"We have to save all of Venice?" said Jack. "That's abig responsibility. What do we have to save Venicefrom?""Well, if Neptune's going to help us, it must havesomething to do with water," said Annie.
"Yeah, like the water that's flooding the alleys," saidJack.
"But the woman at the café told us not to worryabout that," said Annie.
"I'm still worried," said Jack. "Let's look upfloodsin our Venice book." He foundfloodsin the80index. He turned to the right page and read:
Most of the time, high water in Venice is notserious. But if several conditions are present at thesame time, a flood disaster can occur.
"A flood disaster! That must be it!" said Annie. "Sowhat are the conditions?""It lists them here," said Jack. He read:
A high tideStrong winds from the southHeavy flow of water from the mountains Severestorms at sea"There's a high tide tonight--the passenger with thebird mask in the gondola told us that," said Annie.
"Yeah, and winds from the south--the weather vanetold us that," said Jack.
"And water's flowing down from the mountains-thewoman at the café told us that," said Annie.
81"Yeah, and storms out at sea--I saw lightning whenwe crossed the water," said Jack.
"All the conditions are here," said Annie.
Jack and Annie looked around. Water was nowflowing steadily from the alleyways into the smallsquare. It had risen above their ankles.
"I get it now," said Jack. "The water will just keepgetting higher and higher until it destroys the wholecity. And no one's paying attention!""Neptune's the only one who can help us stop theflood," said Annie.
"But Neptune's not real," said Jack. "I mean, he's acharacter in mythology, and mythology's not real life.
It's--""Okay, okay," said Annie. "Let's just take one stepat a time. At midnight two guys will tell us the time,and then we should climb to the top of their tower,right?""Right," said Jack.
"So what we have to do now is find those twoguys!" said Annie.
82"Let's go back to the waterfront," said Jack. "Theman with the dog said everyone in Venice would bethere for the fireworks."Jack put away their book. Then he and Annieretraced their steps over the footbridge and backthrough the alleys. Lots of seaweed was floating inthe narrow lanes between buildings.
Water is definitely flowing in from the sea,Jack thought.
When they got back to Saint Mark's Square, peoplewere streaming toward the waterfront. Jack andAnnie walked with the crowd. Everyone was talkingand laughing as they looked up at the sky over thewater, waiting for the fireworks to begin. No one paidattention to the damp winds or the seawater spillingover the side of the canal, soaking their shoes.
"Excuse me!" Annie shouted. "Can anyone tell usthe time?"No one answered, for just then the first explosion offireworks shook the night. The crowd cheered as blueand red showers exploded in the sky.
83In the distance, a clock started to chime. Jackcounted the bongs.
"Twelve!" he said. "It's midnight now, according tothatclock."More fireworks exploded over the waterfront, andanother clock began clanging. This time, Jack countedonly eleven bongs. He shook his head. "This is crazy!"he muttered.
Jack looked around at the crowd. "Can anyone tellus the real time?" he yelled. "Is it midnight yet? Cananyone tell us?"No one answered--not evenoneman, much less two. Everyone wasoohingandaahingover the dazzling fireworks.
Another clock began to sound. This one was muchlouder than the first two.
BONG!
"This is hopeless!" said Jack.
BONG!
"We'll never know the right time," he said.
BONG!
"Jack, look over there--" said Annie.
84[Picture: Jack and Annie stand up to their knees inwater, surrounded by adults in costumes and masks.]
85BONG!
"We'll never find the two men with the tower," saidJack.
BONG!
86"Jack, look--" said Annie.
BONG!
"All of Venice is about to drown in a flood," saidJack.
BONG!
"And everyone's just cheering for fireworks!" saidJack.
BONG!
"JACK! LOOK!"said Annie. She pointed toward the clock tower inSaint Mark's Square.
BONG!
Jack saw a huge bell on top of the tower. Twobronze statues were holding a club and striking thebell.
BONG!
The statues were oftwo men.
BONG!
"At midnight two men will tellyouthe time,"said Annie.
BONG!
The two men struck the bell for the twelfth timeand then stopped.
87"Come on!" cried Jack. "We have to climb thattower!"More fireworks thundered over the canal as Jackand Annie pushed their way back through the crowd.
They ran into Saint Mark's Square and splashed theirway to the tall tower with the two men on top. Theyran to the arched entrance of the tower and steppedinside. The air was damp and musty.
"Stairs!" said Jack. He ran to a dark, windingstairway and started up. Annie followed. Theyclimbed and climbed until they reached the top of thetower.
Jack was breathing hard as he pushed open a heavydoor that led out onto the bell terrace. The twostatues were frozen on either side of the bronze bell.
As soon as Jack and Annie stepped onto the terrace,the wind blew their hats off their heads. The air wasfilled with cracking and hissing sounds as morefireworks burst through the sky. Everyone on thewaterfront was clapping and cheering.
88"What's the next thing Merlin tells us to do to findNeptune?" Annie shouted.
Jack pulled out Merlin's letter. Holding on to ittightly as it flapped in the wind, he read aloud:
The King of the Jungle will carryyouthere, Not over land, but high in the air.
"The King of the Jungle is a lion," said Annie. "So itsounds like we need to find a flying lion!" "Right,"said Jack. "But where?""How aboutthatone?" said Annie. She was pointing over the terracerailing.
Jack looked clown. Standing on the wide ledgebelow was the stone statue of a lion. Growing out ofthe lion's back were two powerful-looking carvedwings.
"But that's just a statue," cried Jack. "How can astatue take us anywhere?"Annie grinned. "I think it's time to use a little moremagic," she said. |