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  Praise for The Imagination Station® books

  These books are a great combination of history and adventure in a clean manner perfect for young children.

  —Margie B., My Springfield Mommy blog These books will help my kids enjoy history.

  —Beth S., third-grade public school teacher

  Colorado Springs, Colorado

  [The Imagination Station books] focus on God much more than the Magic Tree House books do.

  —Emilee, age 7, Waynesboro, Pennsylvania My nine-year-old son has already read [the first two books], one of them twice. He is very eager to read more in the series too. I am planning on reading them out loud to my younger son.

  —Abbi C., mother of four, Minnesota

  Showdown with the Shepherd

  Copyright © 2011 by Focus on the Family. All rights reserved.

  ISBN: 978-1-58997-631-3

  A Focus on the Family book published by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188

  Focus on the Family and Adventures in Odyssey, and the accompanying logos and designs, are federally registered trademarks, and the Imagination Station is a federally registered trademark of Focus on the Family, Colorado Springs, CO 80995.

  TYNDALE and Tyndale’s quill logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of Focus on the Family.

  With the exception of known historical figures, all characters are the product of the authors’ imaginations.

  Cover design by Michael Heath | Magnus Creative

  Cataloging-in-Publication Data for this book is available by contacting the Library of Congress at http://www.loc.gov/help/contact-general.html.

  Printed in the United States of America

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 / 16 15 14 13 12 11

  For manufacturing information regarding this product, please

  call 1-800-323-9400.

  Dad, did you imagine? A journey has to begin somewhere, and writing this book began when you introduced Tiff and me to Adventures in Odyssey. When I was six years old, I never thought I’d be writing this book for the series. Thanks, Dad, for getting me started.

  —BDE

  Contents

  Prologue

  1 The Workshop

  2 The Bear

  3 The Shepherd

  4 The Brothers

  5 The Giant

  6 The King

  7 The Trick

  8 The Enemy

  9 The Song

  10 The Rescue

  11 The Knots

  12 The Battle

  13 The Fire

  14 The Escape

  Secret Word Puzzle

  Prologue

  This story begins with an older gentleman named Mr. Whittaker. He’s an inventor who owns an old house called Whit’s End.

  Mr. Whittaker invented the Imagination Station. It lets kids see history in person. It’s a lot like a time machine.

  One day two cousins, Patrick and Beth, came to Whit’s End to use the Imagination Station. But it was broken.

  Patrick touched the Imagination Station. Suddenly the machine lit up! The Imagination Station worked for the cousins.

  Mr. Whittaker was surprised. He told the cousins about his last trip in the Imagination Station.

  He had visited a relative named Albert, who lived in England long ago.

  The men exchanged special rings. Albert gave Mr. Whittaker a ring with a rose on it. Mr. Whittaker gave Albert a ring with a knight’s head on it—the Whittaker crest.

  Then Albert got in trouble. Mr. Whittaker received notes asking for help for Albert.

  The cousins went on four adventures to help Albert. They visited the Vikings, the ancient Romans, Kublai Khan, and an English castle.

  In England, a man named Hugh took the ring that Mr. Whittaker had given Albert.

  Hugh jumped into the Imagination Station and disappeared.

  Mr. Whittaker still can’t travel in the Imagination Station. He thinks it’s because Hugh has the special ring. The ring causes a glitch in the Imagination Station’s computer.

  Now Patrick and Beth are starting a new adventure. They need to find out where Hugh went—and when. The cousins must follow Hugh and stop him from causing problems in history. But most important, they need to get the special ring back.

  Can the cousins do it?

  The Workshop

  “Hi, Mr. Whittaker,” Patrick and Beth said at the same time. It was Friday after school. The cousins had come to Whit’s End to visit their friend.

  Mr. Whittaker shut a panel on the side of the Imagination Station.

  He looked up at them and smiled.

  “Good afternoon,” Mr. Whittaker said.

  Beth thought he looked tired. Did he work all night and day? she wondered.

  “Is the machine fixed yet?” Patrick asked.

  “Almost,” Mr. Whittaker said.

  “Have you found Hugh?” asked Beth.

  “I’ve programmed the Imagination Station. It will now find the ring Hugh took,” he said. “I’d like to send you after it. That is, if you’re willing to go.”

  “We sure are!” said Patrick.

  “Where are we going?” Beth asked.

  “To the Holy Land when the kings of Israel ruled,” Mr. Whittaker said. “I’ve put your costumes in the changing rooms.”

  The cousins changed clothes in separate rooms.

  Beth came out first. She wore a plain wool tunic. It had a tan vest and belt. Patrick’s tunic was like Beth’s. But his didn’t have a vest. Instead a tan sash wrapped around into a belt.

  Mr. Whittaker then gave Beth a silver harmonica. He handed Patrick a rope woven with snake knots.

  “Why does she get something fun?” Patrick asked. “All I got was this bracelet.”

