Viking Ships at Sunrise (6 page)

“Boy, I'm glad to be back in my jeans,” said Annie.

Jack opened his eyes. He still felt damp. But he was glad to be wearing his jeans again, too.

“Welcome home,” said Morgan. She was standing in the shadows. “Are you all right?”

“Of course!” piped Annie.

“And we brought back the lost book,” said Jack.

He reached in his backpack and took out the jeweled book of Brother Michael. He handed it to Morgan.

The enchantress sighed. She ran her hand over the sparkling cover.

“A great work of art,” she said.

Morgan then put the book next to the scroll from Roman times and the bamboo book from ancient China.

“I'm afraid the story you wanted is not all there,” said Jack. “Brother Michael didn't get the chance to finish it.”

Morgan nodded.

“I know,” she said. “Sadly, we have only bits and pieces of many wonderful old stories.”

“What's the story about?” asked Annie.

“It's an ancient Irish tale about a great serpent named Sarph,” said Morgan.

“He saved us by pushing our ship over the stormy waves!” Annie said.

“Sarph was a huge, ugly monster,” said Jack.

Morgan smiled.

“Sometimes monsters can be heroes,” she said.

“What about Vikings?” asked Jack.

“Oh, most definitely, Vikings could be heroes, too,” she said. “In fact, once the Vikings settled down, they became more than just a warrior people. They actually added a lot to civilization.”

“We found
civilization
on our trip,” said Annie.

“Yeah,” said Jack, “in the library of the monastery.”

Morgan smiled again.

“Their library was a light in the Dark Ages, wasn't it?” she said.

Jack nodded. He thought of Brother Michael and the other monks making their beautiful books by candlelight.

“Thank you also for your great courage,” Morgan said. “You are both heroes, too.”

Jack smiled shyly.

“Go home now and rest,” said Morgan.

“Bye,” Jack and Annie said together.

They started down the tree house ladder. The sky was turning pink and gold.

When they reached the ground, Morgan called out to them, “Come back in two weeks. I need you to find one more lost book.”

“Where is it?” said Jack.

“Ancient Greece,” said Morgan. “A place with the highest civilization—
and
the first Olympic games.”

“Oh, wow!” said Annie.

Jack was thrilled. He had always wanted to go to ancient Greece.

Jack and Annie took off through the woods.

The sun was rising when they got to their front porch.

Annie opened the front door. She stuck her head inside and listened.

“Everything's quiet,” she whispered. “I think Mom and Dad are still sleeping.”

She moved quietly inside.

Jack turned back to watch the red sun rise through a clear blue sky.

He thought about how it was the same sun that had risen in Ireland—over a thousand years ago.

“Shine, O light of the sun,” Jack whispered, “on this day filled with wonder.”

Then he slipped inside his quiet house.

Here's a special preview of
Magic Tree House #16
Hour of the Olympics

Available now!

Excerpt copyright ©
1998
by Mary Pope Osborne.
Published by Random House Children's Books,
a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

“You awake?” Annie's voice came out of the dark.

“Yep,” said Jack from his bed.

“Get up,” said Annie. “We have to get to the tree house before sunrise.”

“I'm ready,” said Jack.

He threw back his covers and jumped out of bed. He was wearing his jeans and T-shirt.

“You slept in your clothes?” asked Annie.

“I didn't want to waste any time,” said Jack. He pulled on his backpack.

Annie laughed.

“You must really be excited about going to ancient Greece,” she said.

“Yep,” said Jack.

“Do you have your secret library card?” asked Annie.

“Yeah, do you?” said Jack.

“Sure. Put it in your backpack,” she said. She handed her card to him. “I'll carry the flashlight.”

“All set,” said Jack.

They tiptoed downstairs and out the door.

Outside the air was fresh and cool.

“There's no moon,” said Annie. “Just stars.”

She turned on her flashlight.

“Ta-da!” she said. “Let's go.”

They followed the beam of light across their yard and up the street.

Jack was thrilled to be going to ancient Greece. But something worried him.

“What do you think will happen after we go to Greece?” he asked Annie. “Is this our last mission ever?”

“Oh, I hope not,” said Annie. “What do you think?”

“I don't know. Let's ask Morgan,” said Jack.

“Hurry!” said Annie.

They started running. The flashlight beam flew in front of them, lighting the way.

They slowed to a walk when they got to the Frog Creek woods. The thick woods were pitch-black.

Annie shined the flashlight upward as they walked between the trees. Finally, they found the magic tree house.

“We're here!” Annie called.

“Go on up,” said Jack.

Annie grabbed the rope ladder and started up. Jack followed.

Annie shined the flashlight around the tree house.

Morgan le Fay was sitting at the window. She covered her eyes when the light hit her face.

“Turn off the light, please, Annie,” she said softly.

Annie turned it off.

“Welcome,” Morgan said in the dark. “Are you ready for your next mission?”

“Yes!” said Annie. Then her voice got quiet. “This isn't our last one ever, is it?”

“Ask me that question
after
this mission,” said Morgan.

“We want to go on more,” said Jack.

“You're very brave to say that,” said Morgan. “You've had three very hard journeys as Master Librarians.”

“Oh, they weren't so hard,” said Jack.

“You risked your life to save the lost story of Hercules,” said Morgan.

“It was nothing,” said Annie.

“
And
the Chinese story of the silk weaver,” said Morgan. “And the Irish story of the serpent monster Sarph. Thank you.”

“You're welcome,” said Jack and Annie.

“Now,” said Morgan, “for the last story … ”

Jack heard a rustling sound.

“Here is the title,” Morgan said. “You can shine your light on it, Annie.”

Annie turned the flashlight back on. She shined it on the paper.

“Wow, is that Greek?” asked Jack.

“It certainly is,” said Morgan.

She reached into her robe again and pulled out a book.

“For your research,” she said.

Jack took the book from her. Annie shined her flashlight on the cover. They read the title:
A Day in Ancient Greece
.

“Now, what must you always remember?” asked Morgan.

“Our research book will guide us,” said Jack.

“But in our darkest hour, only the lost story can save us,” said Annie.

Morgan nodded. “And you must show your secret library cards to the wisest person you meet,” she said.

“Don't worry. We will. Bye!” said Annie.

Jack shivered with excitement as he pointed at the book's cover.

“I wish we could go there,” he said.

“And I wish we could go on lots of other missions!” Annie added.

The wind began to blow.

The tree house started to spin.

It spun faster and faster.

Then everything was silent.

Absolutely silent.