Magic Tree House #50: Hurry Up, Houdini! (A Stepping Stone Book(TM)) Read Free Page A

said Annie.
    “Wait, I need to sit for a minute,” said Jack.
    “I thought you were desperate to get our tickets,” said Annie.
    “In a minute,” said Jack. He pointed to a terrace that bordered the lake. “How about we sit over there?”
    “Sure,” Annie said. “Are you okay?”
    “I will be,” said Jack. “Come on.”
    Jack and Annie climbed a couple of steps to the terrace and sat at the end of a crowded bench. All around them, people in costumes were hawking tickets to different rides.
    “Step this way, ladies and gentlemen! Enter the Dragon’s Gorge! Greatest roller coaster in the country!” shouted a man wearing a dragon head.
    “Over here! The Buzzard’s Roost!” called a boy in a bird outfit. “Greatest train ride on earth!”
    “Come to the Babbling Brook!” yelled a girldressed as a mermaid. “Greatest water ride in the U.S. of A.!”
    “Funny. Sounds like
everything
in Coney Island is the greatest,” said Jack.
    “So?” said Annie.
    “That means
nothing’s
really the greatest,” said Jack, “because everything’s the same!”
    “Ha!” A woman sitting on the bench laughed.
    Jack realized they were sitting next to the short couple from the Shoot-the-Chutes ride. Their big hats almost completely hid their faces.
    “Did you hear that, Harry?” the woman said to the man. “This boy’s a genius!”
    “Ain’t that the truth, Bess?” Harry said.
    “Don’t say
ain’t
, dear. Say
isn’t
,” Bess said kindly.
    Harry smiled at Jack and Annie. “
Isn’t
that the truth?” he said. “See, my Bess is always looking after me.”
    Jack and Annie smiled politely.
    “Is this your first time in Coney Island, kiddos?” asked Harry.
    “It is,” said Annie. “Yours, too?”
    “Oh, no!” said Bess. “No, no, no. We first met here at Coney Island fifteen years ago. We got married three weeks later!”
    “Congratulations,” said Annie.
    “It was a long time ago,” said Bess. “But I’m more crazy about him than ever. And he writes me a love note every day, rain or shine.”
    “That’s so sweet,” said Annie.
    “Are you kiddos having a good time here?” asked Harry.
    “
I
am,” said Annie.
    “Good,” said Bess. Then she turned to her husband. “Time’s running out, dreamboat,” she said. “We’d better move on.”
    “Can we get ice cream cones now?” Harry asked.
    “No! You know the routine—ice cream always comes
after
the show!” Bess said. “If we want to take the Trip to the Moon, we gotta go now.”
    Harry looked at Jack and Annie. “She’s always wanted to send me to the moon,” he said.
    Jack and Annie laughed.
    “You kiddos want to join us?” Harry asked.
    “I’m sorry, we can’t,” said Jack. “We have to do something else. Hey, do you know where Henderson’s Music Hall is?”
    “Sure. Why do you want to know?” Bess asked.
    “We’re going to see the Great Houdini,” said Jack.
    “Ah! What a coincidence!” said Bess. “We’re going there, too, after our Trip to the Moon. I adore that man—the Great Houdini! I wouldn’t miss watching
that
dreamboat for anything in this world.”
    Harry cleared his throat. “Sweetheart, they want directions,” he said.
    “Oh, yes!” said Bess. “So, walk the main road there to the arches, and then exit the park.” She pointed to giant gold-colored arches in the distance. “Then turn right and head down Surf Avenue. When you see a big red building, stop. That’s it.”
    “Cool,” said Jack. “Thanks.”
    “So long, kiddos. Maybe we’ll see you later at the Great Houdini show,” said Harry.
    “And when you watch the show, remember,” said Bess, “even though everything can’t be the greatest, sometimes what folks call great really
is
great.”
    Harry laughed. He tipped his straw hat to Jack and Annie, and he and Bess walked away.
    “I liked them,” said Annie.
    “Me too,” said Jack. He stood up. Talking with the cheerful couple had made him feel better. “Okay! Let’s go get