Summer of the Sea Serpent: A Merlin Mission

piped up. “Excellent plan!” he said.
    “Indeed,” said Kathleen. “Your friends are very brave.” She turned and smiled warmly at Jack.
    “Uh, sure, no problem,” he said.
    “Let us make haste,” said Teddy. Hidden by the fog, he and Kathleen pulled their seal skins back on. A moment later, Jack heard Teddy call out, “Farewell, friends!” Then Kathleen spoke her selkie spell. Her words were followed by two splashes.

    “What do we do now?” Jack asked.
    “We wait for them to find the sword,” said Annie.
    “I hope they hurry,” said Jack, shivering.
    “Me too,” said Annie.
    They listened for the barking of the seals. They listened and listened … .
    “I wonder what time it is,” said Annie.
    “Impossible to tell,” said Jack.
    “They’d better—”
    “Shh!” said Jack.
    He heard a faint seal bark, then another and another. But in the thick fog, he couldn’t tell where the barks were coming from. “Where are they?” he said.
    “I think they’re over
there
!” said Annie.
    Splash!
Annie had jumped in. Jack couldn’t see her in the fog.
    “Annie, where are you?” he shouted.
    “Here!” Annie yelled through the ghostly mist. “Come on!”
    Jack put his glasses down on the rocks. Then he slowly lowered himself into the water. As he started after Annie, his human body felt thin and frail compared to his powerful seal body. He couldn’t swim nearly as fast. He couldn’t hold his breath underwater for nearly as long. And he was freezing cold.
    The seal barks grew louder and louder.
Barrh! Barrh!
    Jack didn’t see their two friends until he nearly bumped into them. Teddy and Kathleen were swimming in a tight circle, barking excitedly.
    “Did you find the sword?” Annie shouted at them. “Is it here?”
    The seals barked and dove under the water. Jack and Annie took deep breaths and followed.
    The seals swam quickly to the sandy bottom of the cove. They circled a shimmering object sticking out of the sand.
    It was the golden handle of a sword.

A nnie pointed to the sword handle. Jack nodded. But he was running out of air. He swam back up to the surface. Annie followed him.
    Their heads bobbed above the water, and they gasped. “Did you see it?” cried Annie. “The handle of the sword?”
    “Yes! The blade must be buried in the sand!” said Jack.
    “We have to pull it out!” said Annie. “And we have to hurry!”
    “Right!” said Jack.
    He and Annie took giant gulps of air. Then they swam back down to the bottom of the cove. Jack got to the sword first. He grabbed the handle and pulled. The sword didn’t budge. He pulled again. The sword still didn’t move.
    Annie grabbed one side of the handle. She and Jack pulled together. Jack felt the sword move a tiny bit. His lungs felt like they were about to burst.
    Gripping his side of the handle with both hands, Jack pulled with all his might. Suddenly the flashing blade slipped out of the sand!

    Jack and Annie carried the sword up through the water as fast as they could. They burst into the air, clinging to the Sword of Light and gasping for air.
    “We got it!” Jack called to Kathleen and Teddy.
    The seals circled around them, splashing and barking joyfully.
    Barrh! Barrh!
    “Lead us to the rocks!” Annie shouted.
    Jack and Annie each held on to the sword’s handle with one hand. Paddling with their free hands, they dragged the sword after the seals.
    As they swam, the fog began to lift, and the sky turned from gray to blue. By the time they reached the rocky island, light from the late-afternoon sun was again glinting off the strange green shoreline.
    “Hold the sword while I get out!” Jack shouted to Annie.
    Jack climbed onto the rocky island. He took the sword from Annie, then carefully pulled it up onto the rocks and laid it on its side.
    Annie climbed out of the water. Nearby, Teddy and Kathleen poked up their seal heads. They were all silent as they stared in wonder at the sword.
    “Wow,” breathed Annie.
    Jack nodded. The mighty sword reflected the burning light of the setting sun. Its blade glowed as if it, too, were on fire.
    “Now what do we do?” Jack said.
    “We have to get the sword to Merlin
fast
,” said Annie. “The sun’s about to go down.”
    “Right,” said Jack. “Before nightfall. Right.”
    Suddenly Teddy and Kathleen barked a warning. Jack and Annie looked up.
    The water had begun to ripple. The ripples started at the edge of the cove and swelled toward the center. Waves