only half-listening. He was hoping to see the knight's armor gleam again in the distance. 
"Okay. I'm going to use this," said Annie. "Because I think it's the right one. Here goes. Okay. I'm pointing. I'm going to wish. I wish we could go to Frog Creek!" 
Jack heard the wind begin to blow. Softly at first. 
"I hope I pointed to the right picture in the right book," said Annie. 
"What?" Jack looked back at her. "Right picture? Right book?" 
The tree house began to rock. The wind got louder and louder. 
"I hope it wasn't the dinosaur book!" said Annie. 
"Stop!" Jack shouted at the tree house. 
Too late. 
The tree house started to spin. It was spinning and spinning! 
The wind was screaming. 
Then suddenly there was silence. 
Absolute silence. 
10. One Mystery Solved 
The air was warm. It was dawn. Far away a dog barked. 
"I think that's Henry barking!" Annie said. "We did come home." 
They both looked out the tree house window. 
"That was close," said Jack. 
In the distance, streetlights lit their street. There was a light on in their upstairs window. 
"Uh-oh," said Annie. "I think Mom and Dad are up. Hurry!" 
"Wait." In a daze, Jack unzipped his backpack. He pulled out the castle book. It was quite wet. But Jack placed it back with all the other books. 
"Come on! Hurry!" said Annie, scooting out of the tree house. 
Jack followed her down the ladder. They reached the ground and took off between the gray-black trees. They left the woods and ran down their deserted street. They got to their yard and crept across the lawn. Right up to the back door. Jack and Annie slipped inside the house. 
"They're not downstairs yet," whispered Annie. 
"Shhh," said Jack. 
He led the way up the stairs and down the hall. No sign of his mom or dad. But he could hear water running in the bathroom. Their house was so different from the dark, cold castle. So safe and cozy and friendly. 
Annie stopped at her bedroom door. She gave Jack a smile, then disappeared inside her room. 
Jack hurried into his room. He took off his damp clothes and pulled on his dry, soft pajamas. 
He sat down on his bed and unzipped his backpack. He took out his wet notebook. He felt around for the pencil, but his hand touched something else. 
Jack pulled the blue leather bookmark out of his pack. It must have fallen out of the castle book. 
Jack held the bookmark close to his lamp and studied it. The leather was smooth and worn. It seemed ancient. 
For the first time Jack noticed a letter on the bookmark, a fancy M. 
Jack opened the drawer next to his bed. He took out the gold medallion. He looked at the letter on it. It was the same M. 
Now this was an amazing new fact. Jack took a deep breath. One mystery solved. 
The person who had dropped the gold medallion in the time of the dinosaurs was the same person who owned all the books in the tree house. 
Who was this person? 
Jack placed the bookmark next to the medallion. He closed the drawer. 
He picked up his pencil. He turned to the least wet page in his notebook. 
And he started to write down this new fact: The same 
But before he could draw the M, his eyes closed. 
He dreamed they were with the knight again. All three of them riding the black horse through the cool, dark night.
Beyond the outer wall of the castle. 
And up over a moonlit hill. 
Into the mist. 
1. Meow! 
"It's still here," said Jack.
"It looks empty," said Annie.
Jack and his seven-year-old sister gazed up at a very tall oak tree. At the top of the tree was a tree house. 
Late-morning sunlight lit the woods. It was almost time for lunch.
"Shhh!" said Jack. "What was that noise?" 
"What noise?"
"I heard a noise," Jack said. He looked around. "It sounded like someone coughing."
"I didn't hear anything," said Annie. "Come on. Let's go up."
She grabbed onto the rope ladder and started climbing. 
Jack tiptoed over to a clump of bushes. He pushed aside a small branch.
"Hello?" he said. "Anybody there?"
There was no answer.
"Come on!" Annie called down. "The tree house looks the same as it did yesterday."
Jack still felt that someone was nearby. Could it be the person who'd put all the book s in the tree house?
"Ja-ack!"
Jack gazed over the top of the bushes.
Was the mysterious person watching him now? The person whose name began with M?
Maybe M wanted the gold medallion back. The one Jack had found on their dinosaur adventure. Maybe M wanted the leather bookmark back. The one from the castle book. 
There was an M on the medallion. And an M on the bookmark. But what did M stand for?
"Tomorrow I'll bring everything back," Jack said loudly.
A breeze swept through the woods. The leaves rattled.
"Come on!" called Annie. 
Jack went back to the big oak tree. He grabbed onto the rope ladder and climbed up. 
At the top he crawled through a hole in the wooden floor. He tossed down his backpack and pushed his glasses into place.
"Hmmm. Which book is it going t o be today?" said Annie.
She was looking at the books scattered around the tree house.
Annie picked up the book about castles.
"Hey, this isn't wet anymore," she said.
"Let me see."
Jack took the book from her. He was amazed. It looked fine. Yesterday it had gotten soaked in a castle moat. 
The castle book had taken Jack and Annie back to the time of knights.
Jack silently thanked the mysterious knight who had rescued them.
"Watch out!" warned Annie.
She waved a dinosaur book in Jack's face.
"Put that away," said Jack.
The day before yesterday the dinosaur book had taken them to the time of dinosaurs.
Jack silently thanked the Pteranodon who had saved him from a Tyrannosaurus rex.
Annie put the dinosaur book back with the other books. Then she gasped.
"Wow," she whispered. "Look at this."
She held up a book about ancient Egypt. Jack caught his breath. He took the book from her. A green silk bookmark stuck out of it.
Jack turned to the page with the bookmark. There was a picture of a pyramid.
Going toward the pyramid was a long parade. Four huge cows with horns were pulling a sled. On the sled was a long gold box. Many Egyptians were walking behind the sled. At the end of the parade was a sleek black cat.
"let's go there," whispered Annie. "Now."
"Wait," said Jack. He wanted t o study the book a bit more.
"Pyramids, Jack," said Annie. "You love pyramids."
It was true. Pyramids were high on his list of favorite things. After knights, but before dinosaurs. Way before dinosaurs. He didn't have to worry about being eaten by a pyramid.
"Okay," he said. "But hold the Pennsylvania book. In case we want to come right back here."
Annie found the book with the picture of their hometown in it. Frog Creek, Pennsylvania. Then Jack pointed to the pyramid picture in the Egypt book. He cleared his throat and said, "I wish we could go to this place. "
"Meow!"
"What was that?" Jack looked out the tree house window.
A black cat was perched on a branch. Right outside the window. The cat was staring at Jack and Annie.
It was the strangest cat Jack had ever seen. He was very sleek and dark. With bright yellow eyes. And a wide gold collar.
"It's the cat in the Egypt book," whispered Annie.
Just then the wind started to blow. The leaves began to shake.
"Here we go!" cried Annie.
The wind whistled louder. The leaves shook harder.
Jack closed his eyes as the tree house started to spin.
It spun faster and faster! And faster!
Suddenly everything was still, absolutely still.
Not a sound. Not a whisper.
Jack opened his eyes. 
Hot bright sunlight nearly blinded him.
"Me-ow!"
2. Oh, Man. Mummies! 
Jack and Annie looked out the window.
The tree house was perched on the top of a palm tree. The tree stood with other palm trees. A patch of green surrounded by a sandy desert.
"Meow!"
Jack and Annie looked down. The black cat was sitting at the base of the tree.
His yellow eyes were staring up at Jack and Annie.
"Hi!" Annie shouted.
"Shhh," said Jack. "Someone might hear you."
"In the middle of the desert?" said Annie.
The black cat stood and began walking around the tree.
"Come back!" Annie called. She leaned out the window to see where the cat was going.
"Oh, wow!" she said. "Look, Jack."
Jack leaned forward and looked down. 
The cat was running away from the palm trees toward a giant pyramid in the desert. 
A parade was going toward the pyramid. The same parade as in the Egypt book.
"It's the picture from the book!" said Jack.
"What are those people doing?" asked Annie.
Jack looked down at the Egypt book. He read the words under the picture: When a royal person died, a grand funeral procession took place. Family, servants, and mourners followed the coffin. The coffin was called a sarcophagus. It was pulled on a sled by four oxen.
"It's an Egyptian funeral," said Jack. "The box is called a sar... sar... sar... oh, forget it."
He looked out the window again.
Oxen, sled, Egyptians, black cat. All were moving in a slow, dreamy way.
"I'd better make some notes about this," said Jack.
He reached into his backpack and pulled out his notebook. Jack always kept notes.
"Wait," said Jack. And he wrote: Coffin called sarcophagus
"We'd better hurry," said Annie, "if we want to see the mummy."
She started down the rope ladder.
Jack looked up from his notebook.
"Mummy?" he said.
"There's probably a mummy in that gold box," Annie called up. "We're in ancient Egypt. Remember?"
Jack loved mummies. He put down his pencil.
"Good-bye, Jack!" called Annie.
"Wait!" Jack called. 
"Mummies!" Annie shouted.
"Oh, man" said Jack weakly. "Mummies!" She sure knew how to get to him.
Jack shoved his notebook and the Egypt book into his pack. Then he started down the ladder. 
When he got t o the ground, he and Annie took off across the sand. But as they ran a strange thing happened. The closer they got to the parade, the harder it was to see it. Then suddenly it was gone. The strange parade had disappeared. Vanished.
But the great stone pyramid was still there, towering above them.
Panting, Jack looked around.
What had happened? Where were the people? The oxen? The gold box? The cat?
"They're gone," said Annie.
"Where did they go?" said Jack.
"Maybe they were ghosts," said Annie.
"Don't be silly. There's no such thing as ghosts," said Jack. "It must have been a mirage."
"A what?"
"Mirage. It happens in the desert all the time," said Jack. "It looks like something's there. But it just turns out to be the sunlight reflecting through heat."
"How could sunlight look like people, a mummy box, and a bunch of cows?" said Annie.
Jack frowned.
"Ghosts," she said.
"No way," said Jack.
"Look!" Annie pointed at the pyramid. Near the base was the sleek black cat. 
He was standing alone. He was staring at Jack and Annie.
"He's no mirage," said Annie.
The cat started to slink away. He walked along the base of the pyramid and slid around a corner.
"Where's he going?" said Jack.
"Let's find out," said Annie.
They dashed around the corner -- just in time to see the cat disappear through a hole in the pyramid.
3. It's Alive!
"Where did he go?" said Jack.
He and Annie peeked through the hole.
They saw a long hallway. Burning torches lit the walls. Dark shadows loomed.
"Let's go in," said Annie.
"Wait," said Jack.
He pulled out the Egypt book and turned to the section on pyramids.
He read the caption aloud: Pyramids were sometimes called Houses of the Dead. They were nearly all solid stone, except for the burial chambers deep inside.
"Wow. Let's go there. To the burial chambers," said Annie. "I bet a mummy's there."
Jack took a deep breath.
Then he stepped out of the hot, bright sunlight into the cool, dark pyramid.
The hallway was silent.
Floor, ceiling, walls -- everything was stone.
The floor slanted up from where they stood.
"We have to go farther inside," said Annie.
"Right," said Jack. "But stay close behind me. Don't talk. Don't -- "
"Go! Just go!" said Annie. She gave him a little push.
Jack started up the slanting floor of the hallway.
Where was the cat?
The hallway went on and on.
"Wait," said Jack. "I want to look at the book."
He opened the Egypt book again. He held it below a torch on the wall. The book showed a picture of the inside of the pyramid.
"The burial chamber is in the middle of the pyramid. See?" Jack said. He pointed to the picture. "It seems to be straight ahead."
Jack tucked the book under his arm. Then they headed deeper into the pyramid.
Soon the floor became flat. The air felt different. Musty and stale. 
Jack opened the book again. "I think we're almost at the burial chamber. See the picture? The hallway slants up. Then it gets flat. Then you come to the chamber. See, look -- "
"Eee-eee!" A strange cry shot through the pyramid.
Jack dropped the Egypt book.
Out of the shadows flew a white figure.
It swooshed toward them!
A mummy!
"It's alive!" Annie shouted.
4. Back from the Dead
Jack pulled Annie down.
The white figure moved swiftly past them. Then disappeared into the shadows.
"A mummy," said Annie, "Back from the dead!"
"F-forget it," stammered Jack. "Mummies aren't alive." He picked up the Egypt book.
"What's this?" said Annie. She lifted something from the floor. "Look. The mummy dropped this thing."
It was a gold stick about a foot long. A dog's head was carved on one end. 
"It looks like a scepter," said Jack.
"What's that?" asked Annie.
"It's a thing kings and queens carry," said Jack. "It means they have power over the people."
"Come back, mummy!" Annie called. "We found your scepter. Come back! We want to help you!"
"Shush!" said Jack. "Are you nuts?"
"But the mummy -- "
"That was no mummy," said Jack. "It was a person. A real person."
"What kind of person would be inside a pyramid?" asked Annie.
"I don't know," said Jack. "Maybe the book can help us."
He flipped through the book. At last he found a picture of a person in a pyramid. 
He read: Tomb robbers often carried off the treasure buried with mummies. False passages were sometimes built to stop the robbers.
Jack closed the book.
"No live mummy," he said. "Just a tomb robber."
"Yikes. A tomb robber?" said Annie.
"Yeah, a robber who steals stuff from tombs."
"But what if the robber comes back," said Annie. "We'd better leave."
"Right," said Jack. "But first I want to write something down." 
He put the Egypt book into his pack. He pulled out his notebook and pencil.
He started writing in his notebook: Tomb robber
"Jack -- " said Annie.
"Just a second." said jack. He kept writing: Tomb robber tried to steal
"Jack! Look!" said Annie.
Jack felt a whoosh of cold air. He looked up. A wave of terror went through him. 
Another figure was moving slowly toward them. It wasn't a tomb robber. No. It was a lady, a beautiful Egyptian lady.
She wore flowers in her black hair. Her long white dress had many tiny pleats. Her gold jewelry glittered.
"Here, Jack," Annie whispered. "Give her this." She handed him the gold scepter.
The lady stopped in front of them.
Jack held out the scepter. His hand was trembling.
He gasped. The scepter passed right through the lady's hand.
She was made of air.
5. The Ghost-Queen
"A ghost," Annie whispered.
But Jack could only stare in horror.
The ghost began to speak. She spoke in a hollow, echoing voice.
"I am Hutepi," she said, "Queen of the Nile. Is it true that you have come to help me?"
"Yes," said Annie.
Jack still couldn't speak.
"For a thousand years," said the ghost-queen, "I have waited for help."
Jack's heart was pounding so hard that he thought he might faint.
"Someone must find my Book of the Dead," she said. "I need it to go on to the Next Life."
"Why do you need the Book of the Dead?" asked Annie. She didn't sound scared at all.
"It will tell me the magic spells I need to get through the Underworld," said the ghost-queen.
"The Underworld?" said Annie.
"Before I journey on to the Next Life, I must pass through the horrors of the Underworld."
"What kinds of horrors?" Annie asked.
"Poisonous snakes," said the ghost-queen. "Lakes of fire. Monsters. Demons."
"Oh." Annie stepped closer to Jack.
"My brother hid the Book of the Dead. So tomb robbers would not steal it," said the ghost-queen. "Then he carved this secret message on the wall, telling me how to find it."
She pointed t o the wall.
Jack was still in shock. He couldn't move.
"Where?" asked Annie. "Here?" She squinted at the wall. "What do these tiny pictures mean?"
The ghost-queen smiled sadly. "Alas, my brother forgot my strange problem. I cannot see clearly that which is close to my eyes. I have not been able to read his message for a thousand years."
"Oh, that's not a strange problem," said Annie. "Jack can't see anything either. That's why he wears glasses."
The ghost-queen stared in wonder at Jack.
"Jack, lend her your glasses," said Annie.
Jack took his glasses off his nose. He held them out to the ghost-queen.
She backed away from him. "I fear I cannot wear your glasses, Jack," she said. "I am made of air."
"Oh. I forgot," said Annie.
"But perhaps you will describe the hieroglyphs on these walls," said the ghost-queen.
"Hi-row-who?" said Annie.
"Hieroglyphs!" said Jack, finally finding his voice. "It's the ancient Egyptian way of writing. It's like writing with pictures."
The ghost-queen smiled at him. "Thank you, Jack," she said.
Jack smiled back at her. He put his glasses on. Then he stepped toward the wall and took a good long look.
"Oh, man," he whispered.
6. The Writing on the Wall
Jack and Annie squinted at the pyramid wall.
A series of tiny pictures were carved into the stone.
"There are four pictures here," Jack told the ghost-queen.
"Describe them to me, Jack. One at a time, please," she said.
Jack studied the first picture.
"Okay," he said. "The first one is like this." He made a zigzag in the air with his finger.
"Like stairs?" asked the ghost-queen.
"Yes, stairs!" said Jack. "Just like stairs."
She nodded.
Easy enough.
Jack studied the second picture.
"The second one has a long box on the bottom," he said. He drew it in the air.
The ghost-queen looked puzzled.
"With three things on top. Like this," said Annie. She drew squiggly lines in the air.
The ghost-queen still seemed puzzled.
"Like a hat," said Jack.
"Hat?" said the ghost-queen.
"No. More like a boat," said Annie.
"Boat?" said the ghost-queen. She got excited. "Boat?"
Jack took another look at the wall.
"Yes. It could be a boat," he said.
The ghost-queen looked very happy. She smiled.
"Yes. Of course," she said.
Jack and Annie studied the next picture.
"The third one is like a thing that holds flowers," said Annie.
"Or a thing that holds water," said Jack.
"Like a jug?" asked the ghost-queen.
"Exactly," said Jack.
"Yes. A jug," said Annie.
Jack and Annie studied the last picture.
"And the last one looks like a pole that droops," said Annie.
"Like a curved stick," said Jack. "But one side is shorter than the other."
The ghost-queen looked puzzled.
"Wait," said Jack. "I'll draw it in my notebook. Big! So you can see it."
Jack put down the scepter and got out his pencil. He drew the hieroglyph.
"A folded cloth," said the ghost-queen.
"Well, not really," said Jack. He studied his drawing.
"But that is the hieroglyph for a folded cloth," said the ghost-queen.
"Well, okay," said Jack.
He looked at the fourth hieroglyph again. He still couldn't see the folded cloth. Unless it was like a towel hanging over a bathroom rod.
"So that's all of them," said Annie. She pointed at each picture. "Stairs. Boat. Jug. Folded cloth."
Jack wrote the words in his notebook.
"So what does the message mean?" he asked the ghost-queen.
"Come," she said. She held out her hand. "Come to my burial chambers."
And she floated away.
7. The Scroll
Jack put the scepter and his notebook and pencil into his pack.
He and Annie followed the ghost-queen. Deeper into the pyramid. Until they came to some stairs. 
"The STAIRS!" said Jack and Annie.
The ghost-queen floated up the stairs.
Jack and Annie followed.
The ghost-queen floated right through a wooden door.
Jack and Annie pushed on the door. It opened slowly.
They stepped into a cold, drafty room.
The ghost-queen was nowhere in sight.
Dim torchlight lit the huge room. It had a very high ceiling. On one side was a pile of tables, chairs, and musical instruments.
On the other side of the room was a small wooden boat.
"The BOAT!" said Jack.
"What's it doing inside Queen Hutepi's pyramid?" asked Annie.
"Maybe it's supposed to carry her to the Next Life," said Jack.
He and Annie went over to the boat. They looked inside it.
The boat was filled with many things. Gold plates. Painted cups. Jeweled goblets. Woven baskets. Jewelry with blue stones. Small wooden statues.
"Look!" said Jack.
He reached into the boat and lifted out a clay jug.
"The JUG!" said Annie.
Jack looked inside the jug.
"Something's in here," he said.
"What is it?" asked Annie.
Jack felt down inside the jug.
"It feels like a big napkin," he said.
"The FOLDED CLOTH!" said Annie.
Jack reached into the jug and pulled out the folded cloth. It was wrapped around an ancient-looking scroll.
Jack slowly unrolled the scroll.
It was covered with wonderful hieroglyphs.
"The Book of the Dead!" whispered Annie. "We found it. We found her book."
"Oh, man." Jack traced his finger over the scroll. It felt like very old paper.
"Queen Hutepi!" called Annie. "We have it! We found your Book of the Dead!"
Silence.
"Queen Hutepi!"
Then another door on the other side of the chamber creaked open.
"In there," said Annie. "Maybe she's in there."
Jack's heart was pounding. Cold air was coming through the open doorway.
"Come on," said Annie.
"Wait -- "
"No," said Annie. "She's waited a thousand years for her book. Don't make her wait anymore."
Jack put the ancient scroll into his back pack. Then he and Annie slowly started to cross the drafty room. They came to the open door. Annie went through first.
"Hurry, Jack!" she said.
Jack stepped into the other room.
It was nearly bare. Except for a long gold box. The box was open. The cover was on the floor.
"Queen Hutepi?" called Annie.
Silence.
"We found it," said Annie. "Your Book of the Dead."
There was still no sign of the ghost-queen.
The gold box glowed.
Jack could barely breathe. "Let's leave the scroll on the floor. And go," he said.
"No. I think we should leave it in there," said Annie. She pointed to the gold box.
"No," said Jack.
"Don't be afraid," said Annie. "Come on."
Annie took Jack by the arm. They walked together. Across the room. To the glowing gold box.
They stopped in front of the box. And they peered inside.
8. The Mummy
A real mummy.
Bandages were still wrapped around the bald skull. But most of the bandages had come off the face.
It was Hutepi. Queen of the Nile.
Her broken teeth were showing. Her little wrinkled ears. Her squashed nose. Her withered flesh. Her hollow eye sockets.
Plus the rotting bandages on her body were coming off. You could see bones.
"Oh, gross!" cried Annie. "Let's go!"
"No," said Jack. "It's interesting."
"Forget it!" said Annie. She started out of the room.
"Wait, Annie."
"Come on, Jack. Hurry!" cried Annie. She was standing by the door.
Jack pulled out the Egypt book and flipped to a picture of a mummy. He read aloud: Ancient Egyptians tried to protect the body so it would last forever. First it was dried out with salt.
"Ugh, stop!" said Annie.
"Listen," said Jack. He kept reading: Next it was covered with oil. Then it was wrapped tightly in bandages. The brain was removed by -- 
"Yuck! Stop!" cried Annie. "Good-bye!" She dashed out of the room.
"Annie!" called Jack. "We have to give her the Book of the Dead!"
But Annie was gone.
Jack reached into his pack. He pulled out the scroll and the scepter. He put them next to the mummy's skull.
Was it just his imagination? Or did a deep sigh seem to shudder throughout the room? Did the mummy's face grow calmer?
Jack held his breath as he backed away. Out of the mummy room. Out of the boat room. Down the stairs.
At the bottom of the stairs, he heaved his own sigh. A sigh of relief.
He looked down the hallway. It was empty.
"Hey! Where are you?" he said.
No answer.
Where in the world was Annie?
Jack started down the hallway.
"Annie!" he called.
Had she run out of the pyramid? Was she already outside?
"Annie!"
"Help, Jack!" came a cry. The voice sounded far away.
It was Annie! Where was she?
"Help, Jack!"
"Annie!"
Jack started to run. Along the shadowy hallway. 
"Help, Jack!" Her cry seemed fainter.
Jack stopped.
He was running away from her voice.
"Annie!" he called. He went back toward the burial chambers.
"Jack!"
There! Her voice was louder.
"Jack!"
Even louder!
Jack climbed the stairs. He went back into the boat room.
He looked around the room. At the furniture, the musical instruments, the boat.
Then he saw it. Another door! Right next to the door he had just come through.
The other door was open.
Jack dashed through it. He found himself at the top of some stairs.
They were just like the stairs in the other hallway.
He went down into the hallway. It was lit by torches on the wall.
It was just like the other hallway.
"Annie!" he called.
"Jack!"
"Annie!"
"Jack!"
She was running through the hallway toward him.
She crashed into him.
"I was lost!" she cried.
"I think this is one of those false passages. Built to fool the tomb robbers," said Jack.
"A false passage?" said Annie, panting.
"Yeah, it looks just like the right hallway," said Jack. "We have to go back into the boat room. And out the right door."
Just then they heard a creaking noise.
Jack and Annie turned around. They looked up the stairs.
Then they watched in horror as the door slowly creaked shut.
A deep sound rumbled in the distance. And all the torches went out.
9. Follow the Leader
It was pitch dark.
"What happened?" asked Annie.
"I don't know. Something weird," said Jack. "We have to get out of here fast. Push against the door."
"Good idea," said Annie in a small voice.
They felt their way through the darkness to the top of the stairs.
"Don't worry. Everything's going to be okay," said Jack. He was trying to stay calm. 
"Of course," said Annie.
They leaned against the wooden door and pushed.
It wouldn't budge.
They pushed harder.
No use.
Jack took a deep breath. It was getting harder to breathe. And harder to stay calm.
"What can we do?" asked Annie.
"Just... just rest a moment," said Jack, panting.
His heart was pounding as he tried to see through the darkness.
"Maybe we should start down the hall," he said. "Maybe we'll eventually come to... to an exit."
He wasn't sure about that. But they had no choice.
"Come on," he said. "Feel the wall."
Jack felt the stone wall as he climbed slowly down the stairs. Annie followed.
Jack started down the dark hallway. It was impossible to see anything.
But he kept going. Taking one step at a time. Moving his hands along the wall.
He went around a corner. He went around another corner. He came to some stairs. He went up.
There was a door. He pushed against it. Annie pushed too. This door wouldn't budge either.
Was this the same door they had started at?
It was no use. They were trapped. 
Annie took his hand in the dark. She squeezed it. They stood together at the top of the stairs. Listening to the silence.
"Meow."
"Oh, man," Jack whispered.
"He's back!" said Annie.
"Meow."
"Follow him!" cried Jack. "He's going away from us."
They started down the dark hallway. Following the cat's meow.
Hands against the wall, Jack and Annie stumbled through the darkness.
"Meow."
They followed the sound. All the way through the winding hallway. Down, down, down.
Around one corner, then another. And another...
Finally they saw a light at the end of the tunnel. They rushed forward -- out into the bright sunlight.
"Yay!" Annie shouted.
But Jack was thinking.
"Annie," he said. "How did we get out of the false passage?"
"The cat," said Annie.
"But how could the cat do it?" asked Jack.
"Magic," said Annie.
Jack frowned. "But -- "
"Look!" said Annie. She pointed. The cat was bounding away. Over the sand.
"Thank you!" called Annie.
"Thanks!" Jack shouted at the cat.
His black tail waved. Then he disappeared in the shimmering waves of heat.
Jack looked toward the palm trees. At the top of one sat the tree house. Like a bird's nest.
"Time to go home," Jack said.
He and Annie set off for the palm trees. It was a long hot walk back. At last Annie grabbed onto the rope ladder. Then Jack.
Once they were inside the tree house, Jack reached for the book about Pennsylvania. Just then he heard a rumbling sound. The same sound they had heard in the pyramid.
"Look!" Annie said, pointing out the window.
Jack looked.
A boat was beside the pyramid. It was gliding over the sand, like a boat sailing over the sea. Then it faded away. Into the distance.
Was it just a mirage? Or was the ghost-queen finally on her way to the Next Life?
"Home, Jack," whispered Annie.
Jack opened the Pennsylvania book. He pointed to the picture of Frog Creek.
"I wish we could go home," he said. 
The wind began to blow.
The leaves began to shake.
The wind blew harder. It whistled louder.
The tree house started to spin.
It spun faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely silent.
10. Another Clue 
Late-morning sunlight shone through the tree house window. Shadows danced on the walls and ceiling.
Jack took a deep breath. He was lying on the floor of the tree house. 
"I wonder what Mom's making for lunch," said Annie. She was looking out the window.
Jack smiled. Lunch. Mom. Home. It all sounded so real. So calm and safe.
"I hope it's peanut butter and jelly sandwiches," he said. He closed his eyes. The wood floor felt cool.
"Boy, this place is a mess," said Annie. "We'd better make it neater. In case M comes back."
Jack had almost forgotten about M. Would they ever meet the mysterious M? The person who seemed to own all the books in the tree house?
"Let's put the Egypt book on the bottom of the pile," said Annie.
"Good idea," said Jack. He needed a rest before he visited any more ancient tombs.
"Let's put the dinosaur book on top of the Egypt book," said Annie.
"Yeah, good," said Jack. And a long rest before he visited another Tyrannosaurus rex.
"The castle book can go on the very top of the pile," said Annie.
Jack nodded and smiled. He liked thinking about the knight on the cover of the castle book. He felt as if the knight were his friend.
"Jack," said Annie. "Look!"
Jack opened his eyes. She was pointing at the wooden floor.
"What is it?" he asked.
"You have to see for yourself."
Jack groaned as he got up. He stood next to Annie and looked at the floor.
He didn't see anything.
"Turn your head a little," said Annie. "You have to catch the light just right."
Jack tipped his head to one side. Something was shining on the floor. He tipped his head a bit more. 
A letter came into focus. The letter M! It shimmered in the sunlight. This proved the tree house belonged to M. Absolutely for sure. No question. No doubt about it. 
Jack touched the M with his finger. His skin tingled. Just then the leaves trembled. The wind picked up.
"Let's go down now," he said.
Jack grabbed his backpack. Then he and Annie climbed down the ladder.
As they stood on the ground below the tree house, Jack heard a sound in the bushes.
"Who's there?" he called.
The woods grew still.
"I'm going to bring the medallion back soon," Jack said loudly. "And the bookmark, too. Both of them. Tomorrow!"
"Who are you talking to?" asked Annie.
"I feel like M is nearby," Jack whispered.
Annie's eyes grew wide. "Should we look for him?"
But just then their mother's voice came from the distance. "Ja-ack! An-nie!"
Jack and Annie looked around at the trees. Then they looked at each other.
"Tomorrow," they said together.
And they took off, running out of the woods.
They ran down their street.
They ran across their yard.
They ran into their house.
They ran into their kitchen.
They ran right into their mom.
She was making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
1. Too Late! 
Jack stared out his bedroom window. 
The rain kept falling and falling. 
"The TV said it would stop by noon," said Annie, his seven-year-old sister. 
"It's already past noon," said Jack. 
"But we have to go to the tree house," said Annie. "I have a feeling the M person will be there today." 
Jack pushed his glasses into place and took a deep breath. He wasn't sure he was ready to meet the M person yet. The mysterious person who had put all the books in the magic tree house. 
"Come on," said Annie. 
Jack sighed. "Okay," he said. "You get our raincoats and boots. I'll get the medallion and bookmark." 
Annie ran to get their rain gear. 
Jack reached into his drawer. He took out the medallion. 
It was gold. The letter M was engraved on it.
Then he took out the bookmark. It was made of blue leather. It had the same M on it. Both M's matched the M that was on the floor of the tree house. 
Jack put the medallion and bookmark into his backpack. Then he threw in his notebook and pencil. Jack liked to take notes about important things. 
"I got our rain stuff!" called Annie. 
Jack picked up his pack and went downstairs. Annie was waiting by the back door. She was putting on her boots. "Meet you outside," she said. 
Jack pulled on his raincoat and boots. Then he put on his backpack and joined her. 
The wind was blowing hard. 
"Ready! Set! Go!" shouted Annie. 
They kept their heads down and charged into the rainy wind. 
Soon they were in the Frog Creek woods. 
Tree branches swayed, flinging rainwater everywhere. 
"Yuck!" said Annie. 
They splashed through puddles. Until they came to the tallest oak tree in the woods. 
They looked up. 
Tucked between two branches was the tree house. It looked dark and lonely against the stormy sky. Hanging from the tree house was a rope ladder. It was blowing in the wind. 
Jack thought of all the books up there. He hoped they weren't getting wet. 
"The M person's been there," said Annie. 
Jack caught his breath. "How can you tell?" he said. 
"I can feel it," she whispered. 
She grabbed the rope ladder and started up. Jack followed. 
Inside the tree house it was chilly and damp. 
But the books were dry. They were all neatly stacked along the wall. Just the way they had been the day before. 
Annie picked up a castle book on top of one stack. It had taken them to the time of castles. 
"Remember the knight?" she said. 
Jack nodded. He would never forget the knight who had helped them. 
Annie put down the castle book. She picked up the next book on the stack. 
It was the dinosaur book that had taken them to the time of dinosaurs. 
"Remember?" she said. 
Jack nodded. He'd never forget the Pteranodon who had saved him from the Tyrannosaurus rex. 
Then Annie held up a book about ancient Egypt. 
"Meow," she said. 
Jack smiled. The Egypt book had taken them to the time of pyramids. A black cat had come to the rescue there. 
"And here's the book about home," Annie said. 
She held up the book with the picture of their hometown in it. Frog Creek, Pennsylvania. 
Jack smiled again. The Pennsylvania book had brought them back home at the end of each of their adventures. 
Jack sighed. Okay. He still had two main questions. 
Who was the M person who had put all the books here? 
And did the knight, the Pteranodon, and the cat all know the M person? 
Finally, Jack reached into his backpack. He took out the gold medallion and the leather bookmark. He placed them on the floor. Right over the spot where the M glowed faintly in the wood. 
Rain blew into the tree house. 
"Brr!" said Annie. "It's not very cozy today." 
Jack agreed with her. It was too wet and cold. 
"Look." Annie pointed to an open book lying in the corner. "I don't remember a book being open." 
"Me neither," said Jack. 
Annie picked up the book. She stared at the picture on the page. 
"Wow, this place looks great." she showed the picture to Jack. 
He saw a sunny beach. A big green parrot sitting in a palm tree. And a ship sailing on a blue sea. 
Another gust of rainy wind blew into the tree house. 
Annie pointed to the picture. "I wish we were there instead of here," she said. 
"Yeah," said Jack. "But where is there?" 
"Too late!" came a squawk. 
Jack and Annie turned quickly. 
Sitting on a branch outside the window ledge of the tree house was a green parrot. Exactly like the parrot in the picture. 
"Too late!" the parrot squawked again. 
"A talking parrot!" said Annie. 
"Is your name Polly? Can I call you Polly?" 
Suddenly the wind started to whistle. 
"Oh no! Now we're in big trouble!" said Jack. 
The wind blew harder. 
The leaves shook.
The tree house started to spin. Faster and faster! 
Jack squeezed his eyes shut. 
Then everything was still. 
Absolutely still. 
Jack opened his eyes. 
"Too late!" squawked Polly. 
2. The Bright Blue Sea 
Jack felt hot sunlight streaming into the tree house. 
He smelled saltwater. 
He heard the sound of waves. 
He and Annie looked out the window. 
The tree house was in a palm tree. Beyond was a bright blue sea. A tall sailing ship was on the horizon. It was just like the picture in the book. 
"Too late!" squawked Polly. 
"Look!" said Annie. 
Polly was flying in circles above the tree house. Then she swooped down to the ocean. 
"Come on, let's follow her! Let's go in the water!" said Annie. She took off her raincoat and dropped it on the floor. 
"Wait, we have to study the book first," said Jack. 
He started to reach for the book. But Annie grabbed it. 
"You can read it on the beach," she said. Without even looking at the cover, she shoved the book into Jack's backpack. 
He sighed. Actually, the water did look wonderful. 
"Okay," Jack said. He took off his raincoat too. 
"Come on!" Annie handed Jack his backpack, then started down the ladder. 
Jack folded the raincoat and put it next to the stack of books. He put on his backpack. Then he went down the ladder. 
As soon as Annie hit the sand, she ran toward the ocean. Jack watched her wade into the water. She was still wearing her rain boots. 
"Your boots, Annie," called Jack. 
She shrugged. "They'll dry out," she said. 
Jack took off his boots and socks. He put them beside his pack. Then he rolled up his jeans. And ran across the hot sand into the waves. 
The water was warm and clear. Jack could see shells and tiny fishes. 
He shielded his eyes against the sun. And peered out at the sea. 
The tall sailing ship seemed a bit closer.
"Where's Polly?" said Annie. 
Jack glanced around. No sign of Polly. Not in the palm trees. Not on the sunlit sand. Not over the bright blue sea. 
When Jack looked out at the sea again, the ship seemed even closer. Now Jack could see its flag. As he stared at the ship's flag, a chill went through him. 
The flag was black. With a skull and crossbones. 
"Oh man," he breathed. He started out of the water. 
"What's wrong?" said Annie. She splashed after him. 
Jack ran to his backpack. Annie followed. 
He grabbed the book from his backpack. He looked at the cover. 
For the first time, he and Annie read the title of the book. 
"Yikes!" said Annie. 
"Pirates of the Caribbean," Jack read aloud. 
3. Three Men in a Boat 
"We've come to the time of pirates!" Jack said. 
"Pirates?" squeaked Annie. "Like in Peter Pan?" 
Jack flipped to the picture that showed the parrot, the sea and the ship. He read the caption under the picture: 
Three hundred years ago, pirates raided Spanish treasure ships in the Caribbean Sea. 
He grabbed his notebook and pencil from his pack. He wrote: Pirates in the Caribbean 
He turned to the next page. There was a picture of a pirate flag. He read: 
The skull-and-crossbones flag was called the Jolly Roger. 
"Let's go!" said Annie. 
"Wait!" said Jack. "I want to make a drawing of the flag." 
He propped the pirate book in the sand. He started drawing the Jolly Roger flag. 
"Don't copy the picture in the book," said Annie. "Look at the real thing." 
But Jack pushed his glasses into place and kept drawing. 
"Jack, some pirates are getting into a rowboat," said Annie. 
Jack kept drawing. 
"Jack, the boat's leaving the big ship," said Annie. 
"What?" Jack looked up. 
"Look." Annie pointed. 
Jack looked. He saw the rowboat coming toward the shore. 
"Run!" said Annie. She started running toward the tree house. 
Jack jumped up. His glasses fell off. 
"Hurry!" Annie called back to him. 
Jack went down on his knees. He felt for his glasses. Where were they? 
Jack saw something glinting in the sand. He reached for it. It was his glasses. He snatched them up. Then he threw his notebook and pencil into his pack. He put the pack on his back. 
He grabbed his boots and his socks. And he took off running. 
"Hurry! They're coming!" Annie was at the top of the rope ladder. 
Jack looked back at the sea. The pirates were closer to the shore. 
Suddenly Jack saw the pirate book. In all the confusion he had forgotten it. It was still propped in the sand. 
"Oh man, I forgot the book!" he said. He dropped his socks and boots below the tree house. 
"Come on, Jack!" Annie shouted. 
"I'll be right back!" Jack called. "I've got to get the book!" 
"Jack, forget it!" 
But Jack was already running toward the water. 
Jack grabbed the book. 
"Come back!" Annie shouted. 
Jack shoved the book into his backpack. 
Suddenly a giant wave carried the rowboat right onto the beach. 
"Run, Jack!" shouted Annie. 
Three big pirates splashed onto the sand. 
They had knives in their teeth. 
They had pistols in their belts. 
They charged toward Jack. 
"Run, Jack, run!" cried Annie. 
4. Vile Booty 
Jack started to run across the hot sand. He ran as fast as he could. 
But the pirates ran faster. 
Before Jack knew it, the biggest pirate had grabbed him! 
Jack struggled. But the pirate had huge, strong arms. He held on to Jack and laughed a mean, ugly laugh. He had a shaggy black beard, a patch-covered one eye. 
Jack heard Annie yelling. He saw her coming down the rope ladder. 
"Stay where you are!" Jack shouted. 
But Annie kept coming. "Leave him alone, you bully!" she cried. 
The other two pirates laughed meanly. They were dirty and ragged. 
Annie charged up to the biggest pirate. "Let him go!" she said. 
She hit the pirate with her fist and kicked him. But the pirate just growled. Then he grabbed her, too. And with his giant hands, he held Jack and Annie as if they were two kittens. 
"No one escapes Cap'n Bones!" he roared. His breath was terrible. 
"Let go!" Annie shouted into his face. 
But Cap'n Bones just smiled. All his teeth were black. 
Annie fell silent. 
Cap'n Bones laughed loudly. Then he turned to the other two. 
"Find out what's in their house, you dogs," he said. 
"Aye, aye, Cap'n!" they answered. And they started up the ladder to the tree house. 
"What do you spy, Pinky?" shouted Cap'n Bones. 
"Books, Cap'n!" Pinky shouted down. 
"Aghh, books," growled Cap'n Bones. He spit on the sand. "I want gold, you dogs!" 
"Dogs are nicer than you," said Annie. 
"Shhh," said Jack. 
"What about you, Stinky?" Cap'n Bones roared. 
"Just books, Cap'n!" shouted Stinky. 
"Aghh, books," said Cap'n Bones. He spit on the sand again. "I hate books! Keep looking, dogs! Find me something good!"
Cap'n Bones grabbed Jack's backpack. "What's in here?" he said. 
"Nothing -- "Jack quickly opened the pack. "Just paper, a pencil, a book." 
"Another book!" roared Cap'n Bones. "That's vile booty!" 
A gleeful shriek pierced the air. 
Cap'n Bones froze. "What's that?" he shouted. 
"Look, Cap'n! Look!" 
Pinky leaned out the tree house window. He held the medallion. It glimmered in the sunlight. 
Oh brother, thought Jack. 
"Throw it down!" cried Cap'n Bones. 
"It's not yours!" shouted Annie. 
Cap'n Bones dropped Jack and Annie. He caught the medallion as it fell. 
"Gold! Gold! Gold!" he cried. Cap'n Bones threw back his head and laughed horribly. 
He grabbed two of his pistols. He shot them into the air. Pinky and Stinky howled like wolves. 
5. The Kid's Treasure 
Jack and Annie watched in horror. 
The gold-greedy pirates seemed to have lost their minds. 
Jack nudged Annie. Together they started to back slowly away from the pirates. Toward the tree house. 
"Halt!" Cap'n Bones shouted. He aimed his pistols at them. "Not another step, lubbers!" 
Jack and Annie froze. 
Cap'n Bones grinned his black-toothed grin. "Tell old Bones where the rest is," he growled. "Or prepare to meet thy doom." 
"What -- what rest?" said Annie. 
"The rest of the treasure!" roared Cap' n Bones. "I know it's on this island. I have a map!" 
He reached into a belt pouch and pulled out a torn piece of paper. 
He waved it at Jack and Annie. 
"Is that a treasure map?" asked Jack. 
"Aye, it's the map telling about Kidd's treasure." 
"Which kid's treasure? Not us kids," said Annie. "We don't know anything about a kid's treasure." 
"Why don't you read the map?" said Jack. 
"You read it!" Cap'n Bones shoved the map in Jack's face. 
Jack stared at the strange marks on the paper. 
"What does that mean?" asked Jack.
"What does what mean?" asked Cap'n Bones. 
"Those words." Jack pointed at the words at the bottom of the map. 
"Well, it means..." Cap'n Bones' good eye squinted at the writing. 
He frowned. He coughed. He rubbed his nose. 
"Aw, leave him alone," Pinky growled at Jack. 
"You know he can't read," said Stinky. 
"Shut up!" Cap'n Bones roared at his men. 
"Jack and I can read," Annie piped up. 
"Shhh," said Jack. 
"Cap'n, make'em read the map!" said Stinky. 
Cap'n Bones gave Jack and Annie a dark look. "Read it," he growled. 
"Then will you let us go?" said Jack. 
The pirate squinted his good eye. "Aye, lubber. When the treasure's in me hands, I'll let you go." 
"Okay," said Jack. "I'll read it to you." He looked at the map. 
"It says, 'The gold doth lie beneath the whale's eye.'" 
"Heh?" Cap'n Bones scowled. "What's that supposed to mean, lubber?" 
Jack shrugged. 
"Hang it! Take'em back to the ship!" shouted Cap'n Bones. "They can rot there till they're ready to tell us how to find Kidd's treasure!"
Jack and Annie were tossed into the rowboat. 
Waves splashed the sides. The sky ahead was dark with thunderclouds. A strong wind had started to blow. 
"Row, dogs, row!" said Cap'n Bones. 
Pinky and Stinky began rowing toward the big ship. 
"Look!" Annie said to Jack. She pointed to the shore. 
Polly the parrot was flying over the sand. 
"She wants to help us," whispered Annie. 
Polly started to fly out over the waves. But the winds were too strong. She turned around and flew back to the island. 
6. The Whale's Eye 
The rowboat tossed from side to side. The waves were huge. Salty spray stung Jack's eyes. He felt seasick. 
"Hold'er steady!" shouted Cap'n Bones. 
He pointed at the sea. "Or we'll be meat for those evil brutes!" 
Dark fins cut through the water. Sharks. 
One zoomed right by the boat. Jack could have reached out and touched it. He shuddered.
Soon the rowboat pulled alongside the ship. 
The air was filled with wild fiddle music and bagpipes playing. And Jack heard jeers, shouts, and ugly laughter. 
"Hoist'em aboard!" Cap'n Bones shouted to his men. 
Annie and Jack were hauled onto the deck. 
The ship creaked and moaned. It rolled from side to side. Ropes flapped and snapped in the wild wind. 
Everywhere they looked, Jack and Annie saw pirates. Some were dancing. Some were drinking. Many were fighting. With swords. Or with their fists. 
"Lock 'em in my cabin!" Cap'n Bones ordered. 
A couple of pirates grabbed Jack and Annie. And threw them in the ship's cabin. Then locked the door. 
The air inside the cabin was damp and sour-smelling. A shaft of gray light came through a small round window. 
"Oh man," said Jack. "We've got to figure out how to get back to the island." 
"So we can get into the tree house and go home," said Annie. 
"Right." Jack suddenly felt tired. How would they ever get out of this mess? 
"We better examine the book," he said.
He reached into his pack and pulled out the pirate book. He flipped through the pages. He looked for information to help them. 
"Look," he said. 
He found a picture of pirates burying a treasure chest. "This might help." 
Together they read the words under the picture: 
Captain Kidd was a famous pirate. It is said that he buried a treasure chest on a deserted island. The chest was filled with gold and jewels. 
"Captain Kidd!" said Jack. 
"So that's the kid that Bones keeps talking about," said Annie. 
"Right," said Jack. 
Annie looked out the round window. 
"And Captain Kidd's treasure is buried somewhere on the island," she said. 
Jack took out his notebook and pencil. He wrote: Captain Kidd' s treasure on island 
"Jack," Annie said. 
"Shhh, wait a minute," he said. "I'm thinking." 
"Guess what I see?" said Annie. 
"What?" Jack asked. He looked back at the book.
"A whale." 
"Neat," he said. Then he looked up. "A whale? Did you say... a whale?" 
"A whale. A huge whale. As big as a football field." 
Jack jumped up and looked out the window with her. 
"Where?" Jack asked. All he could see was the island. And stormy waves. And shark fins. 
"There!" said Annie. 
"Where? Where?" 
"There! The island is shaped like a giant whale!" 
"Oh man," whispered Jack. Now he could see it. 
"See the whale's back?" said Annie. 
"Yep." The slope of the island looked like the back of a whale. 
"See his spout?" said Annie. 
"Yep." The palm tree that held the tree house looked like the spout of the whale. 
"See his eye?" said Annie. 
"Yep." A big black rock looked like the eye of the whale. 
"The gold doth lie beneath the whale's eye," whispered Jack. 
"Wow." 
7. Gale's a-Blowin' 
"So the treasure must be under that rock," said Annie. 
"Right," said Jack. "Now we just have to get back to the island. We'll show Cap'n Bones where the treasure is. Then while all the pirates are digging, we'll sneak up to the tree house." 
"And make a wish to go home," said Annie. 
"Right." Jack poked his head out of the round window of the cabin. 
"Cap'n Bones, sir!" he shouted. 
The pirates took up the cry. "Cap'n Bones! Cap'n Bones!" 
"Hey?" came a horrible voice. 
Cap'n Bones stuck his ugly face through the window. His good eye glared at Jack. "What do you want, lubbers?" 
"We're ready to tell the truth, sir," said Jack. 
"Go ahead," growled Cap'n Bones. 
"We know where Captain Kidd's treasure is." 
"Where?" 
"We can't just tell you. We have to show you," said Annie.
Cap'n Bones gave Annie and Jack a long hard look. 
"You'll need a rope," said Jack. 
"And shovels," said Annie. 
Cap'n Bones growled. Then he roared at his men, "Get some rope and shovels!" 
"Aye, aye, Cap'n!" 
"Then throw these lubbers in the boat! We're going back to the island!" 
"Aye, aye, Cap'n!" 
Back in the rowboat, Jack saw the sky had grown even darker with clouds. The waves were bigger. The wind was howling. 
"Gale's a-blowin'!" said Pinky. 
"You'll see a gale if I don't get me gold today, by thunder!" Cap'n Bones shouted. "Row, dogs, row!" 
The three pirates battled the waves, until the rowboat reached the island. They all piled onto the shore. 
Cap'n Bones grabbed Jack and Annie. 
"Okay, lubbers," he said. "Now show us where the treasure is." 
"There," said Annie. She pointed at the black rock near the tip of the island. 
"Under that rock," said Jack. 
Cap'n Bones dragged Jack and Annie down the beach to the black rock. 
"Get to work!" Cap'n Bones said to Pinky and Stinky. 
"What about you?" said Annie. 
"Me? Work?" Cap'n Bones chuckled. 
Jack gulped. How could they get away from him? 
"Don't you think you should help your friends?" he said. 
Cap'n Bones gave Jack a horrible grin. "Nay. I'm going to hold you two -- till there's treasure in me hands!" 
8. Dig, Dogs, Dig 
Pinky and Stinky tied their rope around the big rock. 
The wind howled. The two pirates pulled. And pulled. And pulled. 
"They need help!" said Jack. 
"Aghh, let the dogs do the work!" growled Cap'n Bones. 
"You're not very nice to them," said Annie. 
"Who cares?" roared Cap'n Bones. 
"Cap'n! We got it!" shouted Pinky. 
They started pulling the rock across the sand. 
"Now let's dig where the rock was," said Jack. "All of us!"
But Cap'n Bones ignored his suggestion. 
"Dig, you dogs!" he shouted. 
Pinky and Stinky started to dig. The wind blew even harder. There was going to be a thunderstorm. 
"Oww! I got sand in me eyes!" Pinky whined. 
"Oww! Me back hurts!" Stinky cried. 
"Dig!" shouted Cap'n Bones. He held Jack and Annie with one hand. With the other he pulled out the gold medallion. 
He tossed it at the two pirates. It fell into the hole. 
"Dig for more of these, you swine!" he said. 
Squawk! 
"Look!" Annie said. 
Polly was back! She was circling above them! 
"Go back!" she squawked. 
Stinky and Pinky looked up at the parrot. They scowled. 
"Dig!" shouted Cap'n Bones. 
"A big storm is comin', Cap'n!" said Pinky. 
"Go back!" said Polly. 
"The bird's an omen, Cap'n!" shouted Stinky. 
"Dig, you dogs!" cried Cap'n Bones. 
"Go back!" squawked Polly. 
"The bird's warning us!" shouted Pinky. "We've got to get to the ship before it's too late!" 
The two pirates threw down their shovels. They started running toward the rowboat. 
"Mutineers! Come back!" shouted Cap'n Bones. He dragged Jack and Annie down the beach as he ran after his men. "Stop!" 
But the pirates kept running. They got to the rowboat and pushed it into the sea. 
"Wait!" cried Cap'n Bones. 
Pinky and Stinky jumped into the boat. They started rowing. 
"Wait!" Cap'n Bones let go of Jack and Annie. He ran into the water. 
"Wait, you dogs!" 
He hauled himself into the rowboat. 
Then the three pirates disappeared into the spray of the waves. 
"Go back!" squawked Polly. 
"She means us!" said Annie. 
Just then the storm broke over the island. The wind howled. Rain fell in buckets. 
"Let's go!" cried Annie. 
"Wait! I have to get the medallion!" shouted Jack. He ran to the hole dug by the pirates. He looked down in it. 
Even in the dreary light, the medallion was shining. 
Big, fat raindrops were falling into the hole, washing away the sand. 
Jack saw a patch of wood. 
Then the rain cleared away more sand. And Jack saw the top of an old trunk. 
He stared. Was it Captain Kidd's treasure chest? 
"Hurry, Jack!" cried Annie. She was halfway up the tree house ladder. 
"I found it! I found it!" cried Jack. "I found the treasure chest!" 
