Vacation Under the Volcano (Magic Tree House series)

First Jack found a paper with a code on it in one of his drawers. Then he and Annie went to the treehouse to ask Morgan (a magic person) what it meant. She gave them a book about Pompeii. They pointed to the cover of the book and said, "I wish we could go there." And the tree house started to spin. But Morgan said, "Wait! I'm going to help you!" But it was too late--Morgan was gone.

Jack opened his eyes and pushed his glasses into place. He took out the book and he read about Pompeii, a town where many Romans used to go on vacation 2,000 years ago. Then they went to the city. They saw an old grandma who really was a soothsayer. She followed them, but when they turned around she was gone.

They were looking for the library. They passed a fruit stand, the forum (or marketplace), the public baths, and a temple. They stopped in front of big guards, who were gladiators getting ready to go into the amphitheater. Then they saw the soothsayer again. They showed her the code and she told them where the library was, in the house (or villa) of Brutus. She told them that something bad was going to happen in the city.

Then they went to Brutus' house. The walls had pictures painted on them and the floors were tiny pieces of colored stone. The next room had silver tables and silver dishes; it was a very pretty room. The next room that they saw had rows and rows of scrolls, which the Romans used for books. They found the scroll they needed. But it was in Latin, so they checked their magic book. It said that Mt. Vesuvius erupted at noon on August 24, A.D. 79. They realized that this was the day that the volcano was going to erupt.

They went outside and found a sundial. Then they looked at the shadow and they found out it was almost noon! Then it started to pour down ashes. They ran out of the city and they went to the bridge. Annie said, "Where's the bridge?" Jack said, "The bridge has vanished." Then a mighty gladiator rose up and carried them across. Then they ran to the treehouse and then they pointed to the book with the picture of Frog Creek on it. They said, "I wish we could go there." And they did.

When they got there, Morgan was there, and Jack gave the scroll to her. Then their dad called them inside the house.

The End.