Dolphins at Daybreak - Mary Pope Osborne [7]
Sometimes a grain of sand will get between the oyster’s shell and its skin. This irritates the oyster. So it makes a pearly material to surround the grain of sand. In this way, over a few years, a pearl is formed.
“I can’t tell if there’s a pearl in there or not,” said Annie.
“Maybe we should bang it against a rock,” said Jack.
“Now that would really irritate the oyster,” said Annie.
“Yeah.”
“Maybe we should just leave it alone,” said Annie.
She gently put the oyster back in the water.
“But how will we know if oyster is the right answer to the riddle?” said Jack.
“Morgan said we’ll know,” said Annie. “Come on.”
Jack pushed his glasses into place. Then he and Annie picked up their shoes and socks.
They climbed through the window of the tree house.
Morgan’s scroll was lying on the floor.
It was open.
“Look!” said Annie.
She and Jack stared at the scroll. The riddle had faded away.
In its place was one shimmering silver word:
OYSTER
“Morgan’s magic,” whispered Annie.
Jack let out a huge sigh. “We got it right,” he said.
“And here’s the Pennsylvania book,” said Annie. “Let’s go home.”
She opened the book. She pointed to a picture of the Frog Creek woods.
“I wish we could go there!” she said.
The wind started to blow.
The tree house started to spin.
The wind blew harder and harder.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
Dawn light slanted into the tree house.
No time at all had passed since they’d left. Day was breaking.
Jack rolled up the ancient scroll. He tucked it into the corner.
“We solved the first riddle,” he said. “Three more to go.”
“I don’t see another scroll,” said Annie. “Maybe tomorrow we’ll get the next riddle.”
“That’s okay,” said Jack. “I think I need to rest—and dry out.”
His T-shirt and shorts were still soaked. His backpack, too. Only his shoes and socks were dry.
“And this needs to dry out, too,” said Annie. She put the wet ocean book in a patch of sunlight.
Then Jack and Annie climbed down the ladder.
They walked through the woods, through leafy shadows and golden light.
They left the woods and started down their street.
“You know, we should have found the answer to the riddle right away,” said Jack. “The oyster was on the reef all along.”
“I know, but we wouldn’t have had so much fun,” said Annie.
“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.
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Ghost Town at Sundown
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Excerpt copyright © 1997 by Mary Pope Osborne.
Published by Random House Children’s Books,
a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
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