"Forget the treasure chest!" said Annie. "We have to go now! The storm's getting worse!" 
Jack kept staring at the chest. Was there gold inside? Silver? Precious gems? 
"Come on!" Now Annie was shouting from the tree house window. 
But Jack couldn't tear himself away. He brushed the rest of the muddy sand off the chest. 
"Jack, forget the treasure chest!" cried Annie. "Let's go!" 
"Go back!" squawked Polly. 
Jack looked at the parrot. She was perched on the black rock. 
He stared into her wise eyes. He thought he knew her -- knew her from somewhere else. 
"Go back, Jack," she said. She sounded like a person. 
Okay. It was definitely time to go. 
Jack took one last look at the treasure chest. He clutched the gold medallion. Then he took off, running toward the tree house. 
His socks and rain boots were still there. He quickly pulled the boots on. He shoved the socks into his backpack. 
The rope ladder was dancing wildly in the wind. Jack grabbed it. 
The ladder swayed as Jack climbed. He was tossed this way and that. But he held on tight. 
At last he pulled himself into the tree house. 
"Let's go!" he cried. 
Annie was already holding the Pennsylvania book. She pointed to the picture of Frog Creek. 
"I wish we could go there!" she shouted. 
The wind was already blowing hard. But now it blew even harder. 
The tree house started to spin. It spun faster and faster. 
Then everything was still. 
Absolutely still. 
9. The Mysterious M 
Drip, drip. 
Jack opened his eyes. 
Rain was dripping from the leaves of the tree. 
They were back in Frog Creek. The rain was softer. The wind was gentler. The air was sweeter. 
"Oh man." Jack sighed. "That was close." 
He was still holding the gold medallion. 
"Polly's gone," said Annie sadly. "I was hoping she might come back with us." 
"No magic creature has ever come back with us," said Jack. 
He pulled off his backpack. It was damp with rain and saltwater. 
Jack took out the pirate book. He put it on the stack of books. On top of the dinosaur book. And the knight book. And the mummy book. 
Then Jack put the gold medallion beside the bookmark with the letter M. 
Next he went down onto his knees. And ran his finger over the shimmering M on the floor. 
"We didn't find any M's on this trip," he said. 
"Or the M person," said Annie. 
Squawk! 
"Polly!" Annie cried. 
The parrot swooshed into the tree house. She perched on the stack of books. 
Polly looked straight at Jack. 
"What -- what are you doing here?" he asked her. 
Slowly Polly raised her bright green wings. They grew bigger and bigger until they spread out like a huge green cape. 
Then, in a great swirl of colors -- in a blur of feathers and light -- in a flapping and stretching and screeching -- a new being took shape. 
Polly was not a parrot any longer. In her place was an old woman. A beautiful old woman with long white hair and piercing eyes. 
She wore a green feathered cape. She perched on the stack of books. And she was very calm and very still. 
Neither Jack nor Annie could speak. They were too amazed. 
"Hello, Jack. Hello, Annie," the old woman said. "My name is Morgan le Fay." 
10. Treasure Again 
Annie found her voice first. "The M person," she whispered. 
"Yes. I'm the M person," said Morgan.
"Wh-where are you from?" asked Jack. 
"Have you ever heard of King Arthur?" said Morgan. 
Jack nodded. 
"Well, I am King Arthur's sister," said Morgan. 
"You're from Camelot," said Jack. "I've read about Camelot." 
"What did you read about me, Jack?" said Morgan. 
"You -- you're a witch." 
Morgan smiled. "You can't believe everything you read, Jack." 
"But are you a magician?" said Annie. 
"Most call me an enchantress. But I'm also a librarian," said Morgan. 
"A librarian?" said Annie. 
"Yes. And I've come to the 20th century, your time, to collect books. You are lucky to be born in a time with so many books." 
"For the Camelot library?" asked Jack. 
"Precisely," said Morgan. "I travel in this tree house to collect words from many different places around the world. And from many different time periods." 
"Did you find books here?" said Jack. 
"Oh yes. Many wonderful books. I want to borrow them for our scribes to copy." 
"Did you put all the bookmarks in them?" said Jack. 
"Yes. You see, I like the pictures in the books. Sometimes I want to visit the scenes in the pictures. So all the bookmarks mark places I wish to go." 
"How do you get there?" asked Annie. 
"I placed a spell on the tree house," said Morgan. "so when I point to a picture and make the wish, the tree house takes me there." 
"I think you dropped this in dinosaur times," said Jack. 
He handed the gold medallion to Morgan. 
"Oh, thank you! I wondered where I'd lost it," she said. She put the medallion into a hidden pocket in her cape. 
"So can anybody work the spell?" asked Annie. "Anybody who tries it?" 
"Oh dear, no! Not just anybody," Morgan said. "You two are the only ones besides me to do it. No one else has ever even seen my tree house before." 
"Is it invisible?" asked Annie. 
"Yes," said Morgan. "I had no idea it would ever be discovered. But then you two came along. Somehow you hooked right into my magic." 
"H-how?" asked Jack. 
"Well, for two reasons, I think," explained Morgan. "First, Annie believes in magic. So she actually saw the tree house. And her belief helped you to see it, Jack." 
"Oh man," said Jack. 
"Then you picked up a book, Jack. And because you love books so much, you caused my magic spell to work." 
"Wow," said Annie. 
"You can't imagine my dismay when you started to take off for dinosaur times. I had to make a very quick decision. And I decided to come along." 
"Oh, so you were the Pteranodon!" said Annie. 
Morgan smiled. 
"And the cat and the knight and Polly!" said Annie. 
"Yes," said Morgan softly. 
"You were all these things to help us?" asked Jack. 
"Yes, but I must go home now. The people in Camelot need my help." 
"You're leaving?" whispered Jack. 
"I'm afraid I must," said Morgan. 
She picked up Jack's backpack and handed it to him. Jack and Annie picked up their raincoats. It had stopped raining. 
"You won't forget us, will you?" asked Annie, as they put their raincoats on. 
"Never," said Morgan. She smiled at both of them. "You remind me too much of myself. You love the impossible, Annie. And you love knowledge, Jack. What better combination is there?" 
Morgan le Fay touched Annie's forehead gently. And then Jack's. 
She smiled. 
"Good-bye," she said. 
"Good-bye," said Annie and Jack. 
Annie left the tree house first. Jack followed. They climbed down the rope ladder for the last time. 
They stood below the oak tree and looked up. 
Morgan was looking out the window. Her long white hair blew in the breeze. 
Suddenly the wind began to blow. 
The leaves began to shake. 
A loud whistling sound filled the air. 
Jack covered his ears and squeezed his eyes shut. 
Then everything was silent. 
Absolutely silent. 
Jack opened his eyes. 
The tree house was gone. 
All gone. 
Absolutely gone. 
Annie and Jack stood a moment, staring up at the empty oak tree. Listening to the silence. 
Annie sighed. "Let's go," she said softly. 
Jack just nodded. He felt too sad to speak. As they started walking, he put his hands into his pockets. 
He felt something. 
Jack pulled out the gold medallion. "Look!" he said. "How did --?" 
Annie smiled. "Morgan must have put it there," she said. 
"But how?" 
"Magic," said Annie. "I think it means she'll be coming back." 
Jack smiled. He clutched the medallion as he and Annie took off through the wet, sunny woods. 
As they walked, the sun shined through the woods. And all the wet leaves sparkled. 
Everything, in fact, was shining. 
Leaves, branches, puddles, bushes, grass, vines, wild flowers -- all glittered like jewels. 
Or gleamed like gold. 
Annie had been right, thought Jack. 
Forget the treasure chest. 
They had treasure at home. A ton of it. Everywhere. 
Prologue
One summer day in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, a mysterious tree house appeared in the woods.
Eight-year-old Jack and his seven-year-old sister, Annie, climbed into the tree house. They found that it was filled with books.
Jack and Annie soon discovered that the tree house was magic. It could take them to the places in the books. All they had to do was to point to a picture and wish to be there.
Jack and Annie visited the time of dinosaurs, old England, ancient Egypt, and a pirate ship.
Along the way, they discovered that the tree house belonged to Morgan le Fay. Morgan was a magical librarian from the time of King Arthur. She traveled through time and space, gathering books.
Jack and Annie are about to start a whole new adventure... in Night of the Ninjas.
1. Back into the Woods
"Let's look again, Jack," said Annie. 
Jack and Annie were walking home from the library. The path went right by the Frog Creek woods.
Jack sighed. "We looked this morning," he said. "We looked the day before. And the day before that."
"Then you don't have to come," said Annie. "I'll go look by myself."
She took off into the woods.
"Annie, wait! " Jack called. "It's almost dark! We have to get home! "
But Annie had disappeared among the trees.
Jack stared at the woods. He was starting to lose hope. Maybe he would never see Morgan again. Weeks had passed. And there had not been one sign of Morgan le Fay. Nor had there been one sign of her magic tree house.
"Jack!" Annie called from the woods. "It's back!"
Oh, she's just pretending as usual, Jack thought. But his heart started to race.
"Hurry! " called Annie.
"She better not be kidding," said Jack.
He took off into the woods to find Annie.
Night was falling fast. Crickets chirped loudly. It was hard to see through the shadows.
"Annie!" Jack shouted.
"Here! " she called.
Jack kept walking. "Here where?" he called back.
"Here here! "
Annie's voice came from above.
Jack looked up.
"Oh man," he breathed.
Annie waved from the window of a tree house. It was in the tallest oak in the woods. A long rope ladder hung down from it.
The magic tree house was back.
"Come on up! " Annie shouted.
Jack ran to the rope ladder. He started climbing. He climbed and climbed and climbed.
As he climbed, he looked out over the woods. High above the treetops it was still light.
At last, Jack pulled himself into the tree house.
Annie sat in the shadows. Books were scattered everywhere.
On the floor the letter M glowed in the dim light. The M stood for Morgan le Fay. But there was no sign of Morgan herself.
"I wonder where Morgan is," said Jack. 
"Maybe she went to the library to get some more books," said Annie.
"We were just at the library. We would have seen her," said Jack. "Besides, the library's closed now."
Squeak!
A little mouse ran out from behind a stack of books. It ran to the M shining in the floor.
"Yikes," said Annie.
The mouse sat on the middle of the M. It looked up at Jack and Annie.
"Oh, it's so cute," Annie said.
Jack had to admit the mouse was cute. It had brown-and-white fur and big dark eyes.
Annie slowly reached out her hand. The mouse didn't move. Annie patted its tiny head.
"Hi, Peanut," she said. "Can I call you Peanut?"
"Oh brother," said Jack.
"Do you know where Morgan is?" Annie asked the mouse.
Squeak.
"You're nuts, Annie," said Jack. "Just because the mouse is in the tree house doesn't mean it's magic. It's a plain old mouse that crawled in, that's all."
Jack looked around again. He saw a piece of paper on the floor.
"What's that?" he said.
"What's what?" asked Annie.
Jack went over and picked up the paper. There was writing on it.
"Oh man," whispered Jack, after he read the words.
"What is it?" said Annie.
"A note," said Jack. "It must be from Morgan. I think she's in big trouble!"
2. The Open Book
Jack showed Annie the piece of paper. It said: 
help me -- Under a spell 
Find 4 thin
"Oh no," said Annie. "We have to help her. But what's a thin?"
"Maybe she was trying to write things," said Jack. "See how the n sort of runs off the page?"
"Maybe the spell was starting to make her disappear or something," said Annie.
"Right," said Jack. "I wonder if she left any other clues." 
He glanced around the tree house.
"Look!" Annie pointed at a book in the corner. 
"That's the only open book," she said.
Jack looked around again. Annie was right. He felt a shiver go down his spine.
Jack went over to the book and picked it up. He held it near the window. Light from the setting sun was golden on the page.
Jack stared at the picture on it. In the picture were trees with white flowers. The trees were on the side of a mountain. Near a wide, rushing stream.
Two people were also in the picture. They wore dark clothes. They had black scarves over their faces. And long swords strapped to their backs.
"Oh man," whispered Jack.
"Who are they?" Annie asked.
"Ninjas, I think," said Jack.
"Ninjas? Really?" said Annie.
"Morgan must have left the book open to this page for a reason," said Jack.
"Maybe that's where she was when the spell got her," Annie said.
"Or maybe that's where the four things are," said Jack.
"Let's go!" said Annie. 
"Now?" said Jack.
"Yes, Morgan's in trouble! She needs us now!" said Annie.
"But we should read this book first," said Jack. "So we'll be prepared."
"Forget it!" said Annie. "Every minute counts!" She grabbed the book from Jack.
"Give it back," he said. "We have to find out about this place."
Annie held the book out of reach. "We'll find out when we get there," she said.
"We don't even know where there is!" Jack said.
But Annie pointed at the picture. "I wish we could go here," she said.
The leaves of the oak tree began to shake.
Squeak!
"Don't be scared, Peanut," said Annie. She scooped up the mouse. Then she put it in the pouch of her sweatshirt.
The wind began to blow.
It blew harder and harder.
The tree house started to spin.
Faster and faster!
Jack squeezed his eyes shut. 
Then everything was still. 
Absolutely still.
Except for the sound of rushing water.
3. E -- hy!
Jack opened his eyes. 
Annie was already looking out the window. The mouse peeked out of her pouch.
Jack looked out the window, too. The air was fresh and cool.
The tree house was in a tree with white flowers. The tree was in a grove of trees on the side of a mountain. Nearby a wild stream rushed downhill.
Two ninjas were standing on rocks near the water. They were staring at the valley below.
One ninja was tall. The other was short. They wore black pants and shirts. They had black scarves around their heads. And swords strapped to their backs.
It was exactly like the picture in the book.
Jack crouched below the window.
"Be careful," he whispered. "Don't let them see you." 
"Why not?" Annie whispered back.
"They might think we're some kind of enemy," said Jack quietly.
Annie crouched beside him.
Jack pushed his glasses into place. Now he was going to look at the ninja book.
He picked up the book. He turned to the beginning. He read:
Very little is known about the shadowy warriors called ninjas. Historians believe that ninjas lived in Japan between the 14th and 17th centuries. Both men and women were ninjas. Sometimes they fought to protect their families. Sometimes warlords hired them to be spies.
"Wow," whispered Jack. "We're in Japan, hundreds of years ago."
Jack opened his backpack. He pulled out his notebook and pencil.
He liked to take notes. He wrote: ninjas were warriors in old Japan
"Jack," whispered Annie. "They're looking up. I think they know we're here."
Jack peeked over the windowsill. His eyes met the dark eyes of the tall ninja.
"E-hy" the ninja cried. He dashed toward the tree. The other ninja followed.
"Oh no!" said Annie.
"We've got to go!" Jack said. "Where's the Pennsylvania book?" 
He and Annie looked around wildly.
But where was the book about Pennsylvania? It had the picture of the Frog Creek woods in it. Jack and Annie couldn't get home without it.
"It's not anywhere!" cried Annie.
"We've got to do something. Fast!" said Jack. "Pull up the ladder!"
He and Annie grabbed the top of the rope ladder. They pulled the ladder into the tree house. But the tall ninja leaped at the tree trunk. Then he started climbing up the tree! The short ninja followed. They climbed just like cats!
Jack and Annie huddled in a corner. The ninjas climbed into the tree house. Neither one made a sound.
4. Captured
The ninjas pulled iron bands off their hands. The bands had spikes like claws on them. 
"That's how they climbed the tree," Annie whispered to Jack.
The ninjas stared at Jack and Annie with dark, piercing eyes. The rest of their faces were covered by their scarves. Jack felt frozen under their stares. Annie wasn't frozen, though. She stepped right up to them.
"Hi," she said.
The ninjas didn't say "hi" back. They didn't move at all. They were as still as Jack.
"We're trying to help our friend, Morgan," said Annie. She held up Morgan's note.
The tall ninja took the note from her. He looked at it. Then he gave it to the short ninja.
The two ninjas stared at each other. Then they looked back at Jack and Annie.
Finally the short ninja nodded once. He put the note into the pocket of his shirt.
"You can help us?" Annie asked.
Neither ninja spoke. Jack wished he could see their faces. He couldn't tell what they were thinking.
The short ninja tossed the rope ladder back out of the tree house. The tall one pointed down the ladder. Then he pointed at Jack and Annie.
Uh-oh, thought Jack. Were they being captured?
"Us? Go with you?" said Annie.
The ninja nodded. 
"Oh boy!" said Annie.
Oh boy? Is she nuts? wondered Jack.
The short ninja darted down the ladder. He went hand over hand. His feet didn't touch the rungs of the ladder. The tall one did the same.
Jack gasped. The ninjas moved very fast. They were like spiders dropping from webs.
"Wow!" said Annie.
"Now's our chance to leave," said Jack. "Quick!" He looked around the tree house again. Where was that Pennsylvania book?
"Let's go with them, Jack," said Annie.
"No! This isn't a game!" Jack said.
"But I think they know something about Morgan!" said Annie.
She started down the ladder.
"Come back!" said Jack.
But it was too late.
Jack sighed. "Why does this always happen?" he asked himself.
"Come on, Jack!" came Annie's voice from below.
Jack put his notebook and the ninja book into his pack. He pushed his glasses into place. And he started down the ladder.
Jack joined Annie and the ninjas on the ground. 
The sun had fallen behind the hills. The sky was streaked with red and gold.
The mouse peeked out from Annie's sweatshirt pouch.
"Don't be scared, Peanut," Annie whispered. "We'll take care of you."
Great, thought Jack. But who is going to take care of us?
The short ninja held Jack's arm in one hand and Annie's arm in the other. He led them through the twilight. The tall ninja walked behind them.
"Where are we going?" Jack asked.
The ninjas stopped near the rushing water of the wide stream. The water roared as it raced downhill. The short ninja looked at Jack and Annie. He let go of their arms. Then he pushed them toward the stream.
"You want us to cross it?" shouted Annie.
The ninja nodded. Then he and the short ninja stepped into the wild stream. They started wading across.
"Let's run back to the tree house!" said Jack.
"No, we have to follow them!" said Annie. "For Morgan's sake!"
Jack took a deep breath. She was right.
Annie grabbed Jack's hand. Together they stepped into the water.
"YIKES!" They both screamed and jumped out.
It was the coldest water Jack had ever felt! It was colder than ice. It was so cold it felt like fire.
"I can't go back in," said Annie, shivering.
"Me neither," said Jack. "I'll have a heart attack."
The ninjas looked at Jack and Annie. Then they turned around and came back.
The tall ninja grabbed Jack.
"Help!" Jack cried.
But the ninja lifted Jack high into the air. And put him on his shoulder.
The short ninja put Annie on his shoulder.
Then the two ninjas stepped into the stream again. The icy wild waters swirled around them. It went up to the short ninjas's waist. But the ninjas moved through the stream as calmly as two sailing ships.
5. Flames in the Mist
The water grew shallow again. Then they were on dry land. The ninjas lowered Jack and Annie to the ground.
"Thanks," said Annie.
"Thanks," said Jack.
Squeak, said the mouse.
The ninjas said nothing, but they looked around. Jack looked around, too. A full moon was rising in the sky. Dark rocks dotted the side of the mountain.
Then the ninjas started moving. They went silently up the slope, between the rocks.
Jack and Annie followed them. Jack wasn't afraid of the ninjas now. In fact, he was starting to like them. Maybe they really could help find Morgan.
The ninjas moved silently. But Jack and Annie made plenty of noise. They panted as they climbed the rocky hillside. Their wet sneakers made squishy sounds.
Suddenly the ninjas froze. Jack could see their eyes darting around. Voices were coming from the valley below. Jack saw torches flaming in the mist. 
The ninjas started moving faster. Jack and Annie hurried after them.
"Who's carrying the torches?" Annie asked.
Jack was too out of breath to speak. He also didn't have an answer.
They came to a pine forest. Night birds called out. Wind rattled the branches. The ninjas moved like ghosts through the forest. They appeared and disappeared, through moonlight and shadows.
Jack and Annie struggled to keep up.
Finally the ninjas came to a stop.
One ninja held out his hand, as if to say, Wait. Then both ninjas stepped away into the shadows of the trees. And were gone.
"Where did they go?" said Annie.
"I don't know," said Jack. "Maybe the book can tell us."
He pulled the ninja book out of his pack.
He turned the pages until he came to a picture of a cave.
By the light of the full moon, he read:
Sometimes ninjas held meetings in hidden mountain caves to plan secret missions.
"Oh man," said Jack, "I bet they went inside a hidden cave."
He pulled out his notebook and pencil. He wrote: meetings in hidden caves 
Jack turned the page. He stared at a picture of a ninja sitting on a mat. He read:
Ninjas took orders from a ninja master. The master was a mysterious wise person who knew many secrets of nature.
"Wow," whispered Jack.
Just then the two ninjas returned. Jack quickly put his books away.
The short ninja motioned for Jack and Annie to follow. In the shadows was the entrance of a dark cave.
"What's in there?" Annie whispered.
"The ninja master," Jack whispered back.
6. Shadow Warrior
Jack and Annie went into the cave. They followed the ninja through the darkness. The back of the cave was lit with dozens of candles. Shadows danced on the walls.
In the flickering light, Jack saw a dark figure sitting on a woven mat.
The ninja master.
The ninja bowed to the master. Then he stepped to one side.
The master stared at Jack and Annie. 
"Sit," he said.
Jack and Annie sat on the cold, hard floor.
Squeak.
The mouse poked its head out of Annie's pouch.
"It's okay, Peanut," said Annie.
The master stared at the mouse for a moment. Then he looked at Jack. 
"Who are you?" he asked.
"I'm Jack and that's my sister, Annie," Jack answered.
"Where do you come from?" the master asked.
"Frog Creek, Pennsylvania," Annie answered.
"Why are you here?" he asked.
"We're trying to help our friend Morgan le Fay," said Jack. "She left us a message."
Annie pointed to the short ninja. "We gave the message to him."
"You mean, you gave the message to her," said the ninja master. "And she has given it to me."
"She?" said Jack and Annie together.
The woman ninja's eyes sparkled. Jack thought she might be smiling.
The master held up Morgan's note.
"Perhaps I can help you," he said. "But first you must prove yourselves worthy of my help." 
Just then the tall ninja appeared. He made a sign to the master. The master stood up. He handed Morgan's note to Annie.
"We must go now," he s aid. "The samurai are close."
"Samurai?" said Jack. He knew that the samurai were fierce Japanese fighters.
"Were they the ones in the valley?" Jack asked. "The ones with the torches?"
"Yes, our family is at war with them," said the master. "We must leave before they find us."
"But what about helping Morgan?" said Annie.
The master strapped on his sword.
"I have no time now," he said. "I must go."
"Can't we go with you?" said Annie.
"No, there is no place for you where we are going. You must find your way back to your house in the trees."
"Alone?" said Jack.
"Yes. You must go alone. And beware of the samurai."
"Why?" said Jack.
"They will think you are one of us," said the master. "They will ask you no questions. They will show you no mercy."
"Yikes," whispered Annie. 
"But you have seen the way of the ninja. You can practice it yourselves now," said the master.
" H-how?" said Jack.
"Remember three things," said the master.
"What?" said Jack.
" Use nature. Be nature. Follow nature."
" I can do that!" Annie said.
Jack looked at her. "You can?" he said.
The master turned to Jack. "Your tree house lies to the east. That is the way you must go," he said.
How? wondered Jack. How do we find the east?
Before he could ask, the master bowed. Then he disappeared into the shadows.
The two ninjas led Jack and Annie out of the cave, into the moonlight. The tall one pointed at the pine forest. Then they too disappeared into the darkness.
Jack and Annie were all alone.
7. To the East
Jack and Annie stood still for a long moment.
Annie spoke first. "Well, I guess the tall ninja was pointing to the east," she said. "I guess that's the way we go."
"Wait," said Jack. "I need to write some stuff down."
He took out his notebook. In the moonlight, he wrote:
1. use nature
2. be nature
3. follow nature
"Look, Jack," whispered Annie. "Do I look like a ninja?"
He looked at her. She had pulled her sweatshirt hood over her head and tied the strings tightly.
She did look like a ninja -- a very small one.
"Good idea," Jack whispered. He pulled his hood up, too.
"Okay, let's go," said Annie.
Jack put his notebook away. Then he and Annie headed east into the woods. They slipped between trees. And more trees. And more trees. 
All the trees looked the same. Jack got confused. Were they still going in the right direction?
"Wait," he said. 
Annie stopped. They both stared at the woods around them.
"Do you think we're still going east?" asked Jack.
"I guess so," said Annie.
"We can't just guess," said Jack. "We have to know for sure."
"How do we do that?" said Annie. "We don't have a compass."
Just then the master's words came back to Jack.
"The ninja master said to use nature," he said.
"How do we do that?" said Annie.
"Wait, I remember something -- " Jack closed his eyes.
He remembered something in a camping book. Now what was it?
He opened his eyes. "I've got it! First we need a stick," he said.
Annie picked up a stick. "Here -- " she said.
"Great, now we just need a space with moonlight," said Jack.
"There -- " said Annie.
They moved into a moonlit space between the shadows.
"Now push the stick into the ground," Jack said.
Annie pushed the stick into the ground.
"The stick's shadow looks like it's more than six inches," said Jack.
"What do you think?"
"It looks like it," said Annie.
"Okay. Then that means the shadow's pointing east," said Jack.
"Neat," said Annie. 
"So that way is east!" Jack pointed to a new direction. "At least I hope it is."
"We're real ninjas now!" said Annie.
"Yep," said Jack. "Maybe we are. Come on!"
They took off -- heading east, they hoped.
Soon they were out of the pine woods and walking down the rocky mountainside. They moved slowly from rock to rock. Finally they rested against a giant rock.
"Let's check our direction again," said Jack.
Annie stuck another stick into the dirt.
"There," he said. He pointed to the shadow on the ground. " That way -- "
Annie peeked over the rock, down the mountain.
"Yikes," she said softly.
Jack looked, too. His heart nearly stopped.
There were flames of fire coming up the mountain. The samurai!
Jack and Annie ducked behind the rock.
Squeak, said the mouse.
"Quiet, Peanut," said Annie.
Jack reached into his pack. He pulled out the ninja book.
"I hope something in here can help us," he said.
Jack flipped through page after page until he found what he was looking for. It was a picture of warriors wearing bamboo armor.
They were holding swords. He read:
The samurai were fierce Japanese fighters. They carried two swords to cut down their enemies.
Annie tapped Jack on the shoulder.
Jack looked at her.
She pointed up the mountain.
A figure was coming down toward them. He was very near. In the moonlight, his bamboo armor was shining. His two swords were gleaming.
It was a samurai warrior!
8. Dragon Water
Jack and Annie crouched together. Samurai were on both sides of them now. They were trapped!
Jack pressed against the rock.
The warrior stepped closer and closer. He looked to the right. He looked to the left. 
Jack held his breath.
"Be nature," whispered Annie.
"What?" Jack whispered back.
"Be nature. Be a rock."
Oh brother, thought Jack. This was nuts. But he squeezed his eyes shut. Then he tried to be part of the rock.
Jack tried to be as still as the rock. As solid as the rock. As quiet as the rock. Soon he started feeling as strong as the rock. As safe as the rock. He wanted to be the rock forever.
Squeak.
"He's gone," said Annie. "They're all gone."
Jack opened his eyes. The samurai warrior was gone. Jack stood up and looked over the rock.
The torches were gone, too.
"Let's go," Annie said.
Jack took a deep breath. He felt great -- he was getting more and more like a ninja every minute. Maybe even like a ninja master.
"East!" he said.
And they went east. Down the mountain, between the rocks. Until they came to the wide, icy stream. The water seemed even wilder than before.
"I don't see the tree house," said Annie.
Jack looked across the stream to the dark grove of trees. Moonlight shone on their pale flowers. But where was the tree house?
"I don't see it either," said Jack. "We have to cross the water first. Then we'll try and find it."
The water was crashing and rushing over the rocks.
Squeak. The mouse peeked out from its pouch.
"Don't be afraid," said Annie. She patted the mouse's little head.
"Be like us. Be like a ninja, too."
"Let's go," Jack said.
He took a deep breath and stepped into the stream. The icy water swirled up to his knees. The current knocked him over.
Jack grabbed some weeds. He held on tight as water swirled around him.
He was freezing to death!
"Jack!" Annie grabbed Jack's arms. She helped him back onto the bank.
"That was close!" said Annie.
Jack wiped his glasses. Luckily, they hadn't fallen off in the water.
"Are you okay?" said Annie.
"N-not really," said Jack, His teeth chattering. He was chilled to the bone. 
"We'll never get across," said Annie. "We'll drown if we try."
"Or fr-freeze to death," said Jack.
He pulled off the hood of his sweatshirt. He didn't feel much like a ninja anymore.
Annie pulled off her hood too. She sighed. "What can we do?" she said.
Squeak.
Peanut climbed out of Annie's sweatshirt pouch and leaped onto the ground.
The mouse scampered away.
"Peanut, come back!" Annie called.
"No," said Jack. "We have to follow Peanut."
"Why?" asked Annie.
"We have to do what the master said!" said Jack. "Follow nature!"
"Oh. Right!" said Annie. "Follow Peanut! But where is Peanut?"
In the moonlight Jack saw the little mouse. It was running through the grass along the stream.
"There!" he cried. "Come on!"
Annie hurried after Jack. Jack hurried after Peanut. They ran beside the rushing waters.
A moonlit branch had fallen across a narrow part of the stream. It touched both shores. The mouse was running over the branch.
"Peanut's going over a bridge!" said Annie. She started to follow.
"Wait!" cried Jack. "We can't go on that branch. It's too small! It'll break!"
9. Mouse-Walk
The mouse vanished into the tall grass on the other side of the stream.
Jack and Annie stared at the tree branch.
"We have to try to cross it," said Annie. "We're supposed to follow nature."
"Forget it," said Jack. "It's too little. It'll crack in a second."
"Maybe if we pretend we're mice, we can do it," said Annie.
"Oh brother," said Jack. "Not again."
"If you could be a rock, you can be a mouse," said Annie. "Just be teeny and light and fast."
Jack took a deep breath.
"We have to," said Annie.
"Okay," Jack said.
"Say 'squeak,'" said Annie.
"You're nuts!" said Jack.
"Just do it," said Annie. "It'll help you feel more like a mouse."
Jack groaned. "Okay," he said. "Squeak."
"Squeak," said Annie.
"Squeak, squeak, squeak," they said together.
"Let's go! Hurry!" said Annie.
Jack stepped onto the branch.
I'm teeny. I'm light. I'm fast, he thought. Then he darted across the branch.
Jack moved so quickly, he didn't think about anything -- except getting to the other side.
He forgot the wild, freezing water. He forgot the smallness of the branch.
Suddenly Jack was on the other side. Suddenly Annie was right beside him.
They laughed and fell together into the grass.
"See! See! The branch didn't break!" said Annie.
"I guess it was big enough," said Jack. "I guess we just had to think the right way."
"The Peanut way," said Annie.
"Yeah," said Jack, smiling. He felt great. 
He was still wet from his fall into the stream. But he didn't mind anymore. Jack pushed his glasses into place and stood up. 
"Okay, now we just have to find the tree house," he said.
"No, we don't," said Annie. She pointed up.
The tree house was outlined against the moonlit sky. High in a tree. Surrounded by white flowers.
In the distance came the sound of voices. Then Jack saw flames.
"The samurai are coming back," said Jack. "We have to go."
"Where's Peanut?" said Annie. "We can't leave Peanut."
"We have to," said Jack.
The voices of the samurai were getting closer. So were their torches.
"Come on," Jack said. He grabbed Annie's hand. He pulled her toward the rope ladder.
"Oh Jack -- " she said sadly.
"Go! Go!"
Annie started up the rope ladder.
Jack followed. He felt sad, too. He liked that little mouse now. He liked it a lot.
They climbed up and up.
Just before they got to the top, Jack heard it. 
Squeak.
"Oh wow!" cried Annie. "Peanut's inside!"
Annie pulled herself into the tree house. Jack followed. He gasped.
Someone else was in the tree house, too.
A dark figure was sitting in the corner.
"You have done well," the figure said.
It was the ninja master.
"You have followed the way of the ninja," he said.
"Oh man," breathed Jack.
Squeak.
The master was holding Peanut.
"Take good care of your little helper," he said, handing the mouse to Annie.
Annie kissed the mouse's tiny head.
"And take this -- " said the master. He held his hand out to Jack.
He gave Jack a small, round stone.
"This moonstone will help you find your missing friend," the master said.
Jack stared at the stone. Was this one of the four things?
"You must go home now," said the master. He picked up the Pennsylvania book and handed it to Annie. 
"Where did you find it?" asked Jack.
"Here," said the master. "You did not see it before. Because your heart knew you had a mission to complete first."
"What about you?" said Annie. "Can you come with us?"
"Yes," said Jack. "We need help finding Morgan."
The master smiled. "No, my friends. I must stay here. There will be more help along the way. But you must find the way on your own."
Annie opened the book. She found the picture of Frog Creek.
She pointed to it. "I wish we could go there," she said.
The wind started to blow.
The white flowers started to shake. Clouds covered the moon.
"Remember," the master said, "keep a kind heart."
Then he swung silently down the rope ladder. He disappeared into the dark night.
"Wait!" Jack called. 
There was so much he wanted to ask the master. About nature. About ninjas. About their mission. 
But the tree house started to spin. 
It spun faster and faster!
Jack gripped the stone in his hand. He squeezed his eyes shut.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
10. 'Night, Peanut 
Jack opened his eyes. Then he opened his fist. He stared at the moonstone in his hand. It was clear and smooth. It almost seemed to glow.
"We're home," said Annie.
Squeak.
Annie and the mouse were looking out the window. Jack looked with them.
The sun was setting in the distance. No time at all had passed in Frog Creek.
They heard their neighbor's dog, Henry, bark. They heard crickets chirping.
In the distance, they could see their dad step out of their house. He stood on their porch.
"Ja-ack! An-nie!" he called.
Time for dinner.
"Com-ing!" Annie shouted.
Jack sat back on his heels. He looked at the moonstone again.
"I guess we have one of the four things," he said.
"We'll look for the other three tomorrow," Annie said.
Jack nodded. They had a lot more work to do.
He put the moonstone in his pocket. He pulled on his pack.
"Ready?" he said.
"Wait," said Annie. She took off one of her sneakers. She pulled off her sock. Then she put her sneaker back on.
"What are you doing?" said Jack.
"I'm making a bed," she said.
"A what?"
"Bed! You know, for Peanut to sleep in." Annie picked up the mouse. She tucked it inside her sock.
"Night, Peanut," she said softly.
Squeak.
"Oh brother," said Jack.
Annie held the mouse close to Jack.
"Kiss it goodnight, Jack," she said.
"Don't be silly," he said. "Let's go."
"Thanks for helping us," Annie said to the mouse.
She put Peanut gently down on the glowing M. She pulled Morgan's message out of her pouch. And put it next to the mouse.
"See you tomorrow," she said. Then she started down the ladder.
Jack stared at the mouse. It looked back at him. For a moment, its dark eyes looked old and wise. 
"Come on, Jack!" called Annie.
Jack kissed its tiny head.
"Night-night, Peanut," he whispered.
Then Jack headed down the rope ladder.
It got darker and darker as he went down. By the time he stepped onto the ground, it was almost completely black.
"Where are you?" said Jack.
"Here," said Annie. Her hand bumped his. He took it.
"Careful," he said.
"Careful yourself," she said.
Together they took off through the cool, dark woods. They moved silently and swiftly -- two shadow warriors returning home.
One summer day in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, a mysterious tree house appeared in the woods.
Eight-year-old Jack and his seven-year-old sister, Annie, climbed into the tree house. They found it was filled with books.
Jack and Annie soon discovered that the tree house was magic. It could take them to the places in the books. All they had to do was to point to a picture and wish to go there.
Jack and Annie visited the times of dinosaurs, knights, pyramids, pirates, and ninjas. Along the way, they discovered that the tree house belongs to Morgan le Fay. Morgan is a magical librarian from the time of King Arthur. She travels through time and space, gathering books.
In their last adventure, Night of the Ninjas, Jack and Annie learned that Morgan was under a spell. To free her, Jack and Annie have to find four special things. In old Japan, they found the first thing: a moonstone.
Now Jack and Annie are about to set out in search of the second thing... in Afternoon on the Amazon.
Where's Peanut?
"Hurry, Jack!" shouted Annie.
Annie ran into the Frog Creek woods. Jack followed her.
"It's still here!" Annie called.
Jack caught up with Annie. She stood beside a tall oak tree.
Jack looked up. The magic tree house was shining in the afternoon sunlight.
"We're coming, Peanut!" Annie called.
She grabbed the rope ladder and started up.
Jack followed. They climbed and climbed. Finally they climbed into the tree house. 
"Peanut?" said Annie.
Jack took off his backpack. He looked around.
Sunlight slanted across a stack of books-books about ninjas, pirates, mummies, knights, and dinosaurs.
The letter M shimmered on the wooden floor. M for Morgan le Fay. 
"I don't think Peanut's here," said Jack. "I wonder where she is," said Annie. 
"How do you know Peanut's a she?" asked Jack.
"I just know it," said Annie.
"Oh, brother," said Jack.
Squeak!
Annie laughed. "Look, Jack!"
A small pink sock was moving across the floor. Yesterday Annie had turned her sock into a bed for Peanut.
Annie picked up the tiny lump.
Squeak.
A brown-and-white mouse peeked out of the sock. She looked from Annie to Jack with her big eyes.
Jack laughed. "Hi, Peanut," he said.
"Will you help us again today?" asked Annie.
In old Japan, Peanut had helped them when they'd gotten lost.
"We have to find three more things for Morgan," said Annie.
Jack pushed his glasses into place. "First we have to find a clue that tells us where to begin," he said.
"Guess what," said Annie.
"What?" said Jack.
"We don't have to look very far." She pointed at a corner of the tree house.
In the shadows was an open book.
Big Bugs
"Wow," said Jack, picking up the book. "The ninja book was open yesterday. Now this one. Who opened them?"
Jack closed the book and looked at the cover.
It showed a picture of a green forest. The trees were very tall and close together.
On the cover were the words The Rain Forest.
"Oh, wow," said Jack.
"Oh, no," said Annie.
"What's wrong?" said Jack.
"I learned about the rain forest in school," said Annie. "It's filled with big bugs and spiders."
"I know," said Jack. "Half of them have never even been named."
"It's creepy," said Annie.
"It's neat," said Jack. He wanted to take lots of notes in the rain forest. Maybe he could even name some unknown bugs.
"Neat? Yuk," said Annie. She shivered.
"I don't get it," said Jack. "You weren't afraid of dinosaurs."
"So?"
"You weren't afraid of the castle guards or the mummy's ghost."
"So?"
"You weren't afraid of pirates or ninjas."
"So?"
"You're not afraid of really scary things. But you're afraid of little bugs and spiders. That doesn't make sense."
"So?"
Jack sighed. "Listen," he said. "We have to go there. To help Morgan. That's why the book was left open."
"I know that," said Annie, frowning.
"Plus, the rain forests are being cut down," said Jack. "Don't you want to see one before it's too late?"
Annie took a deep breath and slowly nodded.
"Okay, then, let's go," said Jack.
He opened the book again. He pointed to a picture that showed blue sky, green leaves, and bright flowers.
"I wish we could go there," he said. The wind began to blow.
Squeak.
"Stay here, Peanut," said Annie as she put the mouse in her pocket.
The wind picked up. The tree house started to spin.
Jack squeezed his eyes shut.
The wind was whistling now. The tree house was spinning faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
Wild sounds broke the silence. Screeeeeech! Buzzzzzzz! Chirp! Chirp!
Yikes!
Jack opened his eyes.
The air was hot and steamy.
"It looks like we landed in some bushes," said Annie.
She was peeking out of the tree house window. Peanut was peeking out of Annie's pocket.
Jack peeked out of the tree house, too.
They had landed in a sea of shiny green leaves. Outside there were flowers, bright butterflies, and birds. Just as in the book.
"That's strange," said Jack. "I wonder why we didn't land in a tree. The way we always do."
"I don't know," said Annie. "But let's hurry and find the thing for Morgan. So we can get back home before we meet any big bugs."
"Wait. This seems weird," said Jack. "I don't understand why we landed in bushes. I'd better read about this."
"Oh, come on," said Annie. "We don't even need the ladder. We can just climb out the window."
Annie put Peanut in her pocket. She stuck one leg out the window.
"Wait!" Jack grabbed Annie's other leg. He read:
The rain forest is in three layers. Thick treetops, often over 150 feet in the air, make up the top layer. This is called the forest canopy. Below the canopy is the under-story, then the forest floor.
"Get back in here!" cried Jack. "We're probably more than 150 feet above the ground! In the forest canopy!"
"Yikes!" said Annie. She slipped back into the tree house.
"We have to use the ladder," said Jack. He got on his hands and knees. He moved leaves away from the hole in the floor. He looked down.
The ladder seemed to fall between the branches of a giant tree. But Jack couldn't see beyond that.
"I can't tell what's down there," he said. "Be careful."
Jack put the rain forest book in his backpack. Then he stepped onto the rope ladder.
He started down. Annie followed with Peanut in her pocket.
Jack pushed through the leaves.
He came to the understory below the canopy.
He looked down at the forest floor. It was very far away.
"Oh, man," whispered Jack.
This world was completely different from the one above the treetops.
Now that they were out of the sun, it was cooler. It was also damp and very quiet.
Jack shivered. It was the spookiest place he had ever seen.
Millions of Them!
Jack didn't move. He kept staring down at the forest floor.
"What's wrong?" Annie called from above. Jack didn't answer.
"You don't see any giant spiders, do you?" Annie said.
"Well... no." Jack took a deep breath.
We have to keep going, he thought. We have to find the special thing for Morgan. 
"No spiders. Nothing scary," Jack called.
And he started down the ladder again.
Jack and Annie climbed down through the understory. Finally they stepped onto the forest floor.
Only a few rays of light slanted through the gloom.
The trees were very, very tall and very wide. Vines and moss were hanging everywhere. 
The ground was covered with dead leaves.
"Before we do anything, I'd better check the book," said Jack.
He pulled out the rain forest book. He found a picture of the dark world under the treetops. He read:
In the rain forest, many living creatures blend in with their surroundings. This is called camouflage.
"Oh, man," said Jack. He closed the book and looked around. "There're tons of creatures down here. We just can't see them."
"Really?" whispered Annie.
She and Jack peered around at the quiet forest. Jack felt unseen eyes watching them.
"Let's hurry and find the special thing," whispered Annie.
"How will we know when we find it?" Jack said.
"I think we'll just know," said Annie. She headed off through the gloom.
Jack followed. They crept between the huge trees and past hanging vines.
Annie stopped. "Wait what's that?" "What's what?"
"Listen that weird sound."
Jack listened. He heard a crackling sound.
It sounded like a person walking over leaves. Jack looked around. He didn't see anyone. But the sound got louder.
Was it an animal? A giant bug? One that had never been named?
Just then the silent forest came alive.
Birds took off into the air. Frogs hopped over the leaves. Lizards ran up the tree trunks.
The weird noise grew louder and louder.
"Maybe the book explains it," said Jack. He opened the book. He found a picture of different animals running together. He read:
When animals hear a crackling sound, they flee in panic. The sound means that 30 million flesh-eating army ants are marching through the dead leaves.
"It's army ants!" cried Jack. "Millions of them!"
"Where?" cried Annie.
Jack and Annie looked around wildly. "There!" Annie pointed.
Army ants millions and millions of them were marching over the leaves!
"Run to the tree house!" cried Annie.
"Where is it?" said Jack, whirling around. All the trees looked the same. Where was the rope ladder?
"Just run!" cried Annie.
Jack and Annie took off.
They ran over the dead leaves.
They ran between wide tree trunks.
They ran past the hanging vines and mosses.
They climbed over thick roots.
Jack saw a clearing ahead. It was filled with sunlight.
"That way!" he cried.
Jack and Annie hurried toward the light. They pushed their way through the bushes.
They burst onto the bank of a river. They stared at the slow-moving brown water.
"Do you think the ants will come this way?" Annie said, panting.
"I don't know," said Jack. "But if we wade a few feet into the river, we're safe. The ants won't go into the water. Come on."
"Look!" said Annie.
She pointed to a big log rocking at the edge of the river. The inside of the log was dug out.
"It looks like a canoe," said Jack. He listened to the crackling sound in the distance. "Let's get in it. Quick!"
Jack shoved the book into his backpack. Then he and Annie carefully climbed into the dug-out log.
Annie leaned out of it. She pushed away from the bank with her hands.
"Wait!" said Jack. "We don't have paddles!"
"Oops," said Annie.
The canoe started moving slowly down the muddy river.
Pretty Fish
Squeak.
Annie patted the little mouse in her pocket.
"It's okay, Peanut. The ants can't get us in the river. We're safe," she said.
"Maybe safe from the ants," said Jack. "But where is this canoe going?"
Jack and Annie stared at the river. Branches spread over the water. Vines and mosses hung down from them.
"We'd better look this up," said Jack. He pulled the rain forest book out of his backpack and flipped through it.
Soon he found a picture of a river. He read:
The Amazon River stretches over 4,000 miles from the mountains of Peru, across Brazil, to the Atlantic Ocean. The river basin contains over half of the rain forests in the world.
Jack looked at Annie. "We're on the Amazon River," he said. "It's more than four thousand miles long!"
"Wow," Annie whispered. She looked at the river. She trailed her hand through the water.
"I have to make some notes." Jack said. He pulled his notebook out of his pack. 
He wrote:
The Amazon Rainforest is... 
"Jack, look at those pretty fish with the teeth," said Annie.
"What?" Jack glanced up from his writing.
Annie was pointing at some blue fish swimming near the boat. The fish had red bellies and razor-sharp teeth.
"Watch it!" cried Jack. "Those aren't pretty fish. They're piranhas! They'll eat anything! Even people!"
"Yikes," whispered Annie.
"We better get back on shore," said Jack, putting the books in his backpack.
"How?" said Annie. "We can't go in the water now. And we don't have any paddles."
Jack tried to stay calm. "We need a plan," he said.
Jack stared at the river. The canoe would soon float under some vines.
"I'll grab a vine," said Jack. "And pull us to shore."
"Good idea," said Annie.
As they glided under the branches, Jack stood up.
The canoe rocked. He nearly fell out! 
"Balance the canoe," said Jack.
Annie leaned to one side. Jack reached... he missed!
The canoe floated under more branches. Jack reached for another thick vine. He grabbed it!
It was cold and scaly. It wiggled and jerked!
"Ahhh!" Jack screamed and fell back into the canoe.
The vine was alive!
It was a long green snake!
The snake fell from the tree. It splashed into the water and swam away.
"Oh, man," said Jack.
He and Annie stared in horror at each other.
"What now?" said Annie, making a face.
"Well..." Jack looked at the river. There were no vines up ahead. But there was a big branch floating on the water.
"Grab that branch near you," said Jack. "Maybe we can use it for a paddle."
The canoe floated closer to the branch. Annie reached for it.
Suddenly the branch rose into the air! It was a crocodile!
"Help!" screamed Annie, and she fell back into the canoe.
The crocodile opened and closed its huge, long jaws. Then it moved past the canoe and swam up the river.
"Oh, man," whispered Jack.
A screeching sound split the air.
Jack and Annie jumped.
"Help!" said Jack.
He expected to see another terrible creature.
But all he saw was a small brown monkey, hanging by its tail from a tree.
Monkey Trouble
Squeak! Squeak! Peanut poked her head out from Annie's pocket. She seemed to be yelling at the monkey.
"Don't worry, Peanut," said Annie. "He's just a little monkey. He won't hurt us."
But suddenly the monkey grabbed a big red fruit hanging from the tree. He hurled it at the canoe.
"Watch it!" shouted Jack.
The fruit fell into the water with a splash. The monkey screeched even louder. He grabbed another fruit.
"Don't throw things at us!" shouted Annie.
But the monkey hurled the red fruit right at them.
Jack and Annie ducked again. And the fruit splashed into the water.
"Stop that!" Annie shouted.
But the monkey only waved his arms and screeched again.
"Oh, brother," said Jack. "I don't believe this."
The monkey grabbed a third fruit and hurled it at Jack and Annie. It landed inside the canoe with a thump.
Annie grabbed the fruit. She stood up and threw it back at the monkey.
She missed. The canoe rocked. Annie almost fell out.
The monkey screeched even louder.
"Go away!" Annie shouted. "You're the meanest thing in the world!"
The monkey stopped screeching. He looked at Annie. Then he swung away. Into the forest.
"I think I hurt his feelings," said Annie. "Who cares?" said Jack. "He shouldn't throw things."
"Uh-oh," said Annie. "It's raining now." "What?" Jack looked up. A raindrop hit him in the eye.
"Oh, no. I don't believe this," Jack said. 
"What'd you expect?" said Annie. "It is the rain forest."
A gust of wind blew the canoe.
Thunder rolled in the sky.
"A river's a bad place to be in a storm," said Jack. "We have to get back to shore. Right now."
"But how?" said Annie. "We can't wade or swim. The piranhas, the snake, and the crocodile will get us."
Screeching split the air again.
"Oh, no," said Jack. The bratty monkey was back.
This time, the monkey was pointing a long stick at the canoe.
Jack crouched down. Was the monkey going to hurl the stick at them? Like a spear?
Annie jumped up and faced the monkey. "Watch it! He's nuts," said Jack.
But the monkey just stared at Annie. And Annie just stared back at him.
After a long moment, the monkey seemed to smile.
Annie smiled back.
"What's going on?" said Jack.
"He wants to help us," Annie said.
"Help us how?" said Jack.
The monkey held out the long stick. Annie grabbed the other end.
The monkey pulled on the stick. The canoe started floating toward him. The monkey pulled the canoe all the way to the bank of the river.
Freeze!
Jack and Annie jumped out of the canoe. The rain was starting to fall harder.
The monkey took off. He swung from tree to tree, heading up the riverbank.
He screeched and beckoned to Jack and Annie.
"He wants us to follow him!" said Annie. 
"No! We have to find the special thing. Then go home!" said Jack.
"He wants to help us!" said Annie. She took off after the monkey. The two of them vanished into the rain forest.
"Annie!"
Thunder shook the sky.
"Oh, brother," said Jack.
He dashed after Annie and the monkey. Into the dark forest. The forest seemed surprisingly dry.
Jack looked up. It was still raining. But the treetops acted like a huge umbrella. "Annie?" called Jack.
"Jack! Jack!" cried Annie.
"Where are you?"
"Here!"
Jack hurried in the direction of Annie's voice.
Soon he found the monkey. He was screeching and swinging from a tree. Annie was kneeling on the forest floor. She was playing with an animal that looked like a giant kitten.
"What's that?" Jack said.
"I don't know, but I love it!" said Annie. Annie batted the animal's paws. It had gold fur and black spots.
"I'd better find out what it is," said Jack. He pulled out the rain forest book and flipped through it.
"Oh, it's so cute," said Annie.
Jack found a picture of an animal with gold fur and black spots. He read:
The jaguar is the biggest predator in the western hemisphere.
"Forget cute," Jack said. "That must be a baby jaguar. It's going to grow up and be the biggest predator in the forest."
"What's a predator?" asked Annie. GRRR! There was a terrible growl. Jack whirled around.
The mother jaguar was coming out from behind a tree. She was creeping over the dead leaves-right toward Annie.
"Freeze!" whispered Jack.
Annie froze. But the jaguar kept moving slowly toward her.
"Help," said Jack weakly.
Suddenly the monkey swooped down from his tree. He grabbed the jaguar's tail!
The cat roared and spun around.
Annie jumped up.
The monkey pulled the jaguar's tail again. Then he let go and took off. The jaguar sprang after him.
"Run, Annie!" cried Jack.
Jack and Annie took off through the rain forest. They ran for their lives!
Vampire Bats?
"Wait-" said Jack, panting. "I think we got away."
Jack and Annie stopped running and caught their breath.
"Where are we?" said Jack.
"Where's the monkey?" said Annie, looking back at the forest. "Do you think the jaguar caught him?"
"No, monkeys are fast," said Jack.
