Clutching the wand, Jack lay in the pitch-dark. Hepushed up his goggles, but he still couldn't seeanything.
"You there?" It was Annie's voice.
"Yes," said Jack.
"You okay?""Yes. But we're really in trouble now," said Jack.
"We fell way down into a dark hole, and the wanddoesn't work." He struggled to sit up.
"Well, maybe we should try again," said Annie.
"What's the point?" said Jack. "We'll never get outof here now."75Jack and Annie were silent for a moment.
"Hey--we're moving!" Annie said.
"Moving?" said Jack. Theyweremoving. The ice under them was gliding silentlyand smoothly through the darkness.
"What's happening?" said Jack.
"Maybe we're not in a hole," said Annie. "Look,there's light ahead."In the distance they saw a glimmer of light. As theykept moving, the light grew brighter. It grew brighterand brighter, until they slipped out of a dark tunnelinto dazzling light.
Now Jack could see they were lying on a slab of ice,floating down a narrow river.
"We're on an ice raft!" said Annie.
"What's happening?" said Jack again.
"I don't know," said Annie. "But I think maybe thewanddidwork."The ice raft floated through light and shadow, pasttall frozen cliffs. Then it glided toward an archway inone of the cliff walls.
"Where are we going?" asked Jack.
76The raft floated through the archway into agigantic cavern. The cavern was like a huge icycathedral. Its walls shone as if they were coveredwith silver.
"Ohhh," whispered Annie.
"Whatisthis place?" said Jack.
"I don't know. But now I'msurethe wand worked," said Annie.
The ice raft kept floating along a thin river insidethe cavern, past icy archways and jagged ledges. Jackfelt as if they were being watched. He thought heheard whispering and breathing.
"Look!"said Annie. She pointed to one of the caveopenings. Standing on the ledge outside the caveentrance were two penguins. They looked just likethe emperor penguins Jack and Annie had seenearlier.
Jack and Annie stood up so they could see better.
As their raft floated toward the ledge, the penguin infront stepped back into the cave. The other didn'tmove.
77"Oh, man!"said Jack.
The penguin wore a glittering crown.
"Theancient crown,"Jack whispered. "We found it!"Annie didn't say anything. She just smiled as theice raft floated straight toward the emperor penguin.
It hit the ledge with a gentle bump.
"Hi," Annie said simply.
The penguin made deep murmuring sounds. Hedidn't speak in human speech. But somehow Jack andAnnie could understand every word:
Welcome to the Cave of the Ancient Crown.
Annie bowed. The penguin had such dignity, Jackbowed, too.
The emperor spoke again:
Come.
He beckoned with his wing, then turned.
Annie stepped off the ice raft onto the ledge andfollowed the emperor into the cave. Jack put theWand of Dianthus into his pack. He hoisted the packonto his back and tried to balance his weight so hecould step from the raft to the ledge.
78"Hurry!" said Annie, poking her head out of thecave.
"I'm coming!" said Jack. He leapt from the raft ontothe ledge, then hurried into the cave.
The Cave of the Ancient Crown was sparkling.
Icicles hung everywhere. Pillars of ice glimmeredwith blue light. From behind a row of ice pillars camethe sound of music--strange music, unlike any Jackhad ever heard before. It sounded like the music of athousand icicle wind chimes.
79The emperor led Jack and Annie around the pillars.
"Oh, wow," said Annie.
Penguin couples were dancing to the strange musicon a glittering ice rink. Pink and blue lights spilledover the dancers as they gracefully glided and turned.
Some penguins danced silently with their eyes closed.
Others touched beaks. A group of baby penguinsdanced together, hopping and sliding on the ice.
80"How--how could this be happening?" stammeredJack.
"Don't ask," whispered Annie. "It's magic."A murmur went through the ballroom as thepenguins began to notice Jack and Annie. Though thestrange music kept playing, all the dancers came to astop. None of the penguins seemed alarmed, though.
They all looked at their visitors with calm, friendlyfaces.
The emperor spoke to Jack and Annie:
Word reached us earlier that you saved one of ourown. We have been hoping to meet you.
Puzzled, Jack looked at Annie.
"When we first got here, remember?" shewhispered.
"Oh, right," said Jack. He'd forgotten all aboutrescuing the small penguin from the petrel.
You may stay with us for as long as you wish,said the emperor.
You are honored members of our tribe now.