  “You’ll unravel that mystery when the time comes,” Mr. Whittaker said. He gave Patrick a wink. “Why do I have a harmonica?” Beth asked. “I know how to play a couple of songs.”

  “Which songs?” Mr. Whittaker asked.

  “‘The Alphabet Song’ and ‘Jesus Loves Me,’ ” Beth said.

  “Those will do,” Mr. Whittaker said. “Now go ahead and climb into the Imagination Station.”

  Patrick slipped the bracelet on his wrist. Beth tucked the harmonica inside a pocket. Then she and Patrick stepped into the machine.

  “Remember,” Mr. Whittaker said, “you need to find Hugh. Then get the ring from him. Once you put on the ring, the Imagination Station will appear. I programmed it to send you back to Hugh’s time in England.”

  Patrick looked at Beth. He swallowed a lump in his throat. Hugh wasn’t very nice.

  “How will we get the ring from Hugh?” Patrick asked. “He’s a lot bigger than we are.”

  “Let me tell you something,” Mr. Whittaker said. “You two are small. But you’re a lot smarter than Hugh. Just use your common sense. God will help you.”

  Beth smiled.

  “Are you both ready?” Mr. Whittaker asked.

  The cousins nodded. Patrick and Beth leaned back in their seats. The inside of the Imagination Station reminded Patrick of a helicopter cockpit.

  Mr. Whittaker tapped the dashboard next to the red button. “The machine is programmed,” he said. “Press the button when you’re ready.”

  Mr. Whittaker stepped back. He walked over to a desk where a computer sat.

  Beth pushed the red button.

  The Imagination Station started to shake.

  Beth knew what was about to happen. She waited for the rumbling.
Patrick imagined a helicopter taking off. He pushed his body into the seat and waited.

  The machine jerked forward. The rumble grew louder.

  The machine whirled.

  Suddenly, everything went black.

  The Bear

  The Imagination Station door opened. Bright sunlight came into the machine.

  Patrick and Beth stepped out. They were standing in the middle of a tree grove.

  A breeze picked up. Leaves rustled in the trees. They heard a soft whoosh. The Imagination Station disappeared.

  “Do we have to come back here to find the machine?” Beth asked. “Or will it come only when we have the ring?”

  Patrick shrugged. “I’m not sure,” he said. “It does different things at different times. But it always seems to show up when we need it. Let’s hope it does this time.”

  Beth’s gaze went to a nearby bush. A piece of white cloth was tied to it. It waved like a small flag. She went over and plucked the cloth from the branch.

  “It’s an old-fashioned hankie,” she said.

  “Bible-times old or knights-and-castles old?” Patrick asked.

  “Knights and castles,” Beth said. “This hankie must belong to Hugh.”

  She tucked the hankie inside her tunic.

  “At least we know Hugh came through here,” Patrick said. “That’s a start.”

  Suddenly, from somewhere, they heard a low growl. The cousins spun around.

  “What was that?” Beth asked, alarmed.

  Patrick pointed and shouted, “Look!”

  A black bear ambled down a grassy hill.

  Beth shrieked. The bear looked up at them. It slowly turned and moved in their direction.

  “What do we do?” Beth asked.

  “Don’t move,” Patrick said. “I learned about this in Cub Scouts.”

  “Don’t move? That’s crazy!” Beth said. Everything inside her was telling her to run and run fast.

  “No! Don’t make any quick moves. And don’t look the bear in the eyes. It’ll take that as a challenge,” said Patrick.

  “I don’t think I can stand still for very long,” Beth said.

  “We can back away from the bear slowly,” Patrick said. “Most bears don’t like the taste of humans.”

  “Does this bear know that?” Beth whispered.

  The bear came closer. It sniffed the air. Then it growled.

  “Patrick!” Beth said with a gasp. “We have to do something!”

  “Back up very slowly toward that tree,” Patrick said. “If he charges at us, then climb as high as you can.”

  The cousins moved backward as slowly as they could. The bear snorted as it watched them.

  The cousins reached the tree.

  The bear pawed the ground and snorted again. Then it lurched forward. It charged at them.

  “Climb!” Patrick shouted. The cousins turned to the tree.

  GRRR!

  Patrick used his hands and a knee to make a step for Beth. Her hands barely reached the lowest branch. Patrick lifted Beth’s foot higher.

  GRRR!

  Patrick threw Beth upward. She pulled herself onto the branch. He looked back at the bear. It was coming fast.

  Beth reached down for Patrick’s hand.

  He jumped up. His fingers touched Beth’s. But his hand slipped through hers.

  Patrick made eye contact. The bear stared back. It opened its mouth. Patrick could see its sharp white teeth.

  Patrick threw himself at the tree. He jumped and clawed upward.

  This time Beth grabbed hold of his wrist. She felt the knots of his bracelet dig into her palm.

  Patrick dangled by one arm.

  ROWL!

  Beth was afraid she would lose him. Then he reached up with his free hand and grabbed the branch.

