"Annie!" Jack cried. "Vikings!"Annie looked out the tree house window.

"Vikings?""They're headed straight for the island!" said Jack.

He turned back to the stone steps.

"Where are you going?" cried Annie.

"To warn the monks!" Jack said.

"I'll come too!" cried Annie. She scrambled out ofthe tree house.

"Hurry!" said Jack.

Jack didn't even use the rope. He pulled himself upthe steep steps with his hands.

As Jack and Annie climbed up the face of the cliff,clouds began to cover the sun. When they reached thetop, a fog had almost hidden the serpent ships.

"Run!" cried Annie.

The fog blanketed the whole island. Jack and Anniecould barely see the path to the monastery.

When they arrived at the gate, the misty whiteworld was silent.

"Vikings!" Jack cried. "Vikings!""The monks are still in church!" said Annie. Sheyanked the bell rope.

Dong! Dong!

Jack and Annie watched as Brother Patrick and theother monks ran out of the church.

"The Vikings are coming!" Jack shouted.

Brother Patrick's rosy face turned white.

"Make haste!" he said to the other monks. "Gatherthe books and hide."The monks ran into the library. Brother Patrickturned to Jack and Annie.

"We have a secret hiding place, a cave on the otherside of the island," he said. "You can come with us.

But I am not certain you will be safe.""Don't worry," said Jack. "We're going to try to gohome.""Do not use the steps," Brother Patrick said. "TheVikings will climb them.""Then how do we get down?" said Jack. "Go thatway," said Brother Patrick, pointing. "At the cliffsedge are two large rocks. A path between those rockswill take you down to the shore. Then you can walkaround to your boat.""Thanks!" said Annie.

"Be careful!" said Brother Patrick. He hurried insidethe library.

"Wait!" came a thin voice as Jack and Annie turnedto run.

It was Brother Michael. He hobbled over to them,holding out his book of Irish tales.

"Take it," he said.

"Are you sure?" Jack asked. He knew it was BrotherMichael's life's work.

"Please," said Brother Michael. "It is better that theworld should have some of it than none at all. Just incase...

"We'll take good care of it," said Jack. He gentlyplaced the jeweled book in his leather bag.

"Good luck!" said Annie.

Annie and Jack waved good-bye to the old man.

Then they raced to the rocks that Brother Patrick hadtold them about.