Jack Staples and the Ring of Time by Mark Batterson Read Free Book Online

bounding away to disappear into the forest.
    Jack lay flat on his back, trying to comprehend what just happened. For a long moment he didn’t move, and neither Arthur nor the girl said a word. As he sat up, he touched his face in disbelief.
    “Well, that was weird,” Arthur said, turning to the girl. “What on earth are you doing with a lion? You know they’re dangerous, right?”
    “She was the one who walked the tightrope on the night of the fire,” Jack said. “I told you about her.”
    “You were there?” the girl broke in. “You were at the circus?” She turned to Jack with a dangerous look in her eyes.
    “I was there,” he said slowly. “I’m the boy the other lion saved from the fire.”
    The girl threw out her arm, pointing her finger in accusation. “It was you!”
    Jack stepped back from the girl’s sudden rage, blinking in confusion.
    “You killed him!” she screamed as she grabbed a sling from her belt and spun it around threateningly. “That lion was my best friend, boy! I knew I’d find you someday. Prepare to die.” The girl glared at Jack, spinning the sling faster.
    “He was your friend?” Jack felt sick to his stomach.
    The girl didn’t answer but kept her sling spinning.
    “I think he … I think he could have escaped. I’ve thought about it many times. I think he could have gotten away from the fire, but he didn’t. He chose to save me instead.”
    The girl’s face contorted in rage.
    “I’m sorry you lost your friend. I’m sorry he—”
    Thwang . The stone hurtled from her sling, flying directly at Jack’s head.
    As the girl’s stone flew toward him, something quite strange happened. From behind a nearby bush catapulted a much larger stone, also flying toward Jack’s head. When the girl’s stone was about to strike Jack flat on the nose, the larger stone collided with it, deflecting it away at the last possible moment.
    Jack blinked and shared a look of shock with both Arthur and the girl. All three children turned to look toward the bush. None of them moved or said a word, even when the slight whooshing sound came from above. Jack looked up to see a small stone dropping toward the girl. The girl was squinting directly into the setting sun, so she never saw the stone that struck her on the top of her head, knocking her unconscious.
     
    Jack and his best friend stared at the girl, then at each other. “What had just happened?” Jack breathed.
    “My, my, isn’t she a wild one?” Walking spryly from behind the bush was Mrs. Dumphry. In her hands was a sling only slightly longer than the one still clutched in the girl’s hand.
    “Mrs. Dumphry?” Arthur croaked. “What are you doing here?”
    Mrs. Dumphry snorted loudly as she walked over to the girl. “Do you think to question me, child? Does the badger waste its breath on the bear?”
    Arthur opened his mouth to speak, then promptly closed it again, unsure how to respond. Mrs. Dumphry knelt and placed a hand on the girl’s forehead, wiping off a bit of grime.
    “I don’t know what’s worse—young Mr. Greaves ignoring my instructions or …” As she was speaking, Mrs. Dumphry placed her thumb under the girl’s eye and pulled it open. The second she had it opened, she whipped her hand away and hissed sharply.
    “Mrs. Dumphry, what’s wrong?” Jack hadn’t thought anything could shock his ancient teacher. But she didn’t answer; she stayed kneeling with an unbelieving look painting her face. “Mrs. Dumphry?” Jack asked again.
    “Silence!” Her voice held a note of alarm. “Who is this girl? Speak now, and speak truthfully.”
    “I don’t know her name, but she used to work at the circus. She was the one who walked the tightrope.”
    After a moment, Mrs. Dumphry’s hand hesitantly made its way back to the girl’s eye. With her index finger she once again pulled at the skin, bringing her face closer to get a better look. “It’s not possible,” she whispered. “Two children born without