06 The Vikings Are Coming!

Chapter 06 The Vikings Are Coming! “ Annie! ” Jack cried. “ Vikings! ” Annie looked out the tree house window. “ Vikings?” “ They’re headed straight for the island! ” said Jack. He turned back to the stone steps. “ Where are you going?” cried Annie. “ To warn the monks! ” Jack said. “ I’ll come, too! ” cried Annie. She scrambled out of the tree house.

“ Hurry! ” said Jack. Jack didn’t even use the rope. He pulled himself up the steep steps with his hands. As Jack and Annie climbed up the face of the cliff, clouds began to cover the sun. When they reached the top, a fog had almost hidden the serpent ships. “ Run! ” cried Annie. The fog blanketed the whole island. Jack and Annie could barely see the path to the monastery. When they arrived at the gate, the misty white world was silent. “ Vikings! ” Jack cried. “ Vikings! ” “ The monks are still in church! ” said Annie. She yanked the bell rope. Dong! Dong!

Jack and Annie watched as Brother Patrick and the other monks ran out of the church. “ The Vikings are coming! ” Jack shouted. Brother Patrick’s rosy face turned white. “ Make haste! ” he said to the other monks. “ Gather the books and hide. ” The monks ran into the library. Brother Patrick turned to Jack and Annie. “ We have a secret hiding place, a cave on the other side of the island, ” he said. “ You can come with us. But I am not certain you will be safe. ” “ Don’t worry, ” said Jack. “ We’re going to try to go home. ” “ Do not use the steps, ” Brother Patrick said. “ The Vikings will climb them. ” “ Then how do we get down?” said Jack.

“ Go that way, ” said Brother Patrick, pointing. “ At the cliff’s edge are two large rocks. A path between those rocks will take you down to the shore. Then you can walk around to your boat. ” “ Thanks! ” said Annie. “ Be careful! ” said Brother Patrick. He hurried inside the library. “ Wait! ” came a thin voice as Jack and Annie turned to run. It was Brother Michael. He hobbled over to them, holding out his book of Irish tales. “ Take it, ” he said. “ Are you sure?” Jack asked. He knew it was Brother Michael’s life’s work. “ Please, ” said Brother Michael. “ It is better that the world should have some of it than none at all. Just in case … ” “ We’ll take good care of it, ” said Jack. He gently placed the jeweled book in his leather bag.

“ Good luck! ” said Annie. Annie and Jack waved good-bye to the old man. Then they raced to the rocks that Brother Patrick had told them about.