Mary Pope Osborne - Magic Tree House 46 (4 page)

“The Saints have saved over a thousand people from the White Death,” said Brother Michael.

“And the White Death is … what?” Jack asked, looking up.

“That is what we call blizzards and avalanches,” said Brother Michael. “You were directly in the path of a very small avalanche. They are quite common in the spring. When the snow begins to melt, it loses its grip on the mountainside and slides down.”

Jack wrote:

“You were lucky,” said Father Laurent. “Avalanche victims rarely survive if they are trapped for long in the snow. Even a very
small avalanche can be deadly.”

“So there wasn’t much time for the Saints to find us and save us, was there?” said Annie.

“No,” said Father Laurent. “But they need no compass. Once they hear the voice of the snow, as we call it, their noses lead them in the right direction. They can find their way to a person buried six feet down.”

“Oh, man,” Jack murmured, and wrote:

“Wow, they’re amazing,” said Annie. Everyone looked at the dogs. “Thank you, Saints, for saving our lives,” Annie said to them.

The gentle giants didn’t seem to care about being heroes. One scratched his ear, another yawned, and the third one snored.

Father Laurent laughed at the dogs. “Well,
Jack and Annie. I imagine you would like to sleep now,” he said.

Jack closed his notebook and nodded.

“We’re pretty tired,” said Annie.

“Come. I will take you to your room,” Brother Michael said.

“Good night, Jack and Annie,” said Father Laurent. “And farewell, for I will not be seeing you in the morning. I am setting out first thing to help the French army.”

What does that mean?
wondered Jack.

“Thanks for everything,” said Annie.

“Of course,” said Father Laurent. “I am glad you are safe now. No one should ever be caught on these mountains in the dead of night.”

J
ack and Annie followed Brother Michael out of the parlor. The monk carried two lanterns and chatted while he led them down a chilly hall.

“This monastery was built on the highest part of the pass almost eight hundred years ago,” Brother Michael said. “We have a dog kennel and a chapel, as well as a library filled with books and exhibits of rocks, minerals, and butterflies. Father Laurent is quite well known for his research and his nature expeditions.”

“That’s cool,” murmured Jack. But he was too worried about their mission to say any more.
How will we ever find a flower here?
he wondered again.

Brother Michael opened a door to a small room. “We have many rooms for travelers,” he said. “But tonight you are our only visitors.”

The monk placed a lantern on a table between two small beds. “I hope you will sleep well,” he said. “And if you have more questions, I will be glad to answer them tomorrow.”

“Thanks. Good night,” said Annie.

“Good night,” said Brother Michael, and he left the room and closed the door.

Jack and Annie sat on their beds. The lantern light was casting shadows on the white walls of the small room. The wind rattled the windowpanes.

“I’m so glad to be
here,
” Annie said, sighing, “and not lost outside in the dead of night.” She lay back and covered herself with a brown woolen blanket.

“No kidding,” said Jack. “But it still makes no
sense that Teddy and Kathleen sent us here.”

“We’ll figure it out tomorrow,” said Annie.

Jack reached into his bag and took out the small scroll. He unrolled it and read aloud by the lantern light:

The second thing to break the spell
is a white and yellow flower.
Live its meaning for yourself,
if only for an hour.

“It’s a mystery,” said Jack. “No flower can live in a cold, snowy place like this. And live its meaning? What’s that about? And why just an hour?”

“I don’t know,” murmured Annie. She closed her eyes and yawned. “Aren’t you tired?”

“Yeah, very,” said Jack. “But I’m also worried about our mission.” He put the scroll back into his bag and pulled out their research book.

Jack flipped through it until he came to a section with photos of plants and animals. He read the chapter title aloud: “Flora and Fauna of
the Alps.” He looked at Annie. “
Flora
and
fauna
means
plants
and
animals.
Did you know that?”

Annie didn’t open her eyes or say anything.

“Are you asleep?” asked Jack.

“Yes,” said Annie. “You should go to sleep, too. You can read all this stuff in the morning.”

“But nothing makes sense,” said Jack. “I don’t know if I
can
sleep.”