Of course, jaguars are fast, too, Jack thought. But he didn't want to tell Annie that.
"I hope he's okay," said Annie.
Squeak. Peanut peeked out of Annie's pocket.
"Peanut! I almost forgot you!" said Annie. "Are you okay?"
The mouse just stared at Annie with her big eyes.
"She looks scared," said Jack. "Poor Peanut."
"Poor monkey," said Annie. She looked around at the forest.
"We'd better check the book," Jack said. He pulled out the book. He turned the pages, searching for help.
He stopped at a picture of a scary creature.
"Oh, man. What's this?" he said.
Jack read the writing below the picture. It said:
Vampire bats live in the Amazon rain forest. At night, they quietly bite their victims and suck their blood.
"Vampire bats?" said Jack. He felt faint. "Vampire bats?" said Annie.
Jack nodded. "After dark."
Annie and Jack looked around. The rain forest seemed to be getting even darker.
"Yikes," said Annie. She looked at Jack. "Maybe we should go home."
Jack nodded. For once he agreed with her. "But what about our mission?" said Annie. "What about Morgan?"
"We'll come back," said Jack. "We'll have to be prepared."
"So we'll come back tomorrow?" Annie asked.
"Right. Now which way is the tree house?" said Jack.
"This way," said Annie, pointing.
"That way," said Jack, pointing in the opposite direction.
They looked at each other. "We're lost," they said together.
Squeak.
"Don't worry, Peanut." Annie started to pat the mouse again. But then she stopped.
Squeak. Squeak. Squeak.
"Jack, I think Peanut wants to help us," said Annie.
"How?"
"The way she helped us in the time of ninjas"
Annie placed the mouse on the leafy forest floor. "Take us to the tree house, Peanut." The mouse took off.
"Where'd she go?" said Annie. "I don't see her!"
"There!" said Jack. He pointed to leaves rustling on the ground.
A streak of white passed over the leaves. "Yes, there!" said Annie.
Jack and Annie followed the moving leaves. The streak of white appeared. And disappeared.
Suddenly Jack stopped.
The forest floor was still. There was no sign of Peanut.
"Where is she?" asked Jack.
He kept staring at the ground.
"Jack!"
Jack glanced around. Annie was standing on the other side of a nearby tree. She was pointing up.
Jack looked up.
The tree house.
"Oh, whew," Jack said softly.
"She saved us again," said Annie. "She's running up the ladder. All by herself. Look." Annie pointed at the rope ladder.
Peanut was climbing up one of the ropes. "Let's go," Jack said.
Annie started up the ladder. Then Jack. They followed Peanut all the way up to the canopy of the rain forest.
The Thing
Jack and Annie climbed into the tree house.
Peanut was sitting on a stack of books. Annie patted Peanut's little head. "Thanks," she said softly.
"I have to write some notes about the rain forest," said Jack. "You find the Pennsylvania book."
Annie began searching for the Pennsylvania book-the book that always took them home.
Jack pulled out his notebook.
He had wanted to take lots of notes here. But all he'd written so far was:
The Amazon Rainforest is... 
"It's not here!" said Annie.
"What?" Jack looked up. He glanced around the tree house.
Annie was right. The Pennsylvania book was nowhere in sight.
"Was it here before we left home?" said Jack.
"I don't remember," said Annie.
"Oh, man," said Jack. "Now we can't get back to Frog Creek."
"That means we'll be here when the vampire bats come out," said Annie.
Something came flying through the tree house window.
"Ahhh!" Jack and Annie hid their heads.
Thud.
Something hit the floor. A red fruit.
Jack looked up. The monkey was sitting in the window. His head was cocked to one side. He seemed to be grinning at them.
"You're safe!" said Annie.
"Thanks for saving us," said Jack.
The monkey just grinned.
"I have just one question," said Annie. She pointed at the fruit. "Why do you keep throwing those at us?"
The monkey grabbed the fruit.
"No! Don't throw it!" said Jack. He ducked.
But the monkey didn't throw the fruit.
He held it out to Annie. He moved his lips as if he were trying to say something.
Annie stared into the monkey's eyes. He moved his lips again.
"Wow," Annie said softly. "I understand now."
"Understand what?" said Jack.
Annie took the fruit from the monkey. "This is it," she said. "The thing we need." 
"What thing?" said Jack.
"One of the special things we're supposed to find for Morgan," Annie said. "To free her from the spell."
"Are you sure?" said Jack.
Before Annie could answer, Jack saw the Pennsylvania book. "Look! Our book!" he said, pointing.
"We found the thing. And now we can see the book," said Annie. "That's the way it works, remember?"
A happy screech came from the mysterious world below.
Jack put away his notebook. Annie picked up the Pennsylvania book.
"Now it's really time to leave," she said.
She turned to the picture of the Frog Creek woods. "I wish we could go there," she said, pointing at the picture.
The wind started to blow. The leaves began to tremble. The tree house began to spin. It spun faster and faster. Then everything was still. Absolutely still.
Halfway There
Squeak.
Jack opened his eyes. Peanut was on the tree house windowsill.
"We're home," said Annie.
Jack breathed a sigh of relief.
Annie held the fruit up to the afternoon light.
"What exactly is this?" she asked.
"Maybe it's in the book," Jack answered.
He pulled out the rain forest book. He flipped through the pages. He came to a picture of the red fruit.
"Here it is!" he said. He read out loud:
"The mango has a sweet taste like that of a peach."
"Mango? Hmmm," said Annie. She brought the fruit close to her lips.
"Hey!" said Jack, grabbing the mango from her. "We have to put it with the moonstone."
Jack placed the mango on the M carved into the floor. Next to the clear moonstone.
"Moonstone. Mango," whispered Annie. It sounded like a spell.
"We're halfway there," said Jack. "Two more to go."
"Then we can free you, Morgan!" Annie called, as if Morgan were nearby.
"How do you know she can hear you?" said Jack.
"I just feel it," Annie said.
"Oh, brother," said Jack. He needed more proof than that.
Squeak. Peanut was looking at Jack and Annie.
"We have to leave you now," Jack said to the mouse.
Squeak.
"Can't we take her with us?" said Annie.
"No," said Jack. "Mom won't let us keep a mouse in the house. She doesn't like mice, remember?"
"How could anyone not like a mouse?" said Annie.
Jack smiled. "How could anyone not like a spider?" he said.
"That's different." Annie patted Peanut's head. "Bye," she said. "Wait for us here. We'll be back tomorrow."
Jack patted the mouse, too. "Bye, Peanut. Thanks for your help," he said.
Squeak.
Jack put the rain forest book on top of the book about ninjas.
Then he pulled on his backpack. And he and Annie left the tree house. They climbed down the rope ladder. They stepped onto the ground. They started walking through the Frog Creek woods. Leaf shadows danced in the light. A bird called out.
These woods are very different from the rain forest, Jack thought.
"There're no jaguars or army ants here," he said. "No little monkeys."
"You know, that monkey was never being mean," said Annie. "He was just trying to give us the mango."
"I know. Actually, nothing was being mean," said Jack. "The army ants were just marching. That's what army ants do."
"The piranhas were just being piranhas." said Annie.
"The snake was just being a snake," said Jack.
"The crocodile was just being a crocodile," said Annie.
"The jaguar was just taking care of her baby," said Jack.
Annie shuddered. "I still don't love bugs," she said.
"You don't have to love them," said Jack.
"Just leave them alone. And they won't bother you."
In fact, that's true about the whole rain forest, Jack thought. Everyone should just leave it all alone.
"Who cares if the bugs don't have names?" he said softly. "They know who they are."
Jack and Annie stepped out of the Frog Creek woods. They started walking up their street. It was lit with a golden light.
"Race you!" said Annie.
They took off running.
They ran across their yard.
They raced up their steps.
"Safe!" they shouted together, tagging their front door.
1. The "M" Things 
"Let's go to the tree house," said Annie. 
She and Jack were passing the Frog Creek Woods on their way home from their swimming class at the Y. 
"No. I want to go home and change out of my bathing suit," said Jack. 
"Oh, that'll take too long," said Annie. "Don't you want to save Morgan as soon as possible?" 
"Of course," said Jack. 
"Then come on! Before the sun sets! " said Annie. 
She darted into the woods. 
Jack sighed. He gave up on the idea of changing out of his bathing suit. 
He pushed his glasses into place. He followed Annie into the Frog Creek woods. 
The warm air smelled fresh and green. 
He moved through patches of sunlight and shadow. Soon he came to a small clearing. He looked up. There it was. The magic tree house in the tallest tree in the woods. 
"Hurry!" called Annie. She was climbing the rope ladder up to the tree house. 
Jack grabbed the ladder. he started up after her. 
Finally they reached the tree house. 
Squeak. A mouse sat on the windowsill. 
"Hi, Peanut!" cried Annie. 
Jack patted the tiny head. 
"Sorry we didn't come sooner," Annie said. "But we had to go to our swimming lesson." 
Squeak. 
"What happened while we were gone?" asked Annie, looking around the tree house. 
Jack stared at the large M carved into the wooden floor. On the M were a moonstone and a mango, the special things they'd found on their last two journeys. 
"Hey, guess what?" said Jack. "Moonstone and mango start with the letter M. Just like Morgan. " 
"You're right," said Annie. 
"I bet all four things start with an M," said Jack. 
"Right," said Annie. "I wonder where we'll find the next one." 
She and Jack stared at the stacks of books in the tree house. Books on the Amazon rain forest, ninjas, pirates, mummies, knights, and dinosaurs. 
All of them were closed. Only one book lay open in the corner. 
"We're just about to find out," said Jack. 
They walked over to the open book. They looked at the page the book was opened to. It showed a picture of rocks and snow. 
"Wow," said Annie, running her finger over the picture. "I love snow. I wish we could go there right now." 
"Wait," said Jack. "We're not prepared." Then he had another thought. "And we're wearing our bathing suits! Stop!" 
"Oops," said Annie. 
Too late. The wind started to blow. 
The leaves started to shake. 
The tree house started to spin. 
It spun faster and faster! 
Then everything was silent. 
It was as silent as the falling snow. 
2. Bones
Jack, Annie and Peanut looked outside. 
Snow was falling from a gray sky. The tree house was in the tallest tree in a grove of tall, bare trees. The grove was on a wide, white plain. Beyond the plain were high, rocky cliffs. 
"I'm c-cold," said Annie. Her teeth chattered. She wrapped her towel tightly around her. 
Sq-squeak. Peanut sounded cold, too. 
"Poor mouse," said Annie. "I'll put you into Jack's pack. You'll be warmer there." 
Annie slipped Peanut into the pocked of the backpack. 
"We have to go home," said Jack. "We need warmer clothes." 
"We can't go home," said Annie. "We can't find the Pennsylvania book. Not until our mission is complete. Remember? That's the way the magic works." 
"Oh... right," said Jack. He looked around. There was no sign of the Pennsylvania book that always took them home. 
Annie peered out the window again. "Where are we, anyway?" she asked. 
"I'll find out," said Jack. He picked up the open book and read the title on the cover. "Life in the Ice Age." 
"Ice Age?" said Annie. "No wonder we're cold." 
"We better find the third M thing soon," said Jack. "Before we freeze to death." 
"Look," whispered Annie, "people." She pointed out the window. 
Jack saw them, too: four figures on a cliff. Two big figures and two little ones -- all holding long spears. 
"Who are they?" said Annie. 
"I'll look in the book," said Jack. 
He found a picture of some people. He read the caption to Annie: 
Early modern humans were called Cro-Magnons. During the late Ice Age in Europe, they sometimes lived in caves beneath cliffs. 
"Why are they carrying spears?" said Annie. 
Jack turned the page. He found another picture of the Cro-Magnons. He read aloud: 
The Cro-Magnon family often hunted together. They covered deep pits with branches. Then they drove reindeer and mammoths into the traps. 
"Oh, trapping the animals -- that's sad," said Annie. 
"No, it's not," said Jack. "They couldn't live without hunting. They didn't have supermarkets, you know." 
They watched the family disappear over the other side of the cliff. 
"Come on, I'm freezing," said Jack. "Let's hurry and find the M thing while the Cro-Magnons are hunting." 
"But I want to meet them," said Annie. 
"Forget it," said Jack. "They don't have books that tell them about us. They'll think we're some enemy and hurl their spears." 
"Yikes," said Annie. 
Jack put his book away. 
Squeak. Peanut peeked out of the backpack. 
"Stay in there," said Annie. 
Jack pulled on his pack and started down the rope ladder. Annie followed. 
On the icy ground, they huddled together. 
The wind was biting. Jack put his towel over his head. Snow blew against his glasses. 
"Hey, Jack," said Annie. "Look at me." 
Annie had put on her swimming goggles. "Now I can see," she said. 
"Good thinking," said Jack. "Now cover your head with your towel. Most of your body heat is lost through your head." 
Annie wrapped her towel around her head. 
"We should find a cave or someplace warmer," said Jack. 
"I bet there are caves in those cliffs," said Annie. 
She and Jack started across the white plain. The snow wasn't deep yet. But the wind was blowing hard. 
"I told you!" Annie pointed to an opening in the rocks -- a cave. 
They ran to it. 
"Careful," said Jack. They stepped carefully into the shadowy cave. 
It was only slightly warmer inside. But at least the wind wasn't blowing. In the gray light, they stamped the snow off their sneakers. 
Annie took off her goggles. 
"It smells in here," said Jack. 
"Yeah, like a wet dog," said Annie. 
"Let me see what I can find out," said Jack. 
He pulled out the Ice Age book. 
"I'll look around," said Annie. "Maybe the M thing is here. Then we can go home and get warm." 
Jack stood by the entrance so he could read the book. 
"This cave is filled with sticks," Annie said. 
"What?" said Jack. He didn't look up from the book. 
"No, wait. I think they're bones," said Annie. 
"Bones?" echoed Jack. 
"Yeah. Lots of them back here. All over the floor." 
Jack turned the pages of his book. He found a picture of a cave filled with bones. 
"I hear something," said Annie. 
Jack read the writing below the picture of the cave. It said: 
The great cave bears of the Ice Age were over eight feet tall. These bears were larger and fiercer than today's grizzlies. Their caves were filled with the bones of their ancestors. 
"Annie!" whispered Jack. "Get back here now!" 
They were in the cave of a great cave bear! 
3. Brrr!
"Annie!" whispered Jack again. 
No answer. He put his book quietly into his pack. He stepped deeper into the cave. 
"Annie!" he said a little louder. 
Jack stepped on the bones. The wet dog smell grew stronger. 
He kept going, deeper into the smelly blackness. 
He ran into something. He gasped. 
"Jack?" said Annie. "Is that you?" 
"Didn't you hear me calling?" Jack whispered. "We have to get out of here!" 
"Wait," she said. "Someone's sleeping back there. Hear him snoring?" 
Jack heard a low, deep moaning. It was loud, then soft. Loud, then soft. 
"That's not a person," he said. "It's a great cave bear!" 
A booming snore shattered the air. 
"Yikes!" said Annie. 
"Go! Go!" said Jack. 
He and Annie ran through the cave, over the bones, and out into the falling snow. 
They kept on going. They ran between fallen rocks and under jagged cliffs. 
Finally they stopped and turned around. All they could see was snow and rocks and their own footprints. 
No bear. 
"Whew," said Annie. "That was lucky." 
"Yeah," said Jack. "He probably never even woke up. We just got in a panic." 
Annie huddled close to Jack. "Brrr! I'm f-freezing," she said. 
"Me too," he said. 
He took off his glasses to wipe off the snow. The cold wind blew against his bare legs. 
"Wow," Annie said. "Look." She pointed to something behind Jack. 
"What?" Jack put his glasses back on and turned around. 
Under a cliff was a wide ledge. Under the ledge was another cave. Only this cave seemed to have a golden glow. This one looked cozy and safe and warm. 
4. Cave Kids
Jack and Annie crept to the cave and peeked inside. 
A small flame danced from a bed of glowing coals. Near the fire were knives, axes, and hollowed-out stones. Animal skins were neatly stacked against the wall. 
"People must live here," said Annie. 
"Maybe it's the home of the Cro-Magnons we saw," said Jack, looking around. 
"Let's go inside and get warm," said Annie. 
Jack and Annie moved quickly to the fire and warmed their hands. Their shadows danced on the stone walls. 
Jack pulled out his Ice Age book. He found a picture of a cave. He read: 
Cro-Magnons made many things from animals, plants, and stone. They made flute-like musical instruments from mammoth bones. They made ropes by braiding plant fibers. They made axes and knives from stone. 
Jack pulled out his notebook and pencil. He started a list: 
Cro-Magnons made: 
bone flutes plant ropes stone axes and knives 
"Ta-da!" said Annie. 
Jack looked up. Annie was wearing a coat. It had a hood and long sleeves. It went all the way down to her sneakers. 
"Where did you get that?" said Jack. 
"From that pile of furry skins," said Annie, pointing. "These must be their clothes. Maybe they're being mended." 
She picked up another coat and handed it to Jack. 
"Try one. It's really warm," she said. 
Jack put his backpack and towel down on the hard dirt floor. He slipped on the coat. 
It did feel very warm -- and soft. 
"We look like cave kids," said Annie. 
Squeak. Peanut peeked out of Jack's pack lying on the floor. 
"You stay in there," said Annie. "There's no teeny coat for you." 
Peanut vanished back into the pack. 
"I wonder how they made these coats," said Jack. 
He turned the pages in the book until he found a picture of Cro-Magnon women sewing. He read: 
Cro-Magnons scraped reindeer skins with flint rocks to make them soft. They used bone needles to sew the skins together for clothing. 
Jack added to his list: 
reindeer-skin clothes 
"I hope the cave people won't mind if we borrow their coats," said Jack. 
"Maybe we should give them our towels," said Annie. "To thank them." 
"Good idea." 
"And my goggles, too," said Annie. 
They left their gifts on top of the rest of the animal skins. 
"Let's explore the cave before they come home," said Jack. 
"It's too dark in the back," said Annie. "We won't be able to see anything." 
"I'll find out how Cro-Magnons saw in the dark," said Jack. 
He opened the Ice Age book. he found a picture of cave people holding odd-looking lamps. He read aloud to Annie: 
Cro-Magnons made stone lamps. They hollowed out a rock, filled it with animal fat, then burned a wick made from moss. 
"There!" said Annie. She pointed to two stones near the fire. In the hollow of each was gooey white stuff and a pile of moss. 
"We have to be careful," said Jack. 
He picked up one stone. It was smaller than a soup bowl, but much heavier. 
Jack held the stone close to the fire and lit the piece of moss. He lit another lamp and gave it to Annie. 
"Carry it with two hands," he said. 
"I know," she said. 
Jack tucked the book under his arm. He and Annie carried their stone lamps to the back of the cave. 
"Hey, I wonder where this goes," said Annie. She held her lamp up to an opening in the wall. 
"I'll check in the book," said Jack. 
He put down his lamp and flipped through the Ice Age book. 
"I think it's a tunnel," she said. "Be right back." 
"Wait a second," said Jack. 
Too late -- she had squeezed into the opening and was gone. 
"Oh brother," said Jack, sighing. 
He closed his book and peeked into the opening. 
"Come back here!" he said. 
"No! you come here!" said Annie. Her voice sounded far away. "You won't believe this!" 
Jack picked up his lamp and book. He ducked into a small tunnel. 
"Wow!" came Annie's voice. 
Jack could see her lamp flickering at the other end. 
Crouching down, he hurried toward her. At the end of the tunnel was a huge cavern with a high ceiling. 
Annie held her lamp close to the wall. 
"Look," she said. Her voice echoed. 
Animals were painted on the wall in strokes of red and black and yellow. There were cave bears and lions, elk and reindeer, bison and woolly rhinos and mammoths. 
In the flickering light, the prehistoric beasts looked alive. 
5. Snow Tracks
"Wow, what is this place?" said Jack. 
"Maybe it's an art gallery," said Annie. 
"I don't think so," said Jack. "It's too hard to get to." 
He read about the cave paintings: 
These Ice Age beasts were painted 25 000 years ago. Cro-Magnons painted pictures of animals they hunted. They may have believed the paintings would give them power over the animals. 
"Wow, look at this," said Annie. 
She pointed at a painting farther down the wall. 
It showed a figure with human arms and legs, reindeer antlers, and an owl face. It seemed to be holding a flute. 
Jack looked at the book again. He found a picture of the figure and read: 
Cave men may have been led by a sorcerer, or "Master of the Animals". He may have worn reindeer antlers so he could run like a reindeer -- and an owl mask so he could see like an owl. 
"What is it?" said Annie. 
"The Master of the Animals," said Jack. "He's a sorcerer." 
"Oh wow," breathed Annie. "That's it." 
"That's what?" 
"That's who we have to find." 
"Why?" 
"Maybe he's a friend of Morgan's," said Annie. 
Jack nodded slowly. "Maybe," he said. 
"Let's go find him," said Annie. 
They went back through the tunnel into the first cave. 
"We better put our lamps back," said Jack. 
He and Annie blew out their lamps. They placed them back by the fire. Jack's backpack was on the floor next to the skins. He put the Ice Age book into it. 
"How's Peanut?" said Annie. 
Jack looked into his pack. "She's not here," he said. 
"Oh no!" cried Annie. "She must have crawled out when we were looking at the paintings." 
"Peanut!" Jack called. 
"Peanut!" called Annie. 
Annie walked slowly around the cave, looking into the shadows. Jack peered around the fire and under each of the furry skins. 
"Jack! Come here!" said Annie. 
She was standing near the entrance to the cave. 
The snow had stopped falling. In the snow were tiny tracks. 
6. Song on the Wind
"Peanut's tracks," said Annie. "We have to find her before she freezes." 
She wrapped her reindeer coat around her and headed across the snow. Jack pulled on his backpack and followed. 
The mouse's tracks led them between the fallen rocks and back onto the open plain. 
The wind blew harder. Snow swirled over the ground, covering the tiny footprints. 
"I can't see them anymore!" wailed Annie. 
She and Jack now stood in the middle of the plain. They stared at the windswept snow. 
The mouse's tracks had vanished. 
"Yikes," whispered Annie, staring up. 
Jack followed her gaze. On one of the cliffs was a tiger. A giant tiger with two long, sharp fangs. 
"A sabertooth," said Jack. 
"I hope he doesn't see us," whispered Annie. 
"Me too," Jack whispered back. "We'd better head back to the tree house." 
Jack and Annie stepped very softly across the snow. Then Jack glanced back at the cliff. 
The sabertooth was gone. 
"Oh man," he said. "Where is he?" 
"Run to the trees!" said Annie. 
He and Annie started running. They ran over the snowy plain, heading toward the tall, bare trees in the distance. 
Suddenly Jack heard a crack. 
The ground caved in, and Jack went with it. Annie fell beside him. They crashed down onto a heap of branches, snow, and earth. 
They struggled to stand. Jack pushed his glasses into place. 
"You all right?" he asked Annie. 
"Yes," she said. 
They both looked up. They were in a deep hole. All Jack could see were gray clouds moving overhead. 
"This is a trap," Jack said. "The Cro-Magnons must have put branches over this hole. Then the snow hid the branches. So we didn't see them." 
"There's no way out," said Annie. 
She was right. They were helpless. The pit was too deep to climb out of. 
"I feel like a trapped animal," Annie said. 
"Me too," said Jack. 
He heard a yowl in the distance. 
"The sabertooth!" whispered Annie. 
Jack pulled out the Ice Age book. He found a picture of the sabertooth. He read: 
The sabertooth was the fiercest beast of the Ice Age. It attacked humans as well as woolly mammoths and other large animals. 
"Oh brother," said Jack. 
"Listen!" Annie grabbed him. 
"What?" Jack jumped. 
"I hear music." 
Jack listened. But all he heard was the wind. 
"You hear it?" said Annie. 
"No," said Jack. 
"Listen carefully." 
He closed his eyes. He listened very carefully. He heard the wind. But this time he heard another sound, too. 
Strange, haunting music. 
"Ahhh!" cried Annie. 
Jack opened his eyes. 
Staring down at them was a figure wearing reindeer antlers and an owl mask. 
"The sorcerer," whispered Jack. 
Squeak. 
Peanut peered down at them, too! 
7. The Sorcerer's Gift
The sorcerer didn't speak. He stared through the eyeholes of the owl mask. 
"Help us, please," said Annie. 
The sorcerer threw a rope into the pit. Jack grabbed it. 
"He wants to pull us up," said Annie. 
Jack looked up. The sorcerer was gone. 
"Where did he go?" Jack said. 
"Tug on the rope," said Annie. 
Jack tugged. The rope tightened. It began rising. 
"I'll go first!" said Annie cheerfully. 
"Annie, this isn't a game," warned Jack. 
"Don't worry, I'll be careful." 
Jack gave her the rope. "Okay. But hold on tight," he said. 
Annie held the rope with both hands. She pushed her feet against the side of the pit. She rose into the air with the rope. She kept pressing against the side of the pit -- until she reached the top. 
Jack saw the sorcerer reappear and help Annie up. Then they moved out of sight. 
Jack was puzzled. The sorcerer had used both hands to help Annie. So who held the other end of the rope? 
"Wow!" came Annie's voice. 
What's going on? Jack wondered. 
The sorcerer came back and threw the rope down again. Jack grabbed it. And the rope started to rise. 
Jack held on tight. He started up. His hands burned. His arms felt as if they were being pulled out of their sockets. 
But he kept his hold on the rope and his feet against the side of the pit. 
At the top the sorcerer pulled Jack onto the snowy ground. 
"Thanks," said Jack, standing. 
The sorcerer was tall. He wore a long fur robe. Jack could see only his eyes through the owl mask. 
"Hey!" Annie called. 
Jack turned. 
Annie was sitting on a woolly mammoth. 
Squeak. Peanut was sitting on the mammoth's head. 
The mammoth looked like a giant elephant with shaggy reddish hair and long, curved tusks. The other end of the rope was around the mammoth's huge neck. 
"Lulu pulled us up," said Annie. 
"Lulu?" said Jack. 
"Don't you think she looks like a Lulu?" said Annie. 
"Oh brother," said Jack. He walked up to the mammoth. 
"Hey, mammoth starts with M," said Annie. "Maybe Lulu's the special thing!" 
"I don't think so," said Jack. 
The great creature knelt down, just like a circus elephant. 
"Whoa!" said Annie. She clutched the mammoth's ears to keep from falling off. 
The sorcerer helped Jack climb onto the mammoth. 
"Thanks," said Jack. 
Then the sorcerer reached into a pouch. He pulled out a smooth white bone and handed it to Jack. The bone was hollow. It had four holes along one side. And two on the other. 
"Oh man, I think it's his flute," said Jack. "The book said they make flutes from mammoth bones." 
Jack tried to give the flute back to the sorcerer. 
"Nice," he said politely. 
But the sorcerer held up his hand. 
"He wants you to keep the mammoth bone," said Annie. 
"Mammoth bone," whispered Jack. "Hey, maybe this is the third thing." 
Jack looked at the sorcerer. "Do you know Morgan?" he asked. 
The sorcerer did not answer. But his eyes sparkled with kindness. He turned away from Jack and untied the mammoth's rope. Then he whispered in the ear of the giant woolly creature. 
When the mammoth stood up, Jack gripped Annie's coat to keep from falling off. He felt miles above the ground. He nestled behind Annie, in the dip between the mammoth's head and huge curved back. 
The mammoth took slow, plodding steps across the snow, then picked up speed. 
"Where are we going?" said Jack as they bumped up and down. 
"To the tree house!" said Annie. 
"How does he know where it is?" said Jack. 
"She just knows," said Annie. 
Jack looked back. The sorcerer was standing in the snow, watching them. 
But at that moment the clouds parted, and the sun came out. Jack was blinded by sunlight on the snow. He squinted to see -- but the sorcerer had vanished. 
8. The Great Parade
The huge mammoth walked across the open plain. 
"Look!" said Annie. She pointed to a herd of elk in the distance. They had great, wide antlers. 
"There!" said Jack as a herd of reindeer came into view. They pranced gracefully across the snow. 
Then a woolly rhino joined them on the open plain. Then a bison! 
The elk, reindeer, rhino, and bison moved along with them, at a distance. 
They seemed to be escorting Jack and Annie back to the tree house. 
The snow sparkled with sunlight. 
This is a great parade, Jack thought. Fantastic. 
They were getting closer and closer to the grove of tall trees. 
"I told you," said Annie. "Lulu's taking us home." 
But just then the mammoth let out a cry. All the other animals bounded off. Peanut started to squeak. 
Jack looked around. Behind them the sabertooth was slinking across the sunlit snow! 
The woolly mammoth roared and plunged forward. 
Jack and Annie nearly fell off. Jack clutched Annie. She and Peanut clutched the mammoth's shaggy hair. 
The mammoth thundered wildly over the ground. 
"Ahhh!" Jack and Annie yelled. 
The mammoth charged to the grove of trees. 
But the tiger had circled around the trees. He stood between the tallest tree and the mammoth. 
They were trapped. 
The sabertooth began moving slowly toward the mammoth. 
The woolly mammoth roared fiercely. 
But Jack knew a sabertooth could kill any creature, including a mammoth. 
The huge tiger's head was down. His burning eyes were fixed on the mammoth. His long white fangs glinted in the sunlight. 
9. Master of the Animals
The sabertooth crept forward. Jack stared in horror. 
"Play the flute," whispered Annie. 
Is she nuts? Jack thought. 
"Try!" said Annie. 
Jack held the mammoth-bone flute to his lips. He blew. 
The flute made a strange sound. 
The tiger froze. He glared at Jack. 
Jack's hands shook. 
The tiger growled. He took another step. 
The mammoth roared and stomped the ground. 
"Play it!" said Annie. "Keep playing!" 
Jack blew again. 
The sabertooth froze again. 
Jack kept blowing until he ran out of breath. 
The tiger snarled. 
"He's still here," whispered Annie. "Keep it up." 
Jack closed his eyes. He took a deep breath. Then he blew as hard and as long as he could. He covered and uncovered the holes on the bone. 
The music sounded strange -- as if it were coming from another world. 
"He's leaving!" Annie whispered. 
Jack raised his eyes. The sabertooth was slinking off toward the cliffs. 
"We did it!" said Annie. 
Jack lowered the flute. He felt very tired. 
The mammoth waved her trunk happily. 
"To the tree house, Lulu," said Annie. 
The woolly mammoth snorted. Then she lumbered over to the tallest tree. 
From the back of the mammoth, Jack grabbed the rope ladder. He held it for Annie. She stroked the mammoth's giant ear. 
"Bye, Lulu. Thank you," she said. 
Annie grabbed the rope ladder. Then she started up. Peanut climbed up, too. 
After they disappeared into the tree house, Jack climbed onto the ladder. 
He looked back at the woolly mammoth. "Bye, girl," he said. "Go home now. And watch out for the sabertooth." 
The mammoth walked away into the sunset. 
When Jack couldn't see her anymore, he started up the rope ladder. He pulled himself into the tree house. 
"Ta-da!" said Annie. She handed the Pennsylvania book to Jack. 
Jack smiled. Now he was positive they had found the third M thing. Their mission was complete. 
"Before we leave, we have to give our coats back," said Annie. 
"Oh right," said Jack. 
They took off their reindeer-skin coats and dropped them to the ground. 
"Brrr!" said Annie. "I hope the Cro-Magnon people find them." 
Jack stared out the window. He wanted to take one last look at the prehistoric world. 
The sun was setting behind the hills. Four people were crossing the snowy plain. It was the Cro-Magnon family. 
"Hey!" shouted Annie. 
"Shhh!" said Jack. 
The Cro-Magnons stopped and peered in Annie and Jack's direction. 
"We left your reindeer skins! Down there!" Annie pointed to the ground. 
The tallest person stepped forward and raised a spear. 
"Time to go," said Jack. 
He grabbed the Pennsylvania book. He found the picture of Frog Creek and pointed at it.
"I wish we could go home," he said. 
"Good-bye! Good luck!" Annie called, waving out the window. 
The wind started to blow. And the tree house started to spin. 
It spun faster and faster. 
Then everything was still. 
Absolutely still. 
10. This Age
Birds sang. The air was soft and warm. 
"I hope they find their coats," said Annie. 
"Me too," said Jack. He pushed his glasses into place. 
Squeak.
"Hey, you -- how did you find the sorcerer?" Annie asked Peanut. 
Squeak. 
"It's a secret, huh?" said Annie. She turned to Jack. "Where's the flute?" 
He held up the mammoth bone. Then he placed it on the M carved into the floor. Next to the mango from the rain forest. Next to the moonstone from the time of ninjas. 
"Moonstone, mango, mammoth bone..." Annie said. "We need just one more M thing. Then Morgan will be free from her spell." 
"Tomorrow," said Jack. 
Annie patted Peanut on the head. "Bye, you," she said. 
She started down the rope ladder. Jack gathered his things. 
He paused and glanced at the mouse. She stared at him with big brown eyes. 
"Thanks again for helping us," he said. 
Then he climbed down the rope ladder and jumped onto the ground. 
Jack and Annie ran through the Frog Creek woods onto their street. 
Their neighborhood looked rosy in the sunset. 
It's great to be back in this age, Jack thought. Warm and safe and almost home. 
"I'm glad we don't have to go hunting for dinner," he said. 
"Yeah, Mom and Dad already did that," said Annie, "at the supermarket." 
"I hope they trapped some spaghetti and meatballs," said Jack. 
"I hope they trapped a pizza," said Annie. 
"Hurry, I'm starving," said Jack. 
They ran up their sidewalk and through their front door. 
"We're home!" shouted Annie. 
"What's for dinner?" shouted Jack. 
One summer day in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, a mysterious tree house appeared in the woods.
Eight-year-old Jack and his seven-year-old sister, Annie, climbed into the tree house.
The tree house was filled with books and it was magic. It could go any place that was in a book. All Jack and Annie had to do was to point to a picture and wish to go there.
They visited dinosaurs, knights, an Egyptian queen, pirates, ninjas, and the Amazon rain forest.
Along the way, they discovered that the tree house belonged to Morgan le Fay. Morgan was a magical librarian from the time of King Arthur. She traveled through time and space, gathering books for her library.
One day, Jack and Annie found a note that said Morgan was under a spell. Jack and Annie set out in the magic tree house to find four special things that would free her.
With the help of a mouse named Peanut, Jack and Annie found the first thing in old Japan, the second in the Amazon rain forest, and the third in the Ice Age.
Now Jack, Annie, and Peanut are ready to find the last thing... in Midnight on the Moon.
By Moonlight
"Jack!" whispered a voice.
Jack opened his eyes. He saw a figure in the moonlight.
"Wake up. Get dressed." It was his sister, Annie.
Jack turned on his lamp. He rubbed his eyes.
Annie was standing beside his bed. She wore jeans and a sweatshirt.
"Let's go to the tree house," she said.
"What time is it?" asked Jack. He put on his glasses.
"Don't look at your clock," said Annie.
Jack looked at his clock. "Oh, man," he said. "It's midnight. It's too dark."
"No it isn't. The moon makes it bright enough to see," said Annie.
"Wait till morning," said Jack.
"No -- now," said Annie. "We have to find the fourth M thing. I have a feeling that the full moon might help us."
"That's nuts," said Jack. "I want to sleep."
"You can sleep when we come back home," said Annie. "No time will have passed."
Jack sighed. "Oh, brother," he said.
But he got out of bed.
"Yay!" whispered Annie. "Meet you at the back door." She tiptoed out of Jack's room.
Jack yawned. He pulled on his jeans and sneakers and a sweatshirt. He put his notebook and pencil into his backpack. Then he crept down the stairs.
Annie opened the back door. Quietly, they stepped outside.
"Wait -- " said Jack. "We need a flashlight."
"No, we don't. I told you -- the moon will light our way," said Annie. And she took off. Jack sighed, then followed her.
Annie was right, thought Jack. The moon was so bright that he could see his shadow. Everything seemed washed with silver.
Soon they left their street. Annie led the way into the Frog Creek woods. It was much darker under the shadows of the trees.
Jack looked up, searching for the tree house.
"There!" said Annie.
The magic tree house was shining in the moonlight.
Annie grabbed the rope ladder and started climbing up.
"Careful -- go slowly," said Jack.
He followed her up the ladder and into the tree house.
Moonlight streamed through the window.
It shone on the letter M that shimmered on the wooden floor.
It shone on the three M things that rested on the M: a moonstone from the time of the ninjas, a mango from the Amazon rain forest, and a mammoth bone from the Ice Age.
"We need just one more M thing," said Annie, "to free Morgan from her spell."
Squeak.
"Peanut!" said Annie.
In the dim light, Jack saw a tiny mouse. She sat on an open book.
"You didn't expect to see us this late, did you?" said Annie.
She picked up Peanut. And Jack picked up the open book.
"So where are we going this time?" Annie asked him.
Jack held the book up to the moonlight.
"Uh-oh," he said. "I knew we should have brought a flashlight. I can't read a thing."
He could make out diagrams and shadowy pictures. But he couldn't read a word.
"Look at the "said Annie.
The letters were bigger on the cover. Jack squinted at them.
"It's called Hello, Moon," he said.
Annie gasped. "We're going to the moon?"
"Of course not," said Jack. "It's impossible to go to the moon without tons of equipment."
"Why?"
"There's no air. We couldn't breathe. Not only that, we'd boil to death if it was day and freeze to death if it was night."
"Yikes," said Annie. "So where do you think we are going?"
"Maybe a place where people train to be astronauts," said Jack.
"That sounds neat," said Annie.
"Yeah," said Jack. He'd always wanted to meet astronauts and space scientists.
"So say the wish," said Annie.
Jack opened the book again. He pointed to a picture of a dome-shaped structure.
"I wish we could go there;" he said
The wind started to blow.
The tree house started to spin.
It spun faster and faster and faster.
Then everything was silent.
Absolutely silent. As quiet and still as silence could be.
Space Motel
Jack opened his eyes.
He looked out the window. The tree house had landed inside a large white room.
"What kind of training place is this?" asked Annie.
"I don't know," said Jack.
The room was round. It had no windows. It had white floors and a curved wall lit by bright lights.
"Hello!" Annie called.
There was no answer.
Where were all the astronauts and space scientists? Jack wondered.
"There's nobody here," said Annie. "How do you know?" said Jack. "I just feel it," said Annie.
'We'd better find out where we are," said Jack.
He looked at the page in the moon book. He read the words below the picture of the dome.
A moon base was built on the moon in the year 2031. The top of the dome slides open to let spacecrafts enter and leave.
"Oh, man -- " Jack whispered. "What's wrong?" said Annie.
Jack's heart pounded with excitement. He could hardly speak. "We've landed inside a moon base," he said.
"So...?" said Annie.
"So the moon base is on the moon!" said Jack.
Annie's eyes widened. "We're on the moon?" she asked.
Jack nodded. "The book says the moon base was built in the year 2031," he said. "So this book was written after that! Which means this book is from the future!"
"Oh wow," said Annie. "Morgan must have gone forward in time to borrow it from a future library."
"Right," said Jack. "And now we're in the future, on the moon."
Squeak, squeak!
Annie and Jack looked at Peanut. The mouse was running around in circles.
"Poor Peanut," said Annie.
She tried to pick the mouse up. But Peanut hid behind the mango on the letter M.
"Maybe she's nervous about being on the moon," said Annie.
"She's not the only one," said Jack. He let out a deep breath, then he pushed his glasses into place.
"So what's a moon base?" asked Annie. Jack looked at the book. He read aloud:
When scientists visit the moon for short periods, they eat and sleep in the moon base.
"A space motel!" said Annie.
"I guess," said Jack. He read more:
The small base has a landing chamber and a room for storing spacesuits. Air and temperature controls make breathing possible.
"So that's why we can breathe," Jack said.
"Let's explore," said Annie. "We have to find the fourth thing for Morgan."
"No, first we should study this map," said Jack. He pulled out his notebook.
"You study it," said Annie.
Jack copied the map. Then he drew in the tree house.
"Okay," he said. He pointed at the X in his drawing. "We're here."
Jack looked up. Annie was gone.
"Oh, brother," Jack said. As usual, she had left without him. Before they could even make a plan.
Jack put the moon book and pencil into his pack. Carrying his notebook and backpack, he started out the window.
Squeak! Squeak!
Jack looked back at Peanut. The mouse was running back and forth on the M.
"Stay here and be safe," said Jack. "We'll be back soon."
Jack swung himself over the windowsill. His feet touched the floor of the landing chamber.
"Annie!" he called.
There was no answer.
Jack looked at his diagram.
It showed only one way to go. Jack walked along' the curved white wall to the stairs.
He climbed the steps to a hallway.
"Jack -- hurry!" Annie was at the end of the hallway, standing in the airlock. She peered out a window in a giant door.
Jack hurried toward her. Annie stepped aside so he could look out the window, too.
"Oh, man," said Jack. What he saw took his breath away.
He stared at a rocky gray land. The land was filled with giant craters and tall mountains. The sun was shining. But the sky was ink-black!
"Say hi to the moon," Annie said softly.
Open Sesame!
"The fourth M thing must be out there," said Annie.
Beside the door was a button with the word OPEN on it. Annie reached for the button.
"Wait!" Jack grabbed her hand. "There's no air on the moon. Remember?"
"Oh. Right. But we have to go out to find the M thing."
"Let's see what the book says," said Jack.
He pulled the book out of his pack. He flipped through it until he found a page that showed the surface of the moon. He read aloud:
It takes fourteen Earth days to equal one day on the moon. No air protects the moon from the sun's rays, so daytime heat reaches 260 degrees.
Jack looked at Annie. "I told you our blood would boil if we went out there," he said.
"Yuck," she said.
Jack read from the book again:
Moon scientists wear spacesuits, which have controls to keep them from getting too hot or too cold. They have tanks, which provide air for two hours.
"Where do we get spacesuits?" asked Annie. She looked around then trotted back down the hall. "Maybe there...?"
Jack was studying his map. "Let's try the spacesuit storeroom."
"Don't look at the map," said Annie. "Look at the real room!"
Jack glanced up. Annie was peering through a doorway off the hall.
"There's a ton of space stuff in here!" she said.
Jack went to look.
Bulky white suits hung from hangers. Air tanks, helmets, gloves, and boots sat in neat rows on shelves.
"Wow, it's like the armor room in a castle," said Jack.
"Yeah, with huge armor," said Annie.
"Let's pick out the smallest stuff," said Jack. "The suits can go over our clothes."
Annie found the smallest white suit. And Jack 'found the next smallest. They stepped into them.
Then Annie locked Jack's air tank into place.
"Thanks," he said. And he did the same for her.
"Thanks," she said.
"Gloves?" said Jack. He and Annie pulled on white gloves.
"Boots?" said Annie. They each pulled on a pair of huge white boots.
"Helmets?" said Jack. He reached for a helmet.
"Wow, they're pretty light," he said. "I thought they'd be like knights' helmets."
Jack and Annie put the helmets on. They locked each other's into place.
"I can't move my head right or left," said Annie.
"Me neither," said Jack. "Let's try walking."
Jack and Annie moved clumsily around the room. Jack felt like a fat snowman.
"Close your visor," said Annie.
They both closed their see-through visors. Air filled Jack's helmet.
"I CAN BREATHE!" Annie yelled. Her voice boomed in Jack's ears.
"Ow! Talk quietly," Jack said. "We have two-way radios inside our helmets."
"Sorry," whispered Annie.
Jack put the moon book back in his pack. Then he slung the pack over his shoulder.
"Okay!" he said. "Remember, we only have two hours of air in our tanks. So we need to find the fourth M thing really fast." "I hope we can find it," said Annie.
"Me too," said Jack. He knew they could not go home until they did.
"Let's go," said Annie. She gave Jack a little push.
"Watch it. No goofing off," he said. "We don't want to fall over in these suits."
"Just go -- go!" said Annie. She pushed him out of the room. They walked back to the airlock.
"Ready?" said Annie. "Open sesame!" She pressed the OPEN button. A door slowly slid closed behind them. A door opened in front of them.
And Jack and Annie stepped out onto the moon.
Moon Rabbits
"Oh, wow!" said Annie. She took a step forward.
But Jack stood frozen. He wanted to get a good look at everything first.
He stared at the ground. He was standing in a layer of gray dust as fine as powder.
Footprints were everywhere. Jack wondered who had made them.
He reached into his pack for the moon book. To his surprise, it was as light as a feather!
He found a picture of footprints on the moon. He read:
The moon has no rain or wind to blow the dust around. So footprints will never wear away naturally, not even in a billion years.
"Oh, man," Jack said.
The moon was the stillest place he had ever, ever been. It was as still as a picture. And its stillness would never, ever end.
Jack stared at the ink-black sky. A lovely blue-and-white ball glowed far away.
Earth.
For the first time, it really hit Jack. They were in outer space.
"Look!" Annie cried, laughing.
She bounded past Jack -- almost flying through the air. She landed on her feet. Then she jumped again.
"I'm a moon rabbit," she called.
Jack laughed. How does she do that? he wondered. He turned a page and read:
A person weighs less on the moon because of the moon's low gravity and lack of air. If you weigh 60 pounds on Earth, you would only weigh 10 pounds on the moon.
"Don't just stand there reading!" said Annie, grabbing the book from Jack's gloved hand. She tossed it into space.
It flew far away.
Jack started after it.
He bounded up and down. Boing! Boing! Boing! Now he felt as light as a feather.
"Look!" he called to Annie. "I'm a moon rabbit, too."
Where Jack's boots hit the ground, moon-dust gracefully sprayed into space.
The book had landed at the edge of a shallow crater.
When Jack reached it, he tried to stop. But his feet slipped.
He fell right over and lay on his side. He tried to stand. But he was off-balance.
He tried again. But the dust was just too deep. And his spacesuit was too clumsy.
"You okay?" asked Annie. "I can't get up," said Jack.
"You shouldn't have been goofing off," said Annie wisely.
"You goofed off first," said Jack. "Now help me up, please."
Annie started toward him.
"Don't fall, too," warned Jack.
"I won't." Annie moved very slowly. She half floated, half walked.
"Give me your hand," she said.
Annie grabbed Jack's hand. She pressed her boot against his and pulled him up.
"Thanks," he said.
"No problem," she said. "It was easy. You were really light."
"Thank goodness," said Jack. "It's impossible to get up alone."
He picked up the moon book. It was covered with dust. He brushed it off.
"Oh, wow! Look!" said Annie. She stood at the edge of the crater.
"What is it?" said Jack.
"A moon buggy!" said Annie.
The buggy was parked in the crater. It had four huge wheels.
"Let's go for a ride," said Annie.
"We can't," said Jack. "We just have two hours of air in our tanks. Remember?"
"I bet we'll find the M thing faster if we take the moon buggy!" Annie bounded into the crater.
"But we can't drive!" said Jack.
"I bet I can drive this," said Annie. "It looks easy. Come on!"
She jumped into the driver's seat.
"But you don't have a license!" said Jack.
"Who cares?" said Annie. "There aren't any roads on the moon, or stoplights, or policemen either."
She was right, Jack thought.
"Well, go slow," he said. And he climbed in beside her.
Annie pushed a button labeled ON. The moon buggy lurched backward. "Yikes!" said Annie.
"Step on the brake!" said Jack.
Annie pressed a pedal on the floor. The buggy stopped with a jerk.
"Whew," she said.
"It must be in reverse," said Jack. "Let me study this -- "
But before he could study anything, Annie pushed another button.
The buggy tilted back. Its front wheels started to rise into the air.
"Let me out of here!" said Jack.
Annie pushed more buttons.
The buggy's front wheels landed back on the ground. And the buggy leaped forward.
"Slower!" said Jack.
"I can't," said Annie. "I don't know how!"
Annie steered the buggy over the tracks on the ground. The wide wheels kept it from sinking into the deep dust.
"Careful!" said Jack.
The buggy zoomed out of the crater.
Gray clouds of dust rose behind them as they took off across the moon.
Hang On!
Annie drove the moon buggy over bumps and hollows. It bucked like a bronco.
"I'm going through there!" She pointed to an opening between two mountains.
Jack held on to the dashboard.
The buggy bumped toward the opening and shot through.
On the other side, the ground was even
"Look for the fourth M thing!" said Annie, bouncing up and down.
Jack groaned. Looking for anything on this wild ride was impossible.
"Sl-slow d-down!" he said.
"How?"
"Try pressing on the b-brake pedal. On the f-floor -- slowly!"
Annie pressed on the brake.
The buggy slowed down. Jack sighed with relief. The ride was still bumpy. But now, at least, he could take a good look at the moon.
He had never been to such a colorless, barren place. There was no green, no blue, no red.
No water, no trees, no clouds.
Only giant gray rocks and craters -- and an American flag.
"Oh, man," said Jack. "That's from the first astronauts who landed on the moon!"
"And look -- a telescope!" said Annie.
She drove near the flag and telescope. Then she put her foot on the brake until the buggy stopped.
She pressed a button that said OFF. Then she and Jack hopped out.
They took slow giant steps to the site of the first moon landing.
Beside the flag was a sign. Annie read it aloud:
HERE MEN FROM THE PLANET EARTH
FIRST SET FOOT UPON THE MOON, JULY 1969 A. D.
WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND.
"That's a good message," said Jack.
He handed the moon book to Annie. Then he took out his notebook and pencil to copy the sign.
"Let's leave our own message," said Annie.
"What should we say?" said Jack.
"The same thing," said Annie. "But say we are the first kids."
Jack turned to a new page in his notebook. In big letters he wrote their message.
"Now we have to sign it," Annie said. Jack signed his name.
Then he passed the notebook and pencil to Annie. She signed her name and passed the notebook back.
Jack tore out the piece of paper. He put it by the flag.
Today the first kids from the planet Earth cam to the Moon. We came in peace for all children. Jack and Annie
No wind would ever blow the message away. No rain would ever fall on it.
It would be there forever, unless someone moved it.
Thinking of "forever" made Jack feel dizzy. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Then he remembered the time. Had two hours passed yet?
"I wish I had a watch," he said, standing up. "We might be running out of time."
"Oh, wow. A moon man!" said Annie.
"What?" Jack turned to look at her.
She was staring through the telescope.
Jack walked over to the telescope. Annie stepped aside so he could look, too.
Jack gasped. In the distance, something was flying above the ground.
It looked like a giant man in a spacesuit.
High Jump
"Who is that?" said Jack.
"I don't know," said Annie. "But we'll soon find out!" She started waving.
"No!" said Jack. He grabbed her arm. "Let's go back to the base -- before he gets here!"
"Why?" said Annie.
"We don't know who he is!" said Jack. "We don't know if he's friendly or mean or what."
"But we can't go back," said Annie. "We haven't found the fourth M thing yet.
We won't be able to go home."
"It doesn't matter. We can lock the door at the moon base until he goes away," said Jack. "Then we can get new air tanks!"
Jack hurried to the moon buggy. "Come on!" He jumped into the driver's seat.
Annie gave a' little wave to the dot in the sky. Then she climbed into the moon buggy.
The buggy took off.
"Careful!" said Annie.
They bumped over the rocks as Jack turned the buggy around. Then they zoomed toward the pass.
Jack steered around craters and rocks. More than once the buggy nearly tipped over.
"Whoa! Slow down!" said Annie.
They were almost at the mountain pass. Suddenly, a cloud of dust flew up in front of them. The ground trembled.
"Watch it!" cried Annie. Jack couldn't see a thing.
He stepped on the brake. The buggy jerked to a stop.
The dust settled.
A giant rock had fallen into the narrow pass. It was stuck between two walls of rock. They were trapped!
Jack quickly found a picture of a giant rock in the moon book. He read aloud:
Rocks of all sizes crash into the moon from outer space. These rocks are called meteorites.
"We're lucky that meteorite didn't land on us," said Jack.
"Yeah, and I guess it's too big to be the M thing," said Annie. She had climbed out of the moon buggy and was standing by the meteorite.
It was more than twice as tall as she was.
Jack looked at the black sky. The flying thing was nowhere in sight -- yet. "We'll have to jump over it," Annie said.
"Jump? I don't think so," said Jack. "It's too high."
"I'm going to try anyway," said Annie.
"Wait. Let's think first," said Jack. But Annie was already backing up.
