Jack put on jeans, a warm sweatshirt,
and sneakers. He tossed his notebook
and pencil in his backpack.
He crept downstairs.
Annie was waiting by the back door.
She shined a flashlight in Jack’s face.
“Ta-da! A magic wand!” she said.
“Shhh! Don’t wake up Mom and
Dad,” whispered Jack. “And turn that
flashlight off. We don’t want anyone to
see us.”
Annie nodded and turned it off. Then
she clipped it onto her belt.
and sneakers. He tossed his notebook
and pencil in his backpack.
He crept downstairs.
Annie was waiting by the back door.
She shined a flashlight in Jack’s face.
“Ta-da! A magic wand!” she said.
“Shhh! Don’t wake up Mom and
Dad,” whispered Jack. “And turn that
flashlight off. We don’t want anyone to
see us.”
Annie nodded and turned it off. Then
she clipped it onto her belt.
They slipped out the door into the
cool early-morning air. Crickets were
chirping. The dog next door barked.
“Quiet, Henry!” whispered Annie.
Henry stopped barking. Animals al-
ways seemed to do what Annie said.
“Let’s run!” said Jack.
They dashed across the dark, wet
lawn and didn’t stop until they reached
the woods.
“We need the flashlight now,” said
Jack.
Annie took it off her belt and
switched it on.
cool early-morning air. Crickets were
chirping. The dog next door barked.
“Quiet, Henry!” whispered Annie.
Henry stopped barking. Animals al-
ways seemed to do what Annie said.
“Let’s run!” said Jack.
They dashed across the dark, wet
lawn and didn’t stop until they reached
the woods.
“We need the flashlight now,” said
Jack.
Annie took it off her belt and
switched it on.
Step by step, she and Jack walked
between the trees. Jack held his breath.
The dark woods were scary.
“Gotcha!” said Annie, shining the
flashlight in Jack’s face.
Jack jumped back. Then he frowned.
“Cut it out!” he said.
“I scared you,” said Annie.
Jack glared at her.
“Stop pretending!” he whispered.
“This is serious.”
“Okay, okay.”
Annie shined her flashlight over the
tops of the trees.
between the trees. Jack held his breath.
The dark woods were scary.
“Gotcha!” said Annie, shining the
flashlight in Jack’s face.
Jack jumped back. Then he frowned.
“Cut it out!” he said.
“I scared you,” said Annie.
Jack glared at her.
“Stop pretending!” he whispered.
“This is serious.”
“Okay, okay.”
Annie shined her flashlight over the
tops of the trees.
“Now what are you doing?” said
Jack.
“Looking for the tree house!”
The light stopped moving.
There it was. The mysterious tree
house. At the top of the tallest tree in
the woods.
Annie shined her light at the tree
house, and then down the tall ladder.
All the way to the ground.
“I’m going up,” she said. She gripped
the flashlight and began to climb.
Jack.
“Looking for the tree house!”
The light stopped moving.
There it was. The mysterious tree
house. At the top of the tallest tree in
the woods.
Annie shined her light at the tree
house, and then down the tall ladder.
All the way to the ground.
“I’m going up,” she said. She gripped
the flashlight and began to climb.
“Wait!” Jack called.
What if someone was in the tree
house?
“Annie! Come back!”
But she was gone. The light disap-
peared. Jack was alone in the dark.
What if someone was in the tree
house?
“Annie! Come back!”
But she was gone. The light disap-
peared. Jack was alone in the dark.
“No one’s here!” Annie shouted down.
Jack thought about going home. Then
he thought about all the books in the
tree house.
He started up the ladder. When he was
nearly to the tree house, he saw light
in the distant sky. Dawn was starting to
break.
Jack thought about going home. Then
he thought about all the books in the
tree house.
He started up the ladder. When he was
nearly to the tree house, he saw light
in the distant sky. Dawn was starting to
break.
He crawled through a hole in the
floor and took off his backpack.
It was dark inside the tree house.
Annie was shining her flashlight on
the books scattered about.
“They’re still here,” she said.
She stopped the light on a dinosaur
book. It was the book that had taken
them to the time of the dinosaurs.
“Remember the Tyrannosaurus?”
asked Annie.
Jack shuddered. Of course he re-
membered! How could anyone forget
seeing a real live Tyrannosaurus rex?
floor and took off his backpack.
It was dark inside the tree house.
Annie was shining her flashlight on
the books scattered about.
“They’re still here,” she said.
She stopped the light on a dinosaur
book. It was the book that had taken
them to the time of the dinosaurs.
“Remember the Tyrannosaurus?”
asked Annie.
Jack shuddered. Of course he re-
membered! How could anyone forget
seeing a real live Tyrannosaurus rex?
The light fell on a book about
Pennsylvania. A red silk bookmark
stuck out of it.
“Remember the picture of Frog
Creek?” said Annie.
“Of course,” said Jack. That was the
picture that had brought them home.
“There’s my favorite,” said Annie.
The light was shining on a book
about knights and castles. There was a
blue leather bookmark in it.
Annie turned to the page with the
bookmark. There was a picture of a
Pennsylvania. A red silk bookmark
stuck out of it.
“Remember the picture of Frog
Creek?” said Annie.
“Of course,” said Jack. That was the
picture that had brought them home.
“There’s my favorite,” said Annie.
The light was shining on a book
about knights and castles. There was a
blue leather bookmark in it.
Annie turned to the page with the
bookmark. There was a picture of a
knight on a black horse. He was riding
toward a castle.
“Annie, close that book,” said Jack. “I
know what you’re thinking.”
Annie pointed at the knight.
“Don’t, Annie!”
“We wish we could see this guy for
real,” Annie said.
“No, we don’t!” shouted Jack.
They heard a strange sound.
“Neeee-hhhh!”
It sounded like a horse neighing.
They both went to the window.
toward a castle.
“Annie, close that book,” said Jack. “I
know what you’re thinking.”
Annie pointed at the knight.
“Don’t, Annie!”
“We wish we could see this guy for
real,” Annie said.
“No, we don’t!” shouted Jack.
They heard a strange sound.
“Neeee-hhhh!”
It sounded like a horse neighing.
They both went to the window.
Annie shined the flashlight down on
the ground.
“Oh no,” whispered Jack.
“A knight!” said Annie.
A knight in shining armor! Riding a
black horse! Through the Frog Creek
woods!
Then the wind began to moan. The
leaves began to tremble.
It was happening again.
“We’re leaving!” cried Annie. “Get
down!”
The wind moaned louder. The leaves
shook harder.
the ground.
“Oh no,” whispered Jack.
“A knight!” said Annie.
A knight in shining armor! Riding a
black horse! Through the Frog Creek
woods!
Then the wind began to moan. The
leaves began to tremble.
It was happening again.
“We’re leaving!” cried Annie. “Get
down!”
The wind moaned louder. The leaves
shook harder.