"Thank you," said Annie. "But we can't stay81long. We came to Antarctica to look for a secret ofhappiness.""To save one of our friends," said Jack. It feltnatural to tell the emperor and his tribe the truth.
They lived in a world as magical as the world ofCamelot. "His name is Merlin. He's the magician ofCamelot, and he's really sad."The penguins began murmuring and whispering toone another. Jack couldn't understand what they weresaying. From the back of the crowd, a baby penguinwaddled forward, the tiniest one in the tribe.
"Oh, look...," breathed Annie.
Jack grinned from ear to ear. The baby was a fuzzygray ball with big dark eyes. It was even smaller thanthe young penguin they had saved from the petrel.
The little penguin waddled up to the emperor.
Peep, peep,she said.
The emperor looked down at her.
Peep, peep.
82She says she wishes to go with you,said the emperor.
She wants to help your friend.
"But she's so little!" said Annie. "What about hermom and dad?"She is an orphan,said the emperor.
Her parents were lost in a terrible storm. But she isvery brave and full of joy. I know that she will bringhappiness to your friend Merlin.
Annie turned to the baby penguin. "Thank you,"she said. Then she leaned over and patted thepenguin's tiny head. "Oh, touch her, Jack. She's sosoft."Jack patted the baby on the head, too. As hetouched her soft little feathers, she tilted her head andstared at him with her big eyes. Jack felt a wave oftenderness for the baby penguin. He couldn't believeshe was an orphan. Tears came to his eyes, but hequickly blinked them away and cleared his throat.
"Thanks, Penny," he said.
Annie giggled. Jack couldn't believe he'd justnamed the little penguin Penny. Usually Annie wasthe one who named the animals.
8384Peep,said Penny.
She would like you to pick her up,said the emperor.
"Oh. Okay," said Jack. He leaned over and held outhis arms. Penny snuggled close to his parka.
Peep!
Jack laughed and picked Penny up. He held thelittle penguin tightly.
The emperor turned to the crowd. He saidsomething Jack couldn't understand. The crowdparted to make a path. The emperor nodded at Jackand Annie.
Let us go now,he said. As Jack, Annie, and Penny left with theemperor, the penguins flapped their wings againsttheir bodies, applauding.
"Good-bye!" Annie called to the crowd.
Jack smiled and waved.
Peep!
said Penny.
The icicle chime music grew softer and softer asJack and Annie followed the emperor through thecave.
85The tall penguin led them outside onto the ledge.
Thank you for your help today,he said.
"Thankyoufor letting Penny come with us," said Annie.
"We promise to take good care of her. We'll take herto Merlin," said Jack.
The emperor touched the orphan's downy headwith the tip of his wing. He leaned close to her andsoftly murmured something in her ear.
Peep,Penny said.
The emperor looked up at Jack and Annie. Silently,he bowed to them and they bowed back. Then theemperor penguin turned and walked back into theCave of the Ancient Crown.
Jack sighed. For a moment, he hated to leave theenchanted world of the penguins.
"Oh, she's cold, Jack," said Annie.
Jack looked down. Penny was shivering in his arms.
"Put her inside your parka," said Annie.
86Jack unzipped his parka and carefully placed thelittle penguin against his sweater. He pulled thezipper back up. He held Penny close to him.
"Perfect," said Annie. "Just make sure she canbreathe okay.""Don't worry," said Jack, patting his jacket. "I'll takegood care of her.""Do you think we can use the wand now to getback?" asked Annie.
Jack nodded. "I think so," he said. "I can't think ofany other way.""Should we tell it to take us to the tree house?"asked Annie. "Or Frog Creek? Or Camelot?""No, we have to go back to Mount Erebus first,"said Jack. "If Nancy finds out that Pete never pickedus up, she reallywillhave a heart attack.""Oh, right," said Annie. "Then we better put on ourmasks and goggles again."Jack pulled up his face mask and pulled down hisgoggles. "Get the wand out of my pack," he said.
87Annie reached into Jack's backpack and pulled outthe Wand of Dianthus. "Okay, ready?" she said.
Jack patted his parka, comforting the baby penguin.
"Here we go, Penny," he said, "on a big adventure."Annie held up the wand, then took a deep breathand said, "TAKE US BACK TO NANCY!"In less than an instant, Jack and Annie and Pennywere on the slope of Mount Erebus. |