us how to reverse the stone spell,” said Kathleen. She took a note from her cloak.
“The bad news is that it is written in an ancientlanguage,” said Teddy. “We have only translated eight lines so far.”
Kathleen read from the note:
Ye say that ye wish
your spell be reversed?
Four things ye must find.
Here is the first:
In the shape of a rose
is an emerald stone
that uncovers the heart
of one who’s alone
.
“An emerald stone shaped like a rose?” said Jack. He took the note from Kathleen and looked at it. “That’s what you have to find first?”
“Yes, only
we
must spend our time trying to translate the rest of the spell before Merlin and Morgan return,” said Kathleen, “so we need you and Annie to look for the emerald rose.”
“Got it,” said Jack.
“Where do we look?” asked Annie.
“We have done some research,” said Teddy, “and we think you should go back almost four hundred years and visit one of the Great Moguls of India.”
“Great Moguls?” said Annie.
“They are the emperors who ruled India’s Mogul Empire,” said Teddy. “One of them had the largest collection of precious gems in all the world.”
“And his stonecutters cut many of his jewels into the shape of leaves and flowers!” said Kathleen.
“Perfect!” said Annie.
“Our research says he often gave gifts of his precious gems to visiting ambassadors,” said Teddy. “You will have to pretend to be ambassadors.”
“And I am afraid, Annie, that you will have to pretend to be a boy again,” said Kathleen. “In Mogul India, girls were not allowed to show their faces in public.”
“No problem, I’m getting used to it,” Annie said.
“Wait, even if Annie’s a boy, they’re probably not going to believe that we’re ambassadors,” said Jack.
Teddy and Kathleen gave each other blank looks. “I do not know why not,” said Teddy, “though I admit we do not really know very much about ambassadors.”
“They’re people who visit other countries to represent their own country,” said Jack.
“Splendid!” said Teddy. “So that’s what you’ll do—you’ll represent Frog Creek four hundred years ago.”
“Except ambassadors are usually grown-ups,” said Jack.
“Oh. Well. I suppose you must just do the best you can,” said Kathleen.
“Perhaps
this
will help you,” said Teddy. “If you have knowledge, you will seem older.” He reached into his cloak and pulled out a book.
“And we thought perhaps some magic might help, too,” said Kathleen, “if you find yourselves in danger.” She reached into her cloak again and pulled out a tiny blue bottle. “A potion to make you very small.”
“Wow, great!” said Annie.
“Uh … very small?” said Jack. He remembered how their friend Augusta had been made tiny by the fairies of Ireland. He remembered that he’d been afraid it might happen to them, too. All kinds of ordinary things could seem huge and scary, he thought. “How long would we stay small?” he asked.
“It depends on how many sips you take,” said Kathleen, giving the bottle to Jack. “One sip will make you small for ten minutes, two for twenty, three for thirty, and so on.”
“Thanks,” he said. He put the bottle and the rhyme into his backpack.
“Go now,” said Teddy. “Find the emerald rose while we try to translate the rest of the spell.”
“We’ll do our best,” said Annie.
“Thank you,” said Kathleen. “When you need strength, just think of Penny.”
“We will,” said Jack. He took a deep breath and pointed at the cover of their research book. “I wish we could go
there
!”
Annie waved at Teddy and Kathleen. “See you later!” she said.
The wind started to blow.
The tree house started to spin.
It spun faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
K athleen and Teddy were gone. The air was hot. Flies buzzed around Jack’s head.
“
These
are ambassador clothes?” said Annie.
Jack and Annie were dressed
“The bad news is that it is written in an ancientlanguage,” said Teddy. “We have only translated eight lines so far.”
Kathleen read from the note:
Ye say that ye wish
your spell be reversed?
Four things ye must find.
Here is the first:
In the shape of a rose
is an emerald stone
that uncovers the heart
of one who’s alone
.
“An emerald stone shaped like a rose?” said Jack. He took the note from Kathleen and looked at it. “That’s what you have to find first?”
“Yes, only
we
must spend our time trying to translate the rest of the spell before Merlin and Morgan return,” said Kathleen, “so we need you and Annie to look for the emerald rose.”
“Got it,” said Jack.
“Where do we look?” asked Annie.
“We have done some research,” said Teddy, “and we think you should go back almost four hundred years and visit one of the Great Moguls of India.”
“Great Moguls?” said Annie.
“They are the emperors who ruled India’s Mogul Empire,” said Teddy. “One of them had the largest collection of precious gems in all the world.”
“And his stonecutters cut many of his jewels into the shape of leaves and flowers!” said Kathleen.
“Perfect!” said Annie.
“Our research says he often gave gifts of his precious gems to visiting ambassadors,” said Teddy. “You will have to pretend to be ambassadors.”
“And I am afraid, Annie, that you will have to pretend to be a boy again,” said Kathleen. “In Mogul India, girls were not allowed to show their faces in public.”
“No problem, I’m getting used to it,” Annie said.
“Wait, even if Annie’s a boy, they’re probably not going to believe that we’re ambassadors,” said Jack.
Teddy and Kathleen gave each other blank looks. “I do not know why not,” said Teddy, “though I admit we do not really know very much about ambassadors.”
“They’re people who visit other countries to represent their own country,” said Jack.
“Splendid!” said Teddy. “So that’s what you’ll do—you’ll represent Frog Creek four hundred years ago.”
“Except ambassadors are usually grown-ups,” said Jack.
“Oh. Well. I suppose you must just do the best you can,” said Kathleen.
“Perhaps
this
will help you,” said Teddy. “If you have knowledge, you will seem older.” He reached into his cloak and pulled out a book.
“And we thought perhaps some magic might help, too,” said Kathleen, “if you find yourselves in danger.” She reached into her cloak again and pulled out a tiny blue bottle. “A potion to make you very small.”
“Wow, great!” said Annie.
“Uh … very small?” said Jack. He remembered how their friend Augusta had been made tiny by the fairies of Ireland. He remembered that he’d been afraid it might happen to them, too. All kinds of ordinary things could seem huge and scary, he thought. “How long would we stay small?” he asked.
“It depends on how many sips you take,” said Kathleen, giving the bottle to Jack. “One sip will make you small for ten minutes, two for twenty, three for thirty, and so on.”
“Thanks,” he said. He put the bottle and the rhyme into his backpack.
“Go now,” said Teddy. “Find the emerald rose while we try to translate the rest of the spell.”
“We’ll do our best,” said Annie.
“Thank you,” said Kathleen. “When you need strength, just think of Penny.”
“We will,” said Jack. He took a deep breath and pointed at the cover of their research book. “I wish we could go
there
!”
Annie waved at Teddy and Kathleen. “See you later!” she said.
The wind started to blow.
The tree house started to spin.
It spun faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still.
K athleen and Teddy were gone. The air was hot. Flies buzzed around Jack’s head.
“
These
are ambassador clothes?” said Annie.
Jack and Annie were dressed
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