The Knight at Dawn

the books in it. Someone lost a gold medal in dinosaur time.”
    â€œMedallion!” said Jack for the third time. “And I’m just writing the facts. The stuff we know for sure.”
    â€œLet’s go back to the tree house right now,” said Annie. “And find out if the magic person is a fact.”
    â€œAre you nuts?” said Jack. “The sun’s not even up yet.”
    â€œCome on,” said Annie. “Maybe we can catch them sleeping.”
    â€œI don’t think we should,” said Jack. He was worried. What if the “magic person” wasmean? What if he or she didn’t want kids to know about the tree house?
    â€œWell, I’m going,” said Annie.
    Jack looked out his window at the dark-gray sky. It was almost dawn.
    He sighed. “Okay. Let’s get dressed. I’ll meet you at the back door. Be quiet.”
    â€œYay!” whispered Annie. She tiptoed away as quietly as a mouse.
    Jack put on jeans, a warm sweatshirt, and sneakers. He tossed his notebook and pencil in his backpack.
    He crept downstairs.
    Annie was waiting by the back door. She shined a flashlight in Jack’s face. “Ta-da! A magic wand!” she said.
    â€œShhh! Don’t wake up Mom and Dad,” whispered Jack. “And turn that flashlight off. We don’t want anyone to see us.”
    Annie nodded and turned it off. Then she clipped it onto her belt.
    They slipped out the door into the cool early-morning air. Crickets were chirping. The dog next door barked.
    â€œQuiet, Henry!” whispered Annie.
    Henry stopped barking. Animals always seemed to do what Annie said.
    â€œLet’s run!” said Jack.
    They dashed across the dark, wet lawn and didn’t stop until they reached the woods.
    â€œWe need the flashlight now,” said Jack.
    Annie took it off her belt and switched it on.
    Step by step, she and Jack walked between the trees. Jack held his breath. The dark woods were scary.
    â€œGotcha!” said Annie, shining the flashlight in Jack’s face.
    Jack jumped back. Then he frowned.
    â€œCut it out!” he said.
    â€œI scared you,” said Annie.
    Jack glared at her.
    â€œStop pretending!” he whispered. “This is serious.”
    â€œOkay, okay.”
    Annie shined her flashlight over the tops of the trees.
    â€œNow what are you doing?” said Jack.
    â€œLooking for the tree house!”
    The light stopped moving.
    There it was. The mysterious tree house. At the top of the tallest tree in the woods.
    Annie shined her light at the tree house, and then down the tall ladder. All the way to the ground.
    â€œI’m going up,” she said. She gripped the flashlight and began to climb.

    â€œWait!” Jack called.
    What if someone was in the tree house?
    â€œAnnie! Come back!”
    But she was gone. The light disappeared. Jack was alone in the dark.

“No one’s here!” Annie shouted down.
    Jack thought about going home. Then he thought about all the books in the tree house.
    He started up the ladder. When he was nearly to the tree house, he saw light in the distant sky. Dawn was starting to break.
    He crawled through a hole in the floor and took off his backpack.
    It was dark inside the tree house.
    Annie was shining her flashlight on the books scattered about.
    â€œThey’re still here,” she said.
    She stopped the light on a dinosaur book. It was the book that had taken them to the time of the dinosaurs.
    â€œRemember the Tyrannosaurus?” asked Annie.
    Jack shuddered. Of course he remembered! How could anyone forget seeing a real live Tyrannosaurus rex?
    The light fell on a book about Pennsylvania. A red silk bookmark stuck out of it.
    â€œRemember the picture of Frog Creek?” said Annie.
    â€œOf course,” said Jack. That was the picture that had brought them home.
    â€œThere’s my favorite,” said Annie.
    The light was shining on a book about knights and castles. There was a blue leather bookmark in it.
    Annie turned to the page with the bookmark.There was a picture of a knight on a black horse. He was riding toward a castle.
    â€œAnnie, close that book,” said Jack. “I know what you’re thinking.”
    Annie pointed at the knight.
    â€œDon’t, Annie!”
    â€œWe wish we could see this guy for real,” Annie said.
    â€œNo, we don’t!” shouted Jack.
    They heard a strange sound.
    â€œ
Neeee-hhhh
!”
    It