Dark Day in the Deep Sea

doing and do something with you,” said Jack.
    “Maybe Teddy and Kathleen are waiting for us,” said Annie.
    “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” said Jack.
    “Maybe today’s the day they want us to look for a fourth secret of happiness for Merlin,” said Annie. “Maybe they’re going to send us to a super-cool place.”
    “Good. Hope they do. Have fun,” said Jack. “I want to finish raking these leaves before dark.” He glanced up at the late-afternoon sky—just in time to see a bright streak of light pass over the Frog Creek woods. “Whoa!” Jack turned to Annie with a smile. “Did you see that?”
    “Hold that smile!” said Annie as she took Jack’s picture. “Thanks! Perfect.”
    “But did you see that?” Jack asked. “The light going over the woods?”
    “Ha-ha,” said Annie.
    “No, I’m serious! It was a bright light! Wait a second!” Jack put down his rake and dashed into the house. “Mom! Dad!” he shouted. “Annie and I are going for a walk, okay?”
    “Okay,” called their dad, “but be home before dark!”
    “And wear your scarves and hats!” called their mom.
    “We will!” Jack grabbed their scarves, their hats, and his backpack from the hall closet and ran back outside. “Let’s go!” he said to Annie.
    Annie put her camera in her jacket pocket and took off running with Jack. They ran up the sidewalk, crossed the street, and headed into the shadowy Frog Creek woods. They crunched over a carpet of fallen leaves until they came to the tallest tree.
    The magic tree house was there! Kathleen and Teddy were looking out the window. The twoyoung enchanters were both wearing dark cloaks.
    “Hi! Hi!” Annie shouted.
    “We were about to come looking for you!” said Kathleen. “How did you know we were here?”
    “I saw the light!” said Jack.
    “Climb up!” said Teddy.
    Jack and Annie hurried up the rope ladder. When they climbed inside the tree house, they hugged Teddy and Kathleen.
    “Is it time to go on another mission?” said Annie.
    “Indeed,” said Kathleen.
    “And it is quite urgent now,” said Teddy.
    “Merlin is failing quickly,” said Kathleen. She blinked back tears.
    “Oh, no!” said Annie.
    “Morgan wants you to find the final secret of happiness
today,
” said Teddy. “And then you must return to Camelot to present all four secrets to Merlin. You remember the first three, do you not?”
    “Sure!” said Jack. “We have three gifts to help us remember. I kept them in my backpack.”
    “A poem, a drawing, and a seashell,” said Annie.
    “Good,” said Teddy. “Here is where you will look for the final secret.” He took a book from his cloak and handed it to Jack.
    On the cover was a picture of a volcano surrounded by snow and ice. The title said:

    “Antarctica?” said Jack. “We studied Antarctica in school. There’s hardly anything there.Where would we find a secret of happiness in Antarctica?”
    “I do not know,” said Kathleen. “But Morgan has sent a rhyme to help your search.” She handed Annie a slip of parchment.
    Annie read Morgan’s rhyme aloud:
    For the final secret, you must go

To a burning mountain of ice and snow

On wheels, by air, then all fall down,

Till you come to the Cave of the Ancient Crown.

Then speed to Camelot by close of day,

Lest grief take Merlin forever away.
    “Forever away?” said Annie.
    “I fear so,” said Teddy.
    “I don’t understand,” said Jack. “This rhyme sounds like we’re going to a fantasy world, a place with ‘a burning mountain’ and a ‘Cave of the Ancient Crown.’ But Antarctica’s a real place, totally real.”
    “Aye, Morgan’s rhyme is a mystery to me, too,” said Teddy.
    “But you still have the Wand of Dianthus to help you, do you not?” asked Kathleen.
    “Yes,” said Jack. But he looked inside his backpack just to make sure. There it was: the gleaming spiraled wand of the unicorn.
    “Good,” said Kathleen. “And you remember the three rules of the wand?”
    “Sure,” said Annie. “The wand’s magic only works if our wish is for the good of others. It only works after we’ve tried our hardest. And it only works if our wish is
five
words.”
    “Excellent,” said Teddy.
    “I wish you guys could come with us,” said Jack.
    “We must return to Morgan and try to help Merlin,” said Kathleen. “But with your courage and intelligence, I know you will be able to find the secret by yourselves.”
    Jack nodded, embarrassed. But Kathleen’s words did make