“Happy Birthday, Andy!” says Jill.
“Thanks, Jill,” I say. “But can this be Terry’s party too because today is his birthday as well?”
“I didn’t know it was your birthday, Terry,” says Jill. “Andy’s been dropping hints for months, but you never said a word.”
“That’s because my parents never told me when my birthday was,” says Terry, “so I didn’t know. But Andy said I could share his.”
“That’s so nice of you, Andy!” says Jill. “Happy Birthday, Terry. I’ll just get Mr. Hee-Haw to add your name to the birthday banner.”
“Jill,” I say, “this is amazing, but how did you organize it all so quickly? I mean, we only got back from the vegetable castle a couple of hours ago!”
“The animals and I have been planning your surprise party for weeks,” says Jill. “It was while we were getting everything ready that I pricked my finger on that cursed carrot. But, luckily, when I woke up, the animals did too and they finished getting the party ready while I was away. They really love a party … as you can see.”
“Look!” says Terry. “A butterfly. And it says HAPPY BIRTHDAY on its wings!”
“That’s because it’s a birthday butterfly!” says Jill.
“Why is it wearing the caterpillar’s hat?” says Terry.
“Because it used to be the caterpillar,” says Jill.
“Huh?” says Terry. “How could a caterpillar turn into a butterfly?”
“Metamorphosis,” says Jill.
“What’s that?” says Terry.
“I’ll explain later,” I say.
“Birthdays are really fun!” says Terry, his face covered in Edward Scooperhand’s birthday cake–flavored ice-cream cake. “I think we should have one every day!”
“But that’s not how birthdays work,” I say. “You only get one per year because, otherwise, you would get too old too fast.”
“Hey, I know,” says Terry. “Why don’t we make a birthday level in our treehouse where it can be your birthday whenever you want but you don’t get any older?”
“I think you might be on to something!” I say.
“Hmmm, that’s weird,” says Terry. “It sounds like our 3-D video phone, but it can’t be, because what would it be doing down here in the forest?”
“Actually, it is your 3-D video phone,” says Jill. “I had Larry, Curly and Moe bring it down here in case Mr. Big Nose rang to wish you Happy Birthday. That’s probably him now. You’d better answer it.”
“Hello, Andy and Terry,” says Mr. Big Nose. “I guess you know why I’m calling.”
“To wish us a Happy Birthday?” I say.
“Don’t be ridiculous!” says Mr. Big Nose. “I’m calling to tell you your book is due at five o’clock.”
“Five o’clock tomorrow?” says Terry.
“No, five o’clock today!” says Mr. Big Nose.
“But we’re not finished,” I say. “We’ve been too busy rescuing you!”
“That’s not my problem,” says Mr. Big Nose. “A contract is a contract! That book had better be here by five … OR ELSE!”
He hangs up.
I look at Terry.
Terry looks at me.
“I think it’s time for presents,” says Jill, handing us a parcel wrapped in gold paper with a big purple bow.
“But how can we open presents at a time like this?” I say. “If we don’t get our book written then … then … then I don’t know what will happen, but it will probably involve Mr. Big Nose getting so mad that his nose explodes and us having to go back to work at the monkey house.”
“Don’t worry,” says Jill, “just trust me. Open your present. I think you’ll like it.”
We unwrap the parcel.
“It’s a book!” I say.
“I love books!” says Terry. “What is it called?”
“The 52-Story Treehouse!”
“I love that book!” says Terry.
“No you don’t,” I say, “I mean, you can’t … because we haven’t even written it yet!”
“No,” says Jill, “you haven’t … but I have—all the words and the pictures.”
“But how?” I say.
“With the help of my animals, of course,” says Jill. “You might not think it to look at them, but they’re really quite talented. And it was the least I could do after you and Terry went to so much trouble to rescue me from my enchanted sleep.”
“Can we read it now?” says Terry.
“Of course!” says Jill.
We read the book …
“Well,” says Jill, “what do you think?”
“Action-packed!” I say. “I love it! But how will we get it to Mr. Big Nose in time?”
“What about the birthday butterfly?” says Terry.
“No,” says Jill, “the book would be too heavy for it to carry. Butterflies are beautiful, but they are not very strong.”
“What about Silky and the other flying cats?” I say. “Could they take it?”
“I’m afraid not,” says Jill, “they’re on holiday in the Catnary Islands. I got this postcard from them yesterday.”
“I know,” says Terry. “We can use the cannon!”
“No you can’t,” says Jill. “A robin built her nest in it and the baby birds have just hatched. They must not be disturbed.”
“Then I guess we’re doomed,” says Terry. “Unless…”
Jill and I lean forward.
“Unless what?” I say.
“Unless we get my Ninja Snails to deliver it.”
“But that will take forever!” I say.
“Not forever,” says Terry. “Only about 100 years and 15 minutes by my calculations.”
“Great,” I say, “except that it will be 100 years too late for Mr. Big Nose.”
“No it won’t,” says Terry. “Not if we stop time.”
“Well, duh,” I say, “as if we could do that.”
“I think we could,” says Terry. “I’ve still got the carrot that Jill pricked her finger on. I collected it as evidence when we were trying to solve The Mystery of Why Jill Has a Curse on Her.”
“But how is a cursed carrot going to help us stop time?” I say.
“Like this!” says Terry. “We use the rocket-powered carrot-launcher to fire the carrot into the heart of the Greenwich Observatory—which is where all the time in the world comes from. If you stop time there, you stop time everywhere, which will give the Ninja Snails all the time they need.”
“But what about the snails?” I say. “Won’t it put them to sleep too?”
“No,” says Terry, “because they’re Ninja Snails. The normal laws of time and space don’t apply to them.”
“That’s crazy, Terry,” I say.
“Oh.” He sighs in disappointment.
“So crazy it might just work!”
“Great!” says Terry. “To the treehouse!”
Jill and I follow Terry to the treehouse and climb up to the Ninja Snail Training Academy. Terry explains the mission to the snails, gives them the book and fires a starting pistol.
He waves good-bye to the snails.
“Good luck,” he says. “Don’t forget to send me a telegram when you arrive.”
He turns to us. “Now let’s go launch that carrot.”
Terry loads the carrot into the carrot-launcher and points it in the direction of Greenwich Observatory.
“Here goes,” he says, pushing the launch button.
The carrot shoots into the sky and disappears into the clouds.
“Well,” says Terry, “the carrot is on its way. We’d better go to the room full of pillows and get comfortable. We’ve got a long sleep ahead of us.”
“Do you really think Terry’s plan will work?” says Jill as she snuggles into a pile of pillows.
“I hope so,” I say. “Are you feeling tired yet?”
Jill yawns. “Maybe a little bit,” she says.
“Yeah,” I say, yawning. “Me too. What about you, Terry?”
He doesn’t answer.
“Terry?” I say. I look over. Terry is snoring.
“He’s asleep,” I say to Jill.
But Jill doesn’t hear me. She’s asleep too.
Which just leaves me. I’m the only one who’s not aslee … zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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