"One, two, three -- go!" she shouted, and took giant, leaping steps toward the meteorite.
When Annie got close to the rock, she pushed off the ground. Then she flew through space and disappeared behind the meteorite.
"Annie!" Jack called.
There was no answer.
"Oh, brother," Jack said. He backed up and took off toward the rock. He jumped as high as he could. Then he was flying through space.
Jack hit the ground and fell facedown into the dust.
Jack tried to stand. But his suit was too bulky. He tried to roll over. But his suit made even that impossible.
"Oh, no," he groaned. "Not again."
"Are you here?" asked Annie. "Did you make it?"
"Yes!" Jack was relieved to hear her voice.
But he couldn't turn his head to see her. He could only hear her over the radio. Can you help me up?" he asked.
"Nope," said Annie "Why not?"
"I fell down, too," she said.
"Oh, brother," Jack sighed. "Now we are really in trouble."
He tried to stand again. And failed. "Can you see anything?" he asked.
"Just the sky," said Annie. "Wow, is it weird..."
"I'm worried about our air tanks," said Jack. "I feel like it's been two hours."
"Ja-ack..." said Annie.
"And what about that moon man?" said Jack. "Where did he go to?"
"Jack!" whispered Annie. "What?"
"He's here," she said. "The moon man is here."
"What?"
"He's standing above me."
The Moon Man
Jack's heart nearly stopped.
He could hear Annie talking.
"Hi," she said. "We come in peace."
There was silence. Then Jack heard Annie say, "Thank you. I have to help my brother up now."
A moment later, Annie rolled Jack onto his back.
She grabbed his hand and pulled him up.
"Thanks," said Jack, once he was standing. The moon man was a few feet away. His face was hidden by a metal visor.
He looked like a spaceman. A huge spaceman -- with a giant tank on his back. It was as big as a refrigerator.
"That's a jet pack!" said Jack. "I've seen pictures of future astronauts flying with those things. It's like a mini-spaceship. Right?"
The moon man didn't answer.
"I don't think he can hear us," said Annie. "He's not hooked up to our radio."
"Oh, right," said Jack. "I'll write him a message!"
"Good idea," said Annie.
Jack pulled out his notebook and pencil. He wrote:
We're Jack and Annie, We come in peace from America. Who are you?
Jack handed the notebook and his pencil to the moon man. They looked tiny in his big hands.
The moon man looked down at the message. He looked at the tiny pencil. Then he turned the notebook over.
Jack and Annie watched as the moon man put the pencil to the paper. He was writing something very carefully.
Finally he gave the notebook back to Jack. Jack and Annie stared at the marks.
"Stars," said Annie. "He drew stars."
"Space map?" said Annie. "Hey, Jack, map starts with M!"
"Oh, wow," said Jack. "This fourth M thing!"
"Let's ask him what his map means," said Annie. She turned around.
"We'll never know now," she said.
"Why?" Jack looked up from the map.
"That's why." Annie pointed. The moon man was flying over the mountains.
"Thanks!" Annie cried.
One Star to Another
"Who was that guy?" said Jack. "What does his map mean?"
"I don't know," said Annie. "But let's see if it works."
Jack took a deep breath. "Yeah, we'd better hurry back. I think I'm running out of air. It feels harder to breathe."
"For me, too," said Annie.
"Go slow. Don't breathe too much," said Jack.
He and Annie took long, floating steps toward the moon base. Jack held his breath as if he were underwater.
By the time they got to the white dome, he was ready to burst.
Annie pushed a button beside the huge door. It slid open. They hurried into the airlock. The door closed behind them and the door to the hallway opened.
Jack opened the visor of his helmet. He took a long, deep breath -- and let it out. "Ahhhh!"
"Let's get out of these suits," said Annie.
"Good idea." Jack was dying to free his arms and legs.
As they moved clumsily into the spacesuit storeroom, Jack felt heavy again.
He and Annie unlocked each other's helmets, gloves, and boots, and pulled everything off. Then they stepped out of their bulky suits.
"Whew!" Jack said. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.
It was great to be free -- even if he no longer felt as light as a feather.
"Hurry! Peanut's waiting!" said Annie.
She led the way down the steps to the bright landing chamber.
"Yay," she said softly.
Jack was relieved to see the tree house still there. Soon they'd be heading home. He couldn't wait.
Jack and Annie crawled through the tree house window.
"We're back, Peanut!" said Annie.
Squeak! Peanut ran to the letter M.
"We missed you!" said Annie. She patted the mouse's head. "We met a moon man."
"Sorry, Peanut, but you have to move," said Jack. "We have to put the map on the M."
Annie gently lifted the mouse off the M.
Jack tore the star map out of his notebook. He placed it on the M, next to the mammoth bone, the mango, and the moonstone.
He sighed, then sat back on his heels. "Hand me the Pennsylvania book," he said. They needed the Pennsylvania book to get back home.
There was silence.
Jack turned and looked at Annie.
"It's not working, Jack," she said. "The book's not here."
"What?" Was the map the wrong thing? They looked around the tree house.
"It's definitely not here," said Annie.
"Oh, no." Jack's heart sank. He picked up the star map and stared at it.
Squeak, squeak. Peanut jumped out of Annie's arms and scurried back to the letter M.
"I've got an idea," said Jack. He reached into his pack and took out his pencil.
"What are you doing?" said Annie.
"You know how you draw a constellation?" said Jack. "You connect all the stars. What happens if we try that?"
He drew a line from one star to another. He kept drawing, until all the stars were connected.
"Let me see," said Annie.
Jack held the paper out so they could both study it.
"It looks like a mouse," said Annie. "Yeah," said Jack.
"Is there such a thing as a mouse constellation?" said Annie.
"I don't think so..." said Jack. Squeak.
Annie and Jack looked at Peanut. She was standing on the M.
"Oh, wow. Jack," Annie whispered, "I think I know what the fourth thing is -- "
Jack grinned. "Me too," he said. "It's a -- "
"Mouse!" they said together. Squeak! Squeak!
"Maybe the spell is -- Moonstone, mango, mammoth bone, mouse!" said Annie.
Jack touched each M thing in turn as he whispered, "Moonstone, mango, mammoth bone, mouse."
"Let's say it over and over and see what happens," said Annie.
Together, they chanted:
"Moonstone, mango, mammoth bone, mouse. Moonstone, mango, mammoth bone, mouse."
Suddenly, a bright light filled the tree house.
The light got brighter and brighter and brighter.
The brightness was blinding and whirling.
The air spun with brightness.
Then everything was clear.
Peanut the mouse was gone.
And Morgan le Fay stood before Jack and Annie.
Morgan
"Thank you," Morgan said softly. "You have freed me from the magician's spell."
Jack just stared at her.
"You were Peanut?" Annie said. Morgan nodded and smiled.
"Really? You were with us all said Jack. "On all our missions?"
Morgan nodded again.
"Why did we have to go on this mission to find a mouse?" said Jack. "If you were always with us?"
"To break the spell, we had to be on the moon," said Morgan. "You could have broken it the minute we arrived."
"Oh, that's what Peanut -- I mean you were trying to say!" said Annie. "We didn't have to leave the moon base at all."
Morgan nodded, smiling.
"But the moon man came along to help us," said Annie. "He drew a constellation of a mouse! Is he a friend of yours?"
Morgan shrugged. "Let's just say we had a little talk. He stopped by the moon base while you were out."
"The same way you had a talk with the ninja master, right?" said Jack. "And the monkey and the sorcerer?"
Morgan nodded. "I always squeaked to the ones who helped you."
"But how did they understand you -- a mouse?" said Jack.
Morgan smiled again. "Certain wise ones understand the language of little creatures," she said.
"I bet it was you who turned the pages of the books!" said Annie. "To show us where to go next!"
Morgan nodded.
"But who turned you into a mouse?" said Annie.
Morgan frowned. "A certain person who likes to play tricks on me," she said. "His name is Merlin."
"Merlin!" said Jack. "The greatest magician who ever lived."
Morgan sniffed. "He's not that great," she said. "He doesn't even know I have two brave friends who help me."
"Us?" said Annie shyly.
Morgan nodded. "And I thank you both with all my heart."
"You're welcome," said Jack and Annie.
Morgan handed Annie the Pennsylvania book. "Are you ready to go home now?" she asked.
"Yes!" said Jack and Annie.
Annie pointed to a picture of the Frog Creek woods. "I wish we could go there," she said.
The tree house started to spin.
It spun faster and faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
But only for a moment.
Earth Life
The midnight woods woke up.
A breeze rustled the leaves.
An owl hooted.
The sounds were soft, but very alive.
Jack opened his eyes. He pushed his glasses into place.
He smiled. Morgan was still with them. He could see her in the moonlight. Her long white hair was shining.
"Morgan, can you and the tree house stay here?" said Annie. "In Frog Creek?"
"No, I must leave again, I'm afraid," said Morgan. "I've been gone from Camelot for a long time."
She handed Jack his pack. She brushed his cheek. Her hand felt soft and cool.
"A bit of moon dust still on you," she said. "Thank you, Jack, for your great love of knowledge."
"You're welcome," said Jack.
Morgan tugged on one of Annie's braids. "And thank you, Annie, for your belief in the impossible."
"You're welcome," said Annie.
"Go home now," said Morgan.
Jack smiled. Home was Earth -- that bright, colorful world where everything was alive and always changing.
"Bye, Morgan," said Annie. She started out of the tree house.
Jack looked back at Morgan.
"Will you come back soon?" he said.
"Anything can happen," said Morgan. "The universe is filled with wonders. Isn't it, Jack?"
He smiled and nodded.
"Go now," Morgan said softly.
Jack followed Annie down the rope ladder. He stepped onto the ground.
The wind started to blow.
The tree started to shake.
A loud roar filled Jack's ears. He squeezed his eyes shut. He covered his ears.
Then everything was silent and still.
Jack opened his eyes. The ladder was gone. He looked through the leaves and branches of the giant oak tree. Where the tree house had been was only moonlight now.
"Bye, Morgan," he whispered sadly. "Bye, Peanut," said Annie.
Jack and Annie stared at the top of the tree for a long moment.
"Ready?" said Annie.
Jack nodded.
They started for home.
The midnight air felt cool and moist. It was filled with the soft sounds of earth life.
Jack and Annie left the Frog Creek woods. They started down their street.
Annie glanced up at the sky. "The moon looks really far away, doesn't it?"
It did, thought Jack. It was.
"I wonder how the moon man can be up there all alone," said Annie.
"What do you mean?" said Jack.
"I mean, who helps him put on his space-suit?" said Annie. "Who helps him get up when he falls down?"
"And who is he?" added Jack.
"Who do you think he was?" said Annie.
"He 'must be a scientist or an astronaut from Earth," said Jack.
"No. I think he's an alien," said Annie, "from another galaxy."
Jack scoffed. "What makes you say that?" "I just feel it," said Annie.
"Wrong," said Jack. "There's no proof that aliens exist."
"Maybe not now," said Annie. "But don't forget -- we were in the future."
"Oh, brother," said Jack.
They crossed their yard and climbed their back steps. Annie tiptoed inside the house. Jack followed her.
Before he shut the door, he glanced up at the moon.
Was Annie right? he wondered. Could the moon man have come from another galaxy?
Morgan's words came back to him: The universe is filled with wonders. Isn't it, Jack?
"Goodnight, moon man," Jack whispered.
Then he closed the door.
Master Librarians
Jack stared out the kitchen window.
The sun was not up yet. But the sky was growing lighter.
Jack had been awake for a long time. He had been thinking about the dream he'd had -- the dream about Morgan le Fay.
The tree house is back, Morgan had said. I'm waiting.
Jack wished that dreams were real. He missed Morgan's magic tree house.
"Jack!" His little sister Annie appeared in the doorway. "We have to go to the woods now!" she said.
"Why?" Jack asked.
"I had a dream about Morgan!" exclaimed Annie. "She said the tree house is back and she's waiting for us!"
"That was my dream," said Jack.
"Oh, wow," said Annie. "She told you, too? So it must be important."
"But dreams aren't real," said Jack.
"Some dreams aren't. But this one is," said Annie. "I can just feel it." She opened the back door. "I'll see you later!"
"Wait -- wait. I'm coming!" said Jack.
He raced up the stairs. Having the same dream must mean something, he thought.
He grabbed his backpack and threw his notebook and pencil into it.
Then he ran downstairs.
"We'll be back soon, Mom!" Jack called into the living room.
"Where you going so early?" his dad called.
"Just for a quick walk!" said Jack.
"It rained last night," called his mom. "Don't get your shoes wet."
"We won't!"
Jack slipped out the door. Annie was waiting for him.
"Let's go!" she said.
The sky was pale gray. The air felt freshly washed.
Jack and Annie ran up their quiet street to the Frog Creek woods.
They headed between the trees. Soon they came to the tallest oak in the woods. There was a wooden house high in the treetop.
"It is back!" whispered Jack.
Someone looked out the window of the tree house -- a lovely old woman with long white hair. Morgan le Fay.
"Come up," called the magical librarian.
Jack and Annie climbed up the rope ladder and into the tree house.
In the dawn light, they stared le Fay. She looked beautiful in a robe.
Jack pushed his glasses into couldn't stop smiling.
"We both had dreams about you!" said Annie.
"I know," said Morgan.
"You do?"
"Yes, I sent them to you," said Morgan, "because I need your help."
"What kind of help?" said Jack.
"Merlin the Magician has been up to his tricks again," said Morgan. "So I haven't had any time to collect books for Camelot's library."
"Can we collect them for you?" asked Annie.
"Yes, but in order to gather books through time you must be Master Librarians," said Morgan.
"Oh, well," said Annie said sadly.
"But you can become Master Librarians," said Morgan, "if you pass the test."
"Really?" said Annie.
"What kind of test?" Jack asked.
"You must show that you know how to do research," said Morgan, "and show that you can find answers to hard questions."
"How?" said Annie.
"By solving four riddles," said Morgan. She reached into the folds of her robe and pulled out a rolled up paper.
"The first riddle is written on this ancient scroll," she said. "This book will help you find the answer."
She held out a book. On the cover were the words Ocean Guide.
"This is where you have to go," said Morgan.
"The ocean! Oh, boy!" said Annie. She pointed at the cover. "I wish we -- "
"Stop!" Jack grabbed Annie's hand. "How will we know if we've found the right answer to the riddle?" he asked Morgan.
"You will know," Morgan said mysteriously. "I promise you will know."
Jack let go of Annie's hand. She pointed again at the cover and finished her wish, "I wish we could go there."
The wind started to blow.
"Are you coming with us, Morgan?" Jack said.
Before Morgan could answer, the tree house started to spin.
Jack squeezed his eyes shut.
The tree house spun faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
Jack opened his eyes.
Morgan le Fay was gone.
Only the ancient scroll and the ocean book were left in her place.
A Breeze
A breeze blew through the window. Sea gulls cried. Waves lapped the shore.
Annie picked up the riddle scroll. She unrolled it. Together she and Jack read the riddle:
Rough and gray as a rock,
I'm plain as plain can be.
But hidden deep inside
There's great beauty in me.
What am I?
"Let's go find the answer." said Annie.
She and Jack looked out the window. The tree house wasn't in a tree. It was on the ground.
"Why is the ground pink?" said Jack.
"I don't know," said Annie. "But I'm going out there."
"I'm going to do a little research first," said Jack.
Annie climbed out of the tree house.
Jack picked up the ocean book and flipped through it.
He found a picture of a pink island surrounded by water. He read:
This is a Coral reef. Corals are tiny sea animals. After they die, their skeletons remain. Over time, the reef builds from stacks of coral skeletons.
"Oh, man, tiny skeletons," said Jack. He pulled out his notebook and wrote:
millions of coral skeletons
"Jack! Jack! Come look at this," cried Annie.
"What is it?"
"I don't know. But you'll love it!" she said. Jack threw his notebook and the ocean book into his pack. He climbed out the window.
"Is it the answer to the riddle?" he called
"I don't think so. It doesn't look very plain," said Annie.
She was standing at the edge of the water. Beside her was a strange looking machine.
Jack hurried over the bumpy coral to get a better look.
The machine was half on the reef and half in the clear blue water. It looked like a huge white bubble with a big window.
"Is it a special kind of boat?" asked Annie.
Jack found a picture of the machine in the ocean book. He read:
Scientists who study the ocean are called oceanographers. Sometimes they travel in small diving vessels called submersibles, or "mini-subs," to study the ocean floor.
"It's a mini-sub," said Jack. He pulled out his notebook.
"Let's get inside it," said Annie.
"No!" said Jack. Actually, he did want to see what the sub looked like inside. But he shook his head. "We can't. It's not ours."
"Just a teeny peek," said Annie. "It might help us figure out the riddle."
Jack sighed. "Okay. But we have to be careful. Don't touch anything," he said.
"Don't worry," said Annie.
"And take off your shoes so they won't get wet," said Jack.
He and Annie slipped off their shoes and socks and threw them toward the tree house.
Then they stepped carefully over the sharp coral.
Annie turned the handle on the hatch of the mini-sub. It opened.
She and Jack climbed inside. The hatch slammed shut.
The mini-sub was tiny. Two seats faced the big window. In front of the seats was a computer built into a control panel.
Annie sat down.
Jack opened the ocean book and read more on the mini-sub page:
Mini-subs have strong hulls to keep air in and protect those aboard from water pressure. Computers are used to guide the mini-sub through the ocean.
"Oops," said Annie.
"What's wrong?" Jack looked up.
Annie was waving her hands in front of the computer. Now the screen showed a map.
"What's going on?" said Jack.
"I just pressed a few keys -- " said Annie.
"What? I said not to touch anything!" said Jack.
An air blower came on. The mini-sub jerked backward.
"Get out!" said Jack.
He and Annie scrambled for the hatch. Jack grabbed the handle.
But they were too late.
The mini-sub slid off the reef.
Then it dove silently down into the deep.
Mini-Sub
"You've really done it now, Annie!" said Jack.
"Sorry, sorry. But look out the window!" Annie said. "Look!"
"Forget it! We have to figure this out!" Jack stared at the computer. He saw a row of pictures at the top of the screen.
"What did you do?" he asked.
"I just pressed the ON button," said Annie.
"The screen lit up. And I pressed the starfish."
"That must be the command to go under the water," said Jack.
"Yeah. Then the map came on," said Annie.
"Okay, okay. The map shows the reef." said Jack. "Look! There's the mini-sub on the map! It's moving away from the reef."
"It's like a video game," said Annie. "I bet I know what to do."
Annie pressed a key with an arrow pointing right. The mini-sub on the screen moved right. The real mini-sub turned to the right, also.
"Great!" said Jack with relief. "You press the arrows to steer the mini-sub. So now we can go back."
"Oh, no, not right away," said Annie. "It's so beautiful down here."
"We have to get back to the reef," said Jack. His eyes were still glued to the computer screen. "What if the owners find it gone?"
"Look out the window," said Annie. "Just for one teeny second."
Jack sighed. He pushed his glasses into place and looked up. "Oh, man," he said softly.
Outside the glass was a strange world of bright moving color.
It looked like another planet.
The mini-sub was moving past red, yellow, and blue coral -- past little coral mountains, and caves -- past fishes of every color and size.
Jack nodded slowly. She might be right, he thought. Besides, when would they ever get to visit a place like this again?
Fish City
There were fish everywhere: floating over the swaying sea grass, eating on the white sandy bottom, peeping out of coral caves.
Some kinds of coral looked like blue fingers or lacy fans. Others looked like deer antlers or lettuce leaves or mushrooms or trees.
Jack read in the book:
Coral reefs are only found in warm, tropical waters. Nearly 5,000 different species of fish live around coral reefs in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Jack pulled out his pencil and notebook.
He started to write a list.
Coral Reef Research
Warm water
Over 5,000 kinds of fish
"Look!" said Annie.
The sub floated past a huge starfish. Then a pink jellyfish. Then a blue sea horse.
Jack added to his list:
Star fish
Jelly fish
Sea horses
"What is that?" said Annie.
Jack saw a creature that looked like a giant pancake with a long tail.
"A stingray!" said Jack. He put that on his list as well.
"And that?" said Annie.
She pointed at the biggest shell Jack had ever seen. It was as big as a footstool.
"I'll have to check on that one," said Jack. He turned the pages of the Ocean book. When he got to the page about clams, he read aloud:
The giant clam of the coral reef is three feet wide and weighs up to 200 pounds.
"Wow," said Annie.
"No kidding," said Jack. He added "giant clam" to his list.
"Dolphins!" cried Annie.
Jack looked up. Two dolphins were peering in the window. They tapped their noses against the glass.
Their eyes were bright. They seemed to be smiling.
Jack laughed. "It's like we're in a fish tank -- and they're looking at us," he said.
"Their names are Sukie and Sam," said Annie. "Sister and brother."
"You're nuts," said Jack.
"Here's a kiss for you, Sukie," Annie said. She pressed her lips to the glass as if she were kissing the dolphin's nose.
"Oh, brother," said Jack.
But the dolphin opened her mouth and tossed her head. She seemed to be laughing.
"Hey, I know the answer to the riddle -- dolphins!" said Annie. "They're gray and plain. But they have great beauty inside."
"You forgot the 'rough as a rock' part," said Jack. "Dolphin skin looks smooth and slippery."
"Oh, right," said Annie.
The dolphins flipped their tails. They swam off into the light blue water.
"Wait! Don't go!" called Annie. "Sukie!" But the dolphins were gone.
"It's time for us to go, too," said Jack. He was afraid someone might be looking for the mini-sub.
"But we haven't solved the riddle," said Annie.
Jack studied the bright underwater world.
"I don't see the answer," he said. "There's nothing plain at all out there."
"Then maybe the answer's in the mini-sub," said Annie.
They looked around the tiny space.
"I'll check the computer," said Jack. He studied the row of pictures at the top of the screen.
He pressed the book picture.
The words SHIP'S LOG flashed onto the screen.
"What's a ship's log?" said Annie.
"It's a diary of an ocean trip," said Jack.
"This is like your notebook," said Annie.
"Yeah, the oceanographer was writing notes on the computer," said Jack.
"A crack where?" said Annie.
"Defective' means broken, right?" said Annie.
"Yep," said Jack.
"So this sub is broken, right?" said Annie.
"Yep," said Jack. "And it was waiting to be taken away by a helicopter. To a junkyard."
"Yikes," said Annie.
"Now we really have to get back," said Jack.
"Let's try pressing the waves picture," said Annie.
She pressed the waves picture on the computer screen.
The mini-sub began to rise slowly.
"Oh, good," said Jack.
The sub went past a small coral mountain. It went past schools of fish and waving plants.
"Oh!" gasped Annie. Jack gasped, too.
Two eyes were staring out from behind a giant sea plant. They looked human -- except they were as big as golf balls.
The sub moved past the giant plant. Jack breathed a sigh of relief.
"What --? Whose --?" sputtered Annie.
"Don't ask" said Jack.
They stared back at the plant.
Just then, a long arm came out from behind it.
Then another arm came out.
Then another -- and another -- and another -- and another -- and another -- and another!
Jack and Annie stared in horror at a giant octopus.
"It's coming after us," said Annie.
Slowly, the octopus crept through the water. Its eight arms reached for the mini-sub.
The octopus hugged the mini-sub. Each of its eight arms had two rows of suckers. The suckers stuck to the window.
The mini-sub stopped.
The octopus stared at Jack and Annie with huge, human-like eyes.
"I don't think it wants to hurt us," whispered Annie. "It's just curious."
"I -- I'm going to research it," said Jack.
His hands shook as he flipped through the pages of the ocean book.
He found a picture of an octopus and read aloud:
The octopus tends to be a gentle, shy creature. Sometimes, though, curiosity gets the best of it and it comes out of hiding.
"Aw. See, I told you, he's shy," said Annie. She yelled to the octopus, "Hi! I'm Annie! He's Jack!"
"Oh, brother" moaned Jack. He read further.
But the octopus has huge strength. Each of its anus, or tentacles, has many suckers, which act like rubber suction cups. It is nearly impossible to free an object from their grasp.
"Oh, great," said Jack. "We'll never get rid of this thing."
Just then, Jack felt a drop hit his arm. Water. He looked up at the ceiling.
"Uh-oh," said Annie.
A thin crack ran along the ceiling. Smaller cracks branched out from it.
Water dripped from the cracks. "We found the cracks," said Annie.
"The octopus better let go! Before the whole ceiling breaks!" said Jack.
"Let go, please. Please!" Annie shouted at the octopus.
The creature blinked, as if trying to understand her.
"Please! Please! Please!" she shouted.
"Come on, Annie," said Jack. "It doesn't care if you're polite."
The octopus blinked at Jack.
"Get out of here!" Jack yelled at it. "Now! Beat it! Scram! Go!"
The octopus shot a cloud of black liquid into the water and disappeared into the dark cloud. Its long tentacles trailed through the water.
The mini-sub started to rise slowly again.
"You hurt his feelings," Annie said.
"I don't think so..." Something bothered Jack.
He looked back at the ocean book. He read to himself:
The octopus squirts black ink to escape its enemies. One of its main enemies is the shark.
"Oh, no," said Jack.
"What's wrong?" asked Annie.
Jack looked out the window. The water was growing clear again.
A shadowy figure moved toward the mini-sub.
"What is that?" whispered Annie.
The fish was way bigger than the dolphins. And it had a very weird head.
Jack could feel his heart nearly stop. "A hammerhead shark," he breathed.
"We're really in trouble now."
The shark swam behind the coral.
"Where did it go?" said Annie, peering out the window.
"It doesn't matter," said Jack. "We have to get to the top."
"More water's coming in," said Annie.
"Yeah, I know. Come on...come on... faster!" Jack ordered the mini-sub.
"Even more water's coming in," said Annie, "lots more!"
Jack looked up. The water wasn't dripping now -- it was spurting.
"A few seconds, a few seconds," said Jack. Suddenly, the mini-sub burst out of the water. It bobbed on the waves like a cork. The ocean sparkled all around it.
"Safe!" shouted Annie.
Jack felt the water rising around his bare feet.
"Uh -- not really... " he said.
"Oops," said Annie. "The octopus must have made cracks in the bottom, too."
The water was up to their ankles now.
Jack looked out. He saw the reef in the distance.
"The sub can make it. It doesn't look that far," he said.
"Go, go, go," said Annie.
She pressed one of the steering keys.
Suddenly, the screen went blank.
"What's happening?" said Jack.
Annie pressed the key again. Then Jack pressed the other pictures. Nothing happened.
"It's dead," said Annie.
"Oh, great," said Jack.
Now the water was up to their knees.
"I guess we'll have to swim," said Jack. He took a deep breath.
"Right," said Annie. "It's a good thing we had swimming lessons this summer."
"Right," said Jack. "And it's a bad thing we just saw a shark."
Jack quickly found the picture of the shark in the book. He read aloud:
If you ever see a shark in the water, don't splash. Swim calmly away.
Jack closed the book.
"We better do the breast stroke," said Annie. "So we won't splash."
"Yep, and stay close," said Jack.
"Very close," said Annie. Her eyes were wide. But she seemed very calm.
Jack took a deep breath. He tried to be calm, too. He calmly took off his glasses. He calmly put them and the book into his pack. He calmly put his pack on his back.
Annie opened the hatch.
"Be calm," Annie said. She slipped out of the mini-sub.
"Help," Jack said calmly. He held his nose. Then he calmly lowered himself into the ocean.
Chapter Eight 
Swim for Your Life!
Jack moved his arms slowly. He moved his legs slowly. He gently pushed the water out of his way as he did the breaststroke.
Calm, calm, he told himself.
Annie swam beside him. They headed for the reef.
All was calm.
Then Jack saw something out the corner of his eye.
A dark fin was zigzagging through the water. It was heading toward them.
Jack wanted to splash. He wanted to yell. But he remembered: calm.
I better not tell Annie, he thought. She'll stay calmer if she doesn't know.
He began to swim faster -- then faster. Annie went faster, too.
They both swam as fast, and as calmly, as they could.
Sometimes Annie went even faster than Jack, which made him swim faster. And faster.
Jack was so scared that he wasn't tired at all. He was swimming for his life -- and for Annie's life, too.
He didn't look back to see if the shark was still there. He didn't want to know.
He just kept his eye on the tree house in the distance. And he kept swimming.
Jack and Annie swam and swam and swam.
It took forever for the tree house to get just a little closer.
Jack realized the reef was farther away than he had thought.
He kept swimming, but his arms and legs felt heavy.
Annie was struggling, too.
"Float!" she said. "Float!"
Jack and Annie turned onto their backs. They floated the way they had learned in swimming class.
We'll just rest for a minute, Jack thought. Then we'll keep going.
But the more Jack floated, the more tired he felt. Soon he was too tired even to float. He started to sink.
Then he felt something.
His heart stopped. Something pushed at him in the water.
It was slippery and alive.
Had the hammerhead caught up with them?
Jack shut his eyes and waited for the worst. He waited and waited. Finally, he opened his eyes.
In front of him was a shiny gray head -- a dolphin's head!
The dolphin pushed Jack with its nose. It made happy clicking sounds.
"Hooray!" cried Annie.
Jack looked over at her.
She was clinging to the fin of another dolphin! Her dolphin was moving through the water.
Jack grabbed the fin of his dolphin.
Then the two dolphins swam smoothly through the water, pulling Jack and Annie toward the reef.
Ouch!
The sun shone on the ocean. It sparkled like a diamond.
Jack felt safe now. His dolphin was taking good care of him.
The dolphins slowed down as they neared the reef.
Jack lowered his feet. He felt the bumpy coral. He let go of the dolphin's fin and stood up in the water.
Annie stood, too.
Then she threw her arms around her dolphin and gave her a big hug.
"Thank you, Sukie!" she cried. And she kissed the dolphin's nose.
Sukie tossed her head and clicked at Annie.
"Kiss Sam now!" Annie said to Jack.
"You're nuts," said Jack.
But Sam nuzzled Jack's head. Then he put his flippers around Jack's neck.
Jack couldn't resist. He threw his arms around the dolphin and gave him a quick kiss.
Sam nodded and made clicking sounds like laughter. Then he turned to Sukie.
The two dolphins chattered to each other for a moment. They nodded at Jack and Annie and swam gracefully away.
"Bye, Sukie! Bye, Sam!" Annie shouted. "Thanks!" Jack shouted.
The dolphins leapt high into the air. Then they dove back into the water with a SPLASH!
Jack and Annie laughed. "I wish we could swim like that," said Jack.
Jack and Annie watched the dolphins until they disappeared.
"I miss them already," Annie said softly. "Me too," said Jack.
He sat down in the shallow water. "I'm really tired," he said. Annie sat beside him.
"Me too," she said. The warm water lapped around their shorts and T-shirts.
Jack pulled off his pack. He took out his glasses and put them on. They were blurry with water.
"Guess what," said Annie.
"What?" said Jack.
"I saw the shark when we were swimming," Annie said. "But I didn't tell you. I wanted you to stay calm."
Jack stared at her. "I saw it, too. I just swam faster so you would swim faster."
"And I swam faster so you would swim faster," said Annie.
"I guess we swam double-fast then," Jack said. He shook his head with wonder.
"What now?" said Annie.
"We go home," said Jack.
"But we haven't solved Morgan's riddle yet," said Annie.
Jack sighed.
He pulled his notebook out of his pack. It was soaked.
He pulled out the ocean book. It was soaked, too.
"We've failed," he said. "My research is all wet. We'll never be Master Librarians now."
Jack put everything away. "Let's go," he said sadly.
He stood up. Then he started across the pink reef toward the tree house.
Annie followed him.
"Ouch!" Annie said.
"What's wrong?" Jack looked back.
"I stepped on something." Annie bent down to rub her foot.
"What?" said Jack. "A shell?"
"Yeah, this..." She picked up a large gray shell. "Boy, is it rough. Rough and gray as a rock -- "
"And plain as plain can be!" whispered Jack. They had found the answer.
The shell looked like a clamshell -- only bigger and with more ridges.
"How could this ugly shell be the answer to the riddle?" said Annie. "What about the part that says, 'There's great beauty in me'?"
"Wait -- research," said Jack. He opened the soaked ocean book.
The pages were stuck together. But he was able to turn a few.
He found a picture of the gray shell. He read:
Divers search for oysters in deep water. But sometimes oysters wash up on reefs or beaches. Inside some oysters you can find a pearl. The pearl's natural beauty makes it a treasure.
"It must have a pearl inside it!" said Jack.
Annie peered into the crack between the two halves of the shell. "I can't see anything," she said. "How does a pearl get in there, any-way?"
Jack read aloud from the wet page:
Sometimes a grain of sand will get between the oyster's shell and its skin. This irritates the oyster. So it makes a pearly material to surround the grain of sand. This way, over a few years, a pearl is formed.
"I can't tell if there's a pearl in there or not," said Annie.
"Maybe we should bang it against a rock," said Jack.
"Now that would really irritate the oyster," said Annie.
"Yeah."
"Maybe we should just leave it alone," said Annie.
She gently put the oyster back in the water.
"But how will we know if oyster is the right answer to the riddle?" said Jack.
"Morgan said we'll know," said Annie. "Come on."
Jack pushed his glasses into place. Then he and Annie picked up their shoes and socks.
They climbed through the window of the tree house.
Morgan's scroll was lying on the floor. It was open.
"Look!" said Annie.
She and Jack stared at the scroll. The riddle had faded away.
In its place was one shimmering silver word:
OYSTER
"Morgan's magic," whispered Annie.
Jack let out a huge sigh. "We got it right," he said.
"And here's the Pennsylvania book," said Annie. "Let's go home."
She opened the book. She pointed to a picture of the Frog Creek woods.
"I wish we could go there!" she said.
The wind started to blow.
The tree house started to spin.
The wind blew harder and harder.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
The True Pearl
Dawn light slanted into the tree house.
No time at all had passed since they'd left. Day was breaking.
Jack rolled up the ancient scroll. He tucked it into the corner.
"We solved the first riddle," he said. "Three more to go."
"I don't see another scroll," said Annie. "Maybe tomorrow we'll get the next riddle."
"That's okay," said Jack. "I think I need to rest -- and dry out."
His T-shirt and shorts were still soaked. His backpack, too. Only his shoes and socks were dry.
"And this needs to dry out, too," said Annie. She put the wet ocean book in a patch of sunlight.
Then Jack and Annie climbed down the ladder.
They walked through the woods, through leafy shadows and golden light.
They left the woods and started down their street.
"You know, we should have found the answer to the riddle right away," said Jack. "The oyster was on the reef all along."
"I know, but we wouldn't have had so much fun," said Annie.
"Fun?" said Jack. "You call being squeezed by an octopus and chased by a shark fun?"
"Don't forget the dolphins," Annie said simply.
Jack smiled. "Right," he said. The dolphins made up for everything. They were fun.
"I guess they were the true pearl in the oyster," said Annie.
"Yep..." said Jack. "I wonder what Sam is doing right now."
"Sam?" Annie grinned at him. "You're nuts," she said.
They climbed their steps and went into their house.
"We're back!" Annie shouted.
"Did you get your shoes wet?" their mom called.
"Not one bit," called Jack. Then he and Annie slipped up the stairs to change their clothes.
How Wild?
Jack and Annie were sitting on the porch of their house. Annie was gazing down the street at the Frog Creek woods. Jack was reading a book.
"I have a feeling we should check the woods again," said Annie.
"Why?" said Jack without looking up.
"A rabbit's hopping by," said Annie.
"So? We've seen rabbits before."
"Not like this one," said Annie.
"What do you mean?" Jack stood up and looked with her.
He saw a rabbit with very long legs hopping down their street. Soon the rabbit left the sidewalk and headed into the woods.
"He's a sign," said Annie.
"A sign of what?" said Jack.
"That Morgan's back," said Annie. She jumped off the porch. "Come on!"
"But what about dinner?" Jack said. "Dad said it would be ready soon."
"Don't worry," said Annie. "You know when we leave in the tree house, time stops."
She ran across their yard.
Jack pulled on his backpack. "Back in ten minutes!" he called through the screen door. Then he followed Annie.
They hurried down their street and into the Frog Creek woods. The sun was setting above the trees.
"There he is!" said Annie.
The rabbit was standing in a ray of sunlight. When he saw them, he took off.
Jack and Annie followed the rabbit until he vanished behind the tallest tree.
"I told you! See?" said Annie, panting. She pointed up at the tree.
Morgan le Fay was waving to them from the magic tree house high in the branches.
Jack and Annie waved back to her. As always, Jack was very happy to see the enchantress librarian again.
"Come on up!" she called.
Annie and Jack started up the rope ladder.
Annie. "Is he your friend?
Perhaps," said Morgan. She smiled mysteriously. "I have many odd friends."
"Including us," said Annie. Morgan laughed. "That's right.
How are you?" said Jack.
"I'm still having problems with Merlin" said the enchantress, "which leaves me little time to do my real work. But soon you both will become Master Librarians, and that will be a big help to me."
Jack smiled. He was going to be a Master Librarian who traveled through time and space. It was almost too good to believe.
"Are you ready to solve another riddle?" asked Morgan.
"Yes!" said Jack and Annie together. "Good," said Morgan. "First, you'll need this for research.
She pulled a book from her robe and handed it to Jack. It was the book that would help them on their journey.
The title of the book was Days of the Wild West. On the cover was a picture of a western town on a prairie.
"Oh, wow," said Annie. "The Wild West!"
Jack took a deep breath. Just how wild? he wondered.
Morgan reached into the folds of her robe again and pulled out a scroll. She handed it to Annie.
"Read this when the tree house lands," she said.
"Is it the riddle?" asked Jack.
"Yes," said Morgan. "Then you'll only have two more to solve. Are you ready to go?"
Jack and Annie nodded. Annie pointed to the picture on the cover of the Wild West book.
"I wish we could go there," she said.
The wind started to blow.
"Good-bye!" said Morgan. "Good luck!"
The tree house started to spin.
Jack squeezed his eyes shut.
The tree house spun faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
Jack opened his eyes.
Morgan le Fay was gone.
A fly buzzed around his head.
Rattlesnake Flats
The air was hot and dry.
Jack and Annie peeked outside.
The tree house had landed in a lone tree on a prairie. The sun was low in the sky.
Right in front of them was the town from the cover of the book. In real life it looked empty and spooky.
To one side of the town was a patch of ground with several tombstones.
"That's creepy," said Annie.
"Yeah," said Jack. He took a deep breath. "What's our riddle say?"
Annie held up the ancient scroll. She unrolled it. Then she and Jack read together:
Out of the blue, my lonely voice calls out to you. Who am I? Am I?
Jack pushed his glasses into place and read the riddle again to himself.
"There must be a mistake," he said. "'Am I?' is written twice."
"Well, I don't hear any voices now," Annie said as she looked out the window.
There were no human sounds at all -- only the buzzing of flies and the whistling of the dry wind.
"Let's look at the book," Jack said. He opened the book. The pages were yellow with age. He found a picture of the town and read the words beneath it out loud:
In the 1870s Rattlesnake Flats was a rest stop for the stagecoach that carried passengers from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Fort Worth, Texas. When the creek dried up, everyone left. By 1880, it was a "ghost town."
"Wow, a ghost town," said Annie, her eyes wide.
"Let's take a quick look around," said Jack. "So we can leave before dark."
"Right," said Annie. "Let's hurry." She started down the rope ladder.
Jack put the old book into his pack. Then he followed Annie down the ladder.
They stood by the tree and looked about. Tumbleweeds blew across the dry ground.
Suddenly something jumped past them. "Yikes!" they both said.
But it was just a rabbit -- a lone, long-legged rabbit hopping past them.
"Hey, he's just like that rabbit we saw at home," said Jack.
"Yeah, that rabbit must have been a sign of things to come," said Annie.
The rabbit hopped across the prairie and out of sight.
"I'd better take notes," said Jack.
He reached into his backpack and took out his notebook and pencil.
He wrote:
Rabbits with long legs
"What's that sound?" said Annie.
"What sound?" asked Jack.
"That rattling sound!" said Annie.
Jack looked up.
"What?" he said.
"There!" Annie pointed to a rattlesnake. It was about a hundred feet away. It was coiled up and rattling.
Jack took one look at the snake and ran. Annie ran, too. They ran past the graveyard and right into the ghost town.
"I guess that's why this town is called Rattlesnake Flats," said Annie when they stopped.
Jack looked around. The town was hardly big enough to call a town. There was one unpaved street and a few old buildings.
It was quiet, too quiet.
"Look, a store," said Annie.
She pointed to a building. The faded sign said GENERAL STORE. "Let's look inside. Maybe the answer to the riddle is in there."
Jack and Annie stepped onto the porch. The wooden boards creaked loudly. The door had fallen off its hinges. They peeked inside. The air was thick with dust. Spider webs hung from the ceiling.
"Maybe we shouldn't go in," said Jack.
"But what if the answer's here?" said Annie. "Let's just take a quick look."
Jack took a deep breath. "Okay."
He and Annie tiptoed into the store.
"Look," said Annie. She picked up a pair of rusty spurs.
"Careful," said Jack. He poked at other stuff in the store -- an old feed sack, a rusted tin cup, a faded calendar dated 1878.
"Oh, wow," said Annie. She held up two cowboy hats. She put one on and handed the other one to Jack. "For you."
"It's too dusty," said Jack.
"Just blow on it," said Annie.
Jack blew on his hat. A cloud of dust rose up. Jack sneezed.
"Just try it on!" said Annie.
Jack put the hat on. It nearly covered his eyes.
"Boots!" said Annie. She pointed to a row of cowboy boots on a shelf. "There are even some small ones, like our sizes. Here's a pair for you." She handed the boots to Jack.
"They're not ours," he said.
"I know, but just try them on," said Annie.
Jack turned his boots upside down and shook them as hard as he could.
"What are you doing?" Annie asked, pulling on another pair of boots.
"Checking for scorpions," Jack said.
"Ja-ack." Annie laughed. "Try them on!"
Jack sighed. He pulled off his sneakers. He pushed his feet into the boots. He pushed and pushed. The boots were really stiff. Finally he got his feet inside. Then he tried to walk.
"Owww!" he said. "Forget it." He started to pull off the boots.
"What's that?" Annie said.
Jack froze.
"Piano music," said Annie. "Maybe it's the voice in the riddle! Come on!"
Jack threw his sneakers into his backpack and hobbled after Annie.
Player Piano
Outside, the sad tune played on.
"It's coming from there," said Annie.
She crept toward a building that had a sign with the word HOTEL on it. Jack limped after her.
Annie slowly pushed open a swinging door. They peeked inside.
The fading daylight lit a piano in the corner of the room. The keys were moving up and down. But no one was there!
"Yikes," whispered Annie. "A ghost playing the piano!"
Suddenly the keys were still. The air got very cold.
"No. No way," said Jack. "There's no such thing as a ghost."
"We saw one in ancient Egypt," whispered Annie.
"Yeah, but that was ancient Egypt," said Jack. Even so, his heart raced.
"I'll look it up." Jack pulled out the Wild West book. He found a picture of a piano. He read aloud:
Player pianos were popular in the Old West. The piano played automatically when someone pumped its floor pedals. Later, with the help of electricity, the piano played all by itself.
"Whew." Jack closed the book. "I knew there was an answer," he said. "It must be electric, and somehow it came on."
"I didn't know they had electricity in the Wild West," said Annie.
"They didn't," said Jack.
He looked at Annie. "Oh, man, let's get out of here!" he said.
Jack and Annie backed out of the hotel.
When they got outside, they heard another sound: horse hooves thumping against the hard ground.
A cloud of dust seemed to be moving toward the town. As it got closer, Jack saw three riders. They were herding a small band of horses.
"Hide!" Jack said.
"Where?" said Annie.
Jack looked around wildly. He saw two barrels outside the hotel.
"There!" he said.
Jack and Annie hurried to the empty barrels. Jack climbed inside one and tried to scrunch down. His hat wouldn't fit! He jumped out of the barrel and threw his hat into the hotel.
"Mine, too!" said Annie.
Jack grabbed hers and threw it. Then he scrambled back into the barrel. Just in time.
Jack heard the horses thunder into town. He peeked through a crack in the barrel and saw a blur of cowboys and horses go by.
"Whoa!
Whoa!
Whoa!" men shouted.
Jack heard the horses come to a halt. They stamped and snorted. All he could see were shadows through the crack.
Dust covered Jack. He had to sneeze. He pinched his nose.
"The creek bed must have dried up!" a cowboy yelled. "This town's a ghost!"
"Yup, it gives me the shivers," said another. "Let's camp over the rise."
Jack really had to sneeze now. He pinched his nose tighter. But he couldn't stop the sneeze. He let out a choked "Ah-choo!
What was that?" someone said.
Just then a loud whinny split the air. Jack saw a beautiful horse rear up.
She had no rider or saddle, just a rope around her neck. She was as red as the sunset. She had a wild black mane and a white star above her eyes.
"We can't keep fighting this one, boss!" a cowboy yelled.
"Yup. She wants her colt," another said.
"We shouldn't have left him behind."
"He was too slow," a growly voice said. "We'll sell her when we cross the border."
That's terrible! thought Jack. He knew Annie must be upset, too. He just hoped that she wouldn't jump out of her barrel.
But the cowboys pulled the red horse away. The ground rang from the pounding of hooves as they galloped off.
Jack and Annie stood up. They watched the riders disappear into the dust.
The pounding faded away. All was quiet again, except for the lazy buzzing of flies.
"They were mean to that horse," Annie said in a low, angry voice.
"I know. But there was nothing we could do," said Jack. His boots were killing him. He climbed out of his barrel.
"Man, I have to get these off," he said.
Jack sat down on the porch of the hotel. He grabbed the foot of one boot and pulled.
"Jack," said Annie, "I think there is some-thing we can do."
"What?" Jack looked up.
A small horse was running down the road. He was as red as the wild mother horse. He had the same black mane and white star above his eyes.
A rope was around his neck. He looked very lost.
Hands Up!
"It's the colt!" said Annie. "He's looking for his mother!"
She ran toward the wild-eyed little horse.
"Wait!" called Jack. "Oh, brother." He pulled the book out of his pack.
He found a chapter titled "Horses of the Wild West." He started reading.
At the end of the 1800s, over a million wild horses, called mustangs, wandered the west. These tough fast horses were descendants of runaway Spanish horses. Mustang herders captured them and sold them to ranchers. Breaking a wild mustang took great skill.
Jack turned the page. There was a picture of a herd of horses. Two of them even looked like the beautiful mare and her colt.
"Hey, Annie," Jack called. "You should see this picture."
Annie didn't answer.
Jack looked up.
Annie was trying to get close to the young mustang, but he kept darting away.
"Watch it! He's wild!" said Jack.
Annie was speaking softly to the colt.
She slowly reached out and grabbed the end of his rope. Still talking to him, she led him to a broad wooden post.
"Stop! Don't do anything!" said Jack.
He flipped the pages of his book. He found a section called "How to Treat a Horse."
The basic rules on how to treat a horse are simple: a soft hand, a firm voice, a sunny attitude, praise, and reward.
"I've got the rules!" shouted Jack. "Don't do anything before I write them down!"
Jack pulled out his notebook and pencil. He wrote:
Horse rules soft hand firm voice sunny attitude praise
reward
"Okay, listen -- " Jack looked up.
But Annie was already sitting on the colt's back!
Jack froze. He held his breath.
The mustang whinnied and pawed the ground. He snorted and tossed his head.
Annie kept patting his neck and talking softly.
Finally the young horse grew still. Annie smiled at Jack. "I named him Sunset," she said.
Jack let out his breath.
"Let's go," said Annie. "We have to take him to his mom."
"Are you nuts?" said Jack. "We have to solve our riddle. It'll be dark soon. And those guys were real bad guys, I could tell."
"We don't have any choice," said Annie.
"Oh, brother." Jack knew she wouldn't change her mind. "Let's see what the book says." He read more about mustangs:
Wild mustangs live together in families. The bond between a mare and her young is very strong. His sounds of distress or hunger will always bring her to him. A mustang cannot bear to wander alone.
Jack groaned. He looked at Sunset. The young mustang did have a sad look in his eyes.
"Okay, we'll make a plan," he said. "But first I have to get out of these boots."
Jack grabbed one of his boots and pulled.
"Hurry!" said Annie.
"I can't even think in these things!" said Jack.
He huffed and puffed and pulled. Then a deep voice stopped him cold: "Hands up -- or I'll shoot!"
Jack let go of his boot. He raised his hands in the air. So did Annie.
A cowboy rode out of an alley. His face was bony and tanned. He was riding a gray horse and pointing a six-shooter.
"I reckon you're the smallest thieves I've ever come across," he said.
"We're not horse thieves!" said Annie.
"Well then, what are you doing with my horse here?" he said.
"Some bad guys came through town with his mother," said Annie. "They left him behind because he was too slow."
"Yup, must be the rustlers that stole my last five mustangs," the cowboy said.
"Who are you?" said Jack.
"I'm a mustang herder," the cowboy said.
"They rode through town. Then Sunset showed up all alone," said Annie. "We're taking him to his mother."
"Sunset?" the cowboy said.
"Yup," Annie smiled. "I named him."
The cowboy put away his six-shooter. "Well, you're pretty brave to try and rescue him, Smiley," he said.
"Thanks," said Annie.
Jack cleared his throat. "A mustang needs his family," he said. "The bond between a mare and her young is very strong."
The cowboy looked at Jack. "Whoa, you're pretty smart to know that, Shorty."
"Shorty?" said Jack
"Every cowpoke's got to have a nickname," said the cowboy.
"What's yours?" said Annie.
"Slim," said the cowboy. "My name is Slim Cooley. And this is Dusty." He patted his horse.
"That fits," said Annie.
Jack agreed. Slim was slim. And Dusty was dusty.
"So tell me" Slim said. "How did you two brave, smart young'uns end up in Rattle-snake Flats?"
Jack caught his breath. He didn't know how to explain it.
"Um... the stagecoach," said Annie. "We begged the driver to let us off. But I think we made a mistake."
Slim looked around. "I'll say," he said.
"When the next stage comes through, we're leaving," said Annie.
"I see," said Slim. "Well, I'm going to take my colt now and find those rustlers. You didn't hear where they were headed, did you?"
"They said they were going to camp over the rise," said Jack.
"Hmm, must be over yonder," said Slim. He looked at a low rise in the distance. The sun was a red ball above it.
"Better get going before dark," he said.
"Can we go with you?" said Annie.
"No, we have to stay here," Jack said quickly. Now that Slim could help Sunset, Jack wanted to look for the answer to the riddle. Plus, he still wanted to take off his boots.
"Shorty's right to be scared," Slim said to Annie. "This is no job for young'uns."
"Scared?" said Jack.
"Oh, please! I want to go," said Annie.
Slim looked at Jack. "And what do you want, Shorty?"
For starters, he wanted Slim to stop calling him Shorty. And he wanted Slim to think he was brave.
"Sure, I want to go," said Jack.
"What about your stagecoach?" asked Slim.
"It's not coming until tomorrow," Annie said quickly.
"Well... "Slim scratched his chin. "I reckon I could use some brave, smart help. But you have to do everything I say."
"We will!" said Annie. "Can I ride Sun-"
I wouldn't say 'yes' to many kids, Smiley, but you seem to have a knack with horses," said Slim. "Now, hang on tight to his mane, I'll just pull him along behind me."
Slim slipped the rope off the post. Then he held his hand out to Jack.
"Put your foot in the stirrup, Shorty. And grab my hand," said Slim.
Jack did as Slim said. Slim pulled him onto the front of his saddle.
Jack held on to the saddle horn.
"Sit tight," said Slim. "It's not far."
Slim snapped his reins. Dusty took off with Sunset right behind him.
Jack bounced up and down. His boots hurt. The sunlight blinded him.
"Giddy-up!" said Slim.
"Giddy-up!" said Annie.
The horses galloped across the prairie, dust flying from their hooves.
"Ah-choo!" Jack sneezed as he bounced along into the setting sun.
Split The Wind
The sky was dark by the time they got to the rise. The wind was cool, almost cold.
"Whoa," said Slim.
Dusty slowed to a halt.
