Vacation Under the Volcano Read Online Free Page B

it!” cried Annie. “I wish we could go there!”
    Jack felt the tree house start to spin.
    It spun faster and faster and faster.
    Then everything was still.
    Absolutely, wonderfully, peacefully still.

Jack didn’t move. He had never been so tired in all his life.
    â€œBreathe,” said Annie.
    Jack gulped in cool, clean air. He opened his eyes. He couldn’t see a thing.
    â€œTake off your glasses,” said Annie. “They’re filthy.”
    Jack took off his glasses. The first thing he saw was his backpack. The white tunics and lace-up sandals were gone. So were their pillow hats and the leather bag.
    Jack let out a long, deep breath. As he cleaned his glasses on his shirt, a voice came from behind him. “I’m
very
glad to see you safe and sound.”
    Morgan le Fay stood in the corner of the tree house. She looked as lovely and mysterious as ever.
    â€œHappy to be home?” she asked.
    Jack nodded. The sound of the erupting volcano still echoed in his ears.
    â€œIt—it was pretty scary,” he said in a hoarse voice.
    â€œI know. But you were truly brave,” said Morgan. “You witnessed a famous event in history. Nowadays, scientists study the remains of Pompeii to find out more about Roman times.”
    â€œI feel bad for all those people,” said Annie.
    â€œYes,” said Morgan. “But most of the people of Pompeii
did
escape. The city wasn’t completely buried by ash until the next day.”
    â€œWe were almost trapped,” said Annie. “But we asked the ancient story to save us. Then a huge gladiator helped us.”
    Jack reached into his pack. He breathed a sigh of relief. The scroll was still there! He took it out. It was covered with dust and ashes.
    â€œHere’s the story,” said Jack.
    He handed it to Morgan.

    â€œI am deeply grateful,” she said softly. “You risked everything to bring this to me. I can never thank you enough.”
    â€œDon’t worry about it,” said Jack. He didn’t want Morgan to know how scared he had been.
    â€œYeah, no problem,” said Annie.
    Morgan smiled. “You are amazing Master Librarians,” she said. “Do you think you’re up to rescuing another ancient story?”
    â€œYes!” said Annie.
    â€œNow?” said Jack. Actually he was a little tired now.
    Morgan laughed. “No. Take a nice vacation. Come back two weeks from today. Then you will take a trip to ancient China,” she said.
    â€œAncient China? Wow,” said Annie.
    â€œOh, man,” said Jack.
    â€œGo home now and rest,” said Morgan. She handed Jack his pack.
    â€œThanks,” he said. “Bye.”
    â€œBye,” said Annie.
    Morgan gave them a little wave. Then Annie and Jack left the tree house and headed down the rope ladder. When they reached the ground, Jack looked up.
    â€œMorgan,” he called. “What is that story about—the one we just rescued?”
    â€œIt’s called
The Strongest Man in the World
,” said Morgan. “It’s a lost tale about Hercules.”
    â€œ
Hercules?
” said Jack.
    â€œYes, he was one of the heroes of the Greeks and the Romans,” said Morgan. “He was a son of Jupiter.”
    â€œOh, wow.
Now
I get it,” said Annie.
    â€œI’m taking it back now to Camelot’s library,” said Morgan. “Everyone will be so excited to read it, thanks to you.” She waved to them. “Good-bye for now!”
    As she waved, the wind began to whirl. The tree house began to spin. In a blur of shadow and light, Morgan and the magic tree house were gone.
    Jack and Annie started walking through the woods.
    â€œGet it? Get it?” said Annie.
    â€œGet what?” said Jack.
    â€œWe were saved by Hercules!” said Annie. “We asked the story to save us—and
Hercules
appeared!”
    â€œThat’s not possible,” said Jack. “It was just some