"Go slowly," Jack whispered to Annie as theystarted down.
"Whoops!" said Annie. She slipped and fell forward,bumping into Jack. "My foot got caught in my stupiddress--""Shh!" said Jack.
He held on to Annie. They listened as pebbles androcks rolled down the cliff. Jack took a deep breath.
'We've got to watch out for Vikings, too," hewhispered.
They started down the steep path again. They wentone step at a time. The sound of the waves against therocks grew louder.
Finally, they stepped down onto a flat strip ofpebbles.
"Where are we?" whispered Annie.
"I don't know," said Jack.
"Oh, look!" said Annie. She pointed to the shoreline.
Through the fog rose the serpent prows of theViking ships!
Jack and Annie crept closer to the ships. Their sailswere down. Each ship had been tied to a tall jaggedrock. They seemed deserted as they bobbed in theshallow waves. Jack really wanted to check out theships.
But he was afraid of wasting time.
"We'd better find the tree house," he said to Annie.
They crept away from the three Viking ships.
Suddenly, they both froze.
Through the mist, they saw a group of Vikingwarriors. The Vikings were looking at the top of thecliff.
Their long yellow hair hung down from beneaththeir iron helmets. They carried round woodenshields and swords and axes.
"It looks like they're planning to climb the cliff,"whispered Annie.
"We need to hide until they go," whispered Jack.
"Then we can look for the tree house.""Let's hide in a ship!" said Annie. "Good idea," saidJack. They crept back to where the ships were tied.
Jack was happy to see that the sides of the smallestship were very low. They would easily be able toclimb over them.
"You go first," said Annie.
Jack waded through the shallow water. It was cold!
He reached the ship and grabbed one side. Hepushed himself up and onto the ship's deck.
The ship jerked forward. Jack looked at the shore. Itwas now thirty feet away. The ship's anchoring ropewas pulled tight. The serpent prow bobbed up anddown with the waves.
The fog and the movement of the ship made Jackfeel as if he was in a dream. For a moment, he forgotto be scared of the Vikings.
"This is so cool," he called. "Come on, Annie!"Annie started to wade out to the ship. Suddenly,she disappeared.
"Annie?" called Jack.
Her head popped out of the water. She splashedwith her arms.
"It--it's deep!" she gasped. "My dress-- too heavy!""Use the rope!" called Jack. "Like when we climbedthe stairs!"Annie grabbed the rope that stretched from ship toshore. It held her weight as she began inching alongit.
"Hold on tight!" cried Jack.
"I--I am!" gasped Annie.
She kept going, hand over hand, along the rope,toward the ship.
When Annie got close to the ship, Jack reached outto help her. As he pulled her in, the side of the shipdipped down.
Then the rope went slack, and the Viking ship slidout to sea.
