09 Mouse-walk

Chapter 09 Mouse-walk The mouse vanished into the tall grass on the other side of the stream. Jack and Annie stared at the tree branch. “ We have to try to cross it, ” said Annie. “ We’re supposed to follow nature. ” “ Forget it, ” said Jack. “ It’s too little. It’ll crack in a second. ” “ Maybe if we pretend we’re mice, we can do it, ” said Annie. “ Oh brother, ” said Jack. “ Not again. ” “ If you could be a rock, you can be a mouse, ” said Annie. “ Just be teeny and light and fast. ”

Jack took a deep breath. “ We have to, ” said Annie. “ Okay, ” Jack said. “ Say ‘squeak, ’ ” said Annie. “ You’re nuts! ” said Jack. “ Just do it, ” said Annie. “ It’ll help you feel more like a mouse. ” Jack groaned. “ Okay, ” he said. “ Squeak. ” “ Squeak, ” said Annie. “ Squeak, squeak, squeak, ” they said together. “ Let’s go! Hurry! ” said Annie. Jack stepped onto the branch. I’m teeny. I’m light. I’m fast, he thought. Then he darted across the branch. Jack moved so quickly, he didn’t think about anything—except getting to the other side.

He forgot the wild, freezing water. He forgot the smallness of the branch. Suddenly Jack was on the other side. Suddenly Annie was right beside him. They laughed and fell together into the grass. “ See! See! The branch didn’t break! ” said Annie. “ I guess it was big enough, ” said Jack. “ I guess we just had to think the right way. ” “ The Peanut way, ” said Annie. “ Yeah, ” said Jack, smiling. He felt great. He was still wet from his fall into the stream. But he didn’t mind anymore. Jack pushed his glasses into place and stood up. “ Okay, now we just have to find the tree house, ” he said. “ No, we don’t, ” said Annie. She pointed up.

The tree house was outlined against the moonlit sky. High in a tree. Surrounded by white flowers. In the distance came the sound of voices. Then Jack saw flames. “ The samurai are coming back, ” said Jack. “ We have to go. ” “ Where’s Peanut?” said Annie. “ We can’t leave Peanut. ” “ We have to, ” said Jack. The voices of the samurai were getting closer. So were their torches. “ Come on, ” Jack said. He grabbed Annie’s hand. He pulled her toward the rope ladder. “ Oh Jack—” she said sadly. “ Go! Go! ” Annie started up the rope ladder. Jack followed. He felt sad, too. He liked that little mouse now. He liked it a lot. They climbed up and up.

Just before they got to the top, Jack heard it. Squeak. “ Oh wow! ” cried Annie. “ Peanut’s inside! ” Annie pulled herself into the tree house. Jack followed. He gasped. Someone else was in the tree house, too. A dark figure was sitting in the corner. “ You have done well, ” the figure said. It was the ninja master. “ You have followed the way of the ninja, ” he said. “ Oh man, ” breathed Jack. Squeak. The master was holding Peanut. “ Take good care of your little helper, ” he said, handing the mouse to Annie. Annie kissed the mouse’s tiny head.

“ And take this—” said the master. He held his hand out to Jack. He gave Jack a small, round stone. “ This moonstone will help you find your missing friend, ” the master said. Jack stared at the stone. Was this one of the four things? “ You must go home now, ” said the master. He picked up the Pennsylvania book and handed it to Annie. “ Where did you find it?” asked Jack. “ Here, ” said the master. “ You did not see it before. Because your heart knew you had a mission to complete first. ” “ What about you?” said Annie. “ Can you come with us?” “ Yes, ” said Jack. “ We need help finding Morgan. ”