Vacation Under the Volcano - Mary Pope Osborne [10]
“True,” said Jack.
“I bet we meet someone great today,” said Annie.
Jack smiled. He was starting to feel excited now instead of scared.
“Let’s hurry!” he said.
They ran into the Frog Creek woods. They slipped between the tall trees until they came to a huge oak.
“Hello!” came a soft voice they knew well.
They looked up. Morgan was peering down from the magic tree house.
“Ready for your next mission as Master Librarians?” she asked.
“Yes!” said Jack and Annie.
They grabbed the rope ladder and started up.
“Are we still going to China?” asked Annie when they had climbed into the tree house.
“Indeed,” said Morgan. “You’re going to ancient China. Here is the title of the story you must find.”
She held up a long, thin strip of wood. It looked like a ruler, except it had strange writing on it instead of numbers.
“Long ago, the Chinese discovered how to make paper. It was one of the world’s most important discoveries,” said Morgan. “But you are going to a time earlier than that, to a time when books were written on bamboo strips like this one.”
“Wow,” said Annie, pointing at the figures on the bamboo. “So this is Chinese writing?”
“Yes,” said Morgan. “Just as we have letters, Chinese writing is made up of many characters. Each one stands for a different thing or idea. These characters are the title of an ancient Chinese legend. You must find the first writing of the legend before the Imperial Library is destroyed.”
“Hurry, let’s go,” said Annie.
“Wait, we need our research book,” said Jack.
“Yes, you do,” said Morgan.
From the folds of her robe, she pulled out a book. On the cover was the title: The Time of the First Emperor.
Morgan handed the book to Jack.
“This research book will guide you,” she said. “But remember, in your darkest hour, only the old legend can save you.”
“But we have to find it first,” said Annie.
“Exactly,” said Morgan.
She handed Jack the bamboo strip, and he slipped it into his pack.
Jack pushed his glasses into place, then pointed at the cover of their research book.
“I wish we could go there!” he said.
The wind started to blow.
The tree house started to spin. It spun faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
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Magic Tree House® Books
#1: DINOSAURS BEFORE DARK
#2: THE KNIGHT AT DAWN
#3: MUMMIES IN THE MORNING
#4: PIRATES PAST NOON
#5: NIGHT OF THE NINJAS
#6: AFTERNOON ON THE AMAZON
#7: SUNSET OF THE SABERTOOTH
#8: MIDNIGHT ON THE MOON
#9: DOLPHINS AT DAYBREAK
#10: GHOST TOWN AT SUNDOWN
#11: LIONS AT LUNCHTIME
#12: POLAR BEARS PAST BEDTIME
#13: VACATION UNDER THE VOLCANO
#14: DAY OF THE DRAGON KING
#15: VIKING SHIPS AT SUNRISE
#16: HOUR OF THE OLYMPICS
#17: TONIGHT ON THE TITANIC
#18: BUFFALO BEFORE BREAKFAST
#19: TIGERS AT TWILIGHT
#20: DINGOES AT DINNERTIME
#21: CIVIL WAR ON SUNDAY
#22: REVOLUTIONARY WAR ON WEDNESDAY
#23: TWISTER ON TUESDAY
#24: EARTHQUAKE IN THE EARLY MORNING
#25: STAGE FRIGHT ON A SUMMER NIGHT
#26: GOOD MORNING, GORILLAS
#27: THANKSGIVING ON THURSDAY
#28: HIGH TIDE IN HAWAII
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#29: CHRISTMAS IN CAMELOT
#30: HAUNTED CASTLE ON HALLOWS EVE
#31: SUMMER OF THE SEA SERPENT
#32: WINTER OF THE ICE WIZARD
#33: CARNIVAL AT CANDLELIGHT
#34: SEASON OF THE SANDSTORMS
#35: NIGHT OF THE NEW MAGICIANS
#36: BLIZZARD OF THE BLUE MOON
#37: DRAGON OF THE RED DAWN
#38: MONDAY WITH A MAD GENIUS
#39: DARK DAY IN THE DEEP SEA
#40: EVE OF THE EMPEROR PENGUIN
#41: MOONLIGHT ON THE MAGIC FLUTE
#42: A GOOD NIGHT FOR GHOSTS
#43: LEPRECHAUN IN LATE WINTER
#44: A GHOST TALE FOR CHRISTMAS TIME
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