Free Buffalo Before Breakfast by Mary Pope Osborne Page A

Pope. Magic tree house series ; 18. PZ7.O81167Bu 1999 [Fic] 21 98-37089
    Random House, Inc. New York, Toronto, London, Sydney, Auckland
    A STEPPING STONE BOOK and colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc.
    v3.0

For Natalie,
kind and funny grandmother
of Andrew and Peter



One summer day in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, a mysterious tree house appeared in the woods.
    Eight-year-old Jack and his seven-year-old sister, Annie, climbed into the tree house. They found it was filled with books.
    Jack and Annie soon discovered that the tree house was magic. It could take them to the places in the books. All they had to do was point to a picture and wish to go there.
    Along the way, Jack and Annie discovered that the tree house belongs to Morgan le Fay. Morgan is a magical librarian from the time of King Arthur. She travels through time and space, gathering books.
    In Magic Tree House Books #5–8, Jack and Annie helped free Morgan from a spell. In books #9–12, they solved four ancient riddles and became Master Librarians.
    In Magic Tree House Books #13–16, Jack and Annie had to save four ancient stories from being lost forever.
    In Magic Tree House Books #17–20, Jack and Annie must be given four special gifts to help free a mysterious dog from a magic spell. They have already received one gift on a trip to the
Titanic
. And now they are about to set out in search of the second gift.… 

Arf! Arf! Arf!
    Jack finished tying his sneakers. Then he looked out his bedroom window.
    A small dog stood in the early sunlight. He had floppy ears and scruffy brown fur.
    â€œTeddy!” said Jack.
    Just then, Annie ran into Jack’s room.
    â€œTeddy’s back!” she said. “It’s time.”
    It was time for their second mission to help free the little dog from a spell.

    Jack threw his notebook and pencil into his backpack. Then he followed Annie downstairs and past the kitchen.
    â€œWhere are you two going?” their mom called.
    â€œOutside,” said Jack.
    â€œBreakfast will be ready soon,” she said. “And Grandmother will be here any minute.”
    â€œWe’ll be right back,” said Jack. He loved his grandmother’s visits. She was kind and funny. And she always taught them new things.
    Jack and Annie slipped out the front door. Teddy was waiting for them.
    Arf! Arf!
he barked.
    â€œHey, where did you go last week?” Jack asked.
    The small dog wagged his tail joyfully.
    Then he ran up the sidewalk.
    â€œWait for us!” Annie shouted.
    She and Jack followed Teddy up the street and into the Frog Creek woods.
    They ran between the trees. Wind rattled the leaves. Birds swooped from branch to branch.
    Teddy stopped at a rope ladder that hung from the tallest oak tree in the woods. At the top of the ladder was the magic tree house.
    Jack and Annie stared up at it.
    â€œNo sign of Morgan,” said Annie.
    â€œLet’s go up,” said Jack.
    Annie picked up Teddy. She carried him carefully up the ladder. Jack climbed after her.
    Inside the tree house, Teddy sniffed a silver pocket watch on the floor. Beside it was the note that Morgan had written to Jack and Annie.
    Annie picked up the note and read it aloud:
    This little dog is under a spell and needs your help. To free him, you must be given four special things:
    A gift from a ship lost at sea,
    A gift from the prairie blue,
    A gift from a forest far away,
    A gift from a kangaroo.
    Be brave. Be wise. Be careful.
    â€œWe’ve got the first special thing,” said Annie, “the gift from a ship lost at sea.”
    â€œYeah,” said Jack. He picked up the silver pocket watch.
    The time on the watch was 2:20—the time the
Titanic
had sunk.
    Jack and Annie stared at the watch.
    Arf! Arf!
    Teddy’s barking brought Jack back from his memories.
    â€œOkay,” Jack said. He sighed and pushed his glasses into place. “Now it’s time for the gift from the prairie