Jack looked over the edge of the riverbankAnnie had fallen info a pool of mud near the waterThe 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 stickingout 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 afallen tree branch near the bank.
He raced to it, picked it up, and carried it back toAnnie. Only her head and arms stuck out of the mudnow.
Jack held out the branch. Annie grabbed it.
"Hold tight," said Jack. "I'll drag you over to theroots!"Lie started pulling on the branch.
"I'm still sinking!" Annie wailed. The mud was upto her chin.
"Come on!" said Jack. "You can do it! I know youcan! Try! Try!"Just then, Jack heard a splash! He looked up.
On the other side of the wide river, a wildebeesthad jumped into the water. Another jumped.. .thenanother. They were headed right toward Jack andAnnie.
"Hold on tight!" said Jack. He pulled on the stickagain.
Annie moved a tiny bit.
"Hey, Jack, on the moon it felt like I weighed tenpounds," said Annie. "And in this mud it feels like Iweigh a ton.""Concentrate, Annie," said Jack, trying not to slipdown the bank.
"I am."The lead wildebeests were halfway across,swimming toward them. Many more wildebeestswere jumping into the water.
"It's now or never!" said Jack. He took a deepbreath. He pulled really hard.
Just then, a shadow passed over them. Jack lookedup.
"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. Shelunged for the roots. She grabbed them!
"Yes!" cried Jack. "Pull! Pull!"Slowly, Annie pulled herself out. She was coveredwith the black mud from head to toe.
Jack helped her onto the bank, getting mud all overhimself.
"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. Hepushed 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 wildebeestsstruggling to swim across the river.
"Not here," she shouted. "Not here!"But the frantic swimmers kept coming. |