"They're camped down there," Slim said in a low voice. "In that patch of trees."
Jack saw a campfire at the bottom of the slope. He saw the horses gathered in a dark clump. One let out a loud whinny.
"Hear that?" said Slim. "The mare. She senses Sunset is nearby."
The mare whinnied again.
"Sounds like she's tied to a tree," said Slim. "I think the rest of the herd are loose."
"What's our plan?" whispered Jack.
"Smiley, you stay here and guard Sunset," said Slim.
"Right," said Annie.
"Shorty, you and I ride down near their camp," said Slim. "You keep Dusty quiet while I cut the mare loose."
How do you keep a horse quiet? wondered Jack.
"Once the mare's loose, she'll break for Sunset," said Slim. "Then you and Sunset take off, Smiley."
"Got it," said Annie.
"Then we'll split the wind," said Slim.
What's that mean? wondered Jack.
"Till we get to Blue Canyon," said Slim.
Where's that? wondered Jack.
"All set? Any questions?" asked Slim.
"Nope," said Annie cheerfully.
Yup, about a million, thought Jack.
"Okay, partners," said Slim. "See ya soon, Smiley. Come on, Shorty."
"Have fun," said Annie.
Fun? thought Jack. Is she nuts? Our lives are at stake.
Slim snapped his reins. Dusty started down the rise. Their way was lit by a nearly full moon and a million stars.
Maybe now I can ask Slim some questions, thought Jack.
But just then voices came from the rustlers' camp. They were mean voices, followed by mean laughter. A chill went through Jack. Dusty halted.
"This is far enough," whispered Slim. He slipped off of Dusty.
"Keep him here," Slim whispered to Jack, "and keep him quiet."
"Wait -- " whispered Jack. He needed more information.
But Slim was gone.
Jack gripped the reins and held his breath. He hoped Dusty wouldn't do anything.
For a moment Dusty was still. But then he snorted and began walking.
Oh, no! thought Jack. He tried to think of the rules on how to treat a horse.
He remembered: a soft hand, a firm voice. He patted Dusty softly.
"Whoa!" he said firmly. To his surprise, Dusty froze and was quiet.
Jack remembered another rule: a sunny attitude. He patted Dusty again. "Don't worry," he whispered. "Everything's going to be fine."
Just then a loud whinny came from the herd of mustangs. They began moving up the moonlit slope.
"Hey! The horses!" a rustler shouted.
A gun went off. Jack ducked.
"Come on, Shorty!" came Slim's voice. Jack looked up. Slim was riding the mare!
Jack was shocked. He had thought that Slim was coming back to ride Dusty.
Instead, Slim rode right past him! As he got close to Annie, she took off on Sunset.
The mare galloped after Sunset. And the band of mustangs galloped after the mare.
Bang! Bang!
Jack snapped the reins. "Go, Dusty!" he said.
Dusty leaped after the mustangs. Jack nearly fell off. He clutched the reins in one hand and the saddle horn in the other.
Bang! Bang!
The rustlers were on their horses now. They were getting closer.
"Hurry!" Jack cried.
Dusty cleared the rise in an awkward leap. Jack started to slip out of the saddle. He let go of the reins and tried to hold on to the saddle horn, but his weight pulled him down. He closed his eyes as he fell to the ground.
Bang! Bang!
Oh, man, thought Jack, this is the end.
He opened his eyes. Dusty was looking at him. Jack scrambled up and tried to climb shouts from high-pitched back into the saddle. It was hard without Slim's help.
As Jack struggled, he heard the rustlers. Their horses gave neighs.
Jack looked back.
A shimmering white figure was moving across the top of the rise! The rustlers' horses were panicking and backing away.
Jack didn't have time to think about what he was seeing. He knew it might be his only chance to escape. Using all his strength, he pulled himself into the saddle.
"Go, Dusty, go!" he shouted.
Dusty took off at full gallop prairie. Jack held on for dear life.
Ghost Stories
Jack bounced in the saddle. He felt the cool night wind against his face.
He couldn't tell where they were going. But he trusted Dusty to follow the others.
Finally Dusty caught up with the herd as they began to slow down.
Jack snapped his reins. Dusty came up beside Slim and Annie.
"Howdy!" said Slim.
"Howdy!" said Jack.
"Howdy!" said Annie. "Are you okay?"
Jack pushed his glasses into place. "Yup," he said. "You?"
"Yup," she said.
"That was some good riding, Shorty!" said Slim.
"Thanks," said Jack, smiling. He liked being called "Shorty" now.
"Where we headed, boss?" Jack Slim.
"Blue Canyon," said Slim. "Okay with you?"
"Yup," said Jack.
"This way!" said Slim. He slapped his horse and they all speeded up again.
Slim steered the herd to the left. Soon led them through a deep, narrow pass.
Finally they came to a boxy open space surrounded by walls of rock and lit by moonlight.
"We'll corral the mustangs here in Blue Canyon," Slim said.
He got off his horse. He helped Jack down. Annie slipped off Sunset.
"Take him to his ma," Slim told Annie.
Annie led Sunset to the mare. In the moonlight, the two mustangs rubbed against one another and neighed.
As Jack patted Dusty's damp neck, he remembered the last two rules: praise and reward.
"Thanks," he whispered to Dusty. "You were great. You were super great."
Slim unsaddled Dusty, then handed Jack his saddlebags.
"Take those over to that grassy spot.
We'll camp there," he said.
As Jack carried the saddlebags, his boots felt stiff and tight. His legs were sore and wobbly. But he didn't mind.
He threw down the saddlebags and his backpack. Then he flopped himself down. He was very tired. Annie joined him.
"They seem so happy to be free and together again," she said, gazing at the moonlit mustangs.
"Yup," said Jack.
He lay back, using his backpack as a pillow. He looked up at the stars.
"If we just had the answer to the riddle, everything would be perfect," he said.
"Yup," said Annie.
"Hey, Slim," he called. "I have a question for you."
"Shoot," said Slim.
"Do you know the answer to this riddle?" Jack asked. "Out of the blue, my lonely voice calls out to you. Who am I? Am I?"
Slim was silent for a moment, then said, "Sorry, Shorty, don't know that one."
Jack's heart sank. "That's okay," he said. "We don't either."
"I have a question, too," said Annie. "Why does the piano in the hotel play by itself?"
"I do know the answer to that one," said Slim.
"What is it?" said Annie.
"It's Lonesome Luke," said Slim. "He's a ghost of a cowboy who wanders the prairie."
Jack sat straight up.
"I saw him! I saw him!" he said. "I just remembered! He scared the rustlers! If he hadn't come, I never would have gotten away!"
"Oh, yeah?" Slim chuckled. "Well, lucky for us, Lonesome Luke sometimes likes to help folks out."
Slim threw his saddle down next to Jack and Annie and sat against it.
"Years ago, Lonesome Luke had a gal who he was just crazy about," said Slim. "She couldn't take the Wild West, though. So she went back east."
"What happened then?" asked Jack.
"Luke went loco. Every night he'd show up at the hotel and play the piano. He played 'Red River Valley' over and over.
"Then one night he just vanished into the prairie and was never seen alive again. His bones were found a year later. But folks say his ghost returns to the hotel piano to play 'Red River Valley.' It goes like this:
Slim took out a harmonica. He began to play a song. It was the same sad song Jack and Annie had heard in the hotel.
Jack lay back down and listened to the lonesome tune. A coyote howled in the distance. The horses stirred in the dark.
I better take some notes, thought Jack.
But he didn't write a word before he fell asleep. He didn't even take off his boots.
Who Am I?
A fly buzzed by Jack's ear. He slapped it away. He opened his eyes.
The sun was high above the canyon walls.
He had slept a long time.
Slim and Annie were sitting by a fire, drinking from tin cups.
"Coffee? Biscuit?" Annie asked Jack. "Where did you get them?" said Jack. "A cowboy always carries biscuits and a canteen of coffee," said Slim.
He walked over and gave Jack a biscuit and a cup of coffee.
"It's hard as a rock," Slim said. "And bitter as muddy river water. But a cowboy takes what he can get."
Jack took a bite and a sip.
The biscuit was very hard and the coffee was very bitter. But that was okay with Jack. Since cowboys didn't mind, he didn't mind, either.
"I'll saddle up Dusty," Slim said, "and take you back to town to catch your stage."
"Then what will you do?" said Annie.
"Head south with my herd," said Slim. "Sell 'em. Then ride across the plains and round up more mustangs."
While Slim saddled Dusty, Jack took out his notebook and pencil. He wrote:
Cowboy Breakfast
Bitter coffee
Hard biscuits
"Hey, Shorty," called Slim. 'What are you doing?"
"Taking notes," said Jack.
"What for?"
"He likes writing things down," said Annie.
"Oh, yeah?" said Slim. "Me too. In fact, I first came out west to write a book. But one thing led to another. The next thing I know, I'm a mustang herder."
"Slim, you should write your book," said Annie. "And let the mustangs go free."
"Think so?" said Slim.
They looked at the grazing wild horse.
"I know so," said Annie.
"Yup," said Jack. "Your book should be about the Wild West, Slim."
Slim kept staring at his herd. "Maybe you're right," he said. "I could settle in Laramie and write there. Wouldn't have to chase after rustlers anymore."
Slim turned back to Jack and Annie. "Yup, I think I'll be a writer. Let's go. Before I change my mind," he said.
"Yay!" said Annie. "I'll go tell them." She jumped up and ran to the mustangs.
Jack packed his backpack, while Slim packed his saddlebags.
Then Slim and Jack climbed onto Dusty. They rode over to Annie, who was stroking Sunset's neck.
"I told him he's as free as the wind now," said Annie.
"Sounds good," said Slim. "Give me your hand, Smiley."
Slim pulled Annie onto Dusty. She sat in front of Jack.
Slim snapped his reins. Dusty started off.
The sun was hot as Dusty climbed out of the canyon. When they reached the top, they peered down at the canyon floor.
The mustangs pranced playfully, their coats shining in the hazy light.
"They'll find their way out soon," Slim said. "Then cut across the prairie. Yell good-bye to your pal, Smiley."
"Stay with your mother, Sunset!" shouted Annie. "Good-bye!"
Out of the blue, a voice called, "Bye!"
Annie gasped. "Who said that?" she asked. "The ghost?"
"Nope," said Jack. "It's just an echo. It's caused by sound bouncing off the canyon walls."
Slim cupped his hands around his mouth. "Who am I?" he shouted.
"Am I?" came the distant voice.
"Oh, man," Jack said softly. "That's the answer...
"To Morgan's riddle!" said Annie.
"Echo!" she and Jack said together.
Jack looked at Slim. "You knew the answer last night," he said.
Slim just smiled and snapped his reins. "Let's go, partners," he said.
The sun was low in the sky when they reached Rattlesnake Flats.
"Just let us off in front of the hotel," said Annie.
"You sure the stage is coming through here?" said Slim.
"Yup," said Jack and Annie together.
In front of the hotel, Slim got down from Dusty. Then he helped Jack and Annie down.
"I hope you'll come to Laramie and visit me," said Slim. He winked. "I might be needing some help on my book."
"Sure," said Annie.
Slim climbed back on Dusty. He looked down at Jack.
"You know, Shorty," he said, "you might be short, but you're mighty tall in the brains."
"Thanks," said Jack.
"And, Smiley," Slim said. "Your great courage is nothing to smile about."
"Thanks," said Annie.
"Good luck with your writing, Slim," said Jack.
"I'm grateful to you both for steering me straight," said Slim. "I promise I'll thank you someday."
"Really?" said Annie.
"A cowboy never goes back on his word," said Slim. Then he snapped his reins, and Dusty loped down the street.
"Bye, Slim!" yelled Annie.
Slim Cooley turned one last time. He waved his hat. "So long, partners!" he called.
Then he rode off into the sunset.
Jack let out a deep sigh. "Okay. I'm ready to take my boots off now," he said.
"Me too," said Annie.
They sat down on the porch of the hotel. They started pulling off their boots.
'There!" Jack got them both off.
He wiggled his toes. He took his sneakers out of his pack and put them on. Annie put hers on, too.
"Man, sneakers never felt so good," said Jack.
Suddenly the sound of a piano drifted through the air.
"Lonesome Luke!" said Annie.
Jack grabbed his pack. He and Annie crept across the porch. They pushed open the swinging door.
The piano was playing "Red River Valley." Sitting on the piano stool was the dim but shimmering shape of a cowboy.
Just then the ghost of Lonesome Luke looked at Jack and Annie. He waved a shimmering hand.
Jack and Annie waved back.
Then the ghost of Lonesome Luke faded away. Cold air wafted past Jack and Annie. They both shivered.
"Oh, man, let's go," breathed Jack.
They leaped and dashed up the dusty road. They ran across the cracked ground and past the graveyard. They ran until they reached the tree with the Magic Tree House in it.
Annie grabbed the rope ladder.
She hurried up and Jack followed. They were out of breath when they got inside the tree house.
Annie grabbed the ancient scroll. She unrolled it.
"Yay!" she said.
The scroll had one glowing word on it:
ECHO
"We got it right!" said Annie.
Jack grabbed the Pennsylvania book. He pointed to a picture of the Frog Creek woods.
"I wish we could go there!" he said.
The wind started to blow.
The tree house started to spin.
It spun faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
Echo from the Past
Jack and Annie looked outside.
The sun had slipped behind the trees of the Frog Creek woods.
Annie still held the ancient scroll. She put it in the corner, next to the scroll from their ocean trip.
"Just two more to go," she whispered.
"Yup," said Jack. He unzipped his pack. He pulled out Days of the Wild West. He put it on top of a stack of books.
"Ready?" he said.
Annie was staring at the books. Her mouth dropped open. "What's wrong?" asked Jack. Annie just kept staring. "Have you gone nuts?" said Jack. Annie pointed at the Wild West book. "Read the cover," she said.
Jack picked the book up. He read the title aloud: "Days of the Wild West." He looked at Annie. "So?"
"Keep reading," said Annie.
The author's name was below the title. It was in smaller letters. Jack read: "Slim Cooley."
Jack gasped. His mouth dropped open. He and Annie stared at the words for a long moment.
"Oh, man," whispered Jack. 'We were using Slim's book. The book he wrote after he left us!"
Jack and Annie shook their heads with wonder.
Jack opened Slim's book. He looked at the title page. At the bottom of the page, he read:
Texas Press, Dallas, 1895.
Jack turned the page. He read the dedication:
WITH THANKS TO SMILEY AND SHORTY,
TWO STRANGERS WHO CHANGED MY LIFE
Jack looked at Annie. "Slim dedicated his book to us," he said.
"Yup," said Annie. She smiled.
Jack placed Slim's book back on the stack of books.
Then he and Annie left the tree house and climbed down the ladder.
As they started through the woods, the trees were alive with bird sounds. The air felt soft and moist.
"Frog Creek seems so peaceful," said Jack. "No rattlers, no rustlers, no ghosts."
"Yeah, but no Slim Cooley either," said Annie sadly.
"I know," said Jack. "But when we read his book, it's like he's still talking to us."
"Oh, right," said Annie. "You mean it's like an echo from the past?"
"Yeah," said Jack softly. "Wow."
Just then, out of the blue, a voice called, "Jack! Annie!"
"It's Dad!" said Annie.
"Coming!" she and Jack shouted.
Then they ran all the way home, through the long shadows of the setting sun.
Here are the words to RED RIVER VALLEY, the traditional cowboy song that Lonesome Luke played on the piano.
From this valley they say you are going.
I shall miss your sweet face and bright smile.
For they say you are taking the sunshine
That has brightened my pathway awhile.
There never could be such a longing 
In the heart of a poor cowboy's breast. 
As dwells in this heart you are breaking 
While I wait in my home in the West.
Do you think of this valley you're leaving,
Oh, how lonely and dreary it will be?
Do you think of the kind hearts you're grieving,
And the pain you are causing to me?
From this valley they say you are going.
I will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile.
For they say you are weary and tired
And must find a new range for a while.
Refrain (after each verse):
Come and sit by my side if you love me.
Do not hasten to bid me adieu.
For remember the Red River Valley
And the cowboy who loved you so true.
Before Lunch
Jack and Annie were walking home from the grocery store. Jack's pack was heavy. It held a big jar of peanut butter and a loaf of bread.
"Are you going to have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?" said Annie. "Or a peanut butter and honey sandwich?"
Jack started to answer, but stopped. "Oh, man," he whispered.
"What is it?" said Annie.
"Look at that!" said Jack.
He pointed to the edge of the Frog Creek woods. In the shadows stood a small, delicate animal. It looked like a tiny deer.
"It's sign," whispered Annie. "Remember when we saw the rabbit? He was a sign of the Wild West."
The dear like creature leaped into the woods.
Jack and Annie didn't stop to think. They followed fast as they could. Jack's heavy pack thumped against his back as he ran.
Finally they stopped and looked around.
"Where did she go?" he said.
"I don't see her," said Annie.
"Oh wow." said Annie. She pointed up
There was the magic tree house. It was shinning in the noon sun, at the top of the in the woods. Its rope ladder swayed in the shadows below.
"Where's Morgan?" said Annie.
Morgan le Fay wasn't waving at them from the window. She wasn't even at the window.
"I don't know. Let's go up," said Jack.
They climbed the ladder and went into the tree house.
Sunlight streamed through the window. It lit a stack of books and two scrolls in the corner. The ancient scrolls held the answers to riddles Jack and Annie had solved earlier.
Jack took off his heavy pack.
"Did Morgan leave us a third riddle?" said Annie.
"Looking for someone?" said a soft voice.
Jack and Annie whirled around.
"Morgan!" said Annie.
Morgan le Fay had appeared out of nowhere. She looked ancient and lovely in the bright light.
"Do you still want to become Master Librarians?" she asked Jack and Annie. "So you can help me in my work?"
"Yes!" they said together.
"Wonderful," Morgan said. Then she reached into her robe and pulled out a scroll.
"You've solved two riddles so far," she said. "Here is your third." She handed the scroll to Annie. "And for your research -- "
She pulled a book out from her robe and handed it to Jack. The book's cover said
THE PLAINS OF AFRICA.
"Africa?" said Jack. "Oh, man, I've always wanted to go there."
He opened the book. He and Annie stared at a picture.
It showed hordes of zebras, tall giraffes, big animals with horns, and tiny, deer like creatures.
"Hey, that's the animal that led us here!" said Annie.
"A Thomson's gazelle, I believe," Morgan said.
"Where are the lions?" said Jack.
"You'll find out," said Morgan.
"Um... maybe we need to plan this trip," said Jack.
Morgan smiled. "No. Go ahead. Make your wish now."
Annie pointed at the picture. "I wish we could go there," she said.
"Be careful," said Morgan. "Just keep an eye out."
"For what?" said Jack.
"The lions, of course," she said.
"Wait!" said Jack.
Too late.
The wind had started to blow. The tree house had started to spin. Jack squeezed his eyes shut. The tree house spun faster and faster. Then everything was still. Absolutely still.
Jump, Beasts! Jump!
Bright light flooded the tree house again. A rustling sound came from outside the window.
Annie peeked out and laughed. "Hey, there," she said
Jack looked out, too. A giraffe was eating leaves off the tree. It had a sweet, goofy face.
Jack peered at the world beyond the giraffe He couldn't believe his eyes.
He saw a huge grassy plain, a wide river, and tons of birds and animals -- more than he had ever imagined in one place.
Giraffes and zebras were on the side of the river where Jack and Annie were. Thomson's gazelles and the big horned animals were on the other side.
"Where are the lions?" said Jack.
"I don't know." said Annie. "Do you think it's always this crowded?"
"Let's find out." said Jack.
He picked up the book on Africa and looked at the picture of the animals. He read aloud:
Every yes, in late spring, thousands of zebras and gazelles and millions of wildebeests (willduh-beests) migrate from the dry plains of Tanzania to Kenya.
"What's 'migrate' mean?" said Annie.
Jack pushed his glasses into place. "It means they go someplace else for part of the year -- like birds going south for the winter."
"Oh, right," said Annie.
Jack turned the page to read more.
Before they are safe in Kenya, the animals must first cross the Mara River.
Zebras go first, then the wildebeests.
The tiny gazelles swim last.
"Ohh," said Annie in a sad voice.
"What's wrong?" said Jack.
"Poor beasts." She looked out the window. "They seem afraid."
On the far side of the river, the horned animals were standing at the edge of the steep bank of the river. They stared down nervously at the rushing water.
"Jump, beasts! Jump! " Annie shouted.
"Don't be silly. They can't hear you," said Jack.
He studied the board plain. "I wonder where the lions are," he said.
"I don't know. But I have to go," said Annie.
"Go where?" said Jack.
"To the river to help them," she said.
"Help who?" said Jack.
"Those wild beasts on the other side!" said Annie. "I have to help them migrate."
'Annie handed Jack the scroll and started out of ht e tree house.
"Wait a second!" said Jack. "We haven't even read Morgan's riddle yet!"
Annie stopped on the ladder.
"Read it now," she said.
Jack unrolled the ancient scroll and read aloud:
I am the color of gold and as sweet as can be. But beware of the danger that's all around me. What am I?
Annie started down again.
"Annie!"
"We'll look for the answer in a minute," said Annie.
"What are you doing?" Jack called.
But there was no stopping her. Jack watched as she hopped off the ladder. Then she started to walk through the tall grass, between the zebras and giraffes.
"I don't believe her." he said to himself. He quickly put the Africa book into his pack.
He started down the ladder.
When he stepped onto the ground, he looked around carefully.
The giraffes were eating the tree leaves.
The zebras were grazing in the grass.
Tons of birds flapped overhead.
This is okay, he thought. He just had one little question:
Where are the lions?
"Come on, Jack!" Annie called. She was almost to the river.
"Just a minute!" he shouted. He wanted to study the giraffes and zebras.
He pulled out the Africa book and found a picture of giraffes. He read:
The giraffe is the tallest animal in the world. Its legs alone can be six feet tall, and its hooves can be as big as dinner plates. The giraffe has a very powerful kick, which makes it dangerous to attack. For this reason, lions tend to avoid giraffes.
Jack pulled out his notebook and wrote:
Notes on Africa:
Lions avoid giraffes
He turned the page and read more:
Zebras live in family groups. As no two zebras have exactly the same pattern of stripes, every baby zebra must learn its own mother's pattern.
Jack studied the zebras, trying to see their different patterns. But in the hazy afternoon light, all the stripes made him dizzy.
He blinked to clear his head, then read more;
Zebras are the first to cross the river because they eat the coarsest grass. After they've thinned down the top layer, the wildebeests arrive and eat the next layer. They prepare the grass for the gazelles, who come last.
Wow, thought Jack. Each animal depends on the one that goes before.
He wrote:
Animals all connected.
Jack heard Annie shouting from the riverbank. "Jump, beasts! Jump! You can do it! Don't be afraid! Come on!"
He looked up. Annie herself was jumping as she called to the wildebeests.
Jack sighed. I'd better stop her before there's trouble, he thought.
He put away the Africa book and his notebook. Then he jogged toward the river. His pack was heavy and lumpy, bumping against his back. He'd forgotten to take out the jar of peanut butter and the loaf of bread.
Jack decided to leave them at the tree house. He turned to go back.
But just then, Annie's shouting stopped. Jack looked at the river.
She had vanished. "Annie?" he called. No answer.
Where was she?
"Annie!" Jack shouted.
She had completely disappeared. "Oh, man," said Jack.
Their trip had barely begun, and already disaster had struck!
He forgot about the stuff in his pack. He just ran as fast as he could.
He wove his way between the grazing zebras and giraffes as he raced to the river.
"Help!" called Annie.
Mud Bath
Jack looked over the edge of the riverbank
Annie had fallen info a pool of mud near the water. The thick black mud was up to her chest.
"I Slipped" she said. "It feels like quick sand."
Jack threw down his pack and got on his knees.
"Be careful," said Annie. "Don't slip, too."
Jack pointed to a tangle of old tree roots sticking out of the bank. "Grab those!" he said.
Annie reached for the roots. "Too far," she said, breathing hard. "I'm sinking."
She was sinking. The mud was up to her neck.
"Hold on!" Jack looked around wildly. He saw a fallen tree branch near the bank.
He raced to it, picked it up, and carried it back to Annie. Only her head and arms stuck out of the mud now.
Jack held out the branch. Annie grabbed it.
"Hold tight," said Jack. "I'll drag you over to the roots!"
Lie started pulling on the branch.
"I'm still sinking!" Annie wailed. The mud was up to her chin.
"Come on!" said Jack. "You can do it! I know you can! Try! Try!"
Just then, Jack heard a splash! He looked up.
On the other side of the wide river, a wildebeest had jumped into the water. Another jumped... then another. They were headed right toward Jack and Annie.
"Hold on tight!" said Jack. He pulled on the stick again.
Annie moved a tiny bit.
"Hey, Jack, on the moon it felt like I weighed ten pounds," said Annie. "And in this mud it feels like I weigh a ton."
"Concentrate, Annie," said Jack, trying not to slip down the bank.
"I am."
The lead wildebeests were halfway across, swimming toward them. Many more wildebeests were jumping into the water.
"It's now or never!" said Jack. He took a deep breath. He pulled really hard.
Just then, a shadow passed over them. Jack looked up.
"Uh-oh," he said.
A huge vulture circled overhead.
"It thinks you're near the end," said Jack.
"Oh, get out of here!" Annie shouted at the vulture. "I'm fine!"
In a burst of fury, she let go of the branch. She lunged for the roots. She grabbed them!
"Yes!" cried Jack. "Pull! Pull!"
Slowly, Annie pulled herself out. She was covered with the black mud from head to toe.
Jack helped her onto the bank, getting mud all over himself.
"See!" Annie shook her fist at the vulture. "I'm fine! Now beat it!"
But the giant, ugly bird still circled.
"Come on. Let's get away from him," said Jack. He pushed his glasses into place.
"Rats," he said. Now his glasses were muddy.
He tried to clean his hands in the grass.
"Oh, no!" shouted Annie.
Jack turned to her.
"The wildebeests will get stuck in the mud hole!" she cried. She waved her arms at the wildebeests struggling to swim across the river.
"Not here," she shouted. "Not here!"
But the frantic swimmers kept coming.
Ha-Ha
"Oh, no! No! No!" Shouted Annie.
She raced down the bank, until she reached a sandy, clear spot.
"Here! Here!" she called.
The wildebeests followed her with their wild eyes.
Jack watched in disbelief as the swimmers changed their course. Slowly, all the wildebeests swam to where Annie stood. She waved them in like a traffic policeman.
Jack grabbed his backpack.
"Annie," he cried, "let's go before we get trampled!"
"Keep it up," she shouted to the wildebeests as she took off after Jack.
They ran farther up the river, away from the incoming wildebeests. Finally, they stopped to catch their breath. They looked back.
Everything seemed fine. The wildebeests were scrambling safely over the riverbank. Soon they would graze on the grass prepared by the zebras.
"Good work," Jack said to Annie.
"Thanks," she said. "Okay, now for our riddle..."
"No, first we've got to get clean," said Jack. "You look like you're in a mud suit."
High-pitched laughter rang through the air. It sounded mocking and mean.
Jack and Annie turned around. They saw two spotted brown animals standing in the tall grass.
The creatures had bodies like dogs, but with sloping backs. They laughed again.
"Ha-ha," said Annie. "You don't look so great yourself."
"What are they?" said Jack. He took out the book. He tried not to get mud on it as he looked for a picture. When he found it, he read aloud:
On the African plains, the hyena (hi-EE-nuh) is the ruling predator after the lion. It makes a sound similar to a high-pitched human laugh.
"What's 'predator' mean?" said Annie.
"It means it catches things and eats them," said Jack.
"Oh," said Annie. "Yuck."
The two hyenas laughed again. And they moved closer to Jack and Annie.
Quietly, Jack read more:
The hyena has a reputation for being a thief and a coward.
"Let's see if they're cowards," whispered Annie. "Let's try to scare them."
The hyenas laughed and moved a little closer.
"How?" Jack asked.
"Act like a monster!" said Annie. "Now!"
Jack and Annie made terrible monster faces. They put out their hands and rushed at the hyenas.
"AR GGGGHH!" they shouted.
The hyenas yelped and scurried off. "Scaredy-cats!" Annie shouted after them. "Come on," said Jack.
Annie and Jack took off in the other direction. They ran around a bend in the river.
Jack heard the hyena laughter again. It sounded far away.
"Good," he said, "they're gone."
"Hey, maybe we can wash over there," said Annie.
She pointed to the edge of the forest. There was a small pond surrounded by tall grass. Zebras were drinking the water.
"Yeah," said Jack. "If it's safe enough for them to drink..."
The zebras ignored them as they walked toward the pond.
When they reached the edge of the water, Jack set his heavy pack down in the dry grass. He glanced around. NO lions were in sight. But then he heard something.
On the far side of the pond something very big was coming out of the trees.
"Be still," said Jack.
Jack and Annie stood frozen as an elephant stepped out of the shadows. It waded into the pond and dipped its trunk into the water.
"Oh, wow," said Annie.
Jack breathed a sigh of relief. An elephant wasn't going to chase them and eat them. Still, the elephant was huge.
"Let's sneak away," said Jack.
"But I want to watch," said Annie.
"Fine," said Jack. He was tired of Annie getting sidetracked. "I'm going to solve the riddle by myself. I'll meet you back at the tree house."
He turned to go. A spray of water rained down on him. It came from behind. He shouted with surprise and looked back.
The elephant's trunk was pointed straight at Annie.
"Cool!" she cried. "He's giving me a shower!"
The elephant sprayed her again... then again. The mud slowly rolled off her face, her braids, her T-shirt, her shorts, her legs, and her sneakers.
"I guess the elephant doesn't like dirty kids!" said Annie, laughing. Her eyes were squeezed shut.
Finally, she was clean and soaking wet.
"Now it's your turn," she said to Jack.
Jack stepped forward and shut his eyes tight. A blast of water hit him. It did feel like a shower -- a strong shower.
When Jack was clean, the elephant let out a grunt. Then he started to splash himself with water.
"Thanks!" said Annie.
"Yeah, thanks!" said Jack.
"I'm spick-and-span now," said Annie.
"When the sun dries me off, I'll be like new."
"Good," said Jack. "Now we can get serious.
He picked up his heavy pack. "We have to figure out the answer to the riddle. So we can leave this place before we run into real trouble."
He looked around nervously. Where are the lions? he wondered.
A small bird flitted near his head.
"Hi," Annie said to the bird.
Jack turned back to her "According to the riddle, we're looking for something gold and sweet."
"What do you want?" Annie asked the bird.
The bird twittered and flew around Jack and Annie. Its feathers were dull gray. But it had a bright, happy manner.
Annie, listen to me, not the bird," said Jack.
The bird kept fluttering around them.
"She's trying to tell us something," said Annie.
Jack let out a long sigh. "You are driving me crazy today," he said.
"But I feel like she needs our help," said Annie. "Maybe her babies fell out of the nest."
"Annie, you can't save every animal in Africa," said Jack.
"This bird is important," said Annie. "Trust me."
The bird darted toward the trees. It landed on a branch and cocked its head at them.
"She says follow," said Annie.
The bird headed into the forest. Annie started after it.
"Don't go in there' said Jack. "You might run into -- "
There was no need to finish. The bird and Annie had disappeared into the trees.
" -- a snake or a lion," Jack said to himself.
"Come on!" Annie called.
Jack moaned. He pulled on his pack and ran. The peanut butter jar thumped against his back.
The forest was cooler than the sunny plains.
It was filled with shadows and birdcalls.
"Where are you?" Jack shouted.
"Here!" said Annie.
He found her in a thick glade.
Bright rays steamed between the trees. Green leaves and vines swayed in the dappled light.
The little gray bird sat in a tree, twittering at them.
"Yuck, what's that?" said Annie. She pointed at a round brown thing hanging from a low branch. Bees buzzed around it.
"If that's her nest, it's a pretty weird nest," said Annie.
"That's not a nest," said Jack. "It's a bee-hive. Don't you see the bees?"
"Yikes," said Annie. She stepped back from the tree.
But the little bird darted at the beehive and pecked at it.
"What's she doing?" said Annie.
The bird kept pecking at the hive.
"I don't know. Maybe she's as nuts as you," said Jack.
"Look her up in the book," said Annie.
"See if it says she's nuts."
"Are you kidding?" said Jack. "That nutty bird isn't going to be in this book."
"Just look."
Jack opened his Africa book. He kept turning the pages. Just as he thought -- there was no gray bird in the book.
"Forget it," he said.
"Keep looking," said Annie.
Jack turned one more page. And there it was: a little gray bird, a beehive, and a tall, painted warrior with a spear.
"I don't believe this," said Jack. Then he read aloud:
This bird is called a honey guide. It's both a friend and a helper to the Masai (muh-si) people, an African tribe known for their fierce fighting skills and bravery.
"Hi, honey guide," Annie called to the bird. "I knew you were important."
Jack kept reading:
The honey guide leads a Masai tribesperson to a beehive. The bird waits for him or her to scatter the bees and take the honey. Then the bird feasts on the honeycomb.
"That's cool," said Jack. "They work together, like the zebras and wildebeests and gazelles."
"Yeah," said Annie. "And she wants us to be her helpers. We have to scatter the bees and leave her the honeycomb."
"How do we do that?" said Jack. He looked back at the book. It didn't say how.
"Well, maybe we could wave those weeds at them," said Annie. She pointed to some bright green plants that looked like giant fans.
Jack put his book and backpack down. He and Annie pulled up the weeds. They waved them near the tree, and the bees scattered.
Next, Jack grabbed the tree branch and jiggled it. The hive fell to the ground and broke open.
Annie stooped and stuck her finger into the golden honeycomb.
"Yummy," she said when she tasted the honey. "Try it."
Jack stuck his finger in the honeycomb, too. He licked off the golden honey. It was the sweetest honey he had ever tasted.
"Now the honey guide can get to her honey comb," said Annie.
"Yeah, but she'd better hurry. Before the bees come back," said Jack.
"It's weird," said Annie. "Honey's so sweet and good. But to get it, you have to go past a lot of dangerous bees."
"Oh, man," whispered Jack. "That's it."
"That's what?" asked Annie.
Jack said Morgan's riddle:
I'm the color of gold and as sweet as can be. But beware of the danger that's all around me. What am I?
"I get it," Annie whisper "Honey... "
Honey," said Jack, nodding and smiling, "That's it. We've answered Morgan's riddle. Let's go home."
He stood up to leave. He gasped.
Standing in the shadows was a tall man with a spear and a curved sword hanging from his belt. His face was painted in fierce, bright colors.
Jack knew at once what he was.
A Masai warrior.
"Hi, there," Annie said in a small voice.
The warrior stared back at Jack and Annie.
"We were helping one of your honey guides," said Annie.
The warrior was as still as a statue.'
"We didn't mean to steal anything," Jack said. "In fact, it's all yours. We've had enough."
"Lots of good honey still there," Annie said, smiling.
The warrior narrowed his eyes.
Is he angry? Jack wondered.
"I'm sorry we were trespassing," said Jack. "We come in peace. In fact, we bring gifts." He picked up his backpack and held it out to the warrior.
The warrior still didn't move.
"This?" Jack held up his book. Nothing.
"Uh -- " Jack reached into his pack. He pulled out the big jar of peanut butter.
"Peanut butter!" He pulled out the loaf of bread. "Bread! Hey. Hey! How about a peanut butter and honey sandwich?"
"Yum!" Annie said, watching the warrior.
The warrior stared at the food.
"We'll show you," said Jack.
As Jack unwrapped the bread, his hands shook.
Annie opened the jar.
"We don't have anything to spread it with," she said.
"Use your fingers," said Jack.
"Excuse me," Annie said to the warrior. "I have to use my fingers. But they're pretty clean. An elephant just -- "
"Just do it, Annie!" said Jack.
"Okay, okay."
She spread the peanut butter onto a slice of bread with her fingers. At the same time, Jack spread the honey from the beehive on another slice.
Jack and Annie put their pieces of bread together.
"Ta-da!" said Annie, handing the sandwich to the warrior.
The warrior took the sandwich, but he didn't eat it. He just looked at it.
"Let's make sandwiches for us, too," Jack said. "So he doesn't have to eat alone."
They quickly made two more sandwiches.
"See, like this," said Annie. She bit into her sandwich. "Mmm... yum."
Jack took a bite, too. "Mmm..." he said. It was really good.
Finally, the warrior bit into his sandwich. He chewed slowly.
"This is called a picnic," said Annie.
They ate their sandwiches in silence.
When they finished, Jack screwed the lid back on the peanut butter jar.
"Not bad, huh?" he said.
The warrior smiled. He had a kind, dignified smile.
Jack and Annie smiled back at him.
Then the warrior turned gracefully and vanished into the trees.
"Oh, man," said Jack. Part of him wanted to follow the silent warrior through the shadowy forest.
"Ready?" Annie asked softly. Jack nodded.
Annie started to go.
"Wait," said Jack. He put away the peanut butter and bread. "We're going back to the tree house, right? We're not going to do anything silly, like rescue anything or chase birds. Right?"
"Those things aren't silly," said Annie. "Don't forget that the bird gave us the answer to the riddle."
"Oh. Right," said Jack.
He looked at the little honey guide. She was on the ground, pecking at the honeycomb.
"Thanks," Jack said to the bird.
"Have a good feast," said Annie.
Jack put on his pack. Then he and Annie started out of the forest.
When they passed the pond, they saw the elephant still splashing in the water. He lifted his trunk. He seemed to be waving at them.
"See ya!" Annie shouted, waving back.
They rounded the bend in the river, then started through the tall grass.
As they walked back toward the tree house, they saw the wildebeests in the distance. There were still some crossing the river.
They saw a family of zebras grazing together.
They saw lone giraffes walking from tree to tree, eating the leaves.
And they saw a bunch of lions sleeping in the shade of a tree -- the same tree that the tree house was in.
"Whoops," said Annie.
Jack's heart gave a jump.
"So there they are," he said.
Jack and Annie crouched in the tall grass. There was a big lion, three lionesses, and a bunch of cubs.
"I think they're sleeping," whispered Annie.
"Yeah," said Jack. "But for how long?"
He pulled the Africa book from his pack and opened it. He found a picture of lions sleeping under a tree.
He read in a whispery voice:
After a pride of lions has eaten, they rest for a few hours. The other -- 
"What did they have for lunch?" Annie broke in.
"Don't ask," said Jack. He kept reading:
Sensing that the lions are not hunting at the moment, the other animals graze nearby.
"If they can graze, then we're safe," said Annie. She started to stand.
"Wait!" Jack pulled her down. "Not so fast."
He peered around. The words in the book seemed true: the zebras and giraffes didn't seem to be bothered by the lions at all.
"They might be safe. But I'm not sure about us," said Jack. "We need a plan."
"What if we wait till they leave?" said Annie.
"That could take hours," said Jack. "Plus they might be hungry again by then."
"Oh, right," said Annie.
"So here's the plan -- we tiptoe," said Jack. "Tiptoe?"
"Yeah?"
"That's your whole plan?" said Annie.
"Yeah, tiptoe to the rope ladder," said Jack. "Very quietly."
"Good plan," Annie teased.
"Just do it," said Jack. He stood up slowly. Annie stood with him.
They began tiptoeing through the grass very slowly.
The lion flicked his tail.
Jack and Annie froze.
When his tail was still again, they moved again.
Suddenly, high-pitched laughter split the air.
Jack and Annie stopped.
The hyenas were back! They were standing off to the side, watching Jack and Annie.
Jack and Annie made silent monster faces and shook their fists. But the hyenas only laughed some more.
The big lion stirred lazily. He opened his golden eyes.
Jack felt the hair rise on the back of his neck. But he didn't move an inch.
The lion lifted his head and yawned. His giant teeth gleamed in the sunlight. The lion turned his head as he looked around sleepily. Jack held his breath as the lion's gaze rested on him. The lion sat straight up. His piercing yellow eyes met Jack's.
Jack's heart raced. His mind raced. He remembered something he'd read -- lions avoid giraffes.
Jack looked around. There was a giraffe walking toward the tree that the magic tree house was in.
Suddenly, he had a new plan.
"Get under that giraffe," he whispered.
"Now you're the one who's nuts," Annie whispered back.
But Jack grabbed her hand. He pulled her over to the giraffe and underneath it.
The giraffe's legs were so long, Jack and Annie could stand up under it. Jack's head barely brushed the giraffe's golden belly.
The tall creature froze for a few seconds. Then she moved slowly toward the tree.
Jack and Annie walked in the same rhythm as the giraffe.
They got closer and closer to the tree house -- and closer and closer to the pride of lions.
The big lion had stood up. He watched them moving under the giraffe.
When the rope ladder was just a few feet away, Jack and Annie dashed out from under the giraffe to the rope ladder.
Annie scrambled up first.
Jack followed right behind her.
As they climbed, the lion growled and leaped at the ladder.
The hyenas laughed.
Jack climbed faster than he'd ever climbed. He leaped after Annie into the tree house.
Annie had already unrolled the scroll. The riddle was gone.
Jack grabbed the Pennsylvania book. He opened it and found the picture of the Frog Creek woods. "I wish we could go there!" he said.
Just then, the giraffe stuck her head through the window.
"Bye, honey!" said Annie, and she kissed the giraffe on the nose.
The wind started to blow.
The tree house started to spin.
It spun faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
Jack opened his eyes. His heart was still racing. Hyena laughter still rang in his ears.
"We made it," said Annie.
"Yes," said Jack. "But it was very close."
Jack took another moment to calm down.
Then he pulled the Africa book out of his pack and put it with the other books.
Annie put the scroll with the other two scrolls.
"The giraffe was the true honey on that trip," she said, "sweet and golden, with danger all around it."
"Yep," Jack said. "And now we have just one riddle to go."
"Yep," said Annie. "Ready?"
"Ready."
She started down the ladder. Jack followed. When they hit the ground, they walked through the sunlit woods.
"It's time for lunch," said Jack.
"I'm full from our picnic," said Annie.
"Same here," said Jack.
"What do we tell Mom?" said Annie.
"We say we ate our sandwiches coming back from the store," said Jack.
"What if she asks why?" said Annie.
"Oh... just say we had a picnic with a Masai warrior in Africa," said Jack.
Annie laughed. "Right," she said, "because we didn't want him to be mad at us for taking his honey."
"Right," said Jack, "the honey from a bee-hive that a honey guide led us to."
"Right," said Annie, "and that happened after an elephant gave me a shower. And we scared off two hyenas."
"Right," said Jack, "and after you fell into a mud hole because you were helping a million wildebeests migrate across a river."
"Right," said Annie. "And all that was before a giraffe saved us from a lion."
"Right," said Jack.
Jack and Annie left the Frog Creek woods and started up their sunny street.
They were silent for a moment. Then Jack pushed his glasses into place.
"We better just say we ate our sandwiches on the way home from the store," he said.
"Right," said Annie.
"And if Mom asks why -- " started Jack. "We'll just say it's a really long story," said Annie.
"Right," said Jack, "with, like -- ten chapters"
Annie laughed. "Good plan," she said.
"Very good plan," said Jack. They crossed their yard. They went up their steps and through their front door.
"We're back!" Annie shouted.
"Great!" called their mom. "Ready for lunch?"
Are You Serious?
Whoo. The strange sound came from outside the open window.
Jack opened his eyes in the dark.
The sound came again. Whoo.
Jack sat up and turned on his light. He put on his glasses. Then he grabbed the flashlight from his table and shone it out the window.
A white snowy owl was sitting on a tree branch.
"Whoo," the owl said again. Its large yellow eyes looked right into Jack's.
What does he want? Jack wondered. Is he a sign, like the rabbit and the gazelle?
A long-legged rabbit and a gazelle had led Jack and Annie to the magic tree house for their last two adventures.
"Whoo."
"Wait a second," Jack said to the owl. "I'll get Annie."
Jack's sister, Annie, always seemed to know what birds and animals were saying.
Jack jumped out of bed and hurried to Annie's room. She was sound asleep.
Jack shook her and she stirred.
"What?" she said.
"Come to my room," whispered Jack. "I think Morgan's sent another sign."
In a split second, Annie was out of bed.
She hurried with Jack to his room.
Jack led her to the window. The snowy owl was still there.
"Whoo," said the owl. Then he raised his white wings and took off into the night.
"He wants us to go to the woods," said Annie.
"That's what I thought," said Jack. "Meet you downstairs after we get dressed."
"No, no. He says go now. Right now," said Annie. "We'll have to wear our pajamas."
"I have to put on my sneakers," said Jack.
"Okay, I'll put on mine, too. Meet you downstairs," said Annie.
Jack pulled on his sneakers. He threw his notebook into his backpack. Then he grabbed his flashlight and tiptoed downstairs.
Annie was waiting at the front door. They silently slipped outside together.
The night air was warm. Moths danced around the porch light.
"I feel weird," said Jack. "I'm going back to put on some real clothes."
"You can't " said Annie. "The owl said right now."
She jumped off the porch and headed across their dark yard.
Jack groaned. How did Annie know exactly what the owl said? he wondered.
Still, he didn't want to be left behind. So he took off after her.
The moon lit their way as they ran down their street. When they entered the Frog Creek woods, Jack turned on his flashlight.
The beam of light showed shadows and swaying branches.
Jack and Annie stepped between the trees. They stayed close together.
"Whoo"
Jack jumped in fear.
"It's just the white owl," said Annie. "He's somewhere nearby."
"The woods are creepy," said Jack.
"Yeah," said Annie. "In the dark, it doesn't even feel like our woods."
Suddenly the owl flapped near them.
"Yikes!" said Annie.
Jack shone his flashlight on the white bird as it rose into the sky. The owl landed on a tree branch -- 'right next to the magic tree house.
And there was Morgan le Fay, the enchantress librarian. Her long white hair gleamed in the beam of Jack's flashlight.
"Hello," Morgan called softly in a soothing voice. "Climb up."
Jack used his flashlight to find the rope ladder. Then he and Annie climbed up into the tree house.
Morgan was holding three scrolls. Each one held the answer to an ancient riddle that Jack and Annie had already solved.
"You have journeyed to the ocean, the Wild West, and Africa to find the answers to these three riddles," said Morgan. "Ready for another journey?"
"Yes!" said Jack and Annie together.
Morgan pulled a fourth scroll from the folds of her robe. She handed it to Annie.
"After we solve this riddle, will we become Master Librarians?" asked Annie.
"And help you gather books through time and space?" said Jack.
"Almost..." said Morgan.
Before Jack could ask what she meant, Morgan pulled out a book and gave it to him. "For your research," she said.
Jack and Annie looked at the book's title:
ADVENTURE IN THE ARCTIC.
"Oh, wow, the Arctic!" said Annie.
"The Arctic?" said Jack. He turned to Morgan. "Are you serious?"
"Indeed I am," she said. "And you must hurry."
"I wish we could go there," said Annie, pointing at the cover.
"Wait -- wait a minute -- we'll freeze to death!" said Jack.
"Fear not," said Morgan. "I am sending someone to meet you."
The wind started to blow.
"Meet us? Who?" said Jack.
"Whoo?" said the snowy owl. Before Morgan could answer, the tree house started to spin.
It spun faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
The Howling!
The air was crisp and cold.
Jack and Annie shivered. They looked out the window at a dark gray sky.
The tree house was on the ground. There were no trees and no houses -- only an endless field of ice and snow. Morgan and the owl were gone.
"R-r-read the riddle," said Annie, her teeth chattering.
Jack unrolled the scroll. He read:
I cover what's real and hide what's true. But sometimes I bring out the courage in you. What am I?
"I'd better write it down," said Jack, shivering.
He pulled out his notebook and copied the riddle. Then he opened the book. He found a picture of a barren white field. He read aloud:
The Arctic tundra is a treeless plain. During the dark winter, it is covered with snow and ice. In early spring, snow fails, but the sky begins to get lighter. During the summer season, the snow and ice melt and the sun shines 24 hours a day.
"It must be early spring now," said Jack. "There's snow, but the sky is a little light."
He turned the page. There was a picture of a man wearing a hooded coat with fur trim.
"Look at this guy," said Jack. He showed Annie the picture.
"We need his coat," said Annie.
Yeah," said Jack. "Listen to this..." He read aloud:
This seal hunter wears sealskin clothing to protect him from icy winds. Before modern times, native people of the Arctic lived by hunting seals, caribou, polar bears, and whales.
Jack took out his notebook. He wrote:
The Arctic
Seal Hunters wear seal skin
He was too cold to write any more.
He clutched his pack against his chest and blew on his fingers. He wished he were back home in bed.
"Morgan said someone was coming to meet us," said Annie.
"If they don't come soon, we'll freeze to death," said Jack. "It's getting darker and colder."
"Shh. Listen," said Annie.
A howling sound came from the distance... then more howling sounds... and more.
"What's that?" said Jack.
They looked out the window. Snow was falling now. It was hard to see.
The howling grew louder. It was mixed with yipping and yelping noises. Jack and Annie saw dark shapes coming through the snow. They seemed to be running toward the tree house.
"Wolves?" said Annie.
"Great. That's all we need," said Jack. "We're freezing, and now a pack of wolves is coming for us."
Jack pulled Annie into the corner of the tree house. They huddled close together.
The howling got louder and louder. It sounded as if the wolves were circling the tree house. They whined and yelped.
Jack couldn't stand it any longer. He grabbed the Arctic book.
"Maybe this can help us," he said.
He searched for a picture of wolves.
"Oh -- hi!" Annie said.
Jack looked up. He caught his breath.
A man was looking through the tree house window. His face was surrounded by fur. It was the seal hunter from the Arctic book.
Mush!
"Did you come with the wolves?" asked Annie.
The seal hunter looked puzzled.
"Did Morgan send you to us?" said Jack.
"I had a dream," the man said. "You were in it. You needed help."
Annie smiled.
"Morgan sends dreams sometimes," she said. "We came in Morgan's tree house. It flies through time."
Oh, brother, thought Jack. Who will believe that?
The seal hunter smiled as if he was not surprised at all.
"We do need help," said Jack. "W-w-we're fr-fr-freezing."
The seal hunter nodded. Then he left the window. He returned a moment later with two small parkas like his own. They were made of heavy dark skins with fur-trimmed hoods.
He passed one to Jack and one to Annie.
"Thanks!" said Jack and Annie. They put the parkas on.
"Hooray!" said Annie. "It's warm!"
"Yeah," said Jack. "They're made of seal skin."
"Poor seals," said Annie.
"Don't think about it," said Jack. He pulled his hood up. His head and upper body were very snug now. Only his legs, hands, and feet were still freezing.
"Oh, thanks!" said Annie.
Jack looked up. The seal hunter was giving Annie a pair of fur pants. Then he handed a pair to jack.
"Thanks," said Jack. He quickly pulled the pants on over his pajamas.
Next the seal hunter gave each of them a pair of fur boots and mittens.
Jack took off his sneakers and pulled on the boots. He wiggled his frozen fingers into the warm mittens.
"I have a quick question," Jack said to the seal hunter. "Do you know the answer to this riddle?"
He opened his notebook and read:
I cover what's real and hide what's true. But sometimes I bring out the courage in you. What am I?
The seal hunter shook his head.
"Come," he said to Jack and Annie. Then he disappeared from the window.
"What about those wolves out there?" Jack called.
But the seal hunter didn't answer.
Jack grabbed the Arctic book and looked for a picture of the seal hunter.
When Jack found the picture, he smiled. The seal hunter was standing beside a dog sled.
Jack read:
In cold weather, the seal hunter travels by dogsled. Siberian Huskies often howl like wolves. A lead dog controls the others. The sled's runners are sometimes made of frozen fish rolled up in sealskin.
"Hey, Annie, they're not wolves," said Jack. "They're -- "
He looked up. Annie was gone.
Jack threw the book and notebook into his pack. But he was so fat in his furry clothes that the backpack wouldn't fit. Jack loosened the shoulder straps and tried to put the backpack on again. It fit.
Jack looked at the small window. That would be a tight fit, too. He went out headfirst and barely squeezed through.
Jack fell onto the snowy ground. The snow was still drifting down. The air was misty white.
Jack heard barking and howling. He moved carefully toward the noise.
