1In the torchlight, Jack saw three huge men standing over him.

2One with very squinty eyes held the torch. One with a very red face held Jack. And one with a very long mustache held on to Annie.

3Annie was kicking and yelling.

4“Stop!” said the one with the very long mustache.

5“Who art thou?” said the one with the very red face.

6“Spies? Foreigners? Egyptians? Romans? Persians?” said the squinty-eyed one.

7“No, you dummies!” said Annie.

8“Oh, brother,” Jack muttered.

9“Arrest them!” said Red-face.

10“The dungeon!” said Squinty-eyes.

11The guards marched Jack and Annie out of the armory. Jack looked back frantically. Where was his backpack?

12“Go!” said a guard, giving him a push.

13Jack went.

14Down they marched, down the long, dark hallway. Squinty, Annie, Mustache, Jack, and Red.

15Down a narrow, winding staircase.

16Jack heard Annie shouting at the guards. “Dummies! Meanies! We didn’t do anything!”

17The guards laughed. They didn’t take her seriously at all.

18At the bottom of the stairs was a big iron door with a bar across it.

19Squinty pushed the bar off the door. Then he shoved at the door. It creaked open.

20Jack and Annie were pushed into a cold, clammy room.

21The fiery torch lit the dungeon. There were chains hanging from the filthy walls. Water dripped from the ceiling, making puddles on the stone floor. It was the creepiest place Jack had ever seen.

22“We’ll keep them here till the feast is done. Then turn them over to the Duke,” said Squinty. “He knows how to take care of thieves.” “There will be a hanging tomorrow,” said Mustache.

23“If the rats don’t get them first,” said Red.

24They all laughed.

25Jack saw that Annie had his backpack. She was quietly unzipping it.

26“Come on, let’s chain the two of ’em,” said Squinty.

27The guards started toward them. Annie whipped her flashlight out of the pack.

28“Ta-da!” she yelled.

29The guards froze. They stared at the shiny flashlight in her hand.

30Annie switched the light on. The guards gasped in fear. They jumped back against the wall.

31Squinty dropped the torch. It fell into a dirty puddle on the floor, sputtered, and went out.

32“My magic wand!” Annie said, waving the flashlight. “Get down. Or I’ll wipe you out!”

33Jack’s mouth dropped open.

34Annie fiercely pointed her light at one, then the other. Each howled and covered his face.

35“Down! All of you! Get down!” shouted Annie.

36One by one, the guards lay down on the wet floor.

37Jack couldn’t believe it.

38“Come on,” Annie said to him. “Let’s go.” Jack looked at the open doorway. He looked at the guards quaking on the ground.

39“Hurry!” said Annie.

40In one quick leap, Jack followed her out of the terrible dungeon.