  The bear came charging at them. Patrick swung his legs up just in time.

  “Go higher!” Patrick shouted.

  Beth scrambled higher. Patrick followed.

  “Jump higher,” Beth said. “Hurry!”

  “I am hurrying!” Patrick said.

  Patrick spun around. The bear was only ten feet away. It rose up on its hind legs.

  It raised its snout up and sniffed again. Then it began to claw at the tree. It rose up higher on its back legs and growled.

  It was only inches from Patrick’s foot.

  GRRR!

  “Up!” Beth shouted.

  Patrick reached for the next branch. But it was too late.

  The bear swung a paw and caught Patrick’s sandal. It flew off. Patrick yanked his foot away.

  “My sandal!” Patrick cried.

  The bear dropped down on all fours. It bit at the leather sole of the sandal and shook it back and forth.

  Thump!

  The bear flinched. The shoe fell from its mouth.

  Another thump, and the cousins saw a rock bounce off the bear’s head.

  The bear took a few steps back. It snorted from pain.

  “Where did that come from?” Beth asked.

  Patrick wondered too.

  Thump!

  The next stone hit the bear’s body. The beast gave a painful howl. It growled one last time. Then it ran off into the trees.

  The cousins looked around to see where the rocks had come from.

  “There!” Beth said. She pointed toward a large tree. Next to the tree stood a young man. Beth thought he must be a little older than they were.

  The young man held a long strap in one hand. He tossed a stone up and down in the other.

  “Come on down!” he shouted with a laugh. “It’s safe now.”

  The Shepherd

  Patrick and Beth climbed down to the ground. The boy walked toward them. He wore a tunic covered with a brown vest. He had dark red hair and tanned skin.

  The boy tucked the rock inside a shoulder bag.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  Patrick dusted himself off. “Yes, thank you,” he said.

  Patrick grabbed his sandal. It had teeth marks on the heel.

  “That could have been us,” Beth said. She looked at the young man. “Thank you very much for saving us.”

  “My pleasure,” the young man said.

  “You must have great aim,” Patrick said to the young man. “How did you hit that bear from so far away?”

  The young man shrugged. Then he held up the leather strap. “I’m a shepherd. I get time to practice. My sling has saved a lot of my sheep.”

  A sling, Beth thought. There was something familiar about a boy and a sling.

  “Well, thank you again,” she said.

  “You should thank God,” the young man said. He put the sling in his shoulder bag. “Bears can climb trees.

  I don’t usually walk this way. But I happened to see it chasing you.”

  Beth smiled. “Thank God,” she said.

  Patrick said, “I’m Patrick.”

  The young man nodded.

  “My name is Beth,” Beth said.

  The young man bowed to her.

  “My name is David, son of Jesse,” the young man said.

  Beth and Patrick looked at each other. They smiled. This is the famous David from the Bible.

  “Where are you headed?” David asked.

  “We’re not sure,” Patrick said. “We’re a little lost.”

  “Where are you going?” Beth asked.

  “To the Valley of Elah,” David said.

  “Valley of what?” Patrick asked.

  “Elah,” David said more slowly. “It’s a kind of tree. You were in one just now.”

  “What’s in the valley?” Patrick asked.

  “My brothers. They’re with the army of King Saul,” David said. “We’re in battle with the Philistines.”

  “The Philistines,” Beth said. Then she turned to Patrick. “This is the story about Goliath!”

  Patrick smiled.

  “Goliath?” David asked. “You know about him?”

  “Only what we’ve heard,”
Patrick said.

  David frowned. “I hope you’re not friendly with the Philistines. If you are, then we must part ways here. They want to make my people their slaves. And they curse the living God.”

  Beth said, “We believe in your God.”

  David seemed to relax.

  “We’re looking for someone else, though,” Patrick said. “He has long hair and a white shirt. He also wears dark breeches and black boots.”

  “And he scowls a lot,” Beth added.

  David looked at them with a puzzled expression.

  “No,” David said. “I haven’t seen him.”

  “He’s probably with the Philistines,” Patrick said. “He’d fit in with them.”

  “Then you may travel with me, if you want,” David said. They began to walk.

  Beth looked around. “Will we see any more bears?” she asked.

  “There are many bears and lions in this country,” David said.

  “Lions, too?” Patrick asked nervously.

  “The lions are always after our lambs,” David said. He bent down and picked up a stone. He rubbed his fingers over it. Then he tossed it aside with a grunt.

  “What’s wrong with it?” Beth asked.

  “It’s too rough,” David said. “I need smooth stones. They fly from the sling faster.”

  They walked in silence for a while. Patrick and Beth found it hard to keep up with David. He walked very quickly over the rough ground and large rocks.

  They walked up a hill.

  “We’re almost there,” David said. “The Valley of Elah.”

  They reached the top of the hill. Beth expected to see a beautiful green valley.

  But this was dotted with hundreds of tