Ch3-Short Grown-ups

CHAPTER THREE Short Grown-ups. In the icy field below the slope were yellow, brown, and green buildings; telephone poles; metal pipes; and storage tanks. Tractors and bulldozers moved along gravel roads. It looked like a small town. HONK! The sound came from a red bus with gigantic wheels that was parked nearby.

"What is this place?" asked Annie. Jack looked in their book and found a photo that looked like the scene below. The caption read: McMurdo Station. Jack read the paragraph under the photo: Antarctica has many scientific research stations, representing countries from all over the world. The largest is named McMurdo Station. Researchers live there for weeks or even months at a time. HONK! Jack looked up. He saw four people come out of a yellow building and start toward the bus. They were all bundled in red parkas with hoods,

goggles, and masks. They carried backpacks and camera bags. "They must be researchers," said Jack. "Let's go talk to them," said Annie. "We can't," said Jack. "They'll ask why two kids are traveling alone in Antarctica." "Maybe they won't know we're kids," said Annie. "If we put our goggles and masks back on, we'll look just like them, only shorter. They'll think we're short grown-ups." "Uh… I don't think so," said Jack. Just then someone jumped off the bus. "Hi, folks!" a woman shouted to the four researchers. "I'm Nancy—your bus driver and guide today!"

Nancy caught sight of Jack and Annie. She waved her arms at them. "Hello!" she called. "Are you two part of the group going up to the volcano?" She pointed toward a mountain looming in the distance. "Did you hear that?" Jack said to Annie. "A volcano!" He cupped his gloved hands around his mouth. "Yes!" he shouted back in his deepest voice. "We're coming!" "We are?" Annie asked with surprise. "A volcano—get it?" said Jack. "A volcano is 'a burning mountain'!" "Oh, right!" said Annie. "Like in the rhyme— the burning mountain! Got it!" "Quick, cover up your face!" said Jack.

Jack and Annie covered their eyes with their goggles and pulled up their face masks. Then they started walking toward the bus. "Try not to talk to anyone unless we have to," Jack said quickly. "And if we do, talk in a really deep voice." "No problem," Annie croaked in a really deep voice. "Um… maybe you shouldn't talk at all," said Jack. "Hurry!" Nancy called to them. "Coming!" Jack shouted in his deepest voice, and they started running across the snow. By the time Jack and Annie arrived at the bus, everyone but Nancy had climbed aboard. "Good.

You made it just in time!" Nancy said. "Follow me!" She bounded up the steep steps of the red bus and sat in the driver's seat. Without a word, Jack and Annie climbed on after Nancy. Walking down the aisle, Jack glanced at the others in the group. A couple of them nodded and he nodded back. Everyone was hidden behind goggles, ski masks, and bulky parkas. Jack couldn't tell anyone's age, or even whether they were male or female. Jack and Annie sat a few rows behind the others. Jack took off his backpack and put it at his feet. "All set?" Nancy asked, looking in the bus mirror.