Part 9 (1/2)

CHAPTER EIGHT

THE DRAGON SLAYER'S DEN.

Jesse shared the plan as they rode back home, pausing briefly now and then to work out the details. ”Professor Andersson said Saint George was ruled by greed, right?”

”Right,” said Daisy.

”Well, then, if you're greedy--greedy for dragon blood, that is--what could be better than drinking the blood of one dragon?”

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Daisy thought for a second. ”Drinking the blood of two two dragons!” she said. ”But, Jess, where are we going to get another dragon?” dragons!” she said. ”But, Jess, where are we going to get another dragon?”

”That's where the rest of my plan kicks in,” said Jesse. He was getting excited. ”What if we made a new sign? What if the sign said that a lizard a lot like Emmy had been found by some other family in Goldmine City? We won't put a phone number on the sign, just an address. It will be a real street, but it won't be a real house number.”

”I get it!” said Daisy. ”While he's out on the wild-goose chase, we'll rescue Emmy. But how can we be sure he'll see the sign?”

”That's the easy part. We'll hang it right under his nose. Right outside his office. He won't be able to miss it,” he said. ”Plan?”

”Plan,” Daisy agreed.

Making a detour, they rode up into the hills to Old Mine Lane, on the far side of town, near the old boarded-up gold mine. People were always getting lost on the winding streets there. The last house on Old Mine Lane was number 499. If they put number 501 on the sign, it would completely flummox St. George.

When they got home, Jesse ran up to his room and quickly composed a new sign. He was careful to make it look nothing like the first sign. While he 118.

was busy doing this, Daisy went down to the kitchen and packed their backpack.

When they were set to go, Daisy slipped the sign into her wildflower notebook so it wouldn't wrinkle. Then Jesse and Daisy jumped on their bikes and raced back to the college. The parking lot was nearly empty except for the million-dollar car. Everyone must be at lunch, Everyone must be at lunch, Jesse thought. They walked into the Zoo through the front door and tacked up the sign on a bulletin board directly across from St. George's lab. Then they got out of there fast. Jesse thought. They walked into the Zoo through the front door and tacked up the sign on a bulletin board directly across from St. George's lab. Then they got out of there fast.

Feeling very pleased with themselves, Jesse and Daisy hid in the bushes, where they had a clear view of the Zoo's front door. In silence, they munched energy bars, drank water, and waited. And waited and waited.

After a while, Daisy said, ”What if he shuts the windows before he leaves?”

”I bet he won't. He can't stand the smell,” said Jesse. ”He needs to keep the place aired out.”

”But what if he shuts them anyway?” said Daisy.

”Then we take a rock and we break a window,” said Jesse.

Daisy was shocked. ”Really? College property?”

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Jesse nodded firmly and said, ”We're Dragon Keepers. We do what we have to do.”

”Right,” she said, nodding along with him. ”We also have to figure out where we're going to hide Emmy after we rescue her, because you know that the first place St. George is going to come looking is our house.”

”Hmm,” he said. ”Let's not climb Everest before Kilimanjaro, okay?”

”Okay.” After another long silence, Daisy said, ”What time is it, Jess?”

Jesse lifted his wrist to check the time. His wrist was completely naked! He wasn't wearing either one of his wrist.w.a.tches! He had no idea what time it was--here or in Africa.

Daisy grinned and punched him on the arm. ”The one day you forget to wear those silly watches--”

Jesse grabbed her wrist and silenced her as the front door of the Zoo swung open. St. George stepped out, once again wearing his black coat, and looked around. Then, with their sign gripped in his hand, he strode purposefully in the direction of the parking lot.

Jesse and Daisy waited a moment, then crawled through the bushes to St. George's lab windows.

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They noticed immediately that they were all closed. ”Darn it!” said Daisy. ”Hold up,” said Jesse.

He pushed one of them and it swung open easily. ”He must have been too excited about the other dragon to stop and lock the windows,” he said.

Jesse eased himself through the window feet-first and lowered himself onto the counter next to the lab's sink. Daisy handed the backpack down to Jesse, then joined him at Emmy's cage.

”Jesse. Day. Zee. You. Came!” Emmy's green eyes sparkled.

The cousins threw their arms around the cage and did their best to hug her. ”Of course we came!” Jesse said. He tried to open the cage door but, as he expected, it was locked.

”The key's got to be here somewhere,” Daisy said.

”Unless he took it with him,” said Jesse.

Emmy pointed her horn toward the door. Her head was the only part of her body that had any s.p.a.ce to move. ”Look!” she said.

There was a hook on the wall right next to the door, and hanging from the hook was a big ring of keys. Jesse ran to the key ring and removed it from the hook. Then he ran back to the cage and, with 121.

sweaty, fumbling fingers, began to insert one key after another into the lock.

”Hurry,” said Daisy at his shoulder, flapping her hands.

”I am,” said Jesse. But he had always been bad with keys.

”Let me try,” said Daisy.

”I think I got it,” Jesse said. The lock clicked and he pulled the cage door open. Jesse and Daisy held the cage while Emmy wiggled and squeezed herself out like a snake shedding its skin.

”Let's get out of here,” said Jesse. He held out his arms for Emmy.

Emmy backed away from him. ”No,” she said.

”Come on, on, Emmy,” said Jesse, feeling his patience tested. ”I don't have a watch, and I have no idea how long St. George has been gone.” Emmy,” said Jesse, feeling his patience tested. ”I don't have a watch, and I have no idea how long St. George has been gone.”

”Look!” said Emmy.