"Tut, tut, you're a sorry sight, man," Will said to thebear's owner. "Trying to sell an old tame bear to thefights. Well, I've been planning to write a play with apart for a bear. So take this money for him and begone."Will handed some gold coins to the bear's owner.
The man's eyes grew wide. He laughed.
"You can have him!" the man said. And he took off.
"Thank you, and good riddance!" called Will. Thenhe turned to Puck. "Take our new player to thestables. Tell the actors they needn't be afraid of him.
He's tamer than most of them.""Come this way," Puck said. He put his arm aroundthe bear and gently led him out from the trees. "You'lllove the stage, old man.""Bye, Puck! Bye, Dan!" said Annie.
Puck smiled and waved. The bear stared for amoment at Jack and Annie. He had a grateful look inhis eyes. Then he lumbered off with Puck.
"Thanks, Will, for helping Dan," said Annie. "Andfor helping us.""Thank you both for helping me," said Will. "Yousaved the day.""The night, you mean," said Jack.
"Indeed, the night," said Will. "Oh, here is your bag.
You forgot it." He gave Jack his leather bag. Then heheld up their two scrolls with their lines on them.
"And you can take these," said Will. He handedthem to Jack, and Jack put them in his bag.
"Where are you off to now?" said Will.
"The other side of London Bridge," said Annie.
"Ah, I can take you there in my boat," said Will.
"Follow me."Will led them along a dusty path toward the river.
The last rays of the sun slanted through the trees.
Soon they came to a small rowboat docked on theThames.
"Climb in," said Will.
Jack, Annie, and Will climbed in. Will untied theboat from the dock. Then he began rowing across theriver.
The water reflected the purple and pink in the sky.
Only a few white swans now glided over theshimmering ripples. The river smelled as bad asbefore, but Jack didn't mind now. He had grown usedto it.
Jack pulled out his notebook and pencil. "What areyou doing?" Will asked.
"I wanted to write some of my memories in mynotebook," said Jack.
"Ah, and I'll note you both in my book of memory,"said Will.
Jack smiled.
"I have a question, Will," said Annie. "Why doesQueen Elizabeth have black teeth?""Too much sugar." said Will.
"I hope it doesn't make her feel bad-- looking thatway, I mean," said Annie.
"Oh, no, she's not the least hurt," said Will. "Thequeen has no idea how she looks. She hasn't peekedin a good mirror for twenty years.""Is that true?" said Annie.
"'Tis," said Will. "The queen pretends to be youngand beautiful. Just as you pre-tended to be a boy, andthe bear pretended to be an actor. You see, all theworld's a stage."Jack liked that idea. He wrote in his notebook:
All the world is a stageJack looked up at London Bridge as they passed by.
The shops on the bridge were closed now. The theatercrowd was thinning out.
The scary black birds were no longer on therooftops. They had swooped down were picking atthe garbage left on the cobblestones.
The show was over.
By the time they came to the riverbank, night wasfalling. It was much cooler. Will tied up his rowboatand climbed ashore with Jack and Annie.
"Thanks a lot," Jack said to Will. "We can go therest of the way by ourselves.""Where do you live?" said Will.
"In Frog Creek," said Annie.
"What path do you take?" asked Will.
"You'll never believe this," said Annie. "We climbup the rope ladder to a tree house in that tree overthere. And we open a book--""Then we make a wish," said Jack, "and we go tothe place in the book."Will smiled.
"Thy life's a miracle, isn't it?" he said.
"Yes!" said Annie. Jack nodded. He liked the wayWill looked at things.
"I have an idea," said Will. "Why don't you bothstay here instead? You can live and act at the GlobeTheater. I'll ask the queen to exclude you from thelaw about girls going onstage, Annie--because ofyour-great talent. And I will teach you both to writeplays.""Really?" said Jack and Annie together.
Jack couldn't imagine anything more fun. Then hethought of his parents back in Frog Creek.
"But our mom and dad--" he said.
"We would really miss them," said Annie.
Will smiled.
"I understand," he said. "And I would miss you if Iwere them." He put his hand over his heart. "So, goodnight, good night. Parting is such sweet sorrow.""Yes, 'tis," said Annie, nodding.
"Farewell!" said Will. He waved.
Jack and Annie waved back. Then Will turned onhis heels and headed back to his rowboat.
Jack and Annie walked to the rope ladder andclimbed up to the tree house. When they got inside,they looked out the window.
Will was rowing back across the Thames River. Asingle white swan glided across the ripples beside hisboat. A silver moon was rising in the sky.
At that moment, Jack did feel sweet sorrow. Hewanted to stay in merry olde England just a littlelonger.
"Wait, Will!" he shouted.
But Annie picked up the Pennsylvania book.
"I wish we could go home," she said.
The wind started to blow.
The tree house started to. spin.
It spun faster and faster.
Then everything was still.
Absolutely still. |