兒童英語讀物《神奇樹屋》第十九冊 Tigers at Twilight 01 How Far Away?

Jack and Annie walked past the Frog Creek woodson their way home from the library.

"I miss Teddy," said Annie.

"Me, too," said Jack.

"He's a really smart dog," said Annie.

3"Yeah," said Jack, "and brave.

And wise," said Annie.

"And funny," said Jack.

"And here!" said Annie.

"What?" said Jack.

"Here!" Annie pointed at the Frog Creek woods.

A small dog with tan-colored fur was peeking outfrom the bushes.

Arf! Arf! he barked.

"Oh, wow! Teddy!" said Jack.

The little dog ran off into the woods.

"Let's go!" said Annie.

She and Jack raced after Teddy. The Frog Creekwoods glowed with late afternoon sun-light.

The dog ran between the trees and finally stoppedat a rope ladder. It hung from the tallest oak tree andled up to the magic tree house.

Teddy waited for Jack and Annie to catch up. Hepanted and wagged his tail.

"Hi, you!" cried Annie. She picked up the little dogand hugged him. "We missed you!""Yeah, silly!" said Jack. He kissed Teddy. Teddylicked his face.

"Is it time to get our third gift?" asked Annie.

Teddy sneezed, as if to say, Of course!

Annie grabbed the rope ladder and started up. Jackput Teddy inside his backpack and followed.

They climbed into the tree house. There was thenote from Morgan le Fay. It was on the floor, justwhere it had been two days ago.

Jack let Teddy out of his pack. Annie picked up thenote and read:

This little dog is under a spell and needs your help.

To free him, you must be given four special things:

A gift from a ship lost at sea,A gift from the prairie blue,A gift from a forest far away,4A gift from a kangaroo.

Be wise. Be brave. Be careful.

MorganJack touched the first two gifts, which they hadalready gotten: a pocket watch from the Titanic andan eagle's feather from the Lakota Indians of theGreat Plains.

"Now we have to get the gift from a forest faraway," said Annie.

"I wonder how far away?" said Jack.

"I know how to find out," said Annie. "Where's ourbook?"She and Jack looked around the tree house for oneof the research books that Morgan always left them.

Arf! Arf! Teddy pawed a book in the corner.

Jack picked it up and read the title:

Wildlife of India.

"Oh, man. India," he said. "That's very far away.""Let's get going," said Annie, "so we can freeTeddy."Jack pointed at the cover of the book.

"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.

But only for a moment...