Chapter 8

Chapter 8 Dink snatched up the feather. Ruth Rose raised her eyebrows. Dink shrugged and stuck the feather in his pocket. "Ready to head in?" Walker asked. "I promised Sis I'd get you back before lunch." He started up the engine, and they chugged toward land. Back at Walker's dock, the kids helped him hose fish goo and seaweed off the deck of his boat. Then he drove them to the castle. "Sis's car is gone," Walker said. "She must be out doing errands. Will you kids be okay for a

while?" "I'm a little hungry," Josh said, grinning. "Here, finish this." Walker handed Josh the bread, peanut butter, and knife. He waved and drove away. "Where should we eat?" Josh asked. "How about the playhouse?" Ruth Rose said. "I can wash those little dishes." She found a watering can next to the mud room door and filled it from the spigot. On the way to the playhouse, Dink pulled the feathers out of his pocket. He told Josh how he'd found the third one on Walker's boat. The kids studied the feathers, holding them up to the sunlight. "They're exactly alike," Josh said. "Another parrot feather?" Ruth Rose asked. "Where could they be coming from?" Josh grinned. "From a parrot?" "Very funny, Joshua!" Dink suddenly remembered his dream. Screaming bats with green feathers… Ruth Rose opened the playhouse door and they walked in. "It's too cold in here," Josh said. "Why don't we eat out in the sun?"

Dink helped Josh carry the table out. Ruth Rose brought out the dishes and set them in the grass. "The rug looks pretty dusty," Dink said. "We should drag it outside and sweep it." Josh was spreading peanut butter on bread at the table. "Can we eat first, then work? My stomach is talking to me." On his knees, Dink began rolling up the rug. "Your stomach is—hey, guys, look!" "Not another green feather, I hope," Josh muttered. He strolled over to see. Dink pointed to a trapdoor in the floor. "Yes!" Josh yelled. "I told you! The secret door to the secret dungeon!" Ruth Rose ran over. "Let's open it!" she said. The handle had a spring lock. Ruth Rose squeezed the spring, and the lock popped open. With all three of them pulling, they were able to raise the trapdoor. They heard a creepy whoosh, then cold, damp air escaped. "Yuck, what a smell!" Josh said. The kids stared into the musty-smelling hole. Stone steps led down to darkness. Even in the dim light, they saw footprints on the steps.

"Just like the prints we saw on the rug," Dink said. They all jumped back as a hollow scream echoed out of the dark hole.