At first, he couldn't see the dogsled. But when he got closer, he counted nine Siberian Huskies. They had thick fur big heads, and pointy ears.
The lead dog barked at him.
Jack stopped.
"He's telling you to climb on!" said Annie.
She was standing on the back of the sled. The seal hunter stood next to her in the snow.
Jack jumped onto the sled next to Annie.
The seal hunter cracked a long whip. "Mush!" he shouted.
The huskies dashed off in a whirl of snow.
Above them flew the snowy owl.
Snow House
The dogsled skimmed silently over the frozen tundra. The seal hunter ran alongside it. Sometimes he cracked his whip against the ice.
The snowdrifts looked like giant white sculptures as the sun slipped behind the frozen hills. Then a full orange moon rose in the sky.
The moonlight lit a small, rounded igloo in of them. The dogs slowed, then stopped.
Jack stepped off the sled. Annie went to help unhitch the dogs. Jack took his book out and read about igloos:
The word "igloo" means "house" in the language of native Arctic people. The house is built with blocks of snow. Dry snow is good wall material because it keeps in the heat. The temperature inside an igloo can be 65 degrees warmer than the temperature outside.
Jack took out his notebook. He pulled off his mitten just long enough to write:
Igloo means house
"Come on, Jack!" said Annie.
She and the seal hunter were waiting for him in front of the igloo. The dogs were leashed together outside.
Jack hurried to join them. The hunter pushed aside animal skins covering the entrance. They stepped inside.
A fat candle burned brightly. Shadows danced on walls of ice and snow.
Jack and Annie sat on a fur-covered plat-form. They watched as the seal hunter moved about.
First he lit a small stove. Then he slipped outside. He came back with a snowball and chunks of frozen meat.
He put the snowball in a pot over the stove. Then he added the meat.
"What's he making?" asked Annie. Jack pulled out his book and found a picture of the hunter cooking. He and Annie read the words silently:
There was a time when nearly all of the Arctic people's food and clothing and tools came from Arctic animals, especially the seal. Nearly every part of the seal could be eaten. Lamps were fueled with seal fat. Clothing was made from sealskin. And knives and needles were carved from seal bones.
"He must be boiling seal meat," said Jack. "The poor seals," said Annie.
The seal hunter looked up.
"They are not poor," he said. "They help us because they know we would die without them."
"Oh " said Annie.
"In return, we always thank the animal spirits," said the seal hunter.
"How do you do that?" said Jack.
"We have many special ceremonies," said the seal hunter.
He reached under the fur-covered plat-form and took out two wooden masks.
"Soon there will be a ceremony to honor the spirit of the polar bear," he said. "I carved these masks for the ceremony."
"Polar bears?" said Annie.
"Yes," said the hunter. "Just as the seal has given us many gifts, so has the polar bear."
"Like what?" said Jack.
"Long ago the polar bear taught us how to live in the ice and snow," said the seal hunter.
"Taught you?" said Jack. "I mean, can you give us some facts?"
The seal hunter smiled.
"Yes," he said. "A polar bear catches a seal when the seal comes up to breathe through a hole in the ice. The oldest seal hunters watched the polar bear and learned. This is how my father taught me to hunt seal, as his father taught him."
"That's a good fact," said Jack.
"The very first of my people learned to make igloos from polar bears," said the hunter. "Polar bears build snow houses by digging caves in the drifts."
"Another good fact," said Jack.
"Sometimes the polar bear can even teach people to fly," said the seal hunter.
"That's an amazing fact," said Annie.
Jack smiled. "The rest sounded like true facts," he said. "But I know that's pretend."
The hunter just laughed, then turned back to his cooking.
That's why he wasn't surprised to hear about the tree house, Jack thought. If he believes polar bears can fly, he probably would believe anything.
The seal hunter lifted the chunks of boiled seal out of his pot. He dropped them into a wooden bucket and gave it to Annie.
"Let's feed the dogs," he said.
"Oh, boy!" said Annie. She followed the hunter outside, swinging the bucket.
Jack quickly threw his notebook and the Arctic book into his pack. He started to follow them. Then his gaze fell on the two bear masks.
He picked them up to get a better look.
Each was carved in the shape of a polar bear's face with a blunt nose and roundish ears. There were two holes for eyes and a strap to hold it on your head.
Suddenly howls split the air. The dogs were barking and growling. Annie squealed.
Are the dogs attacking her? Jack wondered.
"Annie!"
Still holding the bear masks, Jack charged out of the igloo.
You're It!
The dogs were barking wildly at two small creatures playing in the moonlight.
"Polar bear babies!" cried Annie.
One roly-poly cub leaped onto the other. Then they both rolled through the snow.
"Hi, little bears!" Annie called.
The cubs jumped up and shook themselves like wet puppies. Then they scampered toward Annie, who rushed to greet them.
"Hi, hi, hi!" she called.
"Wait -- " shouted Jack. "Where's their mother?"
He looked around for the mother bear, but she was nowhere in sight. Maybe they're orphans, he thought.
Jack looked back at Annie. She was wrestling with the little bears in the snow. She was laughing so hard that she couldn't stand.
Jack started laughing, too. He carefully put the bear masks into his pack. Then he ran to join Annie.
She was running with the cubs across the snowy tundra. One of them raced to her, tagged her, then raced away. Annie ran after the bear and tagged him back.
"You're it!" she said.
Jack and the other cub joined in. Soon Jack and Annie and the two cubs were all chasing each other over the moonlit snow.
They ran until the two cubs fell down ahead of them. The cubs lay perfectly still.
Panting, Jack and Annie stared at them.
"Are they hurt?" Annie wondered out loud.
Jack and Annie ran to the cubs.
Then, just as they leaned down to see if they were all right, the cubs jumped up. They pushed Jack and Annie over and scampered away.
"They were pretending!" said Jack. He laughed.
Jack and Annie charged after the cubs. They ran over the white tundra until they came to the frozen sea.
Jack looked around.
"We're pretty far from the igloo. I don't hear the huskies anymore," he said. "Maybe we should go back."
"In a minute," said Annie. "Look!" The bear cubs had scooted up a snow bank.
They were on their backs, sliding down the bank onto the ice-covered sea.
Jack and Annie laughed.
"It's like sledding!" said Annie. "Let's try it!"
"Okay," said Jack, "but then we have to go back."
Jack followed Annie up the snow bank. He clutched his pack in his arms.
Annie lay on her back. She whooped as she slid down the ice.
Jack followed her.
"Watch out below!" he shouted.
The little bears were sitting at the bottom of the snow bank. One gently whapped Jack in the face with her furry paw. Then she lay down.
"I'm tired, too," said Annie.
"Yeah," said Jack. "Let's rest for just a minute."
Jack and Annie looked up at the orange moon as they lay beside the cubs. All they could hear was the wind and the soft breathing of the cubs.
"That was fun," said Annie.
"It was," said Jack. "But we'd better head back to the igloo. The seal hunter's probably looking for us. Plus we have to solve the riddle."
Jack rolled onto his side and tried to stand.
Crack.
"Uh-oh," he said. He went back down onto his knees. "I think we're on thin ice."
"What do you mean?" said Annie. She started to stand.
Another crack rang out.
"Uh-oh," she said.
She carefully lay back down.
The polar bear cubs moved closer to Jack and Annie. They made little crying sounds.
Jack wanted to cry, too. But he took a deep breath.
"Let's see what our book says," he said.
He reached into his pack for the Arctic book. He took the masks out first and handed them to Annie.
"I took these from the igloo by mistake," he said.
As he started to reach for his Arctic book, he heard the loudest crack of all.
CRACK!
'We're not even moving and the ice is cracking," said Annie.
Just then, there was a new sound -- a low, snorting sound. It came from the top of the snow bank, about fifty feet away.
Jack looked up.
Staring down at them was a giant polar bear.
"The polar bear mother," Annie whispered
Flying Bears
The cubs whimpered louder.
"They want to go to her, but they're afraid of the ice," whispered Jack.
Annie petted the cubs.
"Don't be afraid," she told them. "You'll get back to your mother."
The big polar bear growled. She paced back and forth, sniffing the air.
Annie kept patting the two cubs and whispering to them.
Jack looked in the book for anything that might help. Finally he found something:
Even though a female polar bear can weigh as much as 750 pounds, she can walk on ice too thin to hold a person by balancing her weight and sliding her paws over the ice.
"Oh, man, that's incredible," whispered Jack.
He watched the mother polar bear walk down the snow bank.
On large silent feet, she crept about at the edge of the frozen sea.
She tried to step onto the ice. But each time she did, it cracked, and she had to retreat. At last, she found a firm spot.
Then the polar bear stretched out her four legs and lay on the ice. Slowly she moved forward, pushing herself with her claws.
"Is she coming for her babies?" said Jack. "Or is she coming to get us?"
"I don't know," said Annie. "Hey, let's put on the masks."
"What for?" said Jack.
"Maybe they'll protect us," said Annie. "Maybe she'll think we're polar bears, too."
"Oh, brother," said Jack.
But Annie gave him a bear mask. He took off his glasses and slipped it on.
Jack peered through the mask holes. It was hard to see the huge white bear sliding over the frozen sea. He squinted. That helped.
The polar bear looked at her cubs and let out a deep moan.
The two little bears carefully went to their mother. She licked the cubs and touched her nose against each of theirs. Then they crawled onto her back.
"They're safe now," said Jack. "Even if the mother breaks through the ice, she can swim with them to the shore."
"Yeah, I just wish she wouldn't leave us behind," said Annie.
The mother bear slowly turned her body around. Then she pushed off with her hind legs. With her cubs on her back, she began sliding away.
"Let's try moving like her. " Annie said.
"But we could break through and freeze to death," said Jack.
"If we just stay here, we'll freeze, too," said Annie. "Remember, the seal hunter said his people had learned from the polar bears."
Jack took a deep breath.
"Okay," he said. "Let's try it."
He lay on his stomach. He spread out his arms and legs.
Then he copied the bear. He pressed his mittens against the ice and pushed off, sliding his feet.
Amazingly, there was no cracking sound.
"Grrr," he growled. And he pushed off again.
Jack heard Annie sliding behind him. He kept going. He pushed and slid. He pushed again and slid again. He made the movements over and over, until something happened: He didn't feel like a boy anymore. He felt like a polar bear.
Then Jack felt something even stranger. He felt like a flying polar Bear.
Jack swirled along as if his arms and legs were giant wings -- and the moonlit sea ice were a glassy sky.
He remembered what the seal hunter had said: Polar bears can fly.
Spirit Lights
"Jack, you can get up now," said Annie.
Jack opened his eyes. Annie was standing over him. She still had her mask on.
"We're on safe ground," she said.
Jack felt as if he'd been dreaming. He looked around. They had reached the tundra at the edge of the frozen sea.
The cubs were romping in the distance. But their mother was sitting nearby, gazing at Jack and Annie.
"She waited to make sure we were safe," said Annie.
Jack stared at the polar bear in awe. The words of the seal hunter came back to him:
Always thank the animal spirits.
"We should thank the polar bear spirit now," he said.
"Of course," said Annie.
Jack scrambled to his feet. Still wearing his bear mask, he stood before the polar bear and pressed his hands together.
"We thank you," he said, bowing.
"Yes, we thank you forever," said Annie, also bowing.
"We thank you beyond the moon and the stars," said Jack.
"And beyond the deepest sea," Annie added.
Then she threw out her arms and twirled around. Jack did the same. They both danced around in the snow, honoring the bear. Finally they stopped and bowed one last time.
When they looked up, the polar bear rose up on her hind legs. She was twice as tall as Jack. She lowered her huge head, as if she were bowing back to them.
At that moment, the sky exploded. The night became a giant swirl of red, green, and purple lights. It looked like a genie coming out of a magic lamp.
The sight took Jack's breath away. He stared in wonder as the dazzling lights lit the tundra.
"Is it the polar bear spirit?" Annie asked in a hushed voice.
As far as Jack could see, the sky and snow shimmered. Even the bear's fur shimmered the strange light.
"No, it's not a spirit," said Jack. "There's got to be a scientific reason. I'll find out."
Shaking, he reached into his backpack and pulled out the Arctic book. He took off his bear mask and put on his glasses.
By the greenish glow, Jack found a picture of the sky lights. The picture didn't c e close to the real thing. He read aloud:
One of the most amazing sights in the Arctic is the northern lights. The swirl of light is caused by electrically charged particles from the sun striking atoms and molecules in the earth's atmosphere.
"See, there is a scientific reason!" said Jack. "It's not the spirits."
Then suddenly all the dancing lights were gone, as if someone had blown out a candle.
Riddle Solved
Now only the moon shone on the snow.
Jack looked around for the polar bear.
She was gone.
"Where'd she go?" asked Annie.
"I don't know," said Jack. He looked over the tundra. There was no sign of the giant bear or her cubs.
"Maybe she's not interested in scientific reasons," Jack said.
Annie sighed. She took off her bear mask and handed it to Jack. He put both their masks in his pack.
"Now what?" asked Annie.
They looked around. The vast fields of snow ended in darkness. Jack had no idea where they were.
He shrugged. "I guess we just have to walk and hope for the best."
"Wait -- listen," said Annie.
From the distance came howling sounds. They grew louder and louder.
"Yay! We don't have to wait long!" said Annie. "The huskies are coming!"
Howling filled the night as the dogsled came into view.
The seal hunter was running beside it.
"We're here! Over here!" called Jack. He ran toward the sled. Annie followed.
"I was afraid you were lost," said the seal hunter.
"We were!" said Annie. "And we got stuck on thin ice, too! But a polar bear helped us."
"Yeah," said Jack. "And we wore your masks and they made us feel like bears -- "
"Yeah, the masks made us brave," said Annie. She caught her breath.
"Oh, man, wait -- " said Jack. Annie's words sounded familiar.
He took out his notebook and read Morgan's riddle aloud:
I cover what's real and hide what's true. But sometimes I bring out the courage in you. What am I?
"A mask!" Jack and Annie said together. The seal hunter smiled.
"You knew!" said Annie.
"It was for you to discover," said the seal hunter. "Not me."
Jack pulled the bear masks out of his backpack.
"Here," he said. "Thanks a lot."
The hunter took the masks and put them inside his parka.
"We can go home now," said Jack.
"Do you mind taking us back to the tree house?" said Annie.
The seal hunter shook his head. "Climb on," he said.
Jack and Annie climbed onto the dogsled. "Mush!" said the seal hunter.
"Mush!" said Annie.
"Mush!" said Jack.
Snow began to fall as they took off across the dark ice.
Oh, No, One More!
By the time the dogsled arrived at the tree house, the snowstorm had become a blizzard.
"Can you wait just a minute?" Jack asked the seal hunter. "So we can check something?"
The hunter nodded. His dogs whined as Jack and Annie climbed through the tree house window.
Jack grabbed the scroll that held the riddle. He unrolled it. The riddle was gone. In its place was one shimmering word:
MASK
"We did it!" said Annie. "The tree house will take us home now."
"Great!" said Jack. "Let's say good-bye to the seal hunter and give him back his clothes."
They quickly pulled off their sealskin clothing and their boots.
"Thanks for letting us borrow these!" Jack called through the window.
The seal hunter walked to the tree house and took the clothes from Jack and Annie. They stood shivering in their pajamas and bare feet.
"Th-th-thanks for everything!" said Annie, her teeth chattering.
The seal hunter gave them a wave. Then he walked through the swirling snow to his sled.
"Mush!" he shouted.
The dogs took off through the stormy night.
"Let's get out of here!" said Jack. He hugged himself. "Before we freeze to death!"
Annie grabbed the Pennsylvania book that always took them home. She pointed to a picture of the Frog Creek woods.
"I wish we could go there!" she said.
They waited for the tree house to start spinning.
Nothing happened. Jack shivered.
"I wish we could go there!" Annie said again.
Again nothing happened.
Wh-Wh-What's going on?" said Jack. He looked around the tree house. The four scrolls with the solved riddle answers were in the corner.
Then he saw it -- a fifth scroll.
"Where did th-th-that come from?" he said. Jack grabbed it and unrolled it. On it were the words:
look at the letters: the first not the rest discover the place that you love the best
"Oh, no!" said Annie. "Another riddle!"
"Okay, okay. Let's stay c-c-calm," Jack said, shivering. "Look at the letters: the first, not the rest. Okay, the first letters in this riddle are L-A-T-L-T -- "
Look at the letters:
"That doesn't make any sense," Annie broke in.
Icy winds battered the tree house. Snow blew inside.
"We have to hurry!" said Annie.
Jack was freezing. He looked around wildly.
"Letters, letters, letters. What letters?" he said.
His gaze rested on the scrolls in the corner.
"M-m-maybe we should look at the letters of the answers," he said.
"Right," said Annie.
They began unrolling the scrolls.
The scroll from their adventure under the ocean said:
OYSTER
The scroll from their trip to the Wild West
ECHO
The scroll from their journey to Africa said:
HONEY
Their scroll from the Arctic said:
MASK
"Oyster, echo, honey, mask," said Jack. "Their first letters are O-E-H-M."
"That doesn't make any sense, either," said Annie.
"Yeah, but maybe we have to unscramble those letters," said Jack. "O-E-H-M. They could spell hemo."
"Or meho," said Annie.
"Or home!" said Jack.
"HOME!" cried Annie. "That's the place we love the best!"
Jack unrolled the fifth scroll again. The riddle was gone. In its place was one shimmering word:
HOME
"Yay!" cried Annie. She grabbed the Pennsylvania book. "I wish we could go home! HOME! HOME! HOME!"
The tree house started to spin.
It spun faster and faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
Master Librarians
Warm air washed over Jack. It felt wonderful.
"You have succeeded in your quest," said a soft, soothing voice. "Are you glad to be home?"
Jack opened his eyes. Morgan le Pay stood in the moonlight.
"Yes," he said.
"We solved all our riddles," said Annie.
"Indeed," said Morgan. "You have proved that you can find answers to very hard questions."
She reached into the folds of her robe and took out two thin pieces of wood.
"A magic library card for each of you," she said.
She gave one to Annie and one to Jack.
"Oh, man," said Jack, feeling the card.
The wooden card was as thin and smooth as an ordinary library card. On its surface shimmered the letters M and L.
"These are your Master Librarian cards," said Morgan. "You are the newest members of the ancient Society of Master Librarians."
"What do we do with them?" asked Jack.
"Take them on your future journeys," said Morgan. "Only a very wise person or another Master Librarian will be able to see the let Jack and Annie climbed down the rope ladder.
As soon as they stepped onto the dark ground, they heard a roar. They looked up. They saw a blur of wind and light high in the oak tree.
Then all was silent.
Morgan and her magic tree house were gone.
Jack reached for his magic library card. When he felt its tingly warmth, he knew that amazing adventures lay ahead.
"Let's go," he said.
He turned on his flashlight.
"The woods don't feel scary like they did before," said Annie as they walked through the trees. "I'm not afraid anymore."
"Me neither," said Jack.
"Hey, the darkness is like a mask," said Annie.
"Yeah," said Jack. "It hides the day, but it brings out your courage."
They came out of the woods.
Jack saw their house in the distance. It looked warm and cozy.
The porch light glowed. The moon shone overhead.
"Home," he whispered. "Home," said Annie.
She started running. Jack took off after her, running to the place that they both loved the best.
A Secret Code
Jack reached into his drawer and took out his secret library card. He held the thin piece of wood and ran his finger over its shimmering letters: M L.
"Master Librarian," he whispered.
Jack couldn't believe that he and his sister, Annie, were finally Master Librarians.
He wondered if he should pack the secret card to take on vacation. His family was about to leave for a week in the mountains.
Just then Annie stuck her head into Jack's room.
"Want to check the woods?" she asked.
Every morning, they looked in the Frog Creek woods to see if Morgan le Fay and her magic tree house had returned.
"We can't," said Jack. "We're leaving soon." "But what if Morgan's there?" said Annie.
"What if she's waiting for us?"
"Oh, okay," said Jack. "Let's look fast."
He grabbed his backpack. He threw in his notebook, his pencil, and his secret library card. Then he followed Annie downstairs.
"We'll be back soon!" Annie called.
"Don't go far!" their dad called. "We're leaving in twenty minutes."
"Don't worry, we'll be back in ten!" said Annie.
Right, thought Jack. Five minutes to the woods, and five minutes back. Even if Morgan sent them on an adventure, they would return at exactly the same time that they left.
Jack and Annie ran out their front door. In the bright morning sunshine, they hurried across their lawn and down the street.
"I had a nightmare last night," said Annie.
"What was it?" said Jack.
"I dreamed fires were burning," said Annie. "Everything was smoky and dark, and the ground was shaking. Do you think it was a warning?"
"Nah," said Jack. "Nightmares never come true."
They left the sidewalk and headed into the Frog Creek woods. The woods were quiet and peaceful. They walked between sunlit trees until they came to the tallest oak in the woods.
"Yay!" said Annie.
There it was -- the magic tree house. And Morgan le Fay was waving from the window.
"Hail, Master Librarians," she said. Jack and Annie bowed playfully. "At your service," said Annie. "Then come on up!" said Morgan. They grabbed the rope ladder and started up. When they climbed inside the tree house, they found Morgan holding a book and a piece of paper.
"I have an important mission for you," she said. "Are you ready?"
"Yes!" they both answered.
Jack's heart pounded. Ever since Morgan had made them Master Librarians, he had been longing for their first mission.
"You know I collect books for Camelot's library?" she said.
Jack and Annie nodded.
"Well, there have been many great libraries lost in history," said Morgan. "And with them, we have lost many wonderful stories."
"That's sad," said Annie.
"It is," said Morgan. "But luckily, with the help of the tree house and you two Master Librarians, some of those stories can be saved. Such as this one -- "
Morgan showed them the piece of paper. There was strange writing on it:
Vir fortissimus in Mundo
"Is that a secret code?" said Jack.
Morgan smiled. "In a way," she said. "Actually, it's the title of a lost story. It's written in Latin, the language of the ancient Romans of Italy."
"Ancient Romans?" said Jack. He loved anything to do with ancient Romans.
"Yes," said Morgan. "This story was in a library in a Roman town. I need you to get it before the library becomes lost forever."
"No problem!" said Annie.
"Do you have your secret library cards?" asked Morgan.
"Yes," said Jack.
"Good. Do not lose them. The right people will know what they mean," said Morgan. "And, as usual, here is a book to help you."
Morgan handed Jack a book called Life in Roman Times. The cover showed a Roman town with people wearing tunics and sandals.
"That looks great," said Jack.
"And take this -- the name of the story I need," said Morgan. She handed the piece of paper to Jack, and he put it in his pack.
"Remember," said Morgan. "Your research book will guide you. But remember: In your darkest hour, only the ancient story can save you. But first you must find it."
Jack and Annie nodded.
"Go now," Morgan said softly. "And don't forget what I just told you."
"Thanks," said Jack. He pointed at the cover of the book on Roman times. "I wish we could go there," he said.
The wind started to blow.
"I almost forgot -- I'm going to help you blend in!" Morgan shouted above the wind.
"What do you mean?" shouted Jack.
Before Morgan could answer, the tree house started to spin.
It spun faster and faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
"Oh, cool," whispered Annie. "Look at us."
The End Is Near
Jack opened his eyes. He pushed his glasses into place.
Morgan was gone. And so were Jack's jeans, T-shirt, sneakers, and backpack.
Instead, he had on a white tunic with a belt, sandals that laced up, and a leather bag.
He looked at Annie. She was dressed the same way. Morgan had made them look just like kids in an ancient Roman town.
"I guess this is what Morgan meant," said Jack, "when she said she'd help us blend in."
"I feel like Cinderella," said Annie. "I like these clothes."
"Yeah," said Jack, although he felt a little as if he was wearing a dress.
Annie looked out the window.
"It's pretty here," she said.
Jack looked with her. They had landed in a grove of trees. On one side of the grove rose a gent1e looking mountain. On the other, a town sparkled in the sunlight.
"I wonder where we are," said Jack. He opened the book about Roman times. He read aloud:
Almost 2,000 years ago, on August 24, A. D. 79, the seaside town of Pompeii (pom-PAy) was a typical Roman town. Many Romans went there on their vacation. They built large houses called villas and planted groves of olive trees along the slopes of a mountain called Mount Vesuvius (vuh-SOO-vee-us).
Annie kept looking out the window as Jack pulled out his notebook and pencil.
Jack looked out the window again.
"It does look like a nice place to go on vacation," he said.
"We must have landed in one of the olive groves," said Annie.
"Yeah, and that town must be Pompeii," said Jack.
He looked in the opposite direction. "And that mountain must be Mount Vesuvius."
Annie shivered. "That name sounds scary," she said.
"Really?" said Jack. "Not to me." He looked down at his notes.
"Hey! Did you feel that?" said Annie.
"What?" Jack looked up.
"The ground shook. I heard it rumble, too," said Annie.
Jack frowned. "I think you were just dreaming again," he said.
"No, I wasn't," said Annie. "Something feels wrong about this place. I really think we should go home now.
"Are you nuts?" said Jack. "We have to find that lost story for Morgan. Besides, I've always wanted to see a Roman town."
He threw his notebook and the Roman book into his leather bag. Then he went down the rope ladder.
"Come on!" he called when he stepped onto the ground.
Annie just stared down at him.
"Don't be chicken," he said. He pushed his glasses into place. "Come on. It'll be fun."
Annie still didn't move.
What wrong with her? Jack wondered. Usually I'm the worried one.
"Come on," he pleaded. "We can't let Morgan down."
Annie let out a big sigh. "Okay, but we'd better find that story fast," she said. Finally she climbed down the rope ladder.
The sun was bright and hot as they took off between the olive trees.
With Mount Vesuvius at their backs, they headed for the town of Pompeii.
"That's weird," said Annie. "I don't hear any birds."
She was right. The grove was strangely silent.
"Don't worry about it," said Jack. "Maybe they're all at the beach. Come on -- let's go over that bridge."
He led the way to a small wooden bridge that crossed a narrow stream. But when they got to the stream, they found it had dried up.
"That's really weird," said Annie.
"Don't worry," said Jack. "It just means there hasn't been much rain."
They crossed the bridge and stepped onto a busy street. It was paved with stone.
People were buying things in the open shops that lined the street. Some looked rushed and busy. Others moved slowly. Kids walked with their parents. Groups of teenagers talked and laughed.
They don't seem very different from people shopping in Frog Creek, Jack thought.
Except for the clothes, of course.
"How will we ever find the ancient lost library?" said Annie, glancing around.
"I don't know," said Jack. "Just be on the lookout."
They walked past shops that had huge jars in them. When Jack looked closely, he saw that they were filled with grain, dried fruit, and olives. Meat hung from the ceilings of some of the stores.
They passed a noisy tavern where people were eating and drinking. A young man played a stringed instrument.
"See, there's nothing to worry about," said Jack. "This place isn't all that different from our time."
"It's not that," said Annie with a worried look.
"See, there's a barbershop and a shoe shop," said Jack, pointing.
A boy was getting his hair cut by the barber. A girl was trying on a new pair of sandals with her mother.
"It is kind of like home," Annie agreed.
They kept walking, until they passed a bakery filled with freshly baked flat breads.
"That bread is like pizza," said Annie, smiling.
"Yeah," said Jack.
The good smells from the bakery made him feel even more at home. Jack looked at Annie. She was still smiling as they walked on.
Soon they came to a large square filled with people, carts and horses, and more shopping stalls.
"Honey cakes! Stuffed dates! Peacock eggs!" sellers called.
Farmers were selling grapes, garlic, and onions. Fishermen were selling all kinds of fish. A few people stood on boxes, giving speeches to small crowds.
"Hey, I bet this is the forum!" said Jack. He reached in his bag for his book. He flipped through it until he found a picture of the square. He read:
The center of a Roman town was called a forum. The forum was the main place where people met to sell goods and discuss politics.
"I was right!" said Jack. He pulled out his notebook. He wrote:
forum = center of town
"Jack," whispered Annie. "Jack!" She tugged on his tunic. "Look."
Jack glanced up. Annie nodded toward an old woman who was staring straight at them.
She wore a black cloak. Her gray hair was tangled and wild. She seemed to be missing her teeth.
The woman pointed a bony finger at Jack and Annie.
"The end is near!" she said in a raspy voice. "Go home, strangers!"
"Yikes," said Annie.
"We'd better get away from her," said Jack, "before people wonder who we are."
He put away his notebook. Then he and Annie hurried away. The old woman cackled behind them.
Gladiators!
Jack and Annie hid behind a fruit stall. They waited for a moment, then peered around the corner.
"I don't see her," said Jack.
"Who was she?" asked Annie.
"I don't know. But she looked nuts to me," said Jack.
"What's the book say about her?" said Annie.
"She won't be in there," said Jack.
"Just look," said Annie.
Jack sighed and pulled out the book again. To his surprise he found a picture of the old woman. He read aloud:
In Roman times, there were people who could see into the future and warn others about what they saw. These people were called soothsayers.
"See? She wasn't nuts," said Annie. "She was giving us a warning. Just like my night-mare."
"Don't pay attention to that stuff," said Jack. "Soothsayers are from olden times. People from our time don't believe in them."
"Well, I do," said Annie. "I'm sure some-thing bad is about to happen."
Jack sighed. "Come on, we have to keep going. We have to find the lost library. Then we'll leave at once."
"We'd better," said Annie.
They left the fruit stand and kept walking through the forum. Soon they came to a large building. Crowds were streaming in and out of it.
"Is that a library?" said Annie.
"Let's look," said Jack. He looked in the Roman book. He found a picture of the building and read aloud:
Most people in Pompeii did not have a bathtub at home, so they went daily to the Public Baths. Not only did people wash at the baths, but they also swam, played sports, and visited with their friends.
"That sounds like going to the pool," said Annie. "But it's not a library. Let's keep walking."
They kept walking, until soon they came to a fancy building with large columns.
"Is that a library?" said Annie. Jack found a picture of the building and read aloud:
The people of Pompeii believed that many gods and goddesses ruled the world. This is the Temple of Jupiter, their chief god. In this temple, they prayed to Jupiter and offered him gifts. Today, we call the stories about Jupiter and other gods and goddesses "myths."
"My teacher read myths to us," said Jack. "I remember stories about Hercules and Apollo."
"Yeah, my teacher read them, too," said Annie. "I like stories about Venus and Medusa."
"Hey, maybe the story we're looking for is a myth," said Jack.
"Right," said Annie. "Come on, hurry. Let's keep looking."
They left the forum and turned onto a wide street. Jack gasped. In front of them was an incredible sight.
Tall warriors with huge muscles were walking in a line. They wore fancy helmets and carried heavy shields.
Soldiers, thought Jack.
Then he saw that the warriors' feet were chained together, and guards walked with them.
"Gladiators!" he whispered.
Jack pulled out his book and found a picture of the strong men. He read aloud:
Gladiators were slaves or criminals who fought in the amphitheater (AM-fuli-thee-uh-ter). They were forced to fight each other or wild animals like lions or bears. The people of Pompeii thought a gladiator fight was great fun.
"That's not fun!" said Annie. "No wonder I think it's weird here."
"No kidding," said Jack. "That's not like our time at all."
Jack and Annie watched as the guards led the gladiators away. They went toward a building that looked like an outdoor stadium.
"That must be the amphitheater," said Jack. "Let's check it out.
"Oh, all right, but it's not a library," said Annie.
He and Annie started up the street toward the amphitheater. A large crowd had gathered near the entrance. Men and women cheered as the gladiators marched inside.
Jack and Annie started to follow them, but a guard held up his spear.
"No children allowed," he said stiffly. "Run along now."
"Yes, run along! Run for your lives!" came a raspy, hissing voice.
Jack and Annie whirled around. It was the soothsayer. She was waving her bony finger at them.
"Oh, no! Her again!" said Jack. "Let's get away from here." He started to take off.
"Wait!" said Annie. "I want to talk to her!"
"Are you crazy?" said Jack.
But before he could stop her, Annie ran up to the soothsayer.
Jack watched from a distance as the woman talked to Annie.
"Jack, come here! Quick!" called Annie.
"Oh, brother," said Jack. He sighed and went over to Annie and the soothsayer.
"Tell him," said Annie.
The woman fixed her gaze on Jack.
"All the streams of Pompeii have dried up," she said.
"Remember the stream near the olive grove?" said Annie.
"So what?" said Jack. "Maybe they just need rain.
"No," said Annie. "There're more scary things. Tell him."
"All the birds have flown away," the soothsayer said.
Jack just stared at her.
"She said that all the rats left, too," said Annie. "And the cows are making strange noises!"
"But why?" said Jack.
"The sea is boiling hot," the old woman said. "And the ground shakes and speaks."
"See, I told you!" Annie said to Jack.
"But why are these things happening?"
Jack asked the soothsayer.
"Because the end is near," she whispered hoarsely.
"We have to leave now!" said Annie.
"But what about the library?" said Jack.
"What library?" the soothsayer asked.
"Show her the story title, Jack," said Annie.
Jack took the piece of paper from his bag.
He showed the Latin writing to the soothsayer.
"A book with this title is in a library in this town," he said.
"So?" the old woman said.
"So we have to save it!" said Annie. She pulled out her secret library card.
The soothsayer stared for a moment at the card and the shimmering letters on it. Then she smiled warmly at Jack and Annie.
"Yes, I understand now," she said. "The only library I know is in the house of Brutus." She pointed to a large villa at the end of the street. "Look there. Quickly."
"Will Brutus mind?" said Jack.
"Brutus and his household are all in Rome," the soothsayer said. "That is merely their vacation villa."
"But we can't just go in and take something of theirs," said Jack.
The old woman shook her head sadly. "After today, there will be nothing left in Pompeii," she said. "Nothing at all."
Jack felt a chill go down his spine.
"Go and get what you came here for," said the soothsayer. "Then leave at once."
"Thanks!" said Jack. He grabbed Annie's hand. "Come on!"
"Thanks!" Annie called to the old woman. "You should leave, too!" she added.
Then Annie and Jack started running to the vacation villa. They ran as fast as they could.
Books? Books?
Jack and Annie ran up to the front entrance of the villa. Jack pushed the door open.
"Go in. Hurry," said Annie.
They slipped into the main hall.
"Hello!" Annie called.
There was no answer. The place seemed empty.
The main hall had a large opening in the ceiling. Below it was a small stone pool filled with water. Jack looked at it carefully.
"Oh, I bet rain comes through the hole," said Jack. "Then it lands in that pool so they can use it for their water."
He started to take out his notebook to make a note.
"There's no time, Jack!" said Annie. "We have to look in all the rooms for books!"
"Okay, okay, calm down," said Jack. He put away his notebook and followed Annie.
"Books? Books?" she said, peering into a room off the hall. She moved to the next room. "Books? Books?" Then she moved on to the next.
Jack trailed behind her. Even though she had already checked the rooms, he took a quick peek in each of them. He wanted to see what a house in Roman times looked like. He'd write notes later.
The first two rooms had wooden beds. The walls had pictures painted on them. The floors were covered with tiny pieces of colored stone
The third room had a low table with silver dishes on it. Three sloping couches were placed around the table. The couches were covered with pillows.
"This must be the dining room," said Jack. "People from Roman times lay down on couches while they ate. Did you know that?"
He looked around for Annie. Where was she?
"Jack! Come here!" Annie called.
Jack followed her voice. She was in a garden off the dining room. It had a stone patio, palm trees, and grape vines. In the middle was a pond with a mermaid fountain.
Goldfish swam in the water.
"Look, there's another room!" said Annie. She moved to the door of a room off the garden.
She opened the door and peeked inside.
Jack looked with her. Along the walls of the room were long shelves with rolls of paper on them
"Rats!" said Annie. "No books." She closed the door. "No books in this whole villa. Let's get out of here."
"Just a minute," said Jack. "I have an idea."
He pulled out his book on Roman times. He found a section called WRITING. He read:
Romans used pens made of small reeds. Their ink came partly from the black ink of octopuses. They wrote their "hooks" on scrolls of papyrus (puh-PI-rus) paper.
"Aha!" said Jack. "That's a library of scrolls! I bet our ancient lost story is in there!"
The End is Here
Jack threw open the door to the room of scrolls. He and Annie rushed in and ran over to the shelves.
Jack pulled out the piece of paper with the Latin title on it:
Vir Fortissimus in Mundo
"Okay " he said. "We have to find the scroll with this title."
They began frantically unrolling scrolls one by one. They were all handwritten in Latin.
"Here it is!" said Annie.
She held up a scroll. The words at the top matched the one on their paper.
"Yay," said Jack. "I wish I could read Latin so we could find out what the story is."
"Don't think about it now!" said Annie. "Let's go!"
Annie handed the scroll to Jack, then started out of the room.
"Come on," she said. "Bring it!"
"I just want to check and see what the story's about," said Jack.
He put the scroll in the leather bag. Then he flipped through the book on Roman times, looking for a picture of the ancient scroll. In the middle of the book, he found a picture of a volcano erupting over a town. Under the picture was written:
For 800 years, Mount Vesuvius was a peaceful mountain, rising above the town of Pompeii. Then, at noon on August 24, A. D. 79, it erupted into a deadly volcano.
"Oh, no," whispered Jack. "August 24, A. D. 79 -- that's today! Oh, man, what time is it?" He looked around wildly. "Annie!"
She was gone again.
"Annie!"
Jack grabbed the leather bag. Then, clutching the book, he tore out of the scroll room.
"Annie!" he cried.
"What?" Annie appeared at the door to the dining room.
"V-v-volcano!" stuttered Jack.
"What?" said Annie. "It's -- it's coming -- a volcano -- at noon!" said Jack. Annie gasped.
"What time is it?" cried Jack.
"So that' s what the soothsayer meant!" Annie said. "The end is near."
"What time is it?" Jack asked again. He looked around the garden.
He saw something near the mermaid fountain.
"A sundial!" he said. "That's how the Romans told time!"
Jack and Annie raced to the sundial. "What time does it say?" said Annie.
"I don't know," said Jack. His hands shook as he turned the pages of the book. He stopped on a picture of a sundial. It showed examples of different times. Jack looked back and forth from the page to the real sundial in the garden.
"Here!" he said. He had found the one that matched. Jack read the writing under the picture:
The shadow on the sundial can hardly he seen at noon.
"Oh, man," he whispered. He looked at Annie. "The end isn't near; the end is here."
Just then he heard a terrible blast. It was the loudest sound he had ever heard.
The Sky is Falling
The next thing Jack knew, he was lying on the stone patio. The patio stones were trembling. A rumbling sound came from the ground.
Jack raised his head. Annie was on the ground, too.
"You okay?" said Annie.
Jack nodded.
Everything was shaking and crashing down around them -- pots, plants, the mermaid fountain. Water from the goldfish pond sloshed onto the patio and Jack and Annie.
They both jumped up just as roof tiles began falling into the garden.
"We better get inside!" said Jack.
He grabbed his leather bag. Then he and Annie stumbled into the scroll library.
Giant cracks split the stone floor as Jack and Annie ran to a window and looked out.
Glowing rocks were bursting through the sky above Mount Vesuvius. The whole top of the mountain had blown off.
"What's happening?" said Annie.
"I'll check -- " said Jack. He pulled out the Roman book. He read aloud from the section about the volcano:
When a volcano erupts, hot melted rock called "magma" is pushed to the surface of the earth. Once it gets outside the volcano, it's called "lava."
"Lava! That's like burning mud!" said Jack.
"It covers everything!" cried Annie.
Jack kept reading on:
There was no running lava from Mount Vesuvius. The magma from the volcano cooled so fast that it froze into small grayish white rocks called pumice (Pum-iss). A pumice rock is very light and has holes like a sponge.
"That doesn't sound too bad," said Annie.
"Wait, there's more," said Jack. He read
A great cloud of pumice, ash, and burning rock shot miles into the air. When it rained down on Pompeii, it completely buried the town.
"Oh, man," said Jack. "This is a major disaster!"
"It's getting dark," said Annie.
Jack looked out again. A thick black cloud was spreading over the earth like an umbrella. The sun vanished as the sky turned smoky gray.
"That must be the cloud of pumice and ash!" said Jack.
Just then the ground trembled again. Chunks of plaster from the ceiling fell on the scrolls.
"We have to get out of here!" said Annie.
They ran from the scroll library into the garden. Ash and pumice began to fall.
"We have to cover our heads!" said Jack.
They hurried from the garden into the dining room.
"Look! Pillows!" said Annie. "Let's put them on our heads!"
They hurried to the couches beside the table and each grabbed a pillow.
"Tie it around your head with your belt!" said Jack.
They both pulled off the belts from around their tunics. Then they tied on the pillows, like giant hats. A chunk of ceiling crashed down near them.
"Let's get out of here!" said Jack.
They stepped over pieces of fallen roof tiles and ran into the main hall. They pushed open the front door.
A blast of heat and dust nearly knocked them over. And when they stepped outside, pumice rained down onto their pillow hats.
"Run!" cried Annie.
They ran from the vacation villa into the dark, burning streets.
Nightmare at Noon
In the distance, fire burst from Mount Vesuvius. Burning rocks and fiery ash fell from the sky.
The hot, dusty air smelled like rotten eggs as Jack and Annie rushed down the street. In the forum, everyone -- shoppers, soldiers, gladiators, fruit sellers -- was running in every direction.
Stalls had collapsed. Carts were sliding.
Jack froze. He didn't know where to go.
"That way!" shouted Annie.
Jack followed her as they ran past the Temple of Jupiter. Its mighty columns had fallen, and its walls were crumbling.
They ran past the Public Baths just as its roof caved in.
"Which way now?" shouted Annie.
"The tree house is in the olive grove!" Jack said as they kept running.
"The olive grove and the bridge are near the street with all those open shops!" said Annie. "Remember the bridge?"
Jack looked up at the erupting mountain. A red-hot cloud billowed over it. Fires burned on its slopes.
"Head in the direction of Mount Vesuvius!" he said. "It was behind us as we came into Pompeii."
"Right!" cried Annie.
So while others ran away from Mount Vesuvius, Jack and Annie ran toward it.
On the street with the open shops, baskets and broken jars rolled over the cracked stones.
Jack and Annie ran past the bakery and the shoe shop. They ran past the butcher shop and barbershop. All the shops were empty. Their owners had fled.
The closer they got to the volcano, the more the ground trembled. The darker and dustier it got.
"This is just like my nightmare!" cried Annie.
Jack choked on the rotten fumes. His eyes watered.
"Look! The olive grove!" shouted Annie.
Save Us!
"The bridge must have caved in!" cried Annie.
They stared at the dried-up stream. Pumice had piled up in huge drifts, like snow.
"We'll have to get through that stuff to get across!" said Jack.
He and Annie slid down the bank onto the piles of pumice. As they started to move across it, more and more fell.
Jack tried to move through the millions of warm, grayish white pebbles. But he was trapped.
"I'm stuck!" cried Annie.
"Me too!" said Jack.
"Remember what Morgan said!" said Annie.
At the moment, Jack couldn't remember anything. He was too tired and dazed.
"'In your darkest hour, only the ancient story can save you!"' cried Annie. "Where's your bag?"
Jack lifted his bag into the air, above the sea of pumice. Annie grabbed it and pulled out the ancient scroll. She held it up to the dark sky.
"Save us, story!" she shouted.
Jack felt himself sink deeper and deeper into the pumice. Suddenly he heard a deep voice say, "Rise, son!"
Then someone lifted Jack up into the air.
A great flash of fire lit the dusty darkness. In the red light, Jack saw the biggest, strongest man he'd ever seen in his life. The man looked like a gladiator -- but even bigger than the ones they had seen earlier.
He held Jack with one hand and Annie with the other. He placed them both on the other bank of the stream.
"Run!" the giant gladiator boomed. "Before it's too late!"
Jack and Annie didn't stop to ask any questions. Together, they charged through the olive grove.
They jumped over fallen branches. They leaped over great cracks in the earth. Finally they came to the tree with the magic tree house.
They grabbed the rope ladder and scrambled up to the tree house.
"Where's the Pennsylvania book?" Jack shouted. He was too blinded by ash and dust to find the book that always took them home.
"I've got it!" cried Annie. "I wish we could go there!"
Jack felt the tree house start to spin.
It spun faster and faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely, wonderfully, peacefully still.
Chapter 10 A Simple Explanation
Jack didn't move. He had never been so tired in all his life.
"Breathe," said Annie.
Jack gulped in cool, clean air. He opened his eyes. He couldn't see a thing.
"Take off your glasses," said Annie. "They're filthy."
Jack took off his glasses. The first thing he saw was his backpack. The white tunics and lace-up sandals were gone. So were their pillow hats and the leather bag.
Jack let out a long, deep breath. As he cleaned his glasses on his shirt, a voice came from behind him. "I'm very glad to see you safe and sound."
Morgan le Fay stood in the corner of the tree house. She looked as lovely and mysterious as ever.
"Happy to be home?" she asked.
Jack nodded. The sound of the erupting volcano still echoed in his ears.
"It -- it was pretty scary," he said in a hoarse voice.
"I know. But you were truly brave," said Morgan. "You witnessed a famous event in history. Nowadays, scientists study the remains of Pompeii to find out more about Roman times."
"I feel bad for all those people," said Annie.
"Yes," said Morgan. "But most of the people of Pompeii did escape. The city wasn't completely buried by ash until the next day."
"We were almost trapped," said Annie.
"But we asked the ancient story to save us. Then a huge gladiator helped us."
Jack reached into his pack. He breathed a sigh of relief. The scroll was still there! He took it out. It was covered with dust and ashes.
"Here's the story," said Jack.
He handed it to Morgan.
"I am deeply grateful," she said softly. "You risked everything to bring this to me. I can never thank you enough."
"Don't worry about it," said Jack. He didn't want Morgan to know how scared he had been.
"Yeah, no problem," said Annie.
Morgan smiled. "You are amazing Master Librarians," she said. "Do you think you're up to rescuing another ancient story?"
"Yes!" said Annie.
"Now?" said Jack. Actually he was a little tired now.
Morgan laughed. "No. Take a nice vacation. Come back two weeks from today. Then you will take a trip to ancient China," she said.
"Ancient China? Wow," said Annie. "Oh, man," said Jack.
"Go home now and rest," said Morgan. She handed Jack his pack.
"Thanks," he said. "Bye."
"Bye," said Annie.
Morgan gave them a little wave. Then Annie and Jack left the tree house and head-ed down the rope ladder. When they reached the ground, Jack looked up.
"Morgan," he called. "What is that story about -- the one we just rescued?"
"It's called The Strongest Man in the World," said Morgan. "It's a lost tale about Hercules."
"Hercules?" said Jack.
"Yes, he was one of the heroes of the Greeks and the Romans," said Morgan. "He was a son of Jupiter."
"Oh, wow. Now I get it," said Annie.
"I'm taking it back now to Camelot's library," said Morgan. "Everyone will be so excited to read it, thanks to you." She waved to them. "Good-bye for now!"
As she waved, the wind began to whirl. The tree house began to spin. In a blur of shadow and light, Morgan and the magic tree house were gone.
Jack and Annie started walking through the woods.
"Get it? Get it?" said Annie.
"Get what?" said Jack.
"We were saved by Hercules!" said Annie. "We asked the story to save us -- and Hercules appeared!"
"That's not possible," said Jack. "It was just some gladiator guy. The story of Hercules is a myth. That means he never really lived."
They left the woods and started up their street.
"I know it's a myth," said Annie. "But I have a simple explanation."
"What?" said Jack.
"Hercules is a myth to people in this time," said Annie. "But in Roman times, lots of people believed he was real. So, since we were in Roman times, he was real to us."
"I don't know..." said Jack.
"Did you ever hear the saying?" said Annie. "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."
Jack laughed. "Yeah." He looked up at the sky. "Thanks, Hercules," he said softly, "whatever you are."
"Jack! Annie!" their dad called from their front porch. "Time to go!"
"Oh, brother, I forgot," said Jack.
"Yeah, I hope nothing exciting happens on our vacation," said Annie.
"Yeah," said Jack. "I hope it's really, really boring."
"Hurry!" their dad said. "Coming!" they called. Then they took off running for home -- and a restful vacation.
They found that it was filled with books.
Jack and Annie soon discovered that the tree house was magic. It could take them to the places in the books. All they had to do was point to a picture and wish to go there.
Along the way, they discovered that the tree house belongs to Morgan le Fay. Morgan is a magical librarian from the time of King Arthur. She travels through time and space, gathering books.
In Magic Tree House #12, Polar Bears Past Bedtime, Jack and Annie solved the last of four ancient riddles and became Master Librarians. To help them in their future tasks, Morgan gave Jack and Annie secret library cards with the letters M L on them.
Jack and Annie's first four missions as Master Librarians are to save stories from ancient libraries. When their first adventure ended (Magic Tree House #13, Vacation Under the Volcano), Morgan asked them to return to the tree house in two weeks to go to China and save another story.
Now the two weeks are over...
The Bamboo Book
Annie peeked into Jack's room.
"Ready to go to China?" she asked.
Jack took a deep breath. "Sure," he answered.
"Bring your secret library card," Annie said. "I have mine in my pocket."
"Yep," said Jack.
He opened his top dresser drawer and took out a thin wooden card. The letters M L on it shimmered in the light. Jack dropped the card into his backpack. Then he threw in his notebook and a pencil.
"Let's go," said Annie.
Jack pulled on his pack and followed her. What are we in for today? he wondered.
"Bye, Mom!" said Annie as they passed their mom in the kitchen.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"China!" said Annie.
"Great," said their mom. She winked at them. "Have fun."
Fun? thought Jack. He was afraid that fun wasn't quite the right word.
"Just wish us luck," he said as he and Annie headed out the front door.
"Good luck!" their mother called. "If only she knew we aren't pretending,"
Jack whispered to Annie.
"Yeah," said Annie, grinning.
Outside, the sun shone brightly. Birds sang. Crickets chirped. Jack and Annie walked up their street toward the Frog Creek woods.
"I wonder if the weather will be this nice in China," Annie said.
"I don't know. Remember, Morgan said this would be a very scary adventure," said Jack.
"They're always scary," said Annie. "But we always meet animals who help us, or people."
"True," said Jack.
"I bet we meet someone great today," said Annie.
Jack smiled. He was starting to feel excited now instead of scared.
"Let's hurry!" he said.
They ran into the Frog Creek woods. They slipped between the tall trees until they came to a huge oak.
"Hello!" came a soft voice they knew well. They looked up. Morgan was peering down from the magic tree house. "Ready for your next mission as Master Librarians?" she asked.
"Yes!" said Jack and Annie.
They grabbed the rope ladder and started up.
"Are we still going to China?" asked Annie when they had climbed into the tree house.
"Indeed," said Morgan. "You're going to ancient China. Here is the title of the story you must find."
She held up a long, thin strip of wood. It looked like a ruler, except it had strange writing on it instead of numbers.
"Long ago, the Chinese discovered how to make paper. It was one of the world's most important discoveries," said Morgan. "But you are going to a time earlier than that, to a time when books were written on bamboo strips like this one."
'Wow," said Annie, pointing at the figures on the bamboo. "So this is Chinese writing?"
"Yes," said Morgan. "Just as we have letters, Chinese writing is made up of many characters. Each one stands for a different thing or idea. These characters are the title of an ancient Chinese legend. You must find the first writing of the legend before the Imperial Library is destroyed."
"Hurry, let's go," said Annie.
"Wait, we need our research book," said Jack.
"Yes, you do," said Morgan.
From the folds of her robe, she pulled out a book. On the cover was the title: The Time of the First Emperor.
Morgan handed the book to Jack.
"This research book will guide you," she said. "But remember in your darkest hour only the old legend can save you."
"But we have to find it first," said Annie.
"Exactly," said Morgan.
She handed Jack the bamboo strip, and he slipped it into his pack.
Jack pushed his glasses into place, then pointed at the cover of their research book.
"I wish we could go there!" he said.
The wind started to blow.
The tree house started to spin. It spun faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
The Cowherd
"Oh, wow," Annie said. "These clothes feel so soft. And look, I have a pocket for my secret library card."
Jack opened his eyes. Their clothes had magically changed.
