Ch2-Lots of Ice

CHAPTER TWO Lots of Ice. "Welcome 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 clouds of mist in the freezing air. "It's really cold here!" said Jack. The wind stung his bare face and made his eyes water. But

he kept his mask and goggles off as he looked out the window with Annie. The tree house was on the ground. It was tucked under the overhang of an ice cliff near the ocean. Icy seawater sparkled in the sunlight. The shore was silent and deserted. "It looks totally empty out there," said Jack. "I still don't get it—how do we find the Cave of the Ancient Crown here? No king or queen ever ruled Antarctica. In fact, no people ever lived here at all until explorers came in recent times." "Let's get started and try to figure it all out," said Annie. "Not so fast," said Jack. He pulled off his glove and opened their research book to the first chapter.

He read aloud: The continent of Antarctica is the coldest, driest, and windiest place on earth. Larger in area than the United States, it is a land filled with ice—ice cliffs, icebergs, ice sheets, ice shelves— "Okay, lots of ice," said Annie. "Got it. Let's go." "In a minute." Jack kept reading: But Antarctica was not always a land of ice. Eons ago, it was part of a supercontinent scientists have named Gondwana. It had forests, flowers, and

many animals, including dinosaurs. But no people ever lived there. "See?" said Jack. "No kings, no queens, no crowns." "Yep, let's go," said Annie. But Jack kept reading: Over millions of years, Antarctica broke off from Gondwana and drifted south. "Okay, I'm drifting now myself, Jack," said Annie. "Byeee—" She climbed out the window and disappeared from the tree house. Jack looked back at the book, but before he could read further, he heard Annie whoop with laughter. "Oh, wow! Jack, come look!" she yelled.

"What is it?" said Jack, closing the book. "You won't believe this!" said Annie. "You have to come see!" Jack put his glove back on and pulled on his backpack. He folded the paper with Morgan's rhyme and put it in his pocket. Then, clutching the research book to his chest, he climbed out of the window. Jack followed the sound of Annie's laughter beyond the tree house. On the frozen seashore was a group of penguins, grown-ups and babies. The grown-ups had orange streaks on their cheeks, puffy white chests, and black wings they held straight by their sides. The babies were fluffy balls of gray fuzz. All the penguins were waddling