Viking Ships at Sunrise - Mary Pope Osborne [3]
“We better wait till the sun comes up,” he said.
“Let’s just go super slow,” said Annie. She started up the stone steps.
“Wait, Annie!” said Jack. “They might be slippery.”
“Whoa!” she said, almost falling backward. “I tripped on my darn dress!”
“I told you to wait,” Jack said. “It’s too dangerous.”
Just then something fell from above.
“Watch it!” said Jack. He put his hands over his head.
“Hey, it’s a rope!” said Annie.
Jack saw a thick rope dangling down the stairs.
“Where’d this come from?” he asked.
“It’s like when Morgan dropped the ladder to us,” said Annie. “I bet someone’s trying to help us.”
“Yeah, but who?” said Jack.
“Let’s find out,” said Annie. She grabbed the rope. “I’ll use it first. Once I’m at the top, you can come after me.”
“Okay, but hurry,” he said. “And be very careful.” Jack waited as Annie started climbing up the steps.
Annie held on to the rope as she climbed slowly up the stairs. Soon she vanished over the top of the cliff.
“What’s up there?” Jack shouted. But his voice was lost in the sound of the waves.
He grabbed the rope and started up the steep steps. At the top of the cliff, he pulled himself over the edge.
“Aha!” boomed a deep, jolly voice. “It’s another little invader!”
Jack’s glasses were wet with mist. He quickly wiped them, then looked up.
A man in a brown robe stood before him. The man had a round red face. He was bald, except for a fringe of hair around his head.
Nearby the rope was tied around a tree.
“I—I’m not an invader,” said Jack.
“He’s Jack!” said Annie. She was standing behind the man. “I’m Annie. We’re from Frog Creek, Pennsylvania.”
“We—we come in peace,” stammered Jack.
The man’s blue eyes twinkled.
“Oh, do you now?” he said. “I wondered what was going on. I had dropped the rope so I could climb down the steps. But you two grabbed it instead. How in the world did you get on this island?”
Jack stared at the man. He didn’t know how to explain the magic tree house.
“In our boat,” Annie said quickly.
The man looked puzzled. “Not many boats can come ashore at this dark, early hour.”
“Well, we’re very good sailors,” said Annie.
Oh, brother, thought Jack. He hoped their sailing skills wouldn’t be tested.
“Where exactly are we?” asked Annie. “And who exactly are you?”
“You’re on an island off the coast of Ireland,” the man said. “And I am Brother Patrick.”
“Whose brother are you?” said Annie.
The monk smiled. “The ‘brother’ means I’m a Christian monk.”
“Oh, you’re one of the monks who saved civilization!” said Annie.
The man smiled again.
Annie turned to Jack and whispered, “Let’s show him our cards. I trust him.”
“Okay,” said Jack. He trusted the monk, too.
They both pulled out their secret library cards and showed them to Brother Patrick.
The M’s and L’s for Master Librarian shined in the gray light.
The monk looked at them and bowed his head.
“Welcome, my friends,” he said.
“Thank you,” said Jack and Annie.
“I did not truly think you were invaders,” said Brother Patrick. “But on our small island, we are careful of strangers.”
“Why?” said Annie.
“There are terrible stories about Viking raiders,” he said. “When we see their serpent ships, we must hide or be taken as slaves.”
“Serpent ships?” said Jack.
“The prows of their ships are often carved in the shape of a serpent’s head,” said Brother Patrick. “I am afraid it stands for their fierce, cold-blooded ways.”
Jack looked at the misty gray sea.
“Do not worry,” said Brother Patrick. “They cannot land safely on this island before daylight. They’re not as good sailors as some people.” He winked at Annie.
“Too bad for them,” she said cheerfully.
“But tell me, why have you come here?” asked Brother Patrick.
“Oh,” said Jack. “I almost forgot.”
He pulled Morgan’s paper from his leather bag. He showed the Latin words to the monk.
“This is the title of a story that we have to take back to our friend and teacher, Morgan le Fay,” said Annie.
“I see … ” said Brother Patrick. He gave Jack and Annie a mysterious look.
What’s he