They no longer wore jeans, T-shirts, and sneakers. Instead, they had on baggy pants, loose shirts, straw shoes, and round hats. Annie's shirt had a pocket in it.
Jack saw that his backpack had become a rough cloth sack. Inside were his research book, his notebook, his library card, and the bamboo strip.
"Cows," said Annie, looking out the window.
Jack looked out, too. The tree house had landed in a lone tree in a sunny field. Cows grazed, and a young man stood watching over them. At the edge of the field was a farmhouse. Beyond the house was a walled city.
"It looks so peaceful," said Annie.
"You can never be sure," said Jack. "Remember, Pompeii looked peaceful before the volcano went off."
"Oh, yeah," said Annie.
"Let's see what the book says," said Jack.
He reached in the sack and pulled out the China book. He opened it and read aloud:
Over 2,000 years ago, China was ruled by its first emperor. Because he chose the dragon to be his symbol, he was called the "Dragon King." In China, dragons are seen as brave and powerful creatures.
"Dragon King? That sounds a little scary," said Jack.
"I like his outfit," said Annie.
Next to the writing was a picture. It showed a man wearing a rich, flowing robe with wide sleeves. He also wore a tall hat with beads hanging from it.
Jack pulled out his notebook and wrote:
First emperor called Dragon King
"The book we need must be in the Dragon King's library," said Annie. "I bet his palace is in that city."
Jack looked up.
"Right," he said. "And that's how to get there." He pointed across the field to a dirt road that led to the walled city.
"Good plan," said Annie.
She climbed out of the tree house and started down the rope ladder.
Jack threw the China book and his notebook into his sack, He slung the sack over his shoulder and followed Annie.
When they reached the ground, they started through the field.
"Look, that guy's waving at US," said Annie.
The man tending the cows was shouting and waving, He Started running toward them.
"Uh-oh, what's he want?" said Jack.
A moment later, the man stood in their path. He was young and handsome with a kind face.
"Can you do me a great favor?" he asked. "I would be most grateful."
"Of course," said Annie.
"Give a message to the silk weaver. You will see her at the farmhouse," said the young man. "Tell her to meet me here at twilight."
"Sure, no problem," said Annie.
The young man smiled.
"Thank you," he said. Then he started to leave.
"Wait, excuse me -- " said Jack. "Do you know where we can find the Imperial Library?"
A look of horror crossed the man's kind face.
"Why?" he whispered.
"Oh, I -- I just wondered," said Jack. The young man shook his head.
"Beware of the Dragon King," he said. "Whatever you do, beware."
Then he turned and ran back to his cows.
"Oh, man," whispered Jack. "Now we know one thing for sure."
"What?" asked Annie.
"This place is not as peaceful as it seems," Jack said.
The Silk Weaver
Jack and Annie kept walking across the pasture toward the road. Annie stopped when they neared the farmhouse.
"We have to find the silk weaver and give her the message," she said.
"Let's do that on our way back," said Jack. "I'm worried about finding the Imperial Library."
"What if we don't have time?" said Annie. "We promised. And he was so nice."
Jack sighed.
"Okay," he said. "But let's find her fast. And remember to keep your head down so no one will notice us."
Jack and Annie bowed their heads as they headed toward the house.
As they got closer, Jack peeked out from under his hat. An ox pulled a cart filled with hay. Men hoed the ground. Women pushed wheelbarrows piled high with grain.
"There!" said Annie. She pointed to an open porch where a young woman was weaving cloth on a loom. "That must be her!"
Annie ran to the silk weaver. Jack looked around to see if anyone was watching. Luckily, all the farm workers seemed too busy to notice anything. Still looking around carefully, Jack walked toward the porch.
Annie was already talking to the silk weaver.
"What did he say?" the young woman asked. Her voice was soft but strong. Her dark eyes glowed with happiness.
"He said you should meet him in the field at twilight," said Annie. "He's so handsome!"
"Yes, he is. The silk weaver gave Annie a shy smile. Then she reached down to a basket near her loom and picked up a ball of yellow thread.
"It was very brave of you to bring the message," she said. "Please accept this silk thread as my thank-you."
She handed Annie the ball of silk.
"It's beautiful," said Annie. "Feel."
She handed it to Jack. The thread was smooth and soft.
"How do you make silk?" said Jack. "It is made from the Cocoons of silk-worms," said the weaver.
"Really? Worms? That's neat," said Jack. "Let me write that down."
He reached into his sack.
"Please don't!" said the silk weaver. "The making of silk is China's most valuable secret. Anyone who steals the secret will be arrested The Dragon King will have him put to death.
"Oops," said Jack.
He dropped the ball of silk into his sack.
"I think you must leave quickly," whispered the silk weaver. "You have been seen."
Jack looked over his shoulder. A man was pointing at them.
"Let's go," he said.
"Bye!" said Annie. "Good luck on your date!"
"Thank you," the silk weaver said.
"Come on," said Jack.
They hurried away from the silk weaver.
"Stop!" someone shouted.
"Run!" said Annie.
The Great Wall
Jack and Annie ran around the farmhouse. At the back was an oxcart filled with bags of grain. There was no one in sight.
The shouting behind them got louder.
Jack and Annie looked at each other, then dived into the back of the wooden cart. They buried themselves in the middle of the bags of grain.
Jack's heart pounded as the shouts came closer. He held his breath and waited for the people to leave.
Suddenly the cart lurched forward. Someone was driving them away!
Jack and Annie peeked over the bags. Jack saw the back of the driver. He was calmly steering the oxcart over the dirt road. They were on their way to the walled city!
Jack and Annie ducked down again.
"This is great!" whispered Annie. "All we have to do is jump out when we get into the city."
"Yep," Jack said softly. "Then we'll find the Imperial Library, find the book, and get back to the magic tree house."
"No problem," whispered Annie.
"Whoa!" The cart slowly came to a halt.
Jack held his breath. He heard voices and the heavy tramping of feet -- lots of feet. He and Annie peeked out.
"Oh, man," he whispered.
A long line of men was crossing the road in front of the cart. They carried axes, shovels, and hoes. Guards marched alongside them.
"Let's find out what's happening," said Jack.
He reached into his sack and pulled out the China book. Pushing his glasses into place, he found a picture of the workers. He read:
The Dragon King forced many of his subjects to start building a wall to protect China from invaders. Later emperors made the wall even longer. Finally, it stretched 3,700 miles along China's border. The Great Wall of China is the longest structure ever built.
"Wow, the Great Wall of China," said Jack.
"I've heard of that," said Annie.
"Who hasn't?" said Jack. "Those guys are going to work on it right now."
Just then, someone grabbed Jack and Annie. They looked up. It was the driver of the cart.
"Who are you?" he asked angrily. "We -- uh -- " Jack didn't know what to say.
The man's gaze fell on the open book in Jack's hands. His mouth dropped open. He let go of Jack and Annie. Slowly he reached out and touched the book. He looked back at Jack and Annie with wide eyes.
"'What is this?" he said.
The Scholar
"It's a book from our country," said Jack. "Your books are made of bamboo, but ours are made of paper. Actually, your country invented paper. But later, in the future."
The man looked confused.
"Never mind," said Annie. "It's for reading. It's for learning about faraway places."
The man stared at them. Tears filled his eyes.
"'What's wrong?" Annie asked softly.
"I love reading and learning," he said.
"So do I," said Jack.
The man smiled. "You don't understand! I am dressed as a farmer," he said. "But in truth, I am a scholar!"
"What's a scholar?" said Annie.
"We are great readers, learners, and writers," he said. "We have long been the most honored citizens in China."
The scholar's smile faded.
"But now scholars are in danger," he said. "And many of us have gone into hiding."
"Why?" said Jack.
"The Dragon King is afraid of the power of our books and learning," said the scholar. "He wants people to think only what he wants them to think. Any day he may order the burning of the books!"
Annie gasped.
"Does that mean what I think it means?" said Jack.
The scholar nodded.
"All the books in the Imperial Library will be burned," he said.
"That's rotten!" said Annie.
"Indeed it is!" the scholar said quietly.
"Listen, we have a mission to get a book from that library," said Jack.
"Who are you?" asked the scholar.
"Show him," said Annie.
She reached into her shirt pocket as Jack reached into his sack. They brought out the secret library cards. The letters shimmered in the sunlight.
The scholar's mouth dropped open again. "You are Master Librarians," he said. "I have never met ones so honored who were so young."
He bowed to show his respect.
"Thank you," said Jack and Annie.
They bowed back to him.
"How can I help you?" asked the scholar.
"We need to go to the Imperial Library and find this book," said Jack.
He held out Morgan's bamboo strip to the scholar.
"We will go to the Imperial Library," said the scholar. "As for the story, I know it well. It is a true one, written not long ago. But I warn you. We will be in great danger."
"We know!" said Annie.
The scholar smiled.
"I am happy to be doing something I believe in again," said the scholar. "Let us go!"
They all climbed into the front of the cart. The long line of wall builders was marching in the distance. As the oxen started forward, the scholar turned to Jack and Annie. "Where are you from?" he asked.
"Frog Creek, Pennsylvania," said Annie.
"I have never heard of it," said the scholar. "Do they have a library there?"
"Oh, sure, there's a library in every town," said Jack. "In fact, there are probably thousands of libraries in our country."
"And millions of books," said Annie. "And no one burns them."
"Right," said Jack. "Everyone gets to go to school to learn to read them."
The scholar stared at him and shook his head.
"It sounds like paradise," he said.
The Dragon King
The oxcart bumped across the wooden bridge that crossed over a moat. Then it passed guards standing by giant wooden gates.
"Are the gates ever closed?" Jack asked.
"Oh, yes, every day at sunset," said the scholar. "When the gong sounds, the gates close. The bridge comes up. And the city is sealed shut for the night."
"I guess visitors have to leave before that happens," Annie said. "Or they'll be stuck here for the whole night. Right?"
"Yes," said the scholar.
The cart bumped between the city gates. Rows of small houses were bunched together on either side of the street. They were made of mud with straw roofs. People cooked over outdoor fires. They washed their clothes in wooden tubs.
As the oxcart bumped along, the houses got larger. These were made of painted wood and pottery tiles. They all had curved roofs.
"Why are those roofs like that?" asked Jack.
"To keep away the bad spirits," said the scholar.
"How do they do that?" said Annie.
"The spirits can only travel in straight lines," said the scholar.
"Wow," whispered Annie.
The cart went by some open tea shops. Then it passed a large market square filled with stalls and shoppers. People were buying and selling fish, chickens, firewood, wagon wheels, silk cloth, furs, and jade jewelry.
Some people were lined up at a stall filled with tiny cages.
"What's for sale there?" said Annie.
"Crickets," the scholar said. "They make good pets. You can feed them tea leaves and enjoy their delicate song."
The cart moved on toward the Dragon King's walled palace. They stopped in front of the palace gates.
"Grain delivery!" the scholar shouted up to the guard at the tower.
The guard waved them through. Inside were beautiful gardens and huge mounds of earth surrounded by a low brick wall.
"That is the Imperial Burial Grounds," said the scholar, pointing at the mounds.
"Who is buried there?" asked Jack. "The ancestors of the Dragon King," said the scholar.
"What are ancestors?" Annie asked.
"They are the people in your family who lived before you," said the scholar. "Someday the Dragon King himself will be buried there. Three hundred thousand workers have been building his burial tomb."
"Oh, man," said Jack.
He looked over his shoulder at the burial grounds. He wondered why it took so many workers to build a tomb.
"No!" said the scholar.
Jack whirled around.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
The scholar pointed at the palace courtyard. A dark cloud of smoke was rising into the sky.
"Fire!" said the scholar.
"The books!" said Jack.
"Hurry!" said Annie.
The scholar snapped the reins. The oxen trotted up the stone path. When the cart rolled into the courtyard, soldiers were everywhere.
Some threw wood on a huge bonfire. Others were carrying bamboo strips down the steep stairs that led from the palace.
"Are those books?" asked Jack.
"Yes. The strips are tied together into different bundles," moaned the scholar. "Each bundle is a book."
"Look!" said Annie, pointing to the palace entrance.
Stepping outside was a man in a rich, flowing robe and a tall hat. Jack knew him at once -- the Dragon King!
The Burning of the Books
The Dragon King watched the bonfire as it blazed up toward the sky. Around the fire the air was thick and wavy. Bamboo books were stacked beside the fire, waiting to be burned.
"Hurry!" said the scholar.
They jumped down from the cart and joined the crowd by the bonfire.
The Dragon King shouted to the soldiers. They began throwing the books into the fire. The bamboo crackled as it burned.
"Stop!" cried Annie.
Jack grabbed her. "Quiet!" he said.
Annie pulled away. "Stop!" she shouted again. But her voice was lost in the noise of the roaring fire.
"There's your story!" said the scholar. He pointed to a bamboo book that had fallen off a waiting stack.
"I'll get it!" said Annie. She dashed over to the book.
"Annie!" cried Jack. But she had already snatched up the bundle of bamboo strips and was charging back to them.
"Got it! Quick, put it in your sack!" she said.
Jack put the bundle of bamboo strips in his sack. Then he looked around fearfully. He gasped.
The Dragon King was glaring at them! Then he headed their way.
"Seize them!" the Dragon King shouted.
"Run through the burial grounds!" the scholar said to Jack and Annie. "The soldiers will be afraid to follow. They fear the spirits of the ancestors!"
"Thanks!" said Jack. "Thanks for everything!"
"Good luck!" cried Annie.
Then she and Jack took off. Soldiers shouted after them. An arrow whizzed by.
But Jack and Annie kept running. They ran down the path to the burial grounds. They jumped over the low brick wall and ran between the huge mounds of earth.
Suddenly arrows filled the air around them. The archers were shooting from the tower!
"Look!" cried Jack.
There was a doorway in one of the mounds. Jack and Annie ducked inside.
They were in a long hall lit with oil lamps. "It's so quiet," said Annie. She walked down the Passageway. "Hey, there are some steps here."
"Don't go any farther!" said Jack.
"Why not?" said Annie.
"We don't know what's down there," said Jack. "This is a burial tomb, remember? It's creepy."
"Let's just take a quick look," said Annie. "Maybe it's the way out of here."
Jack took a deep breath.
"You might be right," he said. "Okay, but go slow." He didn't want to stumble upon a dead body.
Annie started down the steep steps. Jack followed. The lamps lit their way as they kept going down and down. Finally, they reached the bottom.
Jack blinked. Even though oil lamps glowed everywhere, it was hard to see at first.
When Jack's eyes got used to the strange light, his heart nearly stopped.
"Oh, man," he breathed.
They were in a room filled with soldiers -- thousands of them.
The Tomb
Jack and Annie stood frozen.
The silent soldiers did, too.
Finally, Annie spoke.
"They're fake," she said.
"Fake?" whispered Jack.
"They're not real," she said.
"They look real," said Jack.
Annie walked straight toward the front row of soldiers.
Jack held his breath.
Annie pulled the soldier's nose. "Fake!" she said.
"Oh, brother," said Jack. He walked over to the soldier and touched his painted face. It was as hard as stone.
"It's amazing," Jack said.
Annie nodded. "It's like a museum."
She walked down a row between two lines of soldiers.
"Wait. This is spooky," said Jack. "What is this place?"
He put down his sack and pulled out the China book. He found a picture of the frozen army and read aloud:
The Dragon King had 7,000 life-size clay figures made for his burial tomb. The clay was baked and painted.
The Dragon King hoped that the clay army would protect him after he died.
"It's like the pyramid in ancient Egypt," said Jack. "Remember? The queen was buried with a boat and lots of things to take to the afterlife." He looked around. "Annie?"
"I'm here," she called.
She was far down another row.
"Come back here," yelled Jack.
"No, you come here," said Annie. "It's so cool. All their faces are different."
Jack threw the book into his sack. Then he hurried down the row to Annie.
"Look," she said. "Just look."
In the flickering lamplight, they wandered down the rows of soldiers. No two soldiers had the same nose, the same eyes, or the same mouth.
"Oh, man. No wonder so many people had to work on this tomb," said Jack.
"They really did a good job," said Annie.
"Yeah," said Jack.
There were kneeling archers and foot soldiers dressed in red and black armor.
There were real bronze swords, daggers, axes, spears, bows, and arrows.
There were even life-size wooden chariots with horses. The horses looked completely real. They were different colors with white teeth and red tongues.
"I have to take some notes about all this," said Jack.
He pulled out his notebook and pencil. Then, kneeling on the brick floor, he wrote:
No tow faces the same not even the horses
"Ja-ack," said Annie. "You know what?"
"What?"
"I think we're lost," she said.
"Lost?" Jack stood up. "We're not lost."
"Yeah? Then which way is out?" said Annie.
Jack looked around. All he could see were rows of soldiers. In front of them, to the right, to the left, behind them -- nothing but clay soldiers.
"Which way did we come?" said Annie.
"I don't know," said Jack.
All the rows looked the same. They stretched out endlessly.
Jack tried not to panic.
"I'd better look this up," he said.
"Forget it," said Annie. "Morgan said the research book would guide us. But in our darkest hour, only the ancient legend would save us."
"Is this our darkest hour?" asked Jack.
Annie nodded. "Yeah, it's pretty dark."
It does seem to be getting darker in here, thought Jack. The air was getting thicker too. It seemed harder to breathe.
"Let's ask for help," said Jack.
He reached into the sack and pulled out the bamboo book. He held it up and said, "Save us!"
As Jack waited, the tomb seemed unbearably quiet.
Jack held the book up again. "Please help us find our way out," he said.
He and Annie kept waiting. But nothing happened.
The air was growing even thicker. The light was getting dimmer. The countless rows of soldiers seemed creepier.
Help did not come.
Jack felt faint. "I -- I guess we'll just have -- have to -- "
"Look!" Annie said.
"What?"
"The ball of thread! It rolled out of your sack!" she said.
"So what?" said Jack.
He looked at his cloth sack lying on the floor. The ball of yellow silk thread had rolled out. And it was still rolling, leaving a trail of yellow thread!
The Silk Path
"What's going on?" said Jack.
"I don't know," said Annie. "But we'd better follow it."
She hurried after the ball of silk thread.
Jack put the bamboo book into his sack and took off after her.
They followed the trail of thread down the row, where it turned down another row.
"Hey, that's impossible!" said Jack. "That's scientifically impossible!"
"I told you, it's magic!" cried Annie.
Jack couldn't believe it. But he kept fob lowing the thread.
Suddenly the trail of thread was gone. The ball had completely unrolled.
Jack and Annie stood still for a moment and caught their breath.
"What -- what now?" said Jack.
"I guess we go up those stairs," Annie said.
"What stairs?" said Jack.
"There."
Jack looked through the dim light and saw the entrance to a stairway only a few feet away.
"Let's get out of here!" he said.
They ran up the stairs. At the top, they saw that they were in the hall that led to the entrance of the mound.
They walked and walked and walked down the lamp-lit passage. Finally, Jack stopped.
"I don't remember this hall being so long," he said.
"Me neither" said Annie. "I guess those weren't the same stairs that we went down.
"What should we do now?" said Jack.
"We'd better keep going," said Annie.
"Yeah, we don't have much choice," said
Jack.
They started walking again. They rounded a corner and came to a door.
"Oh, great!" said Annie.
"Wait. We don't know what's on the other side," said Jack. "Go slow. Be careful."
"Okay," said Annie.
Slowly and carefully, she opened the door. Then she peeked out.
"Yippee," she said softly.
Annie stepped into the fading daylight. Jack stepped out after her.
The sun had gone down.
They were standing outside the gate of the Dragon King's palace. They could see the market not far away. The stalls were closing for the day.
"We're safe!" said Annie.
Jack breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Just then, a gong sounded. It was coming from the tower of the city walls!
"Oh, man! They're going to close the gates!" said Jack.
He clutched his sack as they took off. They charged up the street. They ran past the market. They ran past the rich houses... past the poor houses.
Their straw shoes fell off. But Jack and Annie kept running barefoot.
Just as the giant wooden gates started to close, they tore through them.
They charged across the bridge and kept running up the dirt road, past the farmhouse, and through the field.
By the time they reached their tree, Jack's lungs ached. His heart pounded. His feet burned.
He followed Annie up the rope ladder. When they got inside the tree house, Jack collapsed.
"Let's -- go -- home," he said, out of breath. He reached for the Pennsylvania book.
"Wait," said Annie, looking out the window. "They found each other."
"Who -- found -- who?" said Jack, panting. He dragged himself to the window and looked out.
Two figures embraced at the edge of the field.
"The silk weaver and the man who takes care of the cows!" said Annie.
"Oh, yeah," said Jack.
"Bye!" Annie called to them. The couple waved back.
Annie sighed happily. "We can leave now," she said.
Jack opened the Pennsylvania book and pointed at the picture of the Frog Creek woods.
"I wish we could go there," he said. The wind started to blow. Jack looked out one last time at the Chinese couple. They seemed to be glowing like stars.
The tree house started to spin.
It spun faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
The Ancient Legend
Jack opened his eyes. He was wearing his own clothes and his sneakers. The cloth sack had turned back into his backpack.
"Welcome home, Master Librarians," said Morgan.
She stood in the tree house, smiling at them.
"Hi!" said Annie.
"We brought you the ancient legend," said Jack.
"Wonderful!" said Morgan. Jack reached into his pack. He took out the China book. Then he pulled out the bamboo book. He handed them to Morgan.
"What's the legend about?" said Annie. "It's called The Silk Weaver and the Cowherd," said Morgan. "It's a very famous Chinese tale."
"Guess what, Morgan?" said Annie. "We actually met them! We helped them get together!"
"Oh, did you?" said Morgan.
"Yes!" said Jack. "The silk weaver's ball of silk saved us!"
"What does the legend say about them?" asked Annie.
"It says that long ago they were heavenly beings who lived in the sky," said Morgan.
"When they came to earth, they fell in love."
"That's when we met them!" said Annie.
"Yes, I imagine so," said Morgan. "The book you brought back tells about their happiness on earth. But I'm afraid a later legend tells us that when they returned to the sky, the king and queen of the skies separated them by a heavenly river called the Milky Way."
"Oh, no," said Annie.
"They get back together once a year," said Morgan. "On that night, birds make a bridge in the sky over the Milky Way."
Jack and Annie gazed up at the bright summer sky.
"Go home now," said Morgan. "Come back two weeks from today. Next you're going to find a book in the country of Ireland, over a thousand years ago."
"That sounds like fun," said Annie.
Morgan frowned.
"I'm afraid it was a very dangerous time," she said. "For Viking raiders often attacked the seacoasts."
"Vikings?" said Jack. He'd had enough danger to last a long time.
"Don't worry about it now," said Morgan. "Just go home and rest."
Jack nodded.
"I'll try," he said, pulling on his backpack. "Bye," said Annie. "See you in two weeks."
"Thank you for your help," said Morgan.
"Anytime," said Annie.
They headed down the rope ladder. From the ground, they waved to Morgan.
Then they started for home.
As they got to the edge of the woods, Annie stopped.
"Listen to the crickets," she said.
Jack listened. The cricket chirps sounded louder than usual.
"Their ancestors lived in the time of the Dragon King," said Annie.
"Oh, brother," said Jack.
"Right now the grownups are telling the little crickets a legend," said Annie.
"Yeah, sure," said Jack.
"A legend passed down from their ancestors," said Annie.
Jack smiled. He didn't want to admit it, but the cricket noise did sound like storytelling. He could almost hear them saying, Dragon King, Dragon King, Dragon King.
"Jack! Annie!" came a voice.
It was their mother calling them. The spell was broken. The cricket stories were just plain old cricket sounds again.
"Coming!" Jack shouted.
Jack and Annie ran down their street and across their yard.
"Did you have a good time in China?" their mom asked.
"It was pretty scary," said Annie.
"We got lost in a tomb," said Jack. "But we were saved by an ancient book."
Their mom smiled and shook her head.
"My, books are wonderful, aren't they?" she said.
"Yep!" said Jack and Annie.
And they followed her inside.
One summer day in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, a mysterious tree house appeared in the woods.
Eight-year-old Jack and his seven-year-old sister, Annie, climbed into the tree house. They found that it was filled with books.
Jack and Annie soon discovered that the tree house was magic. It could take them to the places in the books. All they had to do was to point to a picture and wish to go there.
Along the way, they discovered that the tree house belongs to Morgan le Fay. Morgan is a magical librarian from the time of King Arthur. She travels through time and space, gathering books.
In the Magic Tree House Books #8 -- 12, Jack and Annie solved four ancient riddles and became Master Librarians. To help them in their future tasks, Morgan gave Jack and Annie secret library cards with the letters M L on them.
As Master Librarians, Jack and Annie must go on four missions to save stories from ancient libraries. They have already brought back a scroll from an ancient Roman town and a bamboo book from ancient China. Now, they are about to head out on their third mission...
Before Dawn
Jack opened his eyes. A thin gray light came through his window. His clock read 5 A. M. All was quiet.
Today we're going to ancient Ireland, he thought, back more than a thousand years.
Morgan le Fay had told him that it was a very dangerous time, with Vikings raiding the coasts.
"You awake?" came a whisper.
Annie stood in his doorway. She was dressed and ready to go.
"Yeah, meet you outside," said Jack as he climbed out of bed.
He pulled on his jeans, T-shirt, and sneakers. He put his secret library card into his backpack with his notebook and pencil. Then he hurried downstairs.
Annie was waiting for him in their yard.
The air was damp and misty.
"Ready?" she asked.
Jack took a deep breath.
"I guess," he said. He was a little worried about the Vikings.
They walked silently over the dewy grass. Then they ran up their street and into the Frog Creek woods.
Mist clung to the trees as they walked through the dark woods.
"It's hard to see," said Jack.
"Where's the tree house?" asked Annie.
"I have no idea," said Jack.
Just then something fell in front of them.
"Watch out!" shouted Jack. He covered his head.
"The ladder!" cried Annie. Jack opened his eyes.
The rope ladder from the magic tree house dangled in front of them.
Jack looked up. The tree house was hidden in the mist.
"Come on, let's go," said Annie.
She grabbed the ladder and started up. Jack followed.
They climbed through the wet air and into the tree house.
"Hello," said Morgan. "I'm glad to see you."
She was sitting in the corner. At her feet were the scroll they'd brought back from Roman times and the bamboo book from ancient China.
"I'm so glad to see you," said Jack.
"Me too," said Annie.
"It's good that you both came early," said Morgan.
She reached into the folds of her robe and pulled out a piece of paper.
"Here's the ancient story you must find today," she said.
Morgan handed the paper to Jack. On it were the words:
Serpens Magna
The mysterious writing reminded Jack of the writing from their trip to the Roman town of Pompeii.
"That looks like Latin," he said.
"Very good," said Morgan. "It is Latin."
"But I thought they spoke Latin in ancient Rome," said Annie. "Aren't we going to Ireland?"
"You are," said Morgan. "But during the Dark Ages in Europe, educated people wrote in Latin."
"The Dark Ages?" said Jack.
"Yes," said Morgan. "The time after the fall of the Roman Empire."
"Why is it called dark?" said Jack.
"It was a difficult time," said Morgan. "People had to work very hard just to feed and clothe themselves. There was not a lot of time for playing, learning, or making art and music."
Morgan pulled a book from her robe.
"Your research," she said, handing it to Annie. The title read: Ireland Long Ago.
"Remember," said Morgan. "Your research book will guide you. But in your darkest hour -- "
"Only the ancient story can save us," Jack and Annie said together.
"And remember this," said Morgan. "It must be your darkest hour, when there is no hope left. If you ask for help too soon, it will not come."
"And we have to find the story first," said Annie.
"That is true," said Morgan. "Do you have your secret library cards?"
Jack and Annie nodded.
"Show them to the wisest person you meet," said Morgan.
"Don't worry," said Annie. "I think we're ready now."
Annie pointed at the cover of the Ireland book. "I wish we could go there," she said. She gave Morgan a little wave. "See you soon."
"Good luck!" said Morgan.
The wind started to blow.
The tree house started to spin.
It spun faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
The Steep Climb
Jack opened his eyes.
The light was still gray, but the air was even damper and colder than in Frog Creek.
"Wow, I'm in a long dress," said Annie. "It's scratchy. Hey, I've got a little purse on my belt. It has my library card in it!"
Jack looked down at his own clothes.
He was wearing a shirt and trousers, made of heavy wool. He also wore leather slippers. And in place of his backpack was a leather bag.
"Wow," said Annie, looking out the window. "This really looks like the Dark Ages."
Jack looked out, too. He couldn't see any-thing through the mist.
"It's just because the sun's not up yet," he said. "I'd better check the book."
Annie handed the Ireland book to Jack. He opened it and read aloud:
The early Middle Ages were once known as the "Dark Ages" because learning and culture nearly vanished throughout Europe. Scholars today praise the brave Irish monks who helped keep Western civilization alive.
"What do 'civilization' and 'monks' mean?" asked Annie.
"I think civilization is when people have books and art and good manners," said Jack. "Monks are religious people who spend their time praying and reading and helping people."
"Well, I don't see any civilization or monks out there," said Annie, pointing at the mist.
Jack pulled out his notebook. He wrote:
Brave monks in Ireland
Then he looked at Annie. "If we find civilization, I think we'll find the lost story," he said.
"Let's go," said Annie. She lifted her skirt and climbed out the window.
Jack read more in the Ireland book.
The monks copied the ancient writings of the Western world. Before printing was invented, all books had to be written and copied by hand.
"Hey, we're on a cliff!" Annie called from outside. "Above the ocean!"
"Be careful!" said Jack.
He stuffed the Ireland book and his notebook into his leather bag. Then he climbed out the window.
Annie was peering over the edge. Jack looked, too.
There was a rocky shore twenty feet below. Waves slapped against the rocks. Sea gulls swooped and glided above the sea.
"It doesn't look like there's any civilization down there," said Jack.
"Maybe we should climb those," said rile. She pointed to steep steps cut into the cliff.
Jack looked up. The cliff also rose above them in the mist.
"We better wait till the sun comes up," he said.
"Let's just go super slow," said Annie. She started up the stone steps.
"Wait, Annie!" said Jack. "They might be slippery."
"Whoa!" she said, almost falling backward. "I tripped on my darn dress!"
"I told you to wait," Jack said. "It's too dangerous."
Just then something fell from above.
"Watch it!" said Jack. He put his hands over his head.
"Hey, it's a rope!" said Annie.
Jack saw a thick rope dangling down the stairs.
"Where'd this come from?" he asked.
"It's like when Morgan dropped the ladder to us," said Annie. "I bet someone's trying to help us."
"Yeah, but who?" said Jack.
"Let's find out," said Annie. She grabbed the rope. "I'll use it first. Once I'm at the top, you can come after me."
"Okay, but hurry," he said. "And be very careful." Jack waited as Annie started climbing up the steps.
Annie held on to the rope as she climbed slowly up the stairs. Soon she vanished over the top of the cliff.
"What's up there?" Jack shouted. But his voice was lost in the sound of the waves.
He grabbed the rope and started up the steep steps. At the top of the cliff, he pulled himself over the edge.
"Aha!" boomed a deep, jolly voice. "It's another little invader!"
Brother Patrick
Jack's glasses were wet with mist. He quickly wiped them, then looked up.
A man in a brown robe stood before him. The man had a round red face. He was bald, except for a fringe of hair around his head.
Nearby the rope was tied around a tree.
"I -- I'm not an invader," said Jack.
"He's Jack!" said Annie. She was standing behind the man. "I'm Annie. We're from Frog Creek, Pennsylvania."
"We -- we come in peace," stammered Jack.
The man's blue eyes twinkled.
"Oh, do you now?" he said. "I wondered what was going on. I had dropped the rope so I could climb down the steps. But you two grabbed it instead. How in the world did you get on this island?"
Jack stared at the man. He didn't know how to explain the magic tree house.
"In our boat," Annie said quickly.
The man looked puzzled. "Not many boats can come ashore at this dark, early hour."
"Well, we're very good sailors," said Annie.
Oh, brother, thought Jack. He hoped their sailing skills wouldn't be tested.
"Where exactly are we?" asked Annie. "And who exactly are you?"
"You're on an island off the coast of Ireland," the man said. "And I am Brother Patrick."
"Whose brother are you?" said Annie.
The monk smiled. "The 'brother' means I'm a Christian monk."
"Oh, you're one of the monks who saved civilization!" said Annie.
The man smiled again.
Annie turned to Jack and whispered, "Let's show him our cards. I trust him."
"Okay," said Jack. He trusted the monk, too.
They both pulled out their secret library cards and showed them to Brother Patrick.
The M's and L's for Master Librarian shined in the gray light.
-- The monk looked at them and bowed his head.
"Welcome, my friends," he said. "Thank you," said Jack and Annie.
"I did not truly think you were invaders," Brother Patrick. "But on our small island, we are careful of strangers."
"Why?" said Annie.
"There are terrible stories about Viking raiders," he said. "When we see their serpent ships, we must hide or be taken as slaves."
"Serpent ships?" said Jack.
"The prows of their ships are often carved in the shape of a serpent's head," said Brother Patrick. "I am afraid it stands for their fierce, cold-blooded ways."
Jack looked at the misty gray sea. "Do not worry," said Brother Patrick.
"They cannot land safely on this island before daylight. They're not as good sailors as some people." He winked at Annie.
"Too bad for them," she said cheerfully.
"But tell me, why have you come here?" asked Brother Patrick.
"Oh," said Jack. "I almost forgot."
He pulled Morgan's paper from his leather bag. He showed the Latin words to the monk.
Serpens Magna
"This is the title of a story that we have to take back to our friend and teacher, Morgan le Fay," said Annie.
"I see..." said Brother Patrick. He gave Jack and Annie a mysterious look.
What he thinking? Jack wondered.
But the monk changed the subject.
"I think you would like to visit our monastery," he said.
"What's that?" said Annie.
"The place where we monks live and work," said Brother Patrick. "Come."
"But the sun's not up yet," said Jack. "Won't the others be asleep?"
"Oh, no" said Brother Patrick. "in the summer, we rise long before daylights. We have much to do. You'll see."
The monk led them up a dirt path. Jack hoped their book was at the monastery. He wanted to leave the gloomy island with its threat of Viking invaders as soon as Possible.
A low bell started to ring. Jack saw a lonely church steeple against the gray sky ahead.
Books of Wonder
The monastery had a stone wall all around it. Brother Patrick took Jack and Annie through the gate. Beyond the gate was a small church with a hanging bell.
There was also a vegetable garden and six stone huts shaped like giant beehives.
"We grow all our own food," said Brother Patrick. "Carrots, turnips, spinach, wheat, and beans."
He led them to the entrance of the first hut. Jack and Annie peeked inside. A monk was pulling flat bread from a low stone oven.
"This is our bakery," Brother Patrick said.
"It smells good!" said Annie.
"Come along," Brother Patrick said.
He pointed to each hut as they passed.
"There are our sleeping quarters," he said. "And that's where we spin our cloth. In here, we cobble our sandals. There we carve our wooden tools."
In each of the huts, Jack and Annie could see monks. They were busy spinning or cobbling or carving.
Finally, Brother Patrick came to the largest beehive-like hut.
"I have saved the best for last," he said.
"This is where we do our most important work."
He stepped inside.
Jack and Annie followed.
The hut was warm and peaceful, yet very alive. It glowed with the golden light of many candles.
Monks sat at wooden tables. Some were reading. Others played chess. Best of all, some were writing and painting in books.
"This is our library," said Brother Patrick. "Here we study math, history, and poetry. We play chess. And we make books."
"Jack," said Annie. "I think this is it."
"What?" said Jack.
"Civilization!" said Annie.
Brother Patrick laughed. "Yes, this is where civilization hides," he said. "On top of our lonely island in the sea."
"Oh, man," said Jack. "I love this place."
"What kind of books do you make here?" asked Annie.
"Books of wonder," said Brother Patrick. "We record Christian stories as well as the old myths of Ireland."
"Myths?" said Jack.
"Yes," said Brother Patrick. "They were gathered from our storytellers -- the old women who sing the tales of long ago, when people believed in magic."
"Wow," said Annie.
"Come," said Brother Patrick, "Look at the book of Brother Michael. He has worked on it his whole life."
Brother Patrick led Jack and Annie over to an old monk. The monk was painting a blue border around one of the pages in a book.
"Michael, these two Master Librarians from faraway would like to see your work," said Brother Patrick.
The old monk looked up at Jack and Annie. His wrinkled face broke into a smile.
"Welcome," said Brother Michael in a thin, shaky voice.
"Hi," said Annie.
Brother Michael showed them the cover of his book. It was decorated with gleaming red and blue jewels.
Then he turned the pages. Each was covered with fancy writing and paintings in green, gold, and blue.
"I wish I could paint like that," said Annie. "It's beautiful," whispered Jack.
"Thank you," said Brother Michael.
"How do you make a book like this?" asked Annie.
"I write on sheepskin and use goose quill pens, said Brother Michael. "My paints are made of earth and plants."
"Wow," said Annie.
"Show Michael what you are seeking." Brother Patrick said.
"Oh, right!" said Jack. He pulled paper Morgan had given them. He showed the Latin writing to the old monk.
Brother Michael nodded.
"Yes," he said with a smile. "I know that one quite well."
Brother Michael turned to the page he had been painting with a blue border. He pointed to the writing at the top of the page.
"Oh, man," whispered Jack.
The words were:
Serpens Magna
Warships on the Waves
"We found our story!" said Jack.
"Yay!" said Annie.
"Indeed," said Brother Patrick. "But alas, Brother Michael has not yet completed his work. You will have to return for it."
"Oh, shoot," said Annie.
Jack was disappointed, too.
"I don't know if we'll be able to come back," he said.
"I don't know if we can even leave without the story," said Annie.
Brother Patrick looked puzzled.
The two kids looked at each other, then back at Brother Patrick. It was too hard to explain about the tree house and how the magic worked.
Jack shrugged.
"We'll just have to try," he said.
Outside, the church bell began ringing.
"It is time now for our sunrise prayers," said Brother Patrick. 'Will you join us?"
"Thanks, but we better try to go home now," said Jack.
Brother Patrick nodded and led them into the garden. When he opened the gate, they stopped.
The horizon glowed pink and purple. The sun had started to rise.
No one spoke as the great, fiery ball rose slowly over the ocean.
Finally, Brother Patrick broke the silence. "Shine, O light of the sun," he said softly, "on this day filled with wonder."
"That's beautiful," said Annie.
Jack smiled. He agreed.
Brother Patrick turned to them. "It is such sights as this that inspire our book-making," he said. "Now go, and may God be with you on your voyage home."
"Thanks," said Jack and Annie.
"Do you need me to guide you to your boat?" he asked.
"I don't think so," said Jack.
"Follow the path to the top of the cliff," said Brother Patrick. "Then use my rope to help you down the steps."
"Okay," said Annie. "Bye!" And she went through the gate.
Jack wanted to go home, but he hated leaving the monastery. It was filled with people doing his favorite things: reading and learning.
"I really like it here," he said to Brother Patrick.
"I'm glad. But you must go now, while the weather is with you," said the monk. "Everything can change in an instant."
Then Brother Patrick turned and went into the church.
Jack hurried out the gate. Before he went further, he stopped and pulled out his notebook.
He quickly made two lists:
To make a book
Sheep skin
Goose quill
Paints
To make paint
Earth
Plants
Jack grabbed the rope and started down. The birds' cries went on. They worried him. They sounded like warnings.
Jack reached the rocky ledge and let go of the rope.
"Let's go!" Annie called from the tree
"Come on!" Annie called the steps.
"Coming," Jack called.
He put away his notebook and ran along the dirt path to the edge of the cliff.
Overhead, flocks of gulls circled in the purple sky. Their cries sounded like screams.
"What's wrong with them?" Jack said.
"Maybe they always do this at sunrise," said Annie. "Let me go first."
Clutching the rope, she started down the steps.
Jack grabbed the rope and started down. The birds' cries went on. They worried him. They sounded like warnings.
Jack reached the rocky ledge and let go of the rope.
"Let's go!" Annie called from the tree house.
Jack looked at the horizon one last time.
His heart nearly stopped. A ship was out-lined against the sky! Behind it, he saw two smaller ships.
As the ships came into view, their bright sails were filled with wind and their serpent prows blazed in the new sunlight.
"Oh no," Jack whispered. "Vikings!"
The Vikings Are Coming
"Annie!" Jack cried. "Vikings!"
Annie looked out the tree house window. "Vikings?"
"They're headed straight for the island!" said Jack.
He turned back to the stone steps.
"Where are you going?" cried Annie.
"To warn the monks!" Jack said.
"I'll come too!" cried Annie. She scrambled out of the tree house.
"Hurry!" said Jack.
Jack didn't even use the rope. He pulled himself up the steep steps with his hands.
As Jack and Annie climbed up the face of the cliff, clouds began to cover the sun. When they reached the top, a fog had almost hidden the serpent ships.
"Run!" cried Annie.
The fog blanketed the whole island. Jack and Annie could barely see the path to the monastery.
When they arrived at the gate, the misty white world was silent.
"Vikings!" Jack cried. "Vikings!"
"The monks are still in church!" said Annie. She yanked the bell rope.
Dong! Dong!
Jack and Annie watched as Brother Patrick and the other monks ran out of the church.
"The Vikings are coming!" Jack shouted.
Brother Patrick's rosy face turned white.
"Make haste!" he said to the other monks. "Gather the books and hide."
The monks ran into the library. Brother Patrick turned to Jack and Annie.
"We have a secret hiding place, a cave on the other side of the island," he said. "You can come with us. But I am not certain you will be safe."
"Don't worry," said Jack. "We're going to try to go home."
"Do not use the steps," Brother Patrick said. "The Vikings will climb them."
"Then how do we get down?" said Jack. "Go that way," said Brother Patrick, pointing. "At the cliffs edge are two large rocks. A path between those rocks will take you down to the shore. Then you can walk around to your boat."
"Thanks!" said Annie.
"Be careful!" said Brother Patrick. He hurried inside the library.
"Wait!" came a thin voice as Jack and Annie turned to run.
It was Brother Michael. He hobbled over to them, holding out his book of Irish tales.
"Take it," he said.
"Are you sure?" Jack asked. He knew it was Brother Michael's life's work.
"Please," said Brother Michael. "It is better that the world should have some of it than none at all. Just in case...
"We'll take good care of it," said Jack. He gently placed the jeweled book in his leather bag.
"Good luck!" said Annie.
Annie and Jack waved good-bye to the old man. Then they raced to the rocks that Brother Patrick had told them about.
Fogbound
At the rocks, the sea gulls still screeched. Jack could barely see the steep path leading down into the fog.
"Go slowly," Jack whispered to Annie as they started down.
"Whoops!" said Annie. She slipped and fell forward, bumping into Jack. "My foot got caught in my stupid dress -- "
"Shh!" said Jack.
He held on to Annie. They listened as pebbles and rocks rolled down the cliff. Jack took a deep breath.
'We've got to watch out for Vikings, too," he whispered.
They started down the steep path again. They went one step at a time. The sound of the waves against the rocks grew louder.
Finally, they stepped down onto a flat strip of pebbles.
"Where are we?" whispered Annie.
"I don't know," said Jack.
"Oh, look!" said Annie. She pointed to the shoreline.
Through the fog rose the serpent prows of the Viking ships!
Jack and Annie crept closer to the ships. Their sails were down. Each ship had been tied to a tall jagged rock. They seemed deserted as they bobbed in the shallow waves. Jack really wanted to check out the ships.
But he was afraid of wasting time.
"We'd better find the tree house," he said to Annie.
They crept away from the three Viking ships.
Suddenly, they both froze.
Through the mist, they saw a group of Viking warriors. The Vikings were looking at the top of the cliff.
Their long yellow hair hung down from beneath their iron helmets. They carried round wooden shields and swords and axes.
"It looks like they're planning to climb the cliff," whispered Annie.
"We need to hide until they go," whispered Jack. "Then we can look for the tree house."
"Let's hide in a ship!" said Annie. "Good idea," said Jack. They crept back to where the ships were tied.
Jack was happy to see that the sides of the smallest ship were very low. They would easily be able to climb over them.
"You go first," said Annie.
Jack waded through the shallow water. It was cold!
He reached the ship and grabbed one side. He pushed himself up and onto the ship's deck.
The ship jerked forward. Jack looked at the shore. It was now thirty feet away. The ship's anchoring rope was pulled tight. The serpent prow bobbed up and down with the waves.
The fog and the movement of the ship made Jack feel as if he was in a dream. For a moment, he forgot to be scared of the Vikings.
"This is so cool," he called. "Come on, Annie!"
Annie started to wade out to the ship. Suddenly, she disappeared.
"Annie?" called Jack.
Her head popped out of the water. She splashed with her arms.
"It -- it's deep!" she gasped. "My dress -- too heavy!"
"Use the rope!" called Jack. "Like when we climbed the stairs!"
Annie grabbed the rope that stretched from ship to shore. It held her weight as she began inching along it.
"Hold on tight!" cried Jack.
"I -- I am!" gasped Annie.
She kept going, hand over hand, along the rope, toward the ship.
When Annie got close to the ship, Jack reached out to help her. As he pulled her in, the side of the ship dipped down.
Then the rope went slack, and the Viking ship slid out to sea.
Lost at Sea
Annie fell to the deck of the ship.
Jack pulled the rope out of the water. The end of it was still tied in a loop.
"What happened?" asked Annie.
"We're heading out to sea," said Jack. "I guess all the pulling lifted the rope off the rock."
Annie sat up and looked at the misty whiteness.
"I can't see the island," she said. "I can't see anything," said Jack. Annie looked at Jack.
"Do you think this is our darkest hour?" she asked.
"I don't know," said Jack. "Maybe the book will help."
He pulled out their research book. He found a picture of a Viking ship. He read the caption aloud:
Viking warships were the best ships of their times. When there was no wind, the crew would take down the sails and row with oars. The smallest ships had four rowers, and the largest had as many as thirty-two. Rowers sat on boxes that stored their belongings.
"Great," said Annie, jumping up. "This isn't our darkest hour!"
"Why do you say that?" asked Jack.
"There's still hope," said Annie. "We can row to the other side of island and find tree house."
"Are you nuts?" said Jack.
"Please, Jack," said Annie. "Can we just try?"
She grabbed one of the oars. She could barely lift it.
"Forget it, Annie," said Jack. "It takes four big Viking guys to row this thing. You're too little. I'm too little."
"Come on, Jack. Just try," said Annie. "You get an oar, too. We'll sit on boxes across from each other."
"Oh, brother," said Jack.
Annie dragged her long oar over to a storage box.
"I'm not doing this alone," she said.
Jack groaned. Then he dragged an oar to the box across from Annie.
"Cool!" said Annie. She peered into a storage box. "Look, one for each of us!"
She lifted out two small Viking helmets.
"Maybe these were made for Viking kids who sometimes ride in this ship," said Annie.
"Maybe," said Jack.
He hadn't thought of Vikings as real people before -- people with families and little kids.
Annie pulled off her scarf and put a helmet on her head.
"Now I feel like a Viking, too," she said. "I bet it will help me row."
She handed Jack a helmet. He put it on. It made him feel a little different.
"I don't know about this," he said. The helmet wasn't as heavy as the one he had worn in the time of castles. But it was still pretty heavy.
"Well, I'm braver with mine on," said Annie.
Jack smiled. He didn't know how Annie could be braver than she already was.
"Ready to row?" she asked.
"Yup," said Jack. He was feeling braver himself.
The wind picked up as Jack lifted his heavy oar over the side of the ship.
He lowered it into the water. But the cur-rent was so strong that the oar was ripped from his hands.
Jack fell over backward as his oar slipped into the sea.
"I lost my oar!" Annie yelled.
Jack looked up as rain started to fall. The sky was black. A gush of seawater poured over the side of the ship!
"Brrr!" said Annie as she tried to stand.
The black sky shook with thunder and flashed with lightning.
Jack crawled to the side of the ship and pulled himself up.
Another huge wave was coming right toward them!
"It's our darkest hour now!" cried Annie. "Get Brother Michael's book!"
Jack reached into his leather bag. He pulled out the jeweled book and held it up.
"Save us, story!" he cried.
He looked at the sea again. What he saw made him scream.
Rising from the oncoming wave was a giant sea serpent!
Sea Monster
The serpent's head rose higher and higher above the water.
Jack couldn't move.
"He's beautiful!" said Annie.
"Beautiful?" cried Jack.
The serpent's neck was as tall as a two-story building. Its green scales were covered with sea slime.
"Go away!" shouted Jack.
"No -- stay! Help us!" shouted Annie.
The great serpent glided closer to the ship. Jack ducked.
"Come on!" said Annie. "You can do it! Get us to shore before the ship sinks!"
Jack closed his eyes. He felt the ship jerk, then move forward.
He looked up. They were gliding over the giant waves.
Jack turned. The great serpent was pressing its long neck against the back of the ship, pushing it toward the shore.
As the serpent pushed them, the wind grew calmer. The clouds lifted and the water glittered with sunlight.
The rocky shore grew closer. Jack could see the tree house on the ledge above it.
"Hurry!" Annie called to the serpent monster. The great serpent gave the ship one last push. The ship swooshed onto a sand bar near the shore.
Jack put the jeweled book carefully back into his bag. Then he and Annie climbed out of the ship onto the wet sand. They looked back at the sea.
The great serpent was rearing its long neck into the air. Its scales glittered pink and green in the sunlight.
"Bye!" shouted Annie. "Thanks a lot!"
The monster seemed to nod at her. Then he dove into the sea and was gone.
Jack and Annie headed toward the rocks. All of a sudden, Annie gasped.
"Uh-oh," she said, pointing to the top of the cliff.
Two Vikings were staring down at them! "To the tree house!" cried Jack. The Vikings shouted and started down the steep stairs.
Jack and Annie began scrambling up the rocks.
They reached the tree house and climbed inside.
Jack grabbed the Pennsylvania book.
Annie stuck her head out the window.
"Go home! Stop causing trouble!" she yelled to the Vikings, who were almost to the ledge.
Jack pointed at the picture of the Frog Creek woods.
"I WISH WE COULD GO THERE!" Jack shouted.
Just as the Vikings reached the ledge, the wind began to blow.
The tree house started to spin.
It spun faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
Sunrise
"Boy, I'm glad to be back in my jeans," said Annie.
Jack opened his eyes. He still felt damp. But he was glad to be wearing his jeans again, too.
"Welcome home," said Morgan. She was standing in the shadows. "Are you all right?"
"Of course!" piped Annie.
"And we brought back the lost book," said Jack.
He reached in his backpack and took out the jeweled book of Brother Michael. He handed it to Morgan.
The enchantress sighed. She ran her hand over the sparkling cover.
"A great work of art," she said.
Morgan then put the book next to the scroll from Roman times and the bamboo book from ancient China.
"I'm afraid the story you wanted is not all there," said Jack. "Brother Michael didn't get the chance to finish it."
Morgan nodded.
"I know," she said. "Sadly, we have only bits and pieces of many wonderful old stories."
"What's the story about?" asked Annie.
"It's an ancient Irish tale about a great serpent named Sarph," said Morgan.
"He saved us by pushing our ship over the stormy waves!" Annie said.
"Sarph was a huge, ugly monster," said Jack.
Morgan smiled.
"Sometimes monsters can be heroes," she said.
"What about Vikings?" asked Jack.
"Oh, most definitely, Vikings could be heroes, too," she said. "In fact, once the Vikings settled down, they became more than just a warrior people. They actually added a lot to civilization."
"We found civilization on our trip," said Annie.
"Yeah," said Jack, "in the library of the monastery."
Morgan smiled again.
"Their library was a light in the Dark Ages, wasn't it?" she said.
Jack nodded. He thought of Brother Michael and the other monks making their beautiful books by candlelight.
"Thank you also for your great courage," Morgan said. "You are both heroes, too."
Jack smiled shyly.
"Go home now and rest," said Morgan.
"Bye," Jack and Annie said together.
They started down the tree house ladder. The sky was turning pink and gold.
When they reached the ground, Morgan called out to them, "Come back in two weeks. I need you to find one more lost book."
"Where is it?" said Jack.
