The Kidnapped King
Read The Kidnapped King Online
Authors: Ron Roy
series:“I really love your books!!! So keep writing and I’ll keep reading.”
—Eddie L.
“When we go to the library, I always look for your books. Thank you for writing such good books.”
—Matthew A.
“I’ve read most of your books and will start
The Falcon’s Feathers
tomorrow. Keep writing fast or I will catch up with you!”
—Ryan V.
“Your books have given me the idea that I want to be a mystery writer when I grow up.”
—Mary T.
“I know I speak for a lot of kids when I say I love your books!”
—Maris S.
“All three of my boys love [the A to Z Mysteries]. Eric and Mason read them over and over, then act them out. Graeme has heard the stories read many times by his brothers.”
—Louise G.
“You have changed my third grader from an ‘I’ll read it if it is easy’ boy into a ‘let’s go to the library’ boy. Thank you so much, and please, keep up the great work.”
—Kathy B.
Text copyright © 2000 by Ron Roy
Illustrations copyright © 2000 by John Steven Gurney
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.
Published in the United States by Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Roy, Ron.
The kidnapped king / by Ron Roy; illustrated by John Steven Gurney.
p. cm. — (A to Z mysteries)
“A Stepping Stone book.”
Summary: Dink and his friends meet an exchange student, Sammi, who is actually the prince of an island country, hiding from those enemies who have kidnapped his parents and who may be after him as well.
eISBN: 978-0-307-53564-1
[1. Kidnapping—Fiction. 2. Princes—Fiction. 3. Mystery and detective stories.]
I. Gurney, John, ill. II. Title. PZ7.R8139Ki 2000 [Fic]–dc21 99-089549
RANDOM HOUSE
and colophon and
A TO Z MYSTERIES
are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.
A STEPPING STONE BOOK
and colophon and the A to Z Mysteries colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc.
v3.1
—
R.R
.
For Adrienne, Jim, Cal, & Ethan
—
J.S.G
.
CHAPTER 1“Done!” Dink said to himself, smiling. He had solved the last problem on his math paper. He wrote
Donald D. Duncan
at the top, then glanced up at the classroom clock: two-fifteen. In just twenty minutes, spring vacation would begin!
“Class, please get ready for DEAR time,” Mrs. Eagle said. “Take out your books and find a cozy place to read until the bell rings, please.”
DEAR stood for
Drop Everything and Read
. This was Dink’s favorite time of the day.
Dink was reading
Kidnapped
by Robert Louis Stevenson. He had seen the movie, but he still loved the story. He took the book to the reading corner and flopped onto a beanbag chair.
Josh and Ruth Rose joined him, sprawling on the carpet with their books. The classroom grew quiet, except for the clock’s ticking and the sound of pages being turned.
Suddenly, the room phone rang. Mrs. Eagle answered it, then walked to the reading corner. “Dink,” she said quietly, “you’re wanted in Mr. Dillon’s office.”
Josh grinned at Dink and raised his eyebrows. “You’re in trouble!” he said.
“Mr. Dillon wants me?” Dink asked. “Why?”
Mrs. Eagle shrugged. “Hurry back,” she whispered.
Dink put down his book and left the room.
Walking down the quiet hall, Dink tried to figure out why the principal wanted to see him. He couldn’t think of anything he’d done wrong!
Outside Mr. Dillon’s office, Dink took a deep breath, then walked in. Mrs. Waters, the principal’s secretary, was sitting at her desk outside his door. She smiled. “Hi, Donald. You can go right in. And don’t look so scared!” she said. “Mr. Dillon doesn’t eat children!”
Dink grinned, then opened the door to Mr. Dillon’s office. The first person he saw was his mother!
She patted the empty chair next to hers, and Dink slid into it.
There were three other people in the room: Mr. Dillon, a woman with
yellow hair, and a kid about Dink’s age.
The kid was dressed like someone in a movie. He had on a long dark blue robe and sandals.
“Hi, Donald,” Mr. Dillon said. Mr. Dillon was shaped like a football. His hair was cut short and his eyeglasses gleamed under the lights.
“Let me introduce my guests,” he said. He nodded at the woman with yellow
hair. “This is Ms. Joan Klinker. And this,” he added, smiling at the boy, “is Sammi Bin Oz.”
Dink mumbled, “Hi,” then stared at the boy.
He was about Dink’s size and had black hair and dark skin. His eyes were the color of honey.
“Sammi is from Costra,” Mr. Dillon said, “a small island country in the
Indian Ocean. He’s come to the United States to learn English.”
“I already speak English,” the boy said.
He had a soft voice and an accent. Dink thought he looked and sounded kind of sad.
“Actually, Sammi will live here for a year,” Joan Klinker said. “I am his tutor. His parents want him to learn American customs.”
Mr. Dillon looked at Dink. “Sammi will be in third grade with you. We thought you might want to show him around the school,” he said.
Everyone looked at Dink. He felt himself blushing. His mother gave his hand a squeeze. “And Sammi will be staying with us for a few weeks, Dink,” she explained.