晌午的陽光從樹屋的窗子照了進(jìn)來。樹影在墻壁和天花板上舞動(dòng)著。
杰克躺在樹屋的地板上深吸了一口氣。
“我在想媽媽午飯都做了些什么。”安妮說著向窗外望去。
杰克微笑著。午飯,媽媽,這一切聽上去那么真實(shí),那么平靜和安全。
“希望是花生醬和果凍三明治。”他說。
杰克閉上了眼睛,樹屋的木地板讓人感覺非常涼快。
“天啊,這地方簡直亂透了。”安妮說,“我們還是把它收拾收拾吧,免得M回來看到這一幅樣子。”
杰克幾乎都忘了M了。
他們會(huì)見到那個(gè)神秘的、擁有這里所有的書的M嗎?
“咱們把埃及書放在這堆書的最下面吧。”安妮說。
“好主意。”杰克說。在參觀下一個(gè)古墓之前,他需要好好休息一會(huì)兒。
“再把恐龍書放在埃及書的上面。”安妮說。
“好的。”杰克說。在再次遭遇霸王龍之前,他需要的也是休息。
“可以把城堡的書放在這一堆的最上面。”安妮說。
杰克點(diǎn)了點(diǎn)頭,微笑著。他喜歡想起城堡之書封面上的那個(gè)騎士,他覺得那騎士就像是他的朋友。
“杰克。”安妮說,“看!”
杰克睜開眼睛,安妮正指著木地板。
“什么東西?”他問。
“你自己看。”
杰克哼了哼,坐起身來。他站在安妮身旁看著地板,可是什么也沒看見。
“把頭轉(zhuǎn)一轉(zhuǎn)。”安妮說,“你得這樣對(duì)著光。”
杰克把頭歪向一邊,只見地板上有什么在閃著光。
他再把頭歪得狠一點(diǎn),一個(gè)字母映入眼簾。
是字母M正在陽光下熠熠生輝。
這就證明這個(gè)樹屋是屬于M的。這絕對(duì)沒錯(cuò)。毫無疑問,毫無疑問。
杰克用手指碰了碰那個(gè)字母M,他的皮膚感到一陣刺痛。
就在這時(shí),樹葉開始晃動(dòng),又起風(fēng)了。
“咱們下去吧。”杰克說。
杰克抓起背包,和安妮一起爬下了繩梯。
當(dāng)他們站在樹屋下的地面時(shí),杰克聽到灌木叢里有什么聲音。
“誰在那里?”他喊道。
樹葉靜止下來。
“我馬上就把獎(jiǎng)牌拿回來。”杰克大聲地說,“還有書簽。明天我就把這兩樣?xùn)|西都拿回來。”
“你在和誰說話呢?”安妮問。
“我覺得M就在附近。”杰克小聲說。
安妮睜大了眼睛。“咱們要不要找找她?”
但就在這時(shí),他們媽媽的聲音從遠(yuǎn)處傳來。“杰克!安妮!”
杰克和安妮回頭看了看樹林,又互相看了看。
“明天吧。”他們異口同聲地說。
說完他們便一起跑出了樹林。
他們沿著街一路跑去。
他們跑過了院子,
跑進(jìn)了房子,
跑進(jìn)了廚房,
正好一頭撞到媽媽懷里。
她真的做了花生醬和果凍三明治。
10 Another Clue
Late-morning sunlight shone through the tree house window. Shadows danced on the walls and ceiling.
Jack took a deep breath. He was lying on the floor of the tree house.
“I wonder what Mom’s making for lunch,” said Annie. She was looking out the window.
Jack smiled. Lunch. Mom. Home. It all sounded so real. So calm and safe.
“I hope it’s peanut butter and jelly sandwiches,” he said.
He closed his eyes. The wood floor felt cool.
“Boy, this place is a mess,” said Annie.
“We’d better make it neater. In case M comes back.”
Jack had almost forgotten about M.
Would they ever meet the mysterious M?The person who seemed to own all the books in the tree house?
“Let’s put the Egypt book on the bottom of the pile,” said Annie.
“Good idea,” said Jack. He needed a rest before he visited any more ancient tombs.
“Let’s put the dinosaur book on top of the Egypt book,” said Annie.
“Yeah, good,” said Jack. And a long rest before he visited another Tyrannosaurus rex.
“The castle book can go on the very top of the pile,” said Annie.
Jack nodded and smiled. He liked thinking about the knight on the cover of the castle book. He felt as if the knight were his friend.
“Jack,” said Annie. “Look!”
Jack opened his eyes. She was pointing at the wooden floor.
“What is it?” he asked.
“You have to see for yourself.”
Jack groaned as he got up. He stood next to Annie and looked at the floor. He didn’t see anything.
“Turn your head a little,” said Annie. “You have to catch the light just right.”
Jack tipped his head to one side. Something was shining on the floor.
He tipped his head a bit more. A letter came into focus.
The letter M!It shimmered in the sunlight.
This proved the tree house belonged to M. Absolutely for sure. No question. No doubt about it.
Jack touched the M with his finger. His skin tingled.
Just then the leaves trembled. The wind picked up.
“Let’s go down now,” he said.
Jack grabbed his backpack. Then he and Annie climbed down the ladder.
As they stood on the ground below the tree house, Jack heard a sound in the bushed.
“Who’s there?” he called.
The woods grew still.
“I’m going to bring the medallion back soon,” Jack said loudly. “And the bookmark, too.Both of them. Tomorrow!”
“Who are you talking to?” asked Annie.
“I feel like M is nearby,” Jack whispered.
Annie’s eyes grew wide. “Should we look for him?”
But just then their mother’s voice came from the distance. “Ja-ack!An-nie!”
Jack and Annie looked around at the trees.Then they looked at each other.
“Tomorrow,” they said together.
And they took off, running out of the woods.
They ran down their street.
They ran across their yard.
They ran into their house.
They ran into their kitchen.
They ran right into their mom.
She was making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.