"Ancient Greece," said Morgan. "A place with the highest civilization -- and the first Olympic games."
"Oh, wow!" said Annie.
Jack was thrilled. He had always wanted to go to ancient Greece.
Jack and Annie took off through the woods.
The sun was rising when they got to their front porch.
Annie opened the front door. She stuck her head inside and listened.
"Everything's quiet," she whispered. "I think Mom and Dad are still sleeping."
She moved quietly inside.
Jack turned back to watch the red sun rise through a clear blue sky.
He thought about how it was the same sun that had risen in Ireland -- over a thousand years ago.
"Shine, 0 light of the sun," Jack whispered, "on this day filled with wonder."
Then he slipped inside his quiet house.
One summer day in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, a mysterious tree house appeared in the woods.
Eight-year-old Jack and his seven-year-old sister, Annie, climbed into the tree house.
They found that it was filled with books.
Jack and Annie soon discovered that the tree house was magic. It could take them to the places in the books. All they had to do was to point to a picture and wish to go there.
Along the way, they discovered that the tree house belongs to Morgan le Fay. Morgan is a magical librarian from the time of King Arthur. She travels through time and space, gathering books.
In the Magic Tree House Books #8-12, Jack and Annie solved four ancient riddles and became Master Librarians. To help them in their future tasks, Morgan gave Jack and Annie secret library cards with the letters M L on them.
Jack and Annie's first four missions are to save stories from ancient libraries. This is their fourth mission...
Just One More
"You awake?" Annie's voice came out of the dark.
"Yep," said Jack from his bed.
"Get up," said Annie. "We have to get to the tree house before sunrise."
"I'm ready," said Jack.
He threw back his covers and jumped out of bed. He was wearing his jeans and T-shirt.
"You slept in your clothes?" asked Annie.
"I didn't want to waste any time," said Jack. He pulled on his backpack. Annie laughed.
"You must really be excited about going to ancient Greece," she said.
"Yep," said Jack.
"Do you have your secret library card?" asked Annie.
"Yeah, do you?" said Jack.
"Sure. Put it in your backpack," she said. She handed her card to him. "I'll carry the flashlight."
"All set," said Jack.
They tiptoed downstairs and out the door. Outside the air was fresh and cool. "There's no moon," said Annie. "Just stars."
She turned on her flashlight.
"Ta-da!" she said. "Let's go."
They followed the beam of light across their yard and up the street.
Jack was thrilled to be going to ancient Greece. But something worried him.
"What do you think will happen after we go to Greece?" he asked Annie. "Is this our last mission ever?"
"Oh, I hope not," said Annie. "What do you think?"
"I don't know. Let's ask Morgan," said Jack.
"Hurry!" said Annie.
They started running. The flashlight beam flew in front of them, lighting the way.
They slowed to a walk when they got to the Frog Creek woods. The thick woods were pitch-black.
Annie shined the flashlight upward as they walked between the trees. Finally, they found the magic tree house.
"We're here!" Annie called.
"Go on up," said Jack.
Annie grabbed the rope ladder and started up. Jack followed.
Annie shined the flashlight around the tree house.
Morgan le Fay was sitting at the window. She covered her eyes when the light hit her face.
"Turn off the light, please, Annie," she said softly.
Annie turned it off.
"Welcome," Morgan said in the dark. "Are you ready for your next mission?"
"Yes!" said Annie. Then her voice got quiet. "This isn't our last one ever, is it?"
"Ask me that question after this mission," said Morgan.
"We want to go on more," said Jack.
"You're very brave to say that," said Morgan. "You've had three very hard journeys as Master Librarians."
"Oh, they weren't so hard," said Jack.
"You risked your life to save the lost story of Hercules," said Morgan.
"It was nothing," said Annie.
"And the Chinese story of the silk weaver," said Morgan. "And the Irish story of the serpent monster Sarph. Thank you."
"You're welcome," said Jack and Annie.
"Now," said Morgan, "for the last story... Jack heard a rustling sound.
"Here is the title," Morgan said. "You can shine your light on it, Annie."
Annie turned the flashlight back on. She shined it on the paper.
"Wow, is that Greek?" asked Jack.
"It certainly is," said Morgan.
She reached into her robe again and pulled out a book. "For your research," she said.
Jack took the book from her. Annie shined her flashlight on the cover. They read the title: A Day in Ancient Greece.
"Now, what must you always remember?" asked Morgan.
"Our research book will guide us," said Jack.
"But in our darkest hour, only the lost story can save us," said Annie.
Morgan nodded. "And you must show your secret library cards to the wisest person you meet," she said.
"Don't worry. We will. Bye!" said Annie. Jack shivered with excitement as he pointed at the book's cover.
"I wish we could go there," he said.
"And I wish we could go on lots of other missions!" Annie added.
The wind began to blow.
The tree house started to spin.
It spun faster and faster.
Then everything was silent.
Absolutely silent.
Any Girls Here?
Jack opened his eyes. Warm sunshine streamed into the tree house.
"We sure don't need the flashlight here," he said.
"Look, Morgan gave us clothes like the ones we wore in Pompeii," said Annie.
Jack looked down.
His clothes were similar to the ones he'd worn in the Roman town of Pompeii: a tunic and sandals. He also had a leather bag in place of his backpack again.
Annie looked out the window.
"And we landed in an olive tree-just like Pompeii!" said Annie.
Jack looked out the window. He caught his breath.
"Are we in the wrong place?" he asked.
"I don't know," said Annie. "Look past the trees. Doesn't it look like a big fair?"
Jack looked. Annie was right. Past the olive grove was a field filled with white tents. Beyond the field were red-brick buildings with columns and huge crowds of people.
"What's going on?" Jack asked.
He pulled the research book out of his leather bag. He found a picture of the scene outside. Below the picture were these words:
The Olympic Games began in ancient Greece over 2,500 years ago. Every four years, more than 40,000 people traveled to Olympia, the town where the festival of athletic games took place.
"Oh, man," Jack whispered. "We're at the ancient Olympics!"
"Cool," said Annie.
Jack wrote in his notebook:
Olympia -- first Olympics take place
"Come on, let's go watch!" Annie said. She started down the rope ladder.
Jack threw his notebook and the research book into his leather bag.
"Don't forget we have to get Morgan's story, too," he said as he followed Annie.
Annie waited as Jack stepped to ground. Then they walked through the grove to where the tents were.
Jack heard pipe music and smelled food roasting over fires. Groups of men talked excitedly to one another.
"That's funny," said Annie. "I don't see girls here."
"Oh, sure, there're girls," said Jack.
"Where?" said Annie. "Show me."
Jack looked around. But he only saw men and boys-. -- no women or girls at all.
Then he saw an outdoor theater. A woman was standing on the stage. She had yellow hair and a purple tunic.
"There," said Jack, pointing.
"What's she doing?" asked Annie.
A soldier was on the stage with her. He wore a long cape. A helmet with a red crest hid his face.
The woman and the soldier were waving their arms and talking loudly to each other.
"I think they're doing a play," said Jack. "I'll look."
He pulled out the Greek book and found a picture of the theater.
"Listen," he said. He read aloud:
The Greeks were the first to write plays. Many English words for the theater come from Greek words, such as drama, scenery, and chorus. Many Greek plays are still performed today.
"Hey, Jack," said Annie. "You're wrong."
When Jack looked up, he saw the woman had pulled off her wig. It was a boy dressed up as a woman!
"See, even she's a boy," said Annie. "That's weird."
"Hmm," said Jack. He went on reading:
A few actors would play many different parts in the same play. Women were not allowed to act, so men played the female roles, too.
"That's not fair," said Annie. "What if a woman wanted to be in a play?"
"Don't worry about it," said Jack. He put the book away. "Let's just take a peek at the Olympics, then find our story."
He nudged Annie to move along.
Just then he heard a voice.
"Wait!"
They turned around. A man with a short white beard was walking toward them.
"Hello," said the man. He was looking right at Annie. "Who are you?"
"Who are you?" Annie asked boldly.
The Secret Poet
The bearded man smiled at Annie.
"My name is Plato," he said.
"Plato?" said Jack. That name is familiar.
"You may have heard of me," he said. "I am a philosopher."
"What's that mean?" said Annie.
A lover of wisdom," said Plato.
"Wow," said Annie.
Plato smiled at her.
"It's odd to see a girl walking so bravely through Olympia," he said. "You must be from far away."
"We're Jack and Annie," said Annie. "And we come from Frog Creek, Pennsylvania. It's very far away."
Plato looked puzzled.
Annie turned to Jack.
"I think we should show him our cards," she said in a low voice. "He's a lover of wisdom."
Jack nodded. He reached into his bag and took out the secret library cards. He showed them to Plato.
The letters M and L that stood for Master Librarian glittered on the cards.
"Amazing!" said Plato. "I've never met such young Master Librarians. Why have you come to Olympia?"
Jack pulled out the piece of paper with the title of the story.
"We're looking for this story," he said.
"Oh, yes," said Plato softly. "This was written by a brilliant poet-a friend of mine, in fact."
"Do you know where the poet lives?" asked Jack.
"Very near here," said Plato.
"Will you take us there?" asked Annie.
"Yes, but I must warn you-never tell anyone who the poet is," said Plato. "It's a secret."
"We won't," whispered Annie.
Plato led them away from the outdoor theater.
They started down a dirt road. It was crowded with people heading to the games.
Plato stopped at the door of a sand-colored house with a brick roof.
He opened the door and led Jack and Annie into an empty courtyard.
"Wait here," he said. He disappeared through a doorway.
Jack and Annie looked around.
Rooms opened onto the sunny courtyard. Everything was quiet.
"The people who live here must have gone to the games," said Annie.
"I bet you're right," said Jack.
He pulled out the Greek book and found a picture of a house. He read aloud:
Men and women lived in separate parts of a Greek house. Women spent most of their time spinning and weaving and taking care of the kitchen. Boys were sent away to school when they were seven. Girls were not allowed to go to school.
"Girls can't go to school?" said Annie. "How do they learn to read and write?"
At that moment Plato returned. With him was a young woman dressed in a long tunic with a colored border. She was holding a scroll.
Annie smiled a big smile. "Finally," she said. "Another girl."
"Jack and Annie, meet our secret poet," said Plato.
Not Fair!
The young woman smiled at Jack and Annie.
"How did you learn to read and write?" Annie asked.
"I taught myself," the woman answered.
"She wrote a poem and brought it to me," said Plato, "because I have written and told people that I think Greek girls should go to school and learn things."
"Is that the poem?" said Jack. He pointed to the poet's scroll.
"Yes," said the young woman.
"It's a wonderful story," said Plato. "But she will get in trouble if it is read in our land. You must take it back to your faraway home, it will be safe."
The poet handed Jack her scroll. He put it into his backpack.
"Tell us your name," said Annie. "So we can tell people who wrote the story."
The young woman shook her head.
"I cannot," she said. When she saw Annie's sad face, she added, "You can tell people it was written by Anonymous."
"That's your name?" asked Annie.
"No, anonymous means that no one knows who wrote it," said Plato.
"But that's not true!" said Annie.
"I'm afraid the risk is too great," said Plato.
Annie looked back at the woman.
"I'm sorry," said Annie. "It's not fair-not at all."
The poet smiled at her. "I am happy that you will take my story to your country," she said. "Perhaps someday women everywhere will write books just like men."
"They will," said Jack. "I promise.
The young woman looked at him, puzzled.
"It's true!" said Annie.
"Thank you, Annie," the young woman said. "And thank you, Jack." She bowed, then hurried out of the courtyard.
"Wait!" said Annie.
She started to go after the poet, but Plato stopped her.
"Come along," he said. "The games will start soon."
Plato then led Jack and Annie out of the Greek house back onto the dirt road.
"Girls can't write stories," grumbled Annie. "They can't go to school. They can't be in plays. I've had enough of ancient Greece. Let's get out of here."
"Wait," said Jack. "What about the Olympics?"
"Oh, yeah," said Annie. Her eyes got brighter. "I almost forgot."
"Well " said Plato slowly. "I would like to take you both to the games. I have special seats in the viewing box. However..." He looked at Annie.
"Don't tell me," she said. "Girls can't go to the Olympics either."
Plato shook his head.
"A girl will get in terrible trouble if she goes to the games," he said.
Annie sighed. "It's really, really not fair," she said.
"I'm sorry," said Plato. "My country is a democracy. We believe in freedom for our citizens. But I'm afraid right now that only means men."
"Annie's right. It's not fair," said Jack. "I think we should go home now."
"No, Jack. You go to the Olympics," said Annie. "At least you can tell me about it. Take notes."
"What about you?" Jack said.
"I'll go back to that play at the theater." Annie said. "Meet me when you're done."
Jack didn't want to leave Annie alone. But he also didn't want to miss the Olympics.
"Go! Have fun!" Annie said. She began walking away. "I'll see you later! Bye, Plato!"
"Bye, Annie," said Plato.
Annie turned back again and waved.
"I'll tell you all about it!" Jack called. "This way," said Plato.
He and Jack turned and joined the crowd heading toward the Olympic grounds.
Hi, Zeus
"This is the very first day of the games," Plato told Jack, "the day of the chariot races."
"Oh, wow," whispered Jack.
He couldn't believe he was going to see a chariot race. The modern Olympic Games didn't have chariot races.
They walked toward the race track. Plato pointed to a large building near the road.
"That is the gymnasium," he said. "It is where our athletes train. They practice running and throwing the javelin and discus."
"We have a gymnasium at our school in Frog Creek," said Jack. "We call it a gym."
"People all over the world copy us Greeks," Plato said.
"Wait," said Jack. "I have to take notes for Annie.
He pulled out his notebook and wrote:
Ancient Greeks invented gyms
"Okay, we can go," said Jack. He tucked his notebook under his arm.
As they moved along, Plato pointed to a beautiful tree nearby.
"The olive tree is our sacred tree," he said. "The winners of the games will wear crowns made from its branches."
"Oh, wow," said Jack. And he wrote:
olive tree is sacred
Next they passed a beautiful statue of a lady.
"Who's that?" said Jack.
"Nike, the goddess of victory," said Plato.
Jack quickly wrote:
Nike, the goddess of victory
"Nike is important to the games," said Plato. "But the most important Olympic god is in there."
He took Jack to a brick building with huge columns. They stepped through the door. It was a temple. Jack gasped.
In front of them loomed the biggest statue he had ever seen.
The statue was at least two stories high. It was a bearded man sitting on a throne.
"This is the temple of Zeus. And that is a statue of Zeus himself," said Plato. "The Olympic Games are played in his honor. He is the chief god of the Greek gods and goddesses."
"Oh, man," whispered Jack.
"Yesterday all the athletes came here," said Plato. "They swore to Zeus that they had trained for ten months. And they promised to obey the rules of the games."
The statue of the mighty Greek god stared down at Jack.
Jack felt very small.
"Hi, Zeus," he said. His voice was small, too.
Suddenly, trumpet sounds came from outside.
"The hour has come," said Plato. "We must hurry. The Olympic parade begins!"
Mystery Man
Plato and Jack hurried past the crowds standing at the sides of the race track. Everyone was shouting and cheering.
"I have seats next to the judges," said Plato. He pointed to a tall stand with row of benches.
Plato led Jack through the crowd and up the steps to their seats.
"Wow, thanks," said Jack.
He had a great view.
The Olympic parade had already started. Musicians playing pipes were at the front. Behind them marched the Olympic athletes -the best in all of Greece.
Jack sighed as he watched the parade going around the track. Annie would really love this, he thought.
"The athletes in front are the runners," said Plato. "Foot races are the oldest event of the games."
Jack pulled out his notebook and wrote:
Oldest event is foot race
"Behind the runners are the boxers," said Plato. "They're wearing special gloves and bronze helmets."
Jack wrote:
Boxers wear gloves and helmets
"Behind them are the wrestlers," said Plato.
And Jack wrote:
wrestlers
When Jack looked up again, he saw a soldier staring up at him from the sidelines.
The soldier was dressed like the actor from the outdoor theater. He had on a long cape and a red-crested helmet that covered most of his face.
But something was strange. This soldier was short-really short.
"Here come the discus and javelin throwers," said Plato, "and then the men in armor."
"What do they do?" asked Jack.
"They race wearing full armor," said Plato. Jack smiled to himself. He knew Annie would think that was funny.
He wrote in his notebook:
Some runners race in armor
Jack finished writing.
He looked back at the short soldier.
"In a moment, the chariot races will begin," said Plato. "Winning a chariot race is the greatest honor of the games."
Jack just nodded. He was still studying the short soldier, who seemed to be looking back at him.
Suddenly, a small hand came out from the soldier's cape. The hand gave a little wave.
Jack gasped. It was Annie's hand waving!
The short soldier was Annie.
Go! Go! Go!
Jack stared in horror at Annie. She must have borrowed a costume from the theater!
He remembered Plato's words: A girl will get in terrible trouble if she tries to attend the Olympic Games.
Jack shook his head at her and pointed his finger, as if to say, Get out of here!
But Annie just waved at him again.
Jack kept shaking his head at Annie. He even shook his fist.
Annie turned back to watch the race.
"It's not a joke!" Jack shouted.
Plato turned and looked at him.
"Of course not," said Plato. "We take the games very seriously."
Jack felt his face grow hot. He glared at Annie's back.
Just then the trumpet sounded.
"The chariots are taking their places," said Plato.
Jack saw the dozens of chariots lined up on the racetrack. Each chariot was pulled by four horses.
Jack glanced back at Annie. She was looking up at him, pointing at the chariots.
The trumpet sounded again.
The horses took off.
The crowd went wild. They were cheering and screaming and stamping their feet.
Clouds of dust rose up as the chariots raced around the track.
Annie turned back to watch the race. She began jumping up and down.
"Go! Go! Go!" she shouted.
A few people began staring at the strange small soldier with the high-pitched voice.
Jack couldn't take it anymore. He had to get Annie away before it was too late!
He shoved his notebook into his pack.
"I have to go!" he shouted to Plato.
The philosopher looked surprised.
Jack was afraid to tell him that Annie had broken the rules.
"I had a great time. But I have to go home now," said Jack. "Thanks for everything!"
"Have a safe journey," said Plato.
Jack waved and started down the steps.
As he climbed down, he saw Annie pull off her helmet.
Her pigtails flew up and down as she jumped and shouted, "Go! Go! Go!"
Her soldier's cape fell off.
Now lots of people were staring at her.
Someone shouted for the guards.
Annie was too busy cheering to notice anything.
Jack moved as quickly as he could.
But two big guards got to Annie first.
Save Annie!
The guards tried to pull Annie away from the chariot race.
Annie looked surprised. Then she looked angry.
"Let go of me!" she shouted.
Jack rushed down the steps of the viewing stand.
The guards were having a hard time pulling Annie through all the people.
"Leave her alone!" Jack yelled.
His voice was lost in the noise of the race. He pushed his way through the crowd.
"Leave her alone!" he kept shouting. "Leave her alone!"
Finally, Jack reached Annie and the guards. He tried to grab her, but a guard blocked his way.
"Let her go!" yelled Jack. "I promise I'll take her home!"
More guards arrived. The crowd began to shout, "Arrest her! Arrest her!"
The guards kept pulling Annie away. "Jack! The story!" cried Annie.
Of course! thought Jack. The poet's story! This is definitely our darkest hour!
He reached into his bag and pulled out the poet's scroll.
He held the story up to the sky.
"Save Annie!" he shouted.
But Jack's voice was again lost in the roar of the race as the four-horse chariots barreled through the dust.
Jack looked around wildly for someoneor something-to help them.
Then suddenly the crowd fell silent.
All heads turned to watch as a huge white horse galloped out of the dust.
The crowd murmured with excitement and wonder.
The white horse was the most beautiful animal Jack had ever seen.
He was pulling an empty chariot.
And he was galloping straight toward Jack.
Fly Away Home
The white horse stopped at the low wall by the edge of the track.
"He's come for us!" cried Annie. The guards stared in awe at the horse. Annie broke free and dashed over to Jack.
He grabbed her hand and they ran to the horse. The guards shouted and started after them. But they were too late. Jack and Annie had already climbed over the wall and into the waiting chariot.
"Go! Go! white horse."
The horse reared and pawed the air!
The crowd stepped back from the wall.
The guards froze.
"Go!" Annie cried to the huge horse.
Jack looked up to where Plato was now standing. Plato smiled and waved at him.
Then the white horse leaped forward, pulling the chariot behind him.
Jack couldn't even wave back at Plato. All he could do was hold on tight as the horse galloped beside the Olympic racers.
Jack bounced up and down. 'Dust and sand got in his eyes. He squeezed them shut and crouched down in the chariot.
He didn't know where they were going. But it didn't matter. The white horse was in charge.
Jack heard the thundering noise of the racing horses and chariots. He heard the screaming crowd.
He felt sand blowing in his face and the hard bumping and rattling of the chariot.
Suddenly, he was thrown backward. He heard a swoosh of wind, then...
Silence.
"Oh wow!" cried Annie.
Jack opened his eyes. All he saw was blue sky. He pushed his glasses into place and looked around.
"Help!" he cried.
The white horse had grown giant feathery wings and was pulling their chariot into the sky.
Jack gripped the railing of the chariot and held on for his life.
"To the tree house!" shouted Annie.
Below, the Olympic crowd watched in stunned silence.
The winged horse left the games behind and flew over the temple of Zeus, over the statue of Nike, over the sacred olive tree and the gymnasium.
On they went: over the poet's house, the Greek theater, and the field of white tents.
Finally, the winged horse coasted to the ground near the olive grove.
The wheels of the chariot bumped onto the grass. Then slowly, slowly, they came to a stop.
Jack and Annie stepped out of the chariot. Jack's legs were so wobbly he could hardly walk.
Annie rushed to the horse and stroked his neck.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Jack patted the horse's long white neck too.
"Thanks," he said. "That was the best ride of my life."
The horse snorted and pawed the ground.
"Come on, Annie. We have to go before they find us," said Jack.
"I don't want to leave him," said Annie. "He's the most beautiful horse in the whole world."
Her eyes filled with tears. "We have to," said Jack.
The horse put his head down and touched Annie's forehead with his soft nose. Then he gave her a gentle push toward the tree house.
Annie sniffled but started walking. Jack took her hand as they walked through the olive grove to the rope ladder of the tree house.
"You first," Jack said.
Annie started up the ladder. Jack followed. When they were inside, Annie hurried to the window. Jack grabbed the Pennsylvania book.
He pointed to a picture of the Frog Creek woods and said, "I wish-"
"Look!" said Annie.
Jack looked out the window. The horse had spread his great feathery wings. He was rising from the field.
The white horse flew high into the blue Olympian sky.
Then he disappeared behind the clouds.
"Bye!" called Annie.
A tear rolled down her cheek.
Jack pointed again at the Pennsylvania book.
"I wish we could go there," he said.
The wind started to blow.
The tree house began to spin.
It spun faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
Jack opened his eyes. Bright, golden sunlight poured into the tree house. The air felt crisp and cool.
Annie was wearing a long dress, a white cap, and an apron.
Jack wore a jacket with a frilly collar. He wore short pants, long socks, leather shoes, and a hat. His backpack was now a leather bag.
"I like your hat," said Annie. "It's funny."
"Yours, too," said Jack.
"You look like a Pilgrim," said Annie.
"So do you," said Jack. "Oh, man. I bet we're in the time of the Pilgrims!"
He and Annie scrambled to the window.
The tree house had landed in a tall oak near the edge of a forest. Red and yellow leaves rattled in the cool breeze. Past the forest was a small village and past the village was the ocean.
"It looks like where the Pilgrims lived," said Jack. "We studied it in school."
He opened the research book and found a picture of the village by the sea. He read aloud:
In 1620, a group of 102 passengers sailed from England to America on a ship called the Mayflower. Many of the people on board wanted freedom of religion. They wanted to worship God in their own way -- not the way the king of England made them. Others wanted to find a new life in a new land. Today, we call all the people who sailed on the Mayflower Pilgrims.
"Yes!" said Annie.
Jack read on:
The Pilgrims wanted to settle near New York. But a storm blew their ship north. They landed in a bay on the coast of what is now Massachusetts. Six years before, Captain John Smith had explored the coast He had named the bay Plymouth.
"Plymouth?" said Annie. "That's where the first Thanksgiving was!"
"Oh, man." Jack smiled. "So that's the feast."
"Wow," said Annie. "My class put on a play about the first Thanksgiving. "
"Mine, too," said Jack.
"I played Priscilla," said Annie. "I played a turkey," said Jack.
"Now we'll get to meet the real Priscilla!" said Annie. "And Squanto! And Governor Bradford and Miles Standish! Come on!"
She started down the ladder.
"Wait. What will we say?" asked Jack.
"We'll just tell them hi and stuff," said Annie.
"Are you nuts?" said Jack. He put the book into his bag. "They won't understand who we are! We need a plan."
He slung the bag over his shoulder and hurried down the ladder after Annie.
"Listen, we need -- " Jack started.
"I know, a plan," said Annie. "But first let's get closer to the village and just watch."
"Okay," said Jack, "but we can't let anyone see us. We have to be careful and quiet."
He and Annie started walking carefully through the woods. But they did not walk quietly. The autumn leaves crunched and crackled under their leather shoes.
"Shh!" said Jack.
"I can't help it," said Annie. "You're doing it, too!"
"Then we have to stop," said Jack. "Let's get behind that tree and watch from there."
They crunched over to a tree at the edge of the woods. In the distance was a row of small log houses with steep thatched roofs.
Jack pulled out the book. He found the part about the village. Then he pushed his glasses up and read to himself:
The Pilgrims brought chickens, geese, goats, and sheep from England. They brought seeds to plant, and they knew how to make traps to catch wild animals for food. But they could not have survived without the help of a Wampanoag (wom-puh-NO-ag) Indian named Squanto. Squanto taught them how to grow corn.
"Hi, you," Annie whispered. Jack looked
Annie was talking to a skinny yellow dog. The dog was sniffing a tree near them.
"Don't let him see us," Jack whispered.
"Why?" said Annie.
The dog looked at them and barked.
"That's why!" said Jack.
The skinny dog barked again and again.
Two Pilgrim men ran from the other side of the houses. Then more Pilgrims appeared. They all looked in the direction of the barking dog.
"Oh, no!" said Jack. "Let's go back! We don't have a plan yet!"
He packed up his book and started away from the tree. Suddenly something tightened around his ankle. A tree branch snapped.
"AHHH!" Jack shouted as he was jerked up into the air.
"Jack!" cried Annie.
The skinny dog barked and jumped around happily.
Jack was hanging a few feet off the ground, with a rope around his ankle. His glasses and hat and bag had fallen to the ground. Jack felt the blood rushing to his head.
"I must have stepped into a hunting trap," he said in a strangled voice.
"I'll free you," Annie said. She tried to reach the rope, but it was too high.
Jack heard voices over the wild barking of the dog. A blur of people gathered around him and Annie.
"Oh, mercy!" a woman cried.
"We have caught a boy!" a man said.
The dog licked Jack's face. "Help," said Jack.
A burly man shooed the dog away, then grabbed Jack. Another cut the rope with a knife. Then they gently lowered Jack to the ground.
Jack sat in the leaves, feeling dizzy. He took the rope off his foot and rubbed his ankle.
"Here," said Annie, handing Jack, his glasses, hat, and bag.
He put them all on and stood up. Now he could see. About forty or fifty Pilgrims -- men, women, and lots of children -- stared at him and Annie. Some of the children were laughing.
The girls were dressed just like the women. The boys were dressed just like the men.
One person, though, looked different from everyone else in the crowd. His skin was brown. A deerskin hung over his shoulder.
His black hair was braided and had a feather in it.
Is that Squanto? Jack wondered. The Wampanoag Indian who helped out the Pilgrims?
Two Pilgrim men stepped forward. One had a smile on his face. The other was frowning.
"Good day!" the friendly-looking man said. "Who art thou?"
"I'm Annie," said Annie. "This is my brother, Jack. We come in peace."
"Welcome to Plymouth Colony," said the man. "I am Governor Bradford. This is Captain Standish. "
Captain Standish kept frowning. He carried a long gun over his shoulder.
"Oh, wow!" said Annie.
"Wow?" said Captain Standish.
"Wow?" whispered others, as if they didn't understand.
"I've just heard a lot about you," said Annie. She looked around. "Is Priscilla here?"
"Shhh!" whispered Jack.
"I am Priscilla," said a young woman. She looked about seventeen or eighteen. Her face looked weary, and her eyes were sad.
"Hi," said Annie shyly. "I was you."
"Annie," warned Jack.
"Thou was me?" Priscilla asked. She sounded puzzled.
"Never mind my sister," said Jack. "She's nuts."
"Nuts?" repeated Priscilla. "Nuts?" whispered others.
"Oh, brother," said Jack, with a nervous laugh.
"Oh, brother?" repeated Priscilla.
Annie giggled.
"Um. Never mind " said Jack. "That's just how we say things at home."
"And where is thy home?" Captain Standish asked. He didn't sound as friendly as Governor Bradford or Priscilla.
"Um, we live in a village up north," said Jack. "Our parents sent us here to, uh" -- he remembered something from their research book -- "to learn how to grow corn."
"But how and when did your family come to America?" the captain asked.
Jack was worried. Now that he had started making up a story, he couldn't back out. Luckily, he remembered something else from their book.
"We sailed to America with Captain John Smith," he said, "when he was exploring the coast. Annie and I were babies then."
"Ah, indeed?" said Governor Bradford.
Jack nodded. "Indeed," he said.
"I believe Squanto knew Captain John Smith when he was in Plymouth," said Captain Standish. "Perhaps he remembers thee."
Everyone in the crowd turned to the man with the braid.
Oh, no! thought Jack. He knew Squanto wouldn't remember them.
"These children say they sailed with Captain John Smith," Governor Bradford said to Squanto. "Does thou remember two wee babes named Jack and Annie?"
Squanto moved closer to Jack and Annie. He looked carefully at their faces. Jack held his breath. His heart pounded.
Squanto turned to the governor.
"Yes," he said quietly. "I remember."
Annie grinned. "Good day, Squanto!" she said.
"Good day, Annie," said Squanto. He smiled at her and Jack.
Jack was too surprised to speak. Why did Squanto say he remembers us? He wondered. Is he mistaking us for two other kids?
Captain Standish looked surprised, too. But Governor Bradford smiled warmly.
"'Tis a wonder," he said. "We welcome all the small folk sent to us. Children are a gift from God -- no matter where they come from."
That's a nice way of looking at things, Jack thought.
Just then, a boy ran up. "Chief Massasoit is here with ninety men!" he shouted.
The boy pointed to a long line of men walking down a path near a cornfield.
Chief Massasoit walked ahead of the others. His face was painted red. He wore a fur robe and white beads.
Governor Bradford, Captain Standish, and Squanto went to meet the visitors.
"Mercy!" a Pilgrim woman whispered. All the Pilgrims looked worried.
"Art thou afraid?" Annie asked.
"Oh, no," said Priscilla. "We invited Chief Massasoit and his men to our harvest feast. But we did not expect so many. We have not prepared enough food. "
Governor Bradford and Squanto spoke to the chief. Then Squanto led a number of men into the woods. And the governor walked back to the Pilgrims.
"The Wampanoag men will hunt more deer." he said. "But we must also bring more food to the table. Priscilla, please tell the young folk what they must do."
The grown-ups went back to the village as the Pilgrim kids gathered around Priscilla. She told some to carry water or set up tables. She told others to gather vegetables or hunt small animals.
Once the kids were given their jobs, they rushed off to do them. Finally only Jack, Annie, and a small girl holding a big basket were left.
"Jack, would thou like to go fowling with the boys?" Priscilla asked him. She pointed to a group of boys who had just headed off with the dog.
Jack stared at her in panic. What does she mean? he wondered.
"'What's 'fowling'?" Annie asked.
"Thou does not know?" said the little "'Tis hunting water birds, of course."
"Jack doesn't know how to do that," Annie.
"'Tis true? How does thou eat and live?" the little girl asked curiously.
"We, uh..." Jack froze.
"We catch -- fish!" said Annie. We do? thought Jack.
"Ah, good!" said Priscilla. "Then I bid thee bring back as many eels and clams as thou can. We have near one hundred fifty mouths to feed." Priscilla took the basket from the small girl and gave it to Annie.
"We will see thee later!" Priscilla said, waving. "Mary and I must go help with the cooking."
"Um...?" said Jack.
But before he could ask any questions, Priscilla and the little girl started back to the village.
Jack looked at Annie.
"We can't stay here," he said.
"What?" she said. "We can't go home now. The Pilgrims need us to help them."
"But we don't know how to do anything!" Jack said. "And Squanto is going to figure out he doesn't really know us. And -- "
"Don't worry so much," said Annie. "We help Mom and Dad make our Thanksgiving dinner every year, don't we? We can help the Pilgrims. But we'd better hurry!"
Clutching the big basket, she started running toward the bay. Jack sighed, then ran after her.
At the rocky shore, they stopped and looked around. Little waves rolled onto the short stretch of sand. The salty air felt clean and fresh. Seagulls swooped over the water.
"I wonder where the eels are?" said Annie. "And the clams?"
"I'll look in the book," said Jack.
He pulled out their book and looked up eels in the index. He turned to the right page and read aloud:
Squanto showed the Pilgrims a way to catch eels. He showed them how to push the eels out of the wet sand with their bare feet, then grab them with their hands.
"That sounds fun!" said Annie. She put down her basket and pulled off her shoes and stockings. She held up her long skirt with one hand. Then she walked over the rocks to the edge of the water.
Jack put the research book into his bag. He pulled off his shoes and stockings and Joined Annie.
They dug their bare feet into the wet sand.
"I don't feel anything," said Jack.
"Let's wade into the water," said Annie.
Together they stepped forward.
"Brrr!" said Annie.
"No kidding!" said Jack with a shiver. He kept squishing the muddy sand with his toes. He felt pebbles and shells. Then he felt something soft.
"Hey, I think I found one," he said. Annie splashed over to him. "Where?"
"Stand back," he said. "Here." Jack squished harder with his feet. The soft thing moved! Jack squished more. An eel slithered through the water.
Jack grabbed it with both hands! "AHH!" he yelled.
The eel was long and skinny like snake. It felt slimy and icky! It twisted and squirmed. Annie laughed as Jack tried to hold on to it.
The eel wiggled out of Jack's hands fell and against Annie.
"Yikes!" she yelled, jumping away and bumping into Jack.
With more screams, they both tumbled into the cold water.
They scrambled up and splashed back to shore. Annie was still laughing.
"Poor eel!" she said, trying to catch her breath. "We scared him half to death!"
"Him?" said Jack.
"F-forget eels," said Annie, her teeth chattering. "What about c-clams?"
Jack was wet and cold. But he took out the book again and looked up clams. He turned to the right page and read aloud:
Squanto taught the Pilgrims how to dig for quahog (KO-hog) clams. Quahog clams are hard-shell clams. They can live for sixty years or more. The oldest have been known to live for almost 100 years. They -- 
. "Oh, forget it," Annie broke in.
"What?" said Jack.
"We can't catch them," she said. "They live to be so old. We can't just end their lives."
Jack sighed. He sat down on a rock. Annie sat next to him. Their clothes were soaking wet. Their feet were caked with muddy sand. Their basket was empty.
"What other things do Pilgrim kids help?" said Annie.
Jack opened the book again. He looked up Pilgrim children. He read aloud:
Pilgrim children worked very hard. They built fences and cared for animals. They planted, harvested, and ground corn. They picked pumpkins, peas, and beans. They guarded the fields. They fished and hunted. They carried water. They collected nuts. They cooked and cleaned. They did everything they were told. They never complained about being tired.
"Oh, man, I feel tired just reading this," said Jack, closing the book. "We make lousy Pilgrim children."
"Yeah, I know," said Annie. "Maybe we could do something like... like keep an eye on the turkey and tell them when it's ready. That's how I help Mom every year."
"Annie, Thanksgiving in Frog Creek is a whole different story from Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims," said Jack.
"Annie! Jack!" a voice called.
Jack quickly put away their book. Then they turned around.
Priscilla was standing on a rock. She held a pumpkin and carried a basket filled with yellow squash and red corn.
"I was looking for you," she said.
"Good day, Priscilla!" said Annie.
"Good day," said Priscilla. She walked to them. "Did thou fill the basket with eels and clams?"
"Not really," said Jack.
"The eel didn't want to get caught," said Annie. "And the clams live to be so old! We didn't think it was right to take their lives."
Priscilla laughed. Her sad eyes sparkled.
"What strange children," she said. "But you both look wet and cold. Would you like to come to my house and warm up by the fire?"
"Yes!" said Jack and Annie.
They washed off their feet and pulled on their shoes and stockings. Jack picked up his bag. Annie picked up their empty basket.
"Would thou like to put some of my corn and squash in thy basket?" said Priscilla.
"Oh, thanks!" said Annie. She took some corn and squash from Priscilla's basket.
"And perhaps thou would like to carry the pumpkin?" Priscilla said to Jack.
"Sure!" said Jack.
"Sure?" said Priscilla.
"I mean, indeed," said Jack. He felt relieved. Now they wouldn't have to go back empty-handed.
Jack wrapped his arms around the heavy pumpkin. Annie carried the basket. They followed Priscilla back to the village.
The Pilgrims and Wampanoag were gathering in a wide dirt street. Women were baking bread in an outdoor oven. Some boys were setting wooden planks on barrels to make tables. Mary, the little girl, was carrying a bucket of water.
Squanto sat smoking a pipe with Chief Massasoit, Governor Bradford, and Captain Standish.
Jack hoped Mary wouldn't ask him about the clams and eels. He hoped Squanto wouldn't ask him about Captain John Smith. He hoped the governor and the captain wouldn't ask him about home. Jack hid his face behind the fat pumpkin.
Priscilla opened the door to a small house. Then she led Jack and Annie into a dark, smoky room. The only light came from one window and a fire.
"Sit by the hearth," said Priscilla, "so your clothes can dry."
"Where's the hearth?" Annie asked, looking around.
Priscilla laughed again, shaking her head. "There, where the fire lies," she said.
Jack put down the pumpkin and his bag. Annie put down her basket. The hearth was so large, Jack could have stood in it. He and Annie got as close as they could to the warm, crackling fire.
Several pots hung over the fire. Near the pots, a turkey was roasting on an iron rod.
"The Thanksgiving turkey," whispered Annie.
"Cool," said Jack. The very first Thanksgiving turkey, he thought.
"Would thou please stir the corn pudding whilst thou art drying?" asked Priscilla. She pointed to one of the pots.
"Indeed," said Jack.
Priscilla took a wooden spoon out of a jug of water near the hearth. She gave it to Jack. He put it into the thick, bubbly pudding and stirred.
"I must gather nuts," said Priscilla. "Whilst I am gone, move the roots close to the ashes and stir herbs into the seafood chowder."
"Indeed," said Annie.
After Priscilla left, Annie looked at Jack.
"What are 'roots' and 'herbs'?" she asked.
"Look in the book," said Jack.
Annie took the research book from Jack's bag. She looked up roots and read aloud:
The Pilgrims called certain vegetables roots. These vegetables, such as carrots and turnips, grow under the ground.
"Ah!" said Jack. He picked up some carrots and turnips near the hearth and moved them close to the hot ashes.
Next, Annie looked up herbs. She read aloud:
The Pilgrims called leafy vegetables that grow above the ground herbs. They made salads with herbs. They used dried herbs to flavor soups and seafood chowders
Jack saw some dried plants hanging from the rafters
"Those must be the herbs," he said. Annie broke off a leaf and sniffed it. "Mmm, that smells good," she said. She leaned close to one of the pots. "And that must be the seafood chowder it smells like the ocean."
She crumbled the leaf into the chowder She took another spoon from the jug of water. She and Jack both stirred pots.
"Good work!" Priscilla said as she stepped back into the room.
Jack smiled. The fire had made him hot and sweaty. The smoke burned his eyes. But he didn't mind. Finally he felt useful.
Priscilla put some walnuts close to the fire.
"Squanto taught us which nuts are good to eat," she said.
"Squanto taught thee a lot," said Annie.
"He saved our lives," Priscilla said quietly. "Last winter we were cold and hungry. Half our people died."
Annie gasped. "How?" she said.
"Sickness," said Priscilla. "Fever took my mother, my father, and my brother." Her eyes were bright with tears.
No one spoke. The sound of the crackling fire filled the room. Then Annie put her arm around Priscilla.
"We're so sorry," said Annie.
"Yes, we are," said Jack.
"Thank you," Priscilla said with a sad smile. "'Twas a terrible winter. But we never gave up hope. And now, God be praised, we have had a good harvest, and we have peace with our neighbors."
In the glow of the firelight, Priscilla was beautiful, Jack thought. Not only was she kind, but she was incredibly brave as well.
"Come," she said. She wiped her eyes and stood up. "Something special is about to take place. Would thou like to watch?"
"Sure! I mean, indeed!" said Annie.
She and Jack jumped up and followed Priscilla outside.
Priscilla led Jack and Annie away from the village toward a large field. The Pilgrims and Wampanoag men had already gathered there.
Jack could hear the beat of a drum. But he couldn't see what was going on.
"Make haste or we will miss it!" said Priscilla.
"Miss what?" asked Annie.
"Captain Standish is about to lead the men and boys," said Priscilla. "They will exercise their arms."
Why do they exercise their arms? Jack wondered. Will they expect me to join in?
As he hurried after Priscilla toward the crowd, Jack practiced He stretched his arms out wide. He made circles in the air. Then he flapped his arms up and down.
Priscilla caught sight of him.
"What art thou doing, Jack?" she asked.
"Exercising my arms," he said.
Priscilla smiled. Then she started to laugh. She laughed and laughed.
So did Jack, but he wasn't sure why.
A loud BANG! came from the field.
Jack jumped. He stopped laughing.
A puff of smoke rose into the air. As the crowd parted, Jack saw the Pilgrim men and boys proudly holding up their long guns.
"What just happened?" said Annie.
"The men fired their muskets," said Priscilla. "On special occasions they like to show off their arms."
Oh! thought Jack. Now I get it! The long guns are muskets, which are also called arms. So "exercising arms" means firing muskets!
Jack blushed. Priscilla must think I'm an idiot, he thought.
But she just smiled at him fondly.
"I thank thee for making me laugh, Jack," she said. "I have not laughed hard in a long time."
Jack shrugged as if he had meant to make her laugh.
"It is time now to serve our feast," said Priscilla "I must help with the bread."
"What can we do?" asked Jack.
"Return to my home," said Priscilla "take the turkey off the spit, put it on a platter, and bring it to a table."
"Oh, great, we get to help with the turkey!" said Annie. "I always help with the turkey at home."
"Good," said Priscilla. "May thou feel my home is thy home today."
Jack was excited, too. He and Annie were about to serve the first turkey at the first Thanksgiving! They ran back to the smoky house and rushed inside.
"Where's the platter?" said Jack, looking around. He saw a flat wooden block. "That must be it."
Annie picked up the wooden platter. "How do we get the turkey on it?" she asked.
They moved close to the fire and stared at the turkey roasting on the iron rod.
"That must be the spit," said Jack. The spit sat on iron legs. It had a handle.
Jack pushed his glasses into place. "I'll lift the spit," he said. "Then we'll push the turkey onto the platter."
"Be careful," said Annie.
Jack reached out and wrapped his fingers around the handle of the iron spit.
"OWW!" he shouted. The handle was super hot! He yanked his hand away and knocked the spit off its legs.
The turkey fell into the fire. The grease from the turkey sputtered and popped. The turkey burst into flame! The fire roared!
"AHH!" yelped Jack and Annie together. They jumped back from the hearth.
Jack grabbed the water pot on the floor. He threw the water into the fire. The fire sizzled and smoke billowed up. When the smoke cleared, the fire was out.
But the turkey was completely black.
Jack buried his face in his hands.
"I don't believe it," he said. "I just burned up the Pilgrims' turkey!"
"Stay calm," said Annie. "I'll get Priscilla.
No, don't tell Priscilla," moaned Jack.
"We have to tell Priscilla" said Annie. She hurried out of the house.
Jack lifted his head and stared at the burned turkey.
"Oh, man," he whispered unhappily. The pilgrims had worked so hard to get their food. They had had such a terrible winter especially Priscilla. And now he had ruined their first Thanksgiving!
The door opened. Annie pulled Priscilla over to the hearth.
"See!" said Annie. "The fire! It burned up!"
"I did it," Jack confessed.
Priscilla just stared at the burned turkey in the wet, messy hearth. Then she looked at Jack. He looked away from her.
"Ah, Jack," Priscilla said softly. "Thou looks sad."
He nodded.
"I ruined everything," he mumbled.
"No, thou did not," said Priscilla She reached out her hand. "Come."
Priscilla led Jack and Annie out into the bright autumn light.
"Look," she said.
Jack saw Pilgrim women and kids walking to the tables. They all carried wooden platters piled with food.
"In the other houses, there was cooking also," said Priscilla.
Jack saw roasted ducks, turkeys, and deer meat. He saw baked fish, lobsters, eels, clams, and oysters.
He saw pumpkins, beans and corn, dried plums, berries and roasted nuts, steamy pots of soups and puddings, and loaves of baked breads.
"We had a very good harvest this fall," said Priscilla. "We stored many vegetables. We salted our fish and cured our meat. And today, our Wampanoag neighbors brought back five deer from the forest for our feast." Jack was relieved to see all the food. Priscilla knelt down and looked him in the
"See, thou did not ruin anything, Jack," she said. "Thou and Annie have helped me a lot this day. You have both made me laugh. And you have both acted with kind hearts."
Jack was amazed. He thought he'd been no help at all.
"Come," said Priscilla. "Let us join the others. Art thou hungry?"
Jack nodded. Seeing all the platters of food had made him really hungry.
He and Annie followed Priscilla.
In the golden glow of autumn light, Jack and Annie joined the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag at the long tables.
Priscilla gave Jack and Annie wooden plates. She gave them big white cloth napkins. Then she served them plenty of food.
Before they started to eat, Governor Bradford stood up to speak.
"Those of us who came here on the Mayflower did not know how to live in this land," he said. "But Squanto came to help us. And today, we give thanks for him, and for the peace we share with his people, and for all our great blessings."
Governor Bradford looked at Jack and Annie.
"Welcome to our feast," he said. "At this moment, three worlds -- your world, our world, and the world, of the Wampanoag are not three. They are one. 'Tis the magic of community."
"Indeed!" said Annie. She clapped her hands and looked at Jack. "We did it," she whispered.
Did what? thought Jack.
Governor Bradford then put his napkin over his shoulder.
"Now!" he said. "Let us feast till our bellies are filled!"
As everyone started to eat, Annie leaned close to Jack.
"We found the special magic," she whispered. "The magic of community. Remember the rhyme?" She repeated Morgan's words:
"To find a special magic, When work and toil are done, Gather all together, Turn three worlds into one."
"Oh, man," said Jack. He'd forgotten all about it.
"We can go home now," said Annie.
"No way," said Jack. "We have to eat first."
Jack and Annie used their fingers to pick up their food. And they ate and ate and ate. Jack tried everything on his plate -- except a little bit of eel and two clams. Everything he did eat, he liked -- even the turnips.
Food really tastes good, he thought as he chewed, when you eat it outside, on a beautiful day, with lots of nice people.
Slowly the feast came to an end. The guests wiped their plates with their last bits of bread. Then they wiped their hands and faces with their napkins.
Jack and Annie stood up.
"We have to go home," Annie said to Priscilla.
"Ah, thou must go back to thine own community now," said Priscilla.
Annie nodded. Then she kissed Priscilla on the cheek.
"Thanks for everything," Annie said.
Jack wanted to kiss Priscilla, too, but he was too shy.
"Thanks, Priscilla," he said.
"I thank thee, Jack," she said. Then she leaned over and kissed his cheek.
Jack felt his face grow red.
"Excuse me, sir," Annie said to Governor Bradford. "But we must leave now."
"Oh, but we have not yet taught thee how to grow corn!" said the little girl Mary.
Squanto stood up.
"Come," he said. "I will walk Jack and Annie back to the forest. I will teach them."
"Oh, thou does not have to do that," Jack said quickly. He feared that once they were alone, Squanto would figure out they'd never met before.
But Squanto only smiled and waited for them to follow.
"Bye, everyone!" said Annie, waving.
Jack waved, too. All the Pilgrims and Wampanoag waved back at them. The skinny dog barked.
Squanto led Jack and Annie away from the village toward the autumn woods. As they passed the cornfield, the dried stalks swayed in the breeze. They made shushing sounds.
Squanto stopped walking. He pointed to the field.
"You must plant corn in the spring," he said. "Put the seed in the ground when the oak-tree bud is as small as a mouse's ear."
"Oh, wait, please," said Jack. He slipped his notebook and pencil out of his bag. It was the first time he'd had a chance to take no all day. He wrote:
How to plant corn
Oak tree bud = mouse ear
Then he looked up at Squanto and nodded. "Dig holes and put two rotting fish in each hole," said Squanto.
"Rotting fish?" said Annie, making a face.
"Yes, rotting fish is good food for the soil," said Squanto. "On top of the fish, place four corn seeds. Then cover them with dirt."
Jack quickly wrote:
2 rotting fish, 4 corn seeds, cover with dirt.
"Got it," he said, looking up.
"I give you these corn seeds to take home," said Squanto. He held up a small pouch.
"Thanks," said Annie, taking the pouch.
"Thanks a lot," said Jack. "Well, good -- bye." Jack was eager to get going -- before Squanto could ask them questions about the past.
"Wait, I have a question," said Annie. "Squanto, why did you say you remembered us?"
Squanto's dark eyes twinkled. "I did not say I remembered you," he said. "I only said I remember "
"What did you remember?" asked Annie.
"I remembered what it was like to be from a different world," said Squanto. "Long ago, I lived with my people on this shore. But one day, men came in ships. They took me to Europe as a slave. In that new land, I was a stranger. I felt different and afraid. I saw the same fear in your eyes today. So I tried to help you."
Annie smiled "We thank thee," she said.
"And now you must always be kind to those who feel different and afraid," said Squanto. "Remember what you felt today."
"Indeed," said Jack.
Before closing his notebook, he added one last thing:
Be kind to those who feel different and afraid.
Squanto bowed.
"Good day, Jack and Annie," he said.
"Good day!" they said.
Squanto turned and headed back to the village. The sun was setting. All of Plymouth was lit with a fiery light.
"It really was a good day," said Annie.
"Yeah, it was," said Jack.
Annie sighed. "Ready to go home?" she asked.
"Indeed," Jack said.
They started running through the woods.
Their feet crunched through the red and yellow leaves. They scrambled up the rope ladder into the tree house.
From the distance came the sounds of the Pilgrims singing a hymn and the Wampanoag beating their drums. Annie picked up the Pennsylvania book. She pointed at a picture of the Frog Creek woods.
"I wish we could go home!" she said.
"Good-bye, Priscilla!" Jack called.
"Good-bye, Squanto!" said Annie. "Good-bye, everyone!"
The wind started to blow.
The wind blew harder.
The tree house started to spin.
It spun faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
Jack opened his eyes. He sighed. They were wearing their own clothes again. His leather bag was a backpack.
Sunlight slanted through the tree house window. As always, no time at all had passed in Frog Creek.
"Home," said Annie. She held up the pouch of corn seeds. "Proof for Morgan we found a special magic."
"The magic of community," said Jack.
Annie placed the pouch on the floor -- next, to the scrolls from Shakespeare and the twig from the gorillas of the cloud forest.
"Let's go," she said.
Jack took the research book out of his pack. He left it under the window. Then they climbed down the rope ladder.
As they started through the woods, a warm wind blew, rattling the leaves. Jack felt happy. He was looking forward to visiting their grandmother today and seeing their cousins and aunts and uncles.
"You know, Pilgrim kids had a really hard life," said Annie.
"Yeah. They did as much work as the grown-ups," said Jack. "Maybe more."
"Worst of all, lots of their friends and family members died," said Annie.
"Yeah," said Jack.
Both were silent for a moment.
"If they could be so thankful," said Annie, "we should be really thankful."
"No kidding," said Jack. "Really, really thankful."
And they were.