Annie and Jack ran over to the cart. In the back of itwas a cage. In the cage was a big brown bear.
The bear was slumped over, his head still down.
The sign on the cart said DAN THE DANCINGBEAR.
"Dan?" Annie asked. "Are you going to fight?"The lonely-looking bear raised his huge head andlooked at Annie. His dark eyes were sad. He let out alow moan.
"I understand," Annie said. "You don't want tofight. You're asking me to take you away." Anniereached for the door of the bear's cage.
"Away with you!" someone angrily. "That's mybear!"Jack and Annie whirled around. The driver wascharging toward them.
"He's mine! I'm selling him!" the man shouted.
"Come on, Annie. Let's go," said Jack. He pulled herinto the crowd walking down the road.
"But I have to save Dan!" said Annie, looking overher shoulder. "That guy wants to sell him to the bearfights!""I know," said Jack. "But we can't just steal him.
That guy is his owner."Jack looked around. He needed to get Annie's mindoff the bear. He saw the group of older kids from thebridge. They were walking toward a round whitebuilding.
"Hey, look, the kids from the bridge!" he said. "Let'ssee where they're going.""What about Dan?" said Annie.
"We can figure that out later," said Jack. "Let'sfollow those kids now."He steered Annie toward the white building. Whenthey got closer, Jack read the sign out front:
A PLAY AT THE GLOBE THEATER!
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAMGreat! thought Jack. Annie loved plays. She lovedacting in them at school.
A man stood at the door of the theater. He washolding a box.
"A penny to stand! A penny to stand!" he shouted.
The older kids dropped coins into the box and wentinside.
"Wow, the play costs only a penny!" said Jack.
"That's cheap!""But we don't have any pennies," said Annie.
"Besides, I want to go back and free the bear."Jack sighed.
"What will you do with him if you free him,Annie?" he asked.
"I'll figure something out," she said.
"Well, figure it out when the owner's not standingthere," Jack said. "Right now, let's learn somethingabout this play."He quickly pulled out their research book. He founda picture of the Globe Theater. He wanted Annie toforget about the bear, so he read with lots of feeling:
The first theaters were built in old England.
Because there was no electricity, plays wereperformed during the day, when it was light. Almosteveryone could afford to go.
"Neat, huh?" said Jack.
Annie sighed.
Jack kept reading in a loud, dramatic voice:
Seating for the audience depended on how muchwas paid. The people who could afford the higherprices sat in galleries above the stage. Others stood inan area below the-- "Boy!" someone shouted. Jacklooked up.
A man hurried over to Jack and Annie. He waslong-legged, with a trim beard and twinkly eyes.
"I could hear you from across the way," the mansaid. "You read very well!"Jack smiled shyly.
"No, you are simply brilliant!" the man said. "And Iam in great need of a boy who is a brilliant reader!" |