《神奇树屋》 第四十册 Eve of the Emperor Penguin 01 Smile

　　Jack 1 was raking leaves on a chilly 2 Novemberafternoon. Geese honked 3 overhead.



"Smile," said Annie.



Annie was pointing her camera at him. "No picturesnow," he said.



"Come on," said Annie. "Smile!"Jack gave her a goofy smile.



"Arealone," said Annie. "I'm taking pictures for our familyproject at school."Jack crossed his eyes and made his smile evengoofier.



16"Okay. Be that way," said Annie. "I'm going intothe woods.""Good," said Jack. "Go.""Maybe the tree house is back," said Annie.



"You always say that when you want me to stopwhat I'm doing and do something with you," saidJack.



"Maybe Teddy and Kathleen are waiting for us,"said Annie.



"Yeah, yeah, yeah," said Jack.



"Maybe today's the day they want us to look for afourth secret of happiness for Merlin," said Annie.



"Maybe they're going to send us to a supercool place.""Good. Hope they do. Have fun," said Jack. "I wantto finish raking these leaves before dark." He glancedup at the late-afternoon sky--just in time to see abright streak 4 of light pass over the Frog Creek 5 woods.



"Whoa!" Jack turned to Annie with a smile. "Did yousee that?""Hold that smile!" said Annie as she took Jack'spicture. "Thanks! Perfect."17"But did you see that?" Jack asked. "The light goingover the woods?""Ha-ha," said Annie.



"No, I'm serious! It was a bright light! Wait asecond!" Jack put down his rake and dashed into thehouse. "Mom! Dad!" he shouted. "Annie and I aregoing for a walk, okay?""Okay," called their dad, "but be home before dark!""And wear your scarves and hats!" called theirmom.



"We will!" Jack grabbed their scarves, their hats,and his backpack from the hall closet and ran backoutside. "Let's go!" he said to Annie.



Annie put her camera in her jacket pocket and tookoff running with Jack. They ran up the sidewalk,crossed the street, and headed into the shadowy FrogCreek woods. They crunched 6 over a carpet of fallenleaves until they came to the tallest tree.



The magic tree house was there! Kathleen andTeddy were looking out the window. The two18young enchanters were both wearing dark cloaks.



"Hi! Hi!" Annie shouted.



"We were about to come looking for you!" saidKathleen. "How did you know we were here?""I saw the light!" said Jack.



"Climb up!" said Teddy.



Jack and Annie hurried up the rope ladder. Whenthey climbed inside the tree house, they huggedTeddy and Kathleen.



"Is it time to go on another mission?" said Annie.



"Indeed," said Kathleen.



"And it is quite urgent now," said Teddy.



"Merlin is failing quickly," said Kathleen. Sheblinked back tears.



"Oh, no!" said Annie.



"Morgan wants you to find the final secret ofhappinesstoday,"said Teddy. "And then you must return to Camelotto present all four secrets to Merlin. You rememberthe first three, do you not?"19"Sure!" said Jack. "We have three gifts to help usremember. I kept them in my backpack.""A poem, a drawing, and a seashell," said Annie.



"Good," said Teddy. "Here is where you will lookfor the final secret." He took a book from his cloakand handed it to Jack.



On the cover was a picture of a volcano surroundedby snow and ice. The title said:



[Image: A book.]



"Antarctica?" said Jack. "We studied Antarctica inschool. There's hardly anything there.



20Where would we find a secret of happiness inAntarctica?""I do not know," said Kathleen. "But Morgan hassent a rhyme to help your search." She handed Anniea slip of parchment.



Annie read Morgan's rhyme aloud:



For the final secret, you must goToa burning mountain of ice and snowOn wheels, by air, then all fall down,Till you come to the Cave of the Ancient Crown.



Then speed toCamelot by close of day,Lest grief take Merlin forever away.



"Forever away?" said Annie.



"I fear so," said Teddy.



"I don't understand," said Jack. "This rhyme soundslike we're going to a fantasy world, a place with 'aburning mountain' and a 'Cave of the AncientCrown.' But Antarctica's a real place, totally real.""Aye, Morgan's rhyme is a mystery to me, too," saidTeddy.



21"But you still have the Wand of Dianthus to helpyou, do you not?" asked Kathleen.



"Yes," said Jack. But he looked inside his backpackjust to make sure. There it was: the gleaming spiraledwand of the unicorn 7.



"Good," said Kathleen. "And you remember thethree rules of the wand?""Sure," said Annie. "The wand's magic only works ifour wish is for the good of others. It only works afterwe've tried our hardest. And it only works if our wishis fivewords.""Excellent," said Teddy.



"I wish you guys could come with us," said Jack.



"We must return to Morgan and try to help Merlin,"said Kathleen. "But with your courage andintelligence, I know you will be able to find the secretby yourselves."Jack nodded, embarrassed. But Kathleen's words didmake him feel more confident.



"And after you have found it, you must hurry tomeet us in Camelot," said Teddy. "Just point to22the word 'Camelot' on the rhyme from Morgan andmake a wish to go there.""Got it," said Annie.



"Go now. Quickly," said Kathleen. "And good luck.""See you soon," said Annie.



Jack took a deep breath, then pointed 8 to the cover ofthe book. "I wish we could go there!" he said.



The wind started to blow.



The tree house started to spin.



It spun 9 faster and faster.



Then everything was still.



Absolutely still.