10 The Secret of Brave

Chapter 10 THE SECRET OF BRAVE Cria's bell jingled as Topa threw his arms around her. "Thank you, Jack and Annie!" he said. "How were you able to rescue her from the guards?" his grandfather asked. "Um… we just found her," said Annie. "On the mountain." "Yes, she must have escaped from the guards," said Jack. "And we brought her home to Topa." "That is wonderful!" said Topa's grandmother. "Catch me, Cria!" Topa said. The baby llama dashed after him across the grass.

As Topa played with Cria in the meadow, his grandmother gave cups of water to Jack and Annie. "Would you stay to eat with us?" she asked. "Oh, I forgot! We still have our potatoes," said Jack. He took them out of his bag and handed one to Annie. Jack and Annie ate their cold baked potatoes. Topa ate a potato, too. Then he pulled up some weeds for Cria. He fed the baby llama by hand, and she munched hungrily. When everyone had finished their late

lunch, they sat still for a moment. Cria and Topa were resting side by side in the grass. The old man started to play his flute again. As the soothing music wafted through the air, Jack grew sleepy. Annie nudged him. "Time to go home," she said. "Oh, right." Jack stood up. "Thank you for helping us," said Topa's grandmother. "Good-bye, Jack and Annie! Thank you again!" Topa said. "Take good care of Cria," said Jack. "And, Cria, you take good care of Topa," said Annie, patting the baby llama's silver fur. Cria fluttered her long eyelashes at Annie and Jack. She looked like she was smiling. Jack and Annie waved and headed back into the cloud forest.

"Where's the tree house?" Annie asked. "Follow me," said Jack. "I'm pretty sure I know where it is." They pushed through tall ferns. They scrambled over rocks and roots. They wove around trees, until they came to the rope ladder. "Yay! You found it!" said Annie. She and Jack climbed up into the tree house. From a distance came the sound of the flute. "That sweet music makes me miss home," said Annie. "Me too," said Jack. "Go back to Mom," said Annie, imitating Cria's tiny voice. "Go back to Dad," said Jack. Annie picked up their Pennsylvania book and found the picture of the Frog Creek

woods. "I wish we could go there," she said, pointing. The wind started to blow. The tree house started to spin. It spun faster and faster. Then everything was still. Absolutely still. A warm breeze blew into the tree house. The air smelled of summer leaves and sunshine. Jack and Annie were wearing their shorts, T- shirts, and sneakers again. Jack's woven bag had become his backpack. "Home," Annie said. "For the picnic!" Jack reached into his backpack and pulled out Travel Guide: The Andes Mountains of Peru. He put the book on the floor. He took out Morgan's rhyme and looked at it.

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