Dark Day in the Deep Sea

home to thousands and thousands of sea creatures. Mountains and volcanoes are also hidden deep beneath the surface of the sea.
    “Mountains and volcanoes?” asked Annie. “Under the water?”
    “That’s what the book says,” said Jack. “The ocean’s a whole world we don’t know anything about.”
    “Well,
some
people know about it,” said Annie. “Or that book couldn’t have been written.”
    Good point
, thought Jack.
    “Put the book away and come in, Jack,” said Annie. “The sun’s coming out!”
    Jack looked up from his book. The sun was burning away the mist, making the day hotter.
    “Let’s go swimming!” said Annie.
    As Annie dove into a wave, Jack put his book back into his backpack. He left his pack on the beach, then he waded into the water.
    “Great, huh?” called Annie.
    “Yeah,” Jack said as he dug his toes into the soft, gooey sand. Cool seawater lapped around his calves. He felt the warm sunshine on his face.
    “Let’s swim farther out,” said Annie. “Maybe the secret of happiness is in the deep sea.”
    “How do we go down there without a submarine?” asked Jack.

    “The wand,” said Annie. “Maybe it will turn us into fish or something.”
    Jack closed his eyes and pictured the darkness of the deep filled with thousands of weird creatures. “But the wand can be used only after we’ve tried our hardest. I don’t think we’ve done that yet,” he said.
    “Oh, right,” said Annie. “Plus, it has to be for the good of others.”
    “So first we have to find some others,” Jack said, his eyes still closed.
    “Jack, you won’t believe it,” said Annie.
    “What?” Jack asked dreamily.
    “Take a look!” said Annie.
    Jack sighed and opened his eyes. The mist had cleared a bit, and the day was becoming bright and hot.
    “I think we just found the others!” said Annie. She pointed out to sea.
    Jack shaded his eyes and squinted. Through the wavy sunlight, he saw a large wooden shipwith three tall masts. “Whoa,” he breathed. “That’s a ship from a long time ago.”
    “Yeah. Remember when we ran into the pirate ship?” said Annie. “This ship looks the same, doesn’t it?”
    “Oh, no,” said Jack. “Pirates
again
?”
    “Look! A rowboat’s leaving the ship,” said Annie.
    “Oh, man …,” said Jack.
    “It’s heading toward us,” said Annie. “Just like that other time, remember? The pirates came ashore and chased us. Remember Pinky, Stinky, and Captain Bones?”
    “Don’t panic,” said Jack, panicking. He splashed out of the water and ran up on the beach.
    “Where should we go?” asked Annie, hurrying after him.
    “To the tree house!” said Jack. He grabbed his backpack.
    “But the pirates climbed up to the tree house,” said Annie. “Pinky and Stinky found—”
    “Forget Pinky and Stinky!” said Jack. “Let’s just get out of here!”
    Jack and Annie charged toward the sand dune. They raced up over the top and ran through the tall ferns and grass until they came to the rope ladder.
    “Up, up!” cried Jack.
    Jack and Annie climbed into the tree house. “Pull up the ladder!” said Jack. Together they hauled the rope ladder after them.
    “Where’s the Pennsylvania book?” said Jack. He looked around wildly for the book that always took them home. He grabbed it and found a picture of Frog Creek.
    “Wait, wait! Don’t make a wish yet!” said Annie. She was looking out the window. “I’m not so sure these guys are pirates.”
    Clutching the Pennsylvania book to his chest, Jack looked out the window with Annie. There were three men in the rowboat. The boat rode the top of a wave and came close to the beach.
    Two of the men scrambled out and dragged the boat from the shallow water onto the sand. They both wore huge, bulky vests over white puffy-sleeved shirts. They wore round white hats and white pants rolled up to their knees.
    “Those two don’t look at all like Pinky and Stinky,” said Annie.
    “You’re right,” said Jack. “Pirates never wear such clean-looking clothes.”
    “And look at that third guy,” said Annie.
    The third man stepped out of the boat, carrying a butterfly net. He pulled off his bulky vest, revealing an old-fashioned suit and a bow tie.
    “He
definitely
doesn’t look like a pirate,” said Annie.
    “Yeah,” said Jack. “He looks like he’s never been on a boat before in his life.”
    As the two sailors pulled the rowboat farther onto the beach, the man in the bow tie picked up a