03 Brother Patrick

Chapter 03 Brother Patrick Jack’s glasses were wet with mist. He quickly wiped them, then looked up. A man in a brown robe stood before him. The man had a round red face. He was bald, except for a fringe of hair around his head. Nearby the rope was tied around a tree. “ I—I’m not an invader, ” said Jack. “ He’s Jack! ” said Annie. She was standing behind the man. “ I’m Annie. We’re from Frog Creek, Pennsylvania. ”

“ We—we come in peace, ” stammered Jack. The man’s blue eyes twinkled. “ Oh, do you now?” he said. “ I wondered what was going on. I had dropped the rope so I could climb down the steps. But you two grabbed it instead. How in the world did you get on this island?” Jack stared at the man. He didn’t know how to explain the magic tree house. “ In our boat, ” Annie said quickly. The man looked puzzled. “ Not many boats can come ashore at this dark, early hour. ” “ Well, we’re very good sailors, ” said Annie. Oh, brother, thought Jack. He hoped their sailing skills wouldn’t be tested. “ Where exactly are we?” asked Annie. “ And who exactly are you?”

“ You’re on an island off the coast of Ireland, ” the man said. “ And I am Brother Patrick. ” “ Whose brother are you?” said Annie. The monk smiled. “ The ‘brother’ means I’m a Christian monk. ” “ Oh, you’re one of the monks who saved civilization! ” said Annie. The man smiled again. Annie turned to Jack and whispered, “ Let’s show him our cards. I trust him. ” “ Okay, ” said Jack. He trusted the monk, too. They both pulled out their secret library cards and showed them to Brother Patrick. The M’s and L’s for Master Librarian shined in the gray light.

The monk looked at them and bowed his head. “ Welcome, my friends, ” he said. “ Thank you, ” said Jack and Annie.

“ I did not truly think you were invaders, ” said Brother Patrick. “ But on our small island, we are careful of strangers. ” “ Why?” said Annie. “ There are terrible stories about Viking raiders, ” he said. “ When we see their serpent ships, we must hide or be taken as slaves. ” “ Serpent ships?” said Jack. “ The prows of their ships are often carved in the shape of a serpent’s head, ” said Brother Patrick. “ I am afraid it stands for their fierce, cold-blooded ways. ” Jack looked at the misty gray sea. “ Do not worry, ” said Brother Patrick. “ They cannot land safely on this island before daylight. They’re not as good sailors as some people. ” He winked at Annie. “ Too bad for them, ” she said cheerfully.

“ But tell me, why have you come here?” asked Brother Patrick. “ Oh, ” said Jack. “ I almost forgot. ” He pulled Morgan’s paper from his leather bag. He showed the Latin words to the monk. erpens Magna “ This is the title of a story that we have to take back to our friend and teacher, Morgan le Fay, ” said Annie. “ I see … ” said Brother Patrick. He gave Jack and Annie a mysterious look. What’s he thinking? Jack wondered. But the monk changed the subject. “ I think you would like to visit our monastery, ” he said. “ What’s that?” said Annie.