“Try,” said Annie.

Jack sighed. He closed the research book and placed it on the floor. Then he blew out the lantern flame and pulled up his wool blanket.

Jack kept his eyes open, but he couldn’t see a thing. The room was pitch-black. From somewhere in the monastery came soft, beautiful singing. Two or three Saints barked. The panes of their window rattled as the wind moaned outside.

“We forgot to ask what year it is,” said Jack. “It’s hard to tell, don’t you think?”

“Shhh,” whispered Annie.

“But it feels timeless here,” Jack went on. “Everything could be in a time long ago or in our
time: sun, snow, mountains, monks, soup, singing … wind … wool … night …” Jack closed his eyes.

“And dogs …,” murmured Annie.

“Dogs …,” Jack repeated in a whisper.

And he fell asleep.

Jack opened his eyes. Cold gray light came through a paned window.
Where am I?
he wondered. He sat up, put his glasses on, and looked around the white-walled room. Annie was still asleep.

Oh, yeah, the monastery,
Jack thought. “Hey, Annie,” he whispered. “Wake up.”

“Where are we?” Annie asked, opening her eyes.

“In the Swiss Alps,” said Jack.

“We are? Why?” Annie asked groggily.

“Good question,” said Jack. “Let’s read about flora and fauna of the Alps and figure it out.”

Jack reached for the book on the floor. Just as he grabbed it, the door banged open, and a Saint Bernard dog burst into the room. The dog flung himself onto Jack’s bed.

“Ahhh!” Jack yelled.

“Whoa!” cried Annie.

The giant dog plopped down on top of Jack and panted,
HEH-HEH-HEH!
His head was as big as a basketball. His breath smelled like fish and crackers. His fur smelled like wet wool.

“Okay, get off, please!” said Jack. He tried to push the dog off, but the dog just wrinkled his brow and looked curiously into Jack’s eyes. Drool hung from his long jowls.

“Eww! Annie, help!” said Jack.

“Hey,
you
!” Annie called to the huge, panting dog. “Come to
me
!”

The Saint Bernard jumped off Jack and bounded onto Annie’s bed with the same joy and energy. Annie couldn’t stop giggling as the dog licked her face.

“Barry!” said Brother Michael. He stood in the doorway.

Ignoring the monk, the dog nuzzled Annie with his giant head. “Stop! Stop!” she said, laughing.

“Barry! Off!” the monk said.

“Barry!” said Jack, trying to help.

The dog looked over at Jack. Then he leapt off Annie’s bed.

“Oh, no!” cried Jack. “Don’t come back to me!” He covered his head with his blanket.

But it was too late. Barry jumped back onto Jack’s bed and started pawing at the blanket, trying to dig Jack out from underneath.

“Barry, come!” commanded Brother Michael. “Now!”

Finally the Saint Bernard leapt off Jack’s bed and bounded into the hallway.

Brother Michael quickly closed the door behind the rowdy giant. “Well! Now you’ve met Barry!” he said.

Out in the hallway, Barry whined and pawed at the door, begging to come back into the room.

“Oh, poor puppy,” said Annie.

“Barry may be young,” said Brother Michael. “But he is a two-hundred-pound dog who needs to grow up.”

“Aww,” said Annie. She laughed tenderly at the mournful sounds Barry was making.

“Perhaps you do not realize this,” said Brother
Michael, “but it is past noon. You have both been asleep for many hours.”

“Really? Oh, man!” said Jack. He jumped off the bed and grabbed his shoes and put them on. He couldn’t believe they’d wasted so much time!

“We are just completing our noontime meal in the dining hall before we hike down the pass,” said Brother Michael. “Thousands of French soldiers will be crossing soon on their way to Italy. Father Laurent left to assist the first troops. I thought perhaps you would like to eat something before the rest of us leave to help.”

“Uh—sure, thanks,” said Jack.

“I will wait for you in the dining hall next to the parlor,” said the monk.

When Brother Michael slipped out the door, Barry greeted him with a happy yelp. Then the giant dog’s barking faded down the hallway.