Free The Mysterious Island by Tony Abbott Page A

said.
    Doom-da-doom! Thunder exploded overhead.
    “Hurry before the power goes,” Julie added.
    Eric felt his heart race as they went to the closet under the steps. Just like the other times, he pulled the door open and turned on the light.
    They entered the small room.
    Where are we going this time? Eric wondered.
    So far, the stairs had never taken them to the same place twice. And the stairways always faded and reappeared in the new part of Droon.
    That was just one of the secrets of Droon.
    Julie shut the door behind them. Neal flicked off the light. The room was dark for an instant.
    Then it wasn’t.
    Whoosh! The floor vanished, and a long flight of colored stairs shimmered into place.
    “I love that!” said Eric.
    A sudden, cold wind blew into their faces.
    “Whoa!” Julie said. “Hold onto the railing.”
    “Hold your nose!” Neal said. “I smell fish!”
    “Seawater!” said Eric. “The stairs are over an ocean or something. Maybe we should go back.”
    But even as he said that, it was too late.
    Shloosh! – a huge wave of icey water splashed across the stairs.
    Eric’s feet slipped out from under him.
    “Help!” He clutched for the railing. He missed.
    “Eric!” Julie grasped his hand, but another wave followed the first. Eric slid off the stairs, pulling Julie with him. She grabbed for something to hold on to.
    “That’s my foot!” Neal yelled.
    Neal slipped down, too.
    Splish! Splash! Sploosh!
    The three friends hit the water hard.
    “Neal! Julie!” Eric cried.
    Tall waves leaped and crashed around him.
    “I’m here!” Julie shouted, gulping for air.
    “Something’s coming!” Neal yelled.
    A dark shape plowed across the waes. It was the bow of a giant ship.
    “Watch out for us!” Eric shouted. But the ship charged towards them, faster and faster.
     

Two Wings over Water
     
    Suddenly the ship slowed.
    “Down sail!” boomed a deep voice above them. “Circle around! Drop a rope!”
    Splash! A thick rope slapped the surface of the water. Eric, Neal, and Julie grabbed hold of the rope and climbed up.
    The ship was huge, with red-and-yellow sails and blue wings that swept to the back.
    As he climbed, Eric read the golden letters on the ship’s side.
    “The Jaffa Wind . Jaffa City is where Princess Keeah lives. This must be her boat!”
    A strong hand reached down and helped them aboard.
    “Our friends from the Upper World!” said a man in a long blue robe, smiling at them. It was Galen Longbeard, first wizard of Droon.
    “You have come to us again,” he said. “And again we can offer you nothing but danger.”
    “We had to come,” Julie said. “The soccer ball turned into a globe of Droon. Did Keeah do that?”
    “Eric! Julie! Neal!” cried Princess Keeah, running over. “you got my message. The magic must be working. I’m so happy to see you.” She gave them all big hugs even though they were soaking wet.
    “How can anyone be happy with that thing on board?” snapped Max. The spider troll’s orange hair stood on end as he pointed to a small gold chest on the deck.
    “Whoa,” Neal said. “The Red Eye of Dawn is in there!”
    The Red Eye of Dawn was a jewel of amazing power. Neal, Eric, and Julie had helped Keeah steal it from Lord Sparr’s volcano palace.
    “We’re going to hide it in Jaffa City,” said Keeah. “We can use your help. Then my father and I are going to search for my mother.”
    “You can count on us,” said Eric.
    A strange witch named Demither had told them that Keeah’s mother was alive. But, like Demither herself, Queen Relna was under a curse.
    Galen nodded. “But Sparr will do whatever he can to stop us. It is his angry heart that makes the Red Eye so dangerous. Come, we must hurry.”
    Ker-splash! Icy waves crashed against the sides of the ship as it gathered speed once again.
    “With two wizards aboard we should be safe,” Eric said, looking at Galen and Keeah.
    “One and a half,” Keeah said. “I’ve been practicing spells.