Dolphins at Daybreak (6 page)

“Fun?” said Jack. “You call being squeezed by an octopus and chased by a shark
fun
?”

“Don't forget the dolphins,” Annie said simply.

Jack smiled. “Right,” he said. The dolphins made up for everything.
They
were fun.

“I guess they were the true pearl in the oyster,” said Annie.

“Yep … ” said Jack. “I wonder what Sam is doing right now.”

“Sam?” Annie grinned at him. “You're nuts,” she said.

They climbed their steps and went into their house.

“We're back!” Annie shouted.

“Did you get your shoes wet?” their mom called.

“Not one bit,” called Jack. Then he and Annie slipped up the stairs to change their clothes.

Jack and Annie were sitting on the porch of their house. Annie was gazing down the street at the Frog Creek woods. Jack was reading a book.

“I have a feeling we should check the woods again,” said Annie.

“Why?” said Jack without looking up.

“A rabbit's hopping by,” said Annie.

“So? We've seen rabbits before.”

“Not like this one,” said Annie.

“What do you mean?” Jack stood up and looked with her.

He saw a rabbit with very long legs hopping down their street. Soon the rabbit left the sidewalk and headed into the woods.

“He's a sign,” said Annie.

“A sign of
what
?” said Jack.

“That Morgan's back,” said Annie. She jumped off the porch. “Come on!”

“But what about dinner?” Jack said. “Dad said it would be ready soon.”

“Don't worry,” said Annie. “You know when we leave in the tree house, time stops.”

She ran across their yard.

Jack pulled on his backpack. “Back in ten minutes!” he called through the screen door. Then he followed Annie.

They hurried down their street and into
the Frog Creek woods. The sun was setting above the trees.

“There he is!” said Annie.

The rabbit was standing in a ray of sunlight. When he saw them, he took off.

Jack and Annie followed the rabbit until he vanished behind the tallest tree.

“I told you! See?” said Annie, panting. She pointed up at the tree.

Morgan le Fay was waving to them from the magic tree house high in the branches.

Jack and Annie waved back to her. As always, Jack was very happy to see the enchantress librarian again.

“Come on up!” she called.

Annie and Jack started up the rope ladder. They climbed up to the tree house.

“We followed a strange rabbit here,” said
Annie. “Is he your friend?”

“Perhaps,” said Morgan. She smiled mysteriously. “I have many odd friends.”

“Including us,” said Annie.

Morgan laughed. “That's right.”

“How are you?” said Jack.

“I'm still having problems with Merlin,” said the enchantress, “which leaves me little time to do my real work. But soon you both will become Master Librarians, and that will be a big help to me.”

Jack smiled. He was going to be a Master Librarian who traveled through time and space. It was almost too good to believe.

“Are you ready to solve another riddle?” asked Morgan.

“Yes!” said Jack and Annie together.

“Good,” said Morgan. “First, you'll need
this for research … ”

She pulled a book from her robe and handed it to Jack. It was the book that would help them on their journey.

The title of the book was
Days of the Wild West
. On the cover was a picture of a western town on a prairie.

“Oh, wow,” said Annie. “The Wild West!”

Jack took a deep breath.
Just how wild
? he wondered.

Morgan reached into the folds of her robe again and pulled out a scroll. She handed it to Annie.

“Read this when the tree house lands,” she said.

“Is it the riddle?” asked Jack.

“Yes,” said Morgan. “Then you'll only have two more to solve. Are you ready to go?”

Jack and Annie nodded. Annie pointed to the picture on the cover of the Wild West book.

“I wish we could go there,” she said.

The wind started to blow.

“Good-bye!” said Morgan. “Good luck!”

The tree house started to spin.

Jack squeezed his eyes shut.

The tree house spun faster and faster.

Then everything was still.

Absolutely still.

Jack opened his eyes.

Morgan le Fay was gone.

A fly buzzed around his head.