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tell,” said Jack. “Her eyes are hard to see because of her camouflage.”
    “So how—” started Annie.
    “That’s it!” said Jack. “
Camouflage!
”
    “What about it?” said Annie.
    “That’s how we’ll get the emerald!” said Jack. “We’ll use our own camouflage.”
    “You mean like leaves?” said Annie.
    “Yeah, leaves would be good,” said Jack. They looked around. “There.” He pointed to a vine with large light green leaves. He and Annie gripped one of the leaves and pulled until it tore off the vine.
    Annie held it up in front of her like a shield. “How’s this?” she said.
    “Great,” said Jack. “Now one for me.” He and Annie gripped another leaf and pulled until they ripped it from the vine, too.
    “Poke holes in them, so we can see,” said Annie.
    “Good idea,” said Jack. They poked holes in their leaves and then held them up, covering their faces. Jack moved his leaf around until he could see the emerald through the eyeholes.
    “Go slowly and stick with me,” Jack said. “Two steps, then stop. Two steps, then stop.”
    “Got it,” said Annie.
    Holding their leaves in front of them, Jack and Annie carefully stepped into the clearing. They took two steps toward the emerald, then stopped … two steps, then stopped.
    The cobra didn’t move. Jack desperately hoped she was asleep. He and Annie took two more steps, then stopped. The emerald glittered in the hot sunlight. They took two more steps. Then Annie gasped.
    The cobra was lifting her body above her nest!Her head was broad and flat. She swayed back and forth and looked around with staring eyes.
    Jack and Annie froze.
    Then slowly the cobra lowered her head. Jack let out his breath. Their camouflage had worked! He motioned to Annie, and they both took another two steps, then stopped.
    Jack was only a step away from the jewel now. Holding up his leaf camouflage with one hand, he leaned over and scooped up the emerald. It felt as heavy as a big rock. Holding the leaf with one hand, Jack used his other hand to shove the emerald into his bag. With Annie behind him, he stepped backward—two steps, then stopped.
    Jack kept his eye on the cobra coiled around her nest. He and Annie kept backing up.
    Suddenly a sound came from behind them—a strange hissing, growling sound. A chill went through Jack. He turned around.
    A monster-size cobra towered over them.
    “The dad!” yelled Annie.

    The male cobra had the same coloring as the female. His hood was spread out as he raised himself high above the grass. He swayed from side to side, staring down at Jack and Annie with cold, unblinking eyes. He opened his giant mouth, showing two deadly fangs.
    “AHHH!” said Jack and Annie.
    They dropped their leaves and crouched down, hiding themselves in the grass. “Go—go!” sputtered Jack. They took off, scrambling through the undergrowth of the forest.
    Jack led the way as they both half crawled, half ran over the dirt and through the grass. Jack lost his slippers and ripped his coat. Like a mouse, he clambered over sticks and twigs, nuts, seeds, bark, feathers, mosses, and mushrooms. All kinds of ants and beetles scuttled out of the way. The air was filled with screeching insect sounds.
    Jack had no idea where he was running, but he knew he couldn’t stop. He was sure the cobra was slithering after them, thrashing through the undergrowth. Maybe
both
king cobras weresearching for them now, he thought, and all the forest was screaming about it.
    Jack stumbled over a stick. He scrambled up from the dirt and looked around wildly. Where was Annie? He didn’t see her! Had she gone off in another direction? Where were the cobras? Had they chased after Annie instead of him?
    Jack panicked. “Annie!” he shouted.
    The ground trembled. Jack heard thumping, thrashing, and bells. He crouched down in the grass and covered his head. He heard Annie shout, “Jack! Where are you, Jack?” She sounded as if she was up in a tree! What was