Free Lions at Lunchtime by Mary Pope Osborne Page A

Jack’s pack was heavy. It held a big jar of peanut butter and a loaf of bread.
    â€œAre you going to have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?” said Annie. “Or a peanut butter and honey sandwich?”
    Jack started to answer, but stopped.
    â€œOh, man,” he whispered.
    â€œWhat is it?” said Annie.
    â€œLook at
that!
” said Jack.
    He pointed to the edge of the Frog Creek woods. In the shadows stood a small, delicate animal. It looked like a tiny deer.
    â€œIt’s a sign,” whispered Annie. “Remember when we saw the rabbit? He was a sign of the Wild West.”
    The deerlike creature leaped into the woods.
    Jack and Annie didn’t stop to think. They followed as fast as they could. Jack’s heavy pack thumped against his back as he ran.
    Finally, they stopped and looked around.
    â€œWhere did she go?” he said.
    â€œI don’t see her,” said Annie.
    â€œOh, wow,” said Annie. She pointed up.
    There was the magic tree house. It was shining in the noon sun, at the top of the tallest tree in the woods. Its rope ladder swayed in the shadows below.
    â€œWhere’s Morgan?” said Annie.
    Morgan le Fay wasn’t waving at them from the window. She wasn’t even at the window.
    â€œI don’t know. Let’s go up,” said Jack.
    They climbed the ladder and went into the tree house.
    Sunlight streamed through the window. It lit a stack of books and two scrolls in the corner. The ancient scrolls held the answers to riddles Jack and Annie had solved earlier.
    Jack took off his heavy pack.
    â€œDid Morgan leave us a third riddle?” said Annie.
    â€œLooking for someone?” said a soft voice.
    Jack and Annie whirled around.
    â€œMorgan!” said Annie.
    Morgan le Fay had appeared out of nowhere. She looked ancient and lovely in the bright light.
    â€œDo you still want to become Master Librarians?” she asked Jack and Annie. “So you can help me in my work?”
    â€œYes!” they said together.
    â€œWonderful,” Morgan said. Then she reached into her robe and pulled out a scroll.
    â€œYou’ve solved two riddles so far,” she said. “Here is your third.” She handed the scroll to Annie. “And for your research—”
    She pulled a book out from her robe and handed it to Jack. The book’s cover said T HE P LAINS OF A FRICA .

    â€œ
Africa?
” said Jack. “Oh, man, I’ve always wanted to go there.”
    He opened the book. He and Annie stared at a picture.
    It showed hordes of zebras, tall giraffes, big animals with horns, and tiny, deerlike creatures.
    â€œHey, that’s the animal that led us here!” said Annie.
    â€œA Thomson’s gazelle, I believe,” Morgan said.
    â€œWhere are the lions?” said Jack.
    â€œYou’ll find out,” said Morgan.
    â€œUm … maybe we need to plan this trip,” said Jack.
    Morgan smiled. “No. Go ahead. Make your wish now.”
    Annie pointed at the picture. “I wish we could go there,” she said.
    â€œBe careful,” said Morgan. “Just keep an eye out.”
    â€œFor what?” said Jack.
    â€œThe lions, of course,” she said.
    â€œWait!” said Jack.
    Too late.
    The wind had started to blow.
    The tree house had started to spin.
    Jack squeezed his eyes shut.
    The tree house spun faster and faster.
    Then everything was still.
    Absolutely still.

 

    Bright light flooded the tree house again. A rustling sound came from outside the window.
    Annie peeked out and laughed. “Hey, there,” she said.
    Jack looked out, too. A giraffe was eating leaves off the tree. It had a sweet, goofy face.
    Jack peered at the world beyond the giraffe. He couldn’t believe his eyes.
    He saw a huge grassy plain, a wide river, and
tons
of birds and animals—more than he had ever imagined in one place.
    Giraffes and zebras were on the side of the river where Jack