Eve of the Emperor Penguin by Mary Pope Osborne Read Free Book Online

told Annie I don’t think it can be a baby penguin,” said Jack. “Because in our time people aren’t allowed to have baby penguins.”
    “That is true,” said Morgan. “But people canalways take care of someone—or some creature—who needs them.”
    “So
that’s
the secret?” said Annie.
    Morgan nodded. “Taking loving care of another can make one very happy,” she said. “Like the other three secrets, it helps us look outside ourselves. Then we can better see all the gifts the world has to offer.”
    “Yeah, taking care of Penny really took my attention off myself,” Jack said. “I forgot about a million things I was worried about.”
    “I know you will miss her,” said Morgan. “But I imagine you will see her again someday.”
    “So are we going on another mission soon?” asked Annie.
    “Return home and rest first, and we will send for you again,” said Morgan.
    “Can you try to make it really soon?” said Annie. “We don’t like long rests.”
    Morgan laughed. “We will see,” she said.
    “Oh, before we leave, I want to take a pictureof you three guys,” said Annie. “It’s for my family project at school. You seem like a family to me. Look this way, please.”
    Annie aimed her camera at Morgan, Teddy, and Kathleen. “Smile!” she said.
    “What are you doing?” asked Teddy. “What are you holding?”
    “It’s a camera,” said Annie. “Just smile. Say
cheese.
”
    “Cheese? Why ‘cheese’?” said Teddy.
    Click! Flash!
    “Got it.” Annie put her camera back into her pocket.
    “What was that? What did you do?” asked Teddy.
    “It’s hard to explain,” said Jack. “It’s like magic. From our time.”
    “Good-bye now,” said Morgan, smiling. “Have a safe journey home to
your
family.”
    “Thanks,” said Jack.
    “See all you guys again soon—
real
soon, we hope!” said Annie.
    “We hope so, too!” said Teddy.
    “Good-bye,” said Kathleen.
    Jack and Annie left the garden cottage and hurried back to the tree house.
    They climbed up the rope ladder. Jack grabbed the Pennsylvania book and opened it to a picture of the Frog Creek woods.
    “Wait, I see Merlin and Penny! Look!” Annie pointed toward Merlin in the distance. He was still walking through the apple orchard with Penny at his side.
    “They look like a little family now, too,” said Jack.
    “Yeah, they do. I should take their picture,” said Annie. She aimed her camera at Merlin and Penny and took a picture. Then she sighed. “Okay, home now.”
    “Bye, Penny,” Jack said softly. Then he pointed in the book to the words
Frog Creek.
“I wish we could go there!” he said.
    The wind started to blow.
    The tree house started to spin.
    It spun faster and faster.
    Then everything was still.
    Absolutely still.

    “We’re home,” Annie said. “That was a great trip.” She and Jack were back in the Frog Creek woods.
    “Yeah. I hope we see Penny on our next mission,” said Jack.
    “If we see Merlin, we’ll probably see Penny,” said Annie. “I think those two are a team now. At least we have a picture of them—and a picture of Teddy, Kathleen, and Morgan.”
    Annie held up her camera and clicked through the photo display. “Oh, no!” she said. “I don’t believe it!”
    “What?” said Jack.
    “All my pictures are gone!” said Annie. “No Antarctica! No Merlin or Morgan! No penguins!”
    “Really?” said Jack. “Maybe you can’t keep the pictures you take on a magical trip.”
    “I think you’re right,” said Annie. “I only haveone picture. I took it right before we left home.” She held up her camera to show Jack. It was a picture of him. He had a grin on his face.
    “That’s when I saw the streak of light over the woods,” said Jack, “and I knew the tree house was back.”
    “Well, at least I captured
that
moment,” said Annie, sighing.
    “Yep.” Jack put the Antarctica book on the floor of the tree house and pulled on his pack. Then he climbed down the rope ladder.