Jack, Annie, and Teddy crunched through fallenleaves until they came to Merlin's oak. They foundthe hidden door near the rope ladder. Teddy pushedon the bark.
The door opened. One by one, they slipped into thecandlelit hollow of the tree trunk.
Merlin was sitting in his tall wooden chair. "So yourestored order to the castle?" he said calmly.
"Yes, sir," said Teddy. "Had to use a bit of magic,but now all is well."96"Your rhyming must have improved," Merlin said toTeddy.
Teddy grinned sheepishly. "Well, to be truthful, thereal magic was not in my rhymes. 'Twas the magic ofJack and Annie's courage and kindness that saved theday-and saved me, too.""Indeed?" said Merlin.
"Aye," said Teddy. "They have a magic as powerfulas any sorcerer's rhymes or enchanted hazel twig."Merlin raised a bushy eyebrow. "Enchanted hazeltwig?" he said.
"'Tis only a figure of speech," Teddy said quickly.
Merlin turned to Jack and Annie. "I thankyou for your help," he said. "All the realm ofCamelot thanks you.""You're welcome," they said.
Merlin stood up. "Come along, my boy," he said toTeddy. "I will help speed you back to97Morgan now. My research is done. We must returnthese rare books to her library."He reached down and picked up a stack of ancientlooking books from the floor. He piled them intoTeddy's arms.
98Teddy turned awkwardly with his books. Then heand Jack and Annie followed Merlin out of the heartof the oak.
The sun had risen higher in the sky. The woodswere still.
Teddy peered over the tops of the books. "I supposewe must say good-bye now," he said to Jack andAnnie.
"When willwe seeyou again?" asked Annie. "When duty calls, Isuppose," said Teddy. He looked at Merlin.
The magician smiled.
"Will you be able to find your way home all right?"Teddy asked them.
"Oh, sure, " said Jack. "The tree house will take usback."He and Annie looked up at the magic tree house atthe top of the oak. A sudden gust of wind rustled theleaves.
Jack and Annie turned back to Merlin andTeddy.
But they were gone. Bright yellow99leaves swirled and danced in the spot where they'dbeen standing.
WOW ... " said Annie.
"Yeah ... said Jack.
"Well, " said Annie, sighing. "Onward?""Homeward!" said Jack.
Annie started up the rope ladder. Jack followed.
When they climbed inside the tree house, Merlin'sleaf invitation was fluttering off the floor. Before itcould blow out the window, Annie grabbed it. Shepointed to the wordsFrog Creek.
"I wish we could go there!" she said. The windstarted to blow.
The tree house started to spin. It spun faster andfaster! Then everything was still. Absolutely still.
Jack opened his eyes. He and Annie sat quietly onthe floor of the tree house for a moment. Jack100looked out the window. High overhead, a bird wassoaring through the dusky sky.
Jack could hardly believe that just a little while ago,he had been a bird himself.
"Ready to go home?" said Annie.
Jack nodded. There was no way to explain whathad just happened to them, he thought. There was noway to even talk about it.
Annie carefully placed Merlin's autumn leaf in thecorner of the tree house, next to their RoyalChristmas Invitation. Then she and Jack climbeddown the ladder and started through the woods.
In the gathering dark of Halloween night, nothingseemed very spooky. Jack knew all the trees. He knewthe familiar path out to their street.
As he and Annie headed toward home, threecreatures stepped onto the sidewalk in front of them-ahideous witch, a grinning skeleton, and a huge, hairyeyeball.
101The creatures cackled and rattled and hissed.
Jack and Annie laughed.
"Oh, brother," said Jack. "Good costumes, 11 saidAnnie.
Jack and Annie crossed their yard and climbed theirfront steps. "Are you ready for trick-or-treating?" saidAnnie.
Jack pushed his glasses into place. "You know, Ithink maybe I'll stay home this year," he said, 44 andhelp Mom and Dad give out the treats.""Yeah, maybe I will, too," said Annie. "But I thinkI'll wear my vampire-princess costume anyway."Jack smiled. "Cool," he said.
Then he and Annie slipped inside their warm, cozyhouse-and closed the door against the dark of AllHallows Eve. |