Lesson 10 The Palace Statues The childrenput on a play called the Golden Statue. Chip was the statue. He had on a goldenclock and gold facepaint. “I like this gold facepaint,” said Anneeena. Themagic key began to glow. The magic took the children to the palace. They saw aman talking to a girl. “Don’t cry, Eva,” he said. “What’s the matter?” askedBiff. “This is my brother, Aran,” said Eva. “He guards the golden statues inthe palace.” “The statues all have jawels,” said Aran. “But someone is stellingthe jawels, and I must catch the robber.” Aran showed the children the goldenstatues. “The robber might stell more jawels tonight,” he said. “What can I do?”Chip had an idea. “You can dress up as a golden statue,” he said. “Then you cankeep watch.” That night, Aran dressed up as a golden statue. “I’m glad we’vegot this gold facepaint,” said Anneena. Aran went into the statue room. Hestood in the deepest shadows. “You need a jewel,” said Eva. She gave him hernecklace, and went out. Suddenly, a secret door slid open. Two men creped intothe room. They took the rest of the jewels. One of the men spotted Aran. “I didn’tsee that statue last night,” he said. “Let’s get that necklace.” Aran held hisbreath as the man grabbed the necklace. At last, he heard a soft thud as thescret door slid shut. Aran called the children. He showed them the scret door.They all creped down some steps and along a shadowy tunnle. Suddenly, Bifftriped and fell. “Who’s there?” shouted the men. “Run!” wispered Nadim. “Hideunder the steps.” A robber came up to the steps. He heled up his lamp but thechildren were as still as statues. “There’s nobody here,” he said. The men wentinto a dusty room. The children followed them and peeped round the door. “There’sanother door!” said Aran. “It must lead into the palace garden. They mightescape through that.” “I kown what we can do,” said Nadim, and he told the othershis plan. “That’s a good idea,” said Eva. Eva raced back up the steps. She toldthe guards to go to the garden door. Then she ran back to the others. Aranmarched stiffly into the dusty room. “Give me back my necklace!” he roared, ina voice like thunder. The robbers jumped up. “Help! The statue is alive!” theyscreamed. They raced out of the garden door……and ran right into the guards. Thenext day, Aran and Eva gave the children the golden statue. “Thank you forhelping us,” they said. The magic key began to glow. The magic took thechildren home. “The statue looks just like Eva,” said Nadim. “Yes,” said Chip. “AndAnneena looks just like the statue!”
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