Ch3-A Race Against Time

CHAPTER THREE A Race Against Time The Alaskan boy looked at Jack and Annie. "They can't delay!" he whispered frantically. "It sounds like medicine is on the way," Jack said, trying to calm him. "It will arrive once the storm passes." "But it needs to get here as soon as possible!" said Oki. "The doctor said—" started Annie. "The doctor can do nothing until the medicine arrives," Oki said. "But there is something I can

do." He headed down the hall and hurried out the front door of the hospital into the dark. As he left, a gust of frigid air blew into the waiting room. "That's it!" Annie said to Jack. "What?" he said. "Our mission! Help save the lives of these sick people!" Annie said. "That's why Merlin sent us here!" "I think you're right," said Jack. "So let's talk to the doctor and nurse and find out what we can do." "No, we should go," said Annie. "Go where?" asked Jack. "Go save Oki's life first!" Annie said. "But he's not one of the people in danger," said Jack. "He will be! He's going to do something crazy. I can feel it!" said Annie. "Come on!" She took off down the hallway and out the front door. Jack followed her into the icy cold. The moon was full and bright overhead.

"There!" said Annie. Before Jack could stop her, she took off after the Alaskan boy. "Oki, wait!" she shouted. Jack hurried after Annie down the moonlit boardwalk. When they caught up with Oki, they were panting, their breath billowing into the air. "Stop!" said Annie. "We want to help you!" "How can you help me?" said the boy. He kept walking. Annie and Jack fell into step beside him. "We came to Nome to help people fight the epidemic," said Annie. "Only the medicine can help," said Oki. "They might all die soon if they do not get the medicine." "Why can't they bring the medicine here by boat?" asked Jack. "The sea is frozen!" said Oki. "Just look!" "Well, what about a plane?" said Annie. "No plane can fly at forty or fifty degrees below zero!" said Oki. "The pilot would freeze."

"Oh, yeah, you're right," said Jack. Planes in 1925 must still have open cockpits, he thought. "A car?" asked Annie. "No roads in winter," said Oki. "The only way to Nome is by dogsled, over the mail trail." "So what do you plan to do?" asked Jack. "I will take a team of dogs and find Gunnar Kaasen," said Oki. "I will travel through the storm and bring the medicine back myself." "But what about that blizzard?" asked Jack. "The one the mayor was talking about—the huge blizzard sweeping down from the Arctic?" "Any good musher with a good team of dogs can handle a blizzard," said Oki. "Where's your team?" asked Annie. "My uncle Joe is a mail carrier," said Oki. "He has a team that runs to Port Safety and Solomon and beyond all the time." "So your uncle Joe will go with you?" asked Annie. "No. He has a broken leg from a sled accident," said Oki. "But I am not afraid to go alone."

Jack and Annie hurried alongside Oki, until they came to a shack on a spit of land near the frozen sea. In the bright moonlight, Jack could see that the shack was made of old driftwood and flattened tin cans. Smoke was rising out of a stovepipe on the roof. "This is my uncle's house," said Oki. "And those are his huskies."

Next to the small house was a dog pen surrounded by a wire fence. A dogsled was inside the pen. Eight huskies were sleeping in the snow, their dark bodies curled up together to keep warm. "Oh, wow," breathed Annie. The dogs woke up at the sound of voices. They leapt to their feet and began yipping and whining. "Hi, guys!" Annie said. She hurried to the fence to pet them. "Careful!" said Oki. "They are very strong. They can jump up.…" But Annie had an instant connection with the dogs. "You're so beautiful!" she said, reaching over the fence and rubbing different furry heads. "Hey, what's your name? What's your name?" As Annie spoke, the dogs flattened their ears, and their lips curved into smiles. "They really like her," Oki said to Jack. He sounded impressed. "Yeah, Annie has a special way with animals," said Jack. "Especially dogs."