Free Eve of the Emperor Penguin by Mary Pope Osborne Page B

was there! Kathleen and Teddy were looking out the window. The twoyoung enchanters were both wearing dark cloaks.
    “Hi! Hi!” Annie shouted.
    “We were about to come looking for you!” said Kathleen. “How did you know we were here?”
    “I saw the light!” said Jack.
    “Climb up!” said Teddy.
    Jack and Annie hurried up the rope ladder. When they climbed inside the tree house, they hugged Teddy and Kathleen.
    “Is it time to go on another mission?” said Annie.
    “Indeed,” said Kathleen.
    “And it is quite urgent now,” said Teddy.
    “Merlin is failing quickly,” said Kathleen. She blinked back tears.
    “Oh, no!” said Annie.
    “Morgan wants you to find the final secret of happiness
today,
” said Teddy. “And then you must return to Camelot to present all four secrets to Merlin. You remember the first three, do you not?”
    “Sure!” said Jack. “We have three gifts to help us remember. I kept them in my backpack.”
    “A poem, a drawing, and a seashell,” said Annie.
    “Good,” said Teddy. “Here is where you will look for the final secret.” He took a book from his cloak and handed it to Jack.
    On the cover was a picture of a volcano surrounded by snow and ice. The title said:

    “Antarctica?” said Jack. “We studied Antarctica in school. There’s hardly anything there.Where would we find a secret of happiness in Antarctica?”
    “I do not know,” said Kathleen. “But Morgan has sent a rhyme to help your search.” She handed Annie a slip of parchment.
    Annie read Morgan’s rhyme aloud:
    For the final secret, you must go

To a burning mountain of ice and snow

On wheels, by air, then all fall down,

Till you come to the Cave of the Ancient Crown.

Then speed to Camelot by close of day,

Lest grief take Merlin forever away.
    “Forever away?” said Annie.
    “I fear so,” said Teddy.
    “I don’t understand,” said Jack. “This rhyme sounds like we’re going to a fantasy world, a place with ‘a burning mountain’ and a ‘Cave of the Ancient Crown.’ But Antarctica’s a real place, totally real.”
    “Aye, Morgan’s rhyme is a mystery to me, too,” said Teddy.
    “But you still have the Wand of Dianthus to help you, do you not?” asked Kathleen.
    “Yes,” said Jack. But he looked inside his backpack just to make sure. There it was: the gleaming spiraled wand of the unicorn.
    “Good,” said Kathleen. “And you remember the three rules of the wand?”
    “Sure,” said Annie. “The wand’s magic only works if our wish is for the good of others. It only works after we’ve tried our hardest. And it only works if our wish is
five
words.”
    “Excellent,” said Teddy.
    “I wish you guys could come with us,” said Jack.
    “We must return to Morgan and try to help Merlin,” said Kathleen. “But with your courage and intelligence, I know you will be able to find the secret by yourselves.”
    Jack nodded, embarrassed. But Kathleen’s words did make him feel more confident.
    “And after you have found it, you must hurry to meet us in Camelot,” said Teddy. “Just point tothe word ‘Camelot’ on the rhyme from Morgan and make a wish to go there.”
    “Got it,” said Annie.
    “Go now. Quickly,” said Kathleen. “And good luck.”
    “See you soon,” said Annie.
    Jack took a deep breath, then pointed to the cover of the book. “I wish we could go there!” he said.
    The wind started to blow.
    The tree house started to spin.
    It spun faster and faster.
    Then everything was still.
    Absolutely still.

“W elcome to Antarctica,” said Annie.
    Jack and Annie were bundled in cold-weather gear. They both wore snow pants, gloves, boots with spikes, and thick red parkas with hoods. Goggles covered their eyes, and wool masks covered their mouths and noses. A hiker’s backpack had replaced Jack’s own pack.
    Jack felt trapped by all the gear. He pulled his mask down under his chin and pushed his goggles onto his forehead. Annie did the same. Their breath made