the sky!â His face fell. âNow itâs not growing at all. It doesnât even have any beans on it.â
âWho knows,â I said. âWhen the magic comes back, maybe the beanstalk will get so big that it really will go all the way up to the sky.â My friends and I exchanged knowing looks as Jackâs face lit up again.
âI hope so!â he said. âJust think how many beans would grow on it then. We wouldnât be hungry at all!â
âEspecially if you like golden eggs,â Melissa chimed in.
Jackâs face scrunched in confusion. âWhat?â
I elbowed Melissa. There was no need to spoil Jackâs future adventures for him. âJack,â I said. âDo you think you could do me a favor and share this food with your brothers?â
I reached in my bag and almost yelped as Leonard nipped my ï¬nger. Luckily, I managed to pull out my remaining granola bars with all my digits still intact.
Jackâs big eyes got even wider. âYouâre giving us your food?â
I nodded and put the granola bars into his hands. âAnd donât worry,â I said. âYou wonât have to be turned into a pig again. Iâm going to ï¬x things. I promise.â There I went again, promising things. I was a promise-a-holic.
Jack grinned and turned to run back to his brothers on his skinny legs. As I watched the kids tear into the granola bars like they were the best things in the universe, I knew I had to keep my promise. No matter what.
Chapter Fifteen
When we got to the lake, the three of us let out a collective âew.â The water was so thick and green that it reminded me of split pea soup.
Near the edge of the lake, I noticed an older man sitting in a rowboat that was perched in the bushes. He was swinging an oar around like he was trying to push the boat through the air.
âHey there!â I said, going over to him. This man didnât appear completely sane, but maybe he could give us a hint about our task. âWhat are you doing?â
âIt wonât move,â he said, hufï¬ng as he kept swinging the oar through the air. âEvery day I come out here, hoping itâll work again, but it wonât.â
âWhat wonât?â I said as Melissa and Trish came up beside me.
âThe boat. It used to bring me out onto the lake every morning and float around to all the best ï¬shing spots. Now it just sits here, useless.â
âDid it used to run on magic?â Trish asked.
The man stopped swinging the oar and frowned at her. âOf course,â he said. âHow else would it work?â
The three of us exchanged looks. âBy putting it in the water and rowing it yourself?â Melissa said slowly, as if she were explaining the idea to a toddler.
âBut what would protect me from the monster?â The man looked at us like we were crazy.
âThereâs a monster in the lake?â Trishâs cheeks flushed with obvious excitement.
The man shook his head, pursing his already-wrinkled lips. âItâs best not to speak of the creature, or it will come.â
âBut what kind of monster is it?â I asked. âWhat does it do?â
The man stumbled out of the boat looking ready to run, as if he expected the monster to appear at any second. âIt lures you in,â he whispered. âAnd then it eats you.â He turned and hurried away, leaving his boat behind.
âYou donât really think the monster eats people, do you?â said Melissa after the old ï¬sherman had disappeared down the path.
âProbably not,â I said, not wanting to scare her.
Instead of looking relieved, Melissa looked disappointed. âIâve never met a flesh-eating sea monster before.â
âWe still might,â said Trish, clearly trying to cheer her up.
Obviously, my friends still didnât understand how dangerous missions could be. They were
Brenda Clark, Paulette Bourgeois