Ch2-Put On Your Wig!

CHAPTER TWO Pat On Your Wig! Jack opened his eyes. He looked down at his clothes. He was wearing a blue velvet coat, a long vest, and knee-length pants. His shoes were black with shiny buckles. Jack looked up at Annie and burst out laughing. Her pigtails had changed into thick, cigar-shaped

curls. She was wearing a pink dress covered with lace and bows. There was a big hoop underneath her skirt to hold it out. The hoop, the skirt, and lots of petticoats were all bunched up around Annie. "You look like you're standing in a basket," said Jack. "You look like an old woman," said Annie. She pointed at Jack's head. Jack reached up and lifted off a black velvet hat. But something else was on his head, too. He pulled off a white wig with curls on the side and a ponytail in the back. "A wig?" said Jack. His nose tickled. He sneezed, and a cloud of white powder puffed from

his wig. "It's covered in powder! I can't wear this!" "Yes, you can," said Annie. "If I have to wear this"—she shook her dress—"you have to wear that." "But why are we dressed this way?" asked Jack. "Because we're going to a fancy party in a palace a long time ago," said Annie. "Okay, but where's the palace?" said Jack. Jack and Annie went to the window and looked out. They had landed in a row of trees that lined a cobblestone street. At the far end of the street, glittering horse-drawn coaches were parked outside tall iron gates.

"I wonder if the palace is beyond those gates," said Annie, pointing. "I don't know," said Jack. "I wish we had a research book to help us." "Merlin wants us to rely on our wits and talents," said Annie. "Yeah," said Jack, "whatever that means."

Bells rang in the distance: bong, bong, bong, bong, bong. "Five bongs," said Annie. "What time's the party?" Jack looked at their invitation and read aloud, "'Five o'clock in the evening.'" "Oh, no! We're going to be late!" said Annie. "Put on your wig!" Jack crammed his wig back onto his head and put on his hat. He pushed the silver flute and invitation into a deep pocket in his coat. Annie squashed her hoopskirt and squeezed through the opening in the tree house floor. "It's hard to climb down a rope ladder in this dress!" she said.

"Be careful! Go slow!" said Jack. "But we have to hurry!" said Annie. She jumped off the ladder and landed on the ground. Jack hurried down the ladder. "You okay?" he asked. "I'm fine," said Annie, standing up. "Just got a little dirty." She brushed off her dress. "Let's ask one of those guys about the palace." She pointed toward the coach drivers outside the iron gates. "Hurry!" Annie started to run. Her skirt swung wildly from side to side like a giant bell. "Slow down!" said Jack, rushing to catch up with her. "You can't run in that big skirt—you