01 A Secret Code

Vacation Under the Volcano

Chapter 01 A Secret Code Jack reached into his drawer and took out his secret library card. He held the thin piece of wood and ran his finger over its shimmering letters: M L. “ Master Librarian, ” he whispered. Jack couldn’t believe that he and his sister, Annie, were finally Master Librarians. He wondered if he should pack the secret card to take on vacation. His family was about to leave for a week in the mountains.

Just then Annie stuck her head into Jack’s room. “ Want to check the woods?” she asked. Every morning, they looked in the Frog Creek woods to see if Morgan le Fay and her magic tree house had returned. “ We can’t, ” said Jack. “ We’re leaving soon. ” “ But what if Morgan’s there?” said Annie. “ What if she’s waiting for us?” “ Oh, okay, ” said Jack. “ Let’s look fast. ” He grabbed his backpack. He threw in his notebook, his pencil, and his secret library card. Then he followed Annie downstairs. “ We’ll be back soon! ” Annie called. “ Don’t go far! ” their dad called. “ We’re leaving in twenty minutes. ” “ Don’t worry, we’ll be back in ten! ” said Annie.

Right, thought Jack. Five minutes to the woods, and five minutes back. Even if Morgan sent them on an adventure, they would return at exactly the same time that they left. Jack and Annie ran out their front door. In the bright morning sunshine, they hurried across their lawn and down the street. “ I had a nightmare last night, ” said Annie. “ What was it? ” said Jack. “ I dreamed fires were burning, ” said Annie. “ Everything was smoky and dark, and the ground was shaking. Do you think it was a warning?” “ Nah, ” said Jack. “ Nightmares never come true. ” They left the sidewalk and headed into the Frog Creek woods. The woods were quiet and peaceful. They walked between sunlit trees until they came to the tallest oak in the woods.

“ Yay! ” said Annie. There it was—the magic tree house. And Morgan le Fay was waving from the window. “ Hail, Master Librarians, ” she said. Jack and Annie bowed playfully. “ At your service, ” said Annie. “ Then come on up! ” said Morgan. They grabbed the rope ladder and started up. When they climbed inside the tree house, they found Morgan holding a book and a piece of paper. “ I have an important mission for you, ” she said. “ Are you ready?” “ Yes! ” they both answered. Jack’s heart pounded. Ever since Morgan had made them Master Librarians, he had been longing for their first mission.