Finally, the hugging and crying and laughing dieddown. The villagers started walking back to theirhuts.
Jack and Annie followed Boka, Kama, and theirparents.
"We felt the ground shaking," said Boka and Kama'sfather. "We knew a big wave might follow!""Jack saved us!" said Boka. "He read in a book andfound out about the big waves.""What's a book?" asked his mother.
"Show them," Annie said to Jack.
Jack reached into his pack and took out theirresearch book.
"It tells about the big waves in here," he said.
"Books give lots of information.""Ah," said Boka and Kama's mother. "A book is agood thing.""Books tell stories, too," said Annie.
"That is impossible," said Kama. "The book cannotmove its feet or wave its hands. It cannot sing orchant.""That's true," said Jack, smiling.
"Now we should do the hula," Boka said to Annie,Kama, and Jack, "and tell our story.""I'll watch," said Jack, stepping away. Boka andKama's father called for music. The villagers gatheredaround. A man started to play a pipe. A teenage boyknocked two sticks together. Some women beganshaking rattles.
Boka, Kama, and Annie waved their hands in timeto the music. They stepped from side to side. Theyswayed their hips.
Kama chanted about going out into the water. She,Boka, and Annie waved their hands to show howthey paddled out to sea.
Kama chanted about how Jack had warned them.
She and the others waved their hands to show howthey rode their surf boards to shore.
Then Jack surprised himself. He waved his hands toshow how he rode his surfboard like a bird soaringthrough the air. The next thing he knew, he wasstepping from side to side. He was swaying his hips.
He was doing the hula!
Kama chanted about how the water had pulledaway from the shore--and how they had climbed tosafety--and how the giant wave had crashed againstthe cliff.
"even when they are far apart.""Have a good journey in your magic tree house,"said Kama.
"Thanks," said Jack and Annie. They waved to allthe villagers. "Aloha!""Aloha!" everyone called back.
Then Annie and Jack started through the meadow.
Tiny yellow birds and orange-and-black butterfliesflitted about them.
At the edge of the meadow, they came to the groveof palm trees. They climbed up the rope ladder intothe tree house.
Out the window, Jack saw the tall mountains, thesmall village, the flowery meadow, and the ocean.
The water was peaceful again.
"I still have my lei," said Annie.
She took it off. Though the red flowers were wet,they were still a little fluffy.
"It's proof that we found the special magic," saidJack. "The magic of friendship."Annie put the lei on the floor next to the playscrolls, the twig, and the corn seeds. Then she pickedup the Pennsylvania book.
"Ready?" she asked.
Jack sighed. "I love Hawaii," he said.
"Finally, you admit it," said Annie. She pointed at apicture of the Frog Creek woods. "I wish we could gohome now."The wind started to blow.
The tree house started to spin.
It spun faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still. |