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by.
    â€œRing the bells!” one said.
    â€œBring water for the duke and duchess!” said another.
    â€œWe’re getting a late start today!” said a third.
    Jack, Annie, and Teddy kept winding down the stairs, past the great hall, past the armor room, down to the entrance of the keep.
    As they stepped into the courtyard, bright sunlight shone on the castle towers. Thebells began to ring. Roosters crowed. Horses neighed.
    Servants were making a big cooking fire. A blacksmith was pounding his anvil. A milkmaid was hauling her pails.
    In the bright daylight, Jack, Annie, and,Teddy walked through the busy courtyard. They passed through the gatehouse and crossed the wooden bridge. When they got to the other side, they looked back.

    Archers now stood guard on top of the castle walls.
    Teddy waved to them. Then he looked at Jack and Annie. “Order has returned to the castle!” he said. “Our mission is done!”
    Laughing, they ran through the patch of trees toward the small village. As they hurried along the dirt path past the cottages, they saw villagers in their doorways. They were all staring in the direction of the ringing castle bells.
    Maggie, the old woman, grinned toothlessly at the three of them. “The bells are ringing again,” she said in a creaky voice.
    â€œYes!” said Jack. “The boys and the girl and the hound are all back! There’s nothing to be afraid of anymore. The whole castle is alive and well!”
    Jack, Annie, and Teddy left the village andheaded for the woods. As they walked through the fallen leaves, sunlight filtered down through the tree branches.
    Merlin’s words echoed in Jack’s mind:
You are about to enter a tunnel of fear. Proceed onward with courage, and you will come out into the light.
    Jack looked around. The forest was bright with the most beautiful golden light he had ever seen.

J ack, Annie, and Teddy crunched through fallen leaves until they came to Merlin’s oak. They found the hidden door near the rope ladder. Teddy pushed on the bark.
    The door opened. One by one, they slipped into the candlelit hollow of the tree trunk. Merlin was sitting in his tall wooden chair.
    â€œSo you restored order to the castle?” he said calmly.
    â€œYes, sir,” said Teddy. “Had to use a bit of magic, but now all is well.”
    â€œYour rhyming must have improved,” Merlin said to Teddy.
    Teddy grinned sheepishly. “Well, to be truthful, the real magic was not in my rhymes. ’Twas the magic of Jack and Annie’s courage and kindness that saved the day—and saved me, too.”
    â€œIndeed?” said Merlin.
    â€œAye,” said Teddy. “They have a magic as powerful as any sorcerer’s rhymes or enchanted hazel twig.”
    Merlin raised a bushy eyebrow. “Enchanted hazel twig?” he said.
    â€œâ€™Tis only a figure of speech,” Teddy said quickly.
    Merlin turned to Jack and Annie. “I thank you for your help,” he said. “All the realm of Camelot thanks you.”
    â€œYou’re welcome,” they said.
    Merlin stood up. “Come along, my boy,” he said to Teddy. “I will help speed you back toMorgan now. My research is done. We must return these rare books to her library.”
    He reached down and picked up a stack of ancient-looking books from the floor. He piled them into Teddy’s arms.

    Teddy turned awkwardly with his books. Then he and Jack and Annie followed Merlin out of the heart of the oak.
    The sun had risen higher in the sky. The woods were still.
    Teddy peered over the tops of the books. “I suppose we must say good-bye now,” he said to Jack and Annie.
    â€œWhen will we see you again?” asked Annie.
    â€œWhen duty calls, I suppose,” said Teddy. He looked at Merlin.
    The magician smiled.
    â€œWill you be able to find your way home all right?” Teddy asked them.
    â€œOh, sure,” said Jack. “The