Lots of things made sense to Jack now—Erikson’s clothes, his spear, calling himself a seafarer, and his story of eleven ships lost while sailing from Iceland to Greenland.

Erikson rowed toward a small wooden pier near the Viking ships. When the boat reached the shore, he jumped out.

“We are here!” he said.

Jack and Annie climbed carefully out of the boat. As Erikson tied it to the pier, Jack turned to Annie.

“Those are Viking ships!” he whispered. “We saw ships like that on our mission to Ireland. Remember? Viking raiders were invading the coast!”

“Yikes!” said Annie, her eyes wide.

“We should escape now while we can,” said Jack.

“Wait, wait, let’s look at the rhyme,” said Annie.

Jack slipped the rhyme out of his bag.

Annie pointed to the last verse. They read silently:

Explore different worlds.

Show friends where to go.

Unite all these worlds

With a word that will glow.

“I think we’re doing what Morgan wants,” Annie said. “We explored the world of seals and orcas and narwhals…and now this world, the Viking world.”

“But what about—” Jack started.

“Shh!” said Annie.

Erikson had finished tying up the boat. Jack put the rhyme back into his bag.

“Follow me,” Erikson said.

Even though he was still limping, Erikson walked faster than Jack and Annie. He bounded across the rocky shore and started up a hill.

Jack and Annie hurried after him. Soon they could see a cluster of buildings over the crest of the hill.

There was a long wooden house and smaller thatched huts and several barns. A few people were working in the chilly sunlight. They were all dressed in several layers of clothing.

Women were hanging clothes to dry. Men were stacking wood.

A boy was leading cows to a barn. A few girls were feeding hogs and ducks. Chickens and dogs wandered about.

Suddenly the dogs began to bark. Everyone looked around. A woman cried out and pointed at Jack and Annie.

Two brown-and-white dogs bolted down the hill, barking ferociously.

Erikson shouted a command. The dogs stopped barking.

A tall, burly man strode down the slope.

“My father,” said Erikson.

Erikson’s father had long red hair and a wild, bushy beard. He carried an ax.

“Oh, no,” whispered Jack. The Viking man looked fierce.

“Wait here,” Erikson ordered Jack and Annie. Leaving them with the dogs, he limped to his father. Jack nervously watched him speak to the wild-looking man.

“How are you guys doing today?” Annie asked the dogs.

The dogs barked.

“Oh, you’re just pretending to be scary,” she said.

The dogs tilted their heads, then started to pant. Their tails were wagging.

Annie laughed and held out her hand for the dogs to sniff. Their sniffing quickly turned into licking.

Erikson and his father walked down to Jack and Annie.

“This is my father. Erik,” the boy said. “He is the chieftain here.”

“Oh. Uh…hello…sir,” said Jack.

“Glad to meet you!” said Annie.

“Where do you come from?” Erikson’s father asked in a deep voice.

“Frog Creek, Pennsylvania,” said Jack.

“In the United States of America,” Annie added.

“You might not have heard of it,” Jack said quickly.

“No, I have not. Where is that?” Erik asked gruffly.

“It’s on the continent of North America,” said Annie.

Oh, no, thought Jack. He knew the Vikings hadn’t yet heard of the United States or North America. In Erik’s time, the United States wouldn’t be a country for another 700 years!

But Erik just nodded. “So you are from far away?” he said.

“Yes,” said Annie.

“Welcome,” said Erik. He turned to his son. “Leif, let us take your friends to the house.”

“Thanks!” said Annie. Then she and Jack started up the hill, following the boy and his father.

Erik called the boy Leif, Jack thought. Leif?…Leif Erikson?…LEIF ERIKSON!

“Annie,” he whispered. “Erikson’s first name is Leif!”

“I heard that,” she said. “Erikson must be his last name.”

“Yes! I’ve read about Leif Erikson and Erik the Red,” said Jack. “They’re famous!”

“Famous?” said Annie.

“Uh, yeah!” said Jack. “They’re two of the most famous explorers in the history of the world!”