Free Ghost Town at Sundown by Mary Pope Osborne Page A

the street at the Frog Creek woods. Jack was reading a book.
    â€œI have a feeling we should check the woods again,” said Annie.
    â€œWhy?” said Jack without looking up.
    â€œA rabbit’s hopping by,” said Annie.
    â€œSo? We’ve seen rabbits before.”
    â€œNot like this one,” said Annie.
    â€œWhat do you mean?” Jack stood up and looked with her.
    He saw a rabbit with very long legs hopping down their street. Soon the rabbit left the sidewalk and headed into the woods.
    â€œHe’s a sign,” said Annie.
    â€œA sign of
what
?” said Jack.
    â€œThat Morgan’s back,” said Annie. She jumped off the porch. “Come on!”
    â€œBut what about dinner?” Jack said. “Dad said it would be ready soon.”
    â€œDon’t worry,” said Annie. “You know when we leave in the tree house, time stops.”
    She ran across their yard.
    Jack pulled on his backpack. “Back in ten minutes!” he called through the screen door. Then he followed Annie.
    They hurried down their street and intothe Frog Creek woods. The sun was setting above the trees.
    â€œThere he is!” said Annie.
    The rabbit was standing in a ray of sunlight. When he saw them, he took off.
    Jack and Annie followed the rabbit until he vanished behind the tallest tree.
    â€œI told you! See?” said Annie, panting. She pointed up at the tree.
    Morgan le Fay was waving to them from the magic tree house high in the branches.
    Jack and Annie waved back to her. As always, Jack was very happy to see the enchantress librarian again.
    â€œCome on up!” she called.
    Annie and Jack started up the rope ladder. They climbed up to the tree house.
    â€œWe followed a strange rabbit here,” saidAnnie. “Is he your friend?”
    â€œPerhaps,” said Morgan. She smiled mysteriously. “I have many odd friends.”
    â€œIncluding us,” said Annie.
    Morgan laughed. “That’s right.”
    â€œHow are you?” said Jack.
    â€œI’m still having problems with Merlin,” said the enchantress, “which leaves me little time to do my real work. But soon you both will become Master Librarians, and that will be a big help to me.”
    Jack smiled. He was going to be a Master Librarian who traveled through time and space. It was almost too good to believe.
    â€œAre you ready to solve another riddle?” asked Morgan.
    â€œYes!” said Jack and Annie together.
    â€œGood,” said Morgan. “First, you’ll needthis for research … ”
    She pulled a book from her robe and handed it to Jack. It was the book that would help them on their journey.
    The title of the book was
Days of the Wild West
. On the cover was a picture of a western town on a prairie.
    â€œOh, wow,” said Annie. “The Wild West!”
    Jack took a deep breath.
Just how wild
? he wondered.
    Morgan reached into the folds of her robe again and pulled out a scroll. She handed it to Annie.
    â€œRead this when the tree house lands,” she said.
    â€œIs it the riddle?” asked Jack.
    â€œYes,” said Morgan. “Then you’ll only have two more to solve. Are you ready to go?”
    Jack and Annie nodded. Annie pointed to the picture on the cover of the Wild West book.
    â€œI wish we could go there,” she said.
    The wind started to blow.
    â€œGood-bye!” said Morgan. “Good luck!”
    The tree house started to spin.
    Jack squeezed his eyes shut.
    The tree house spun faster and faster.
    Then everything was still.
    Absolutely still.
    Jack opened his eyes.
    Morgan le Fay was gone.
    A fly buzzed around his head.

The air was hot and dry.
    Jack and Annie peeked outside.
    The tree house had landed in a lone tree on a prairie. The sun was low in the sky.
    Right in front of them was the town from the cover of the book. In real life it looked empty and spooky.
    To one side of the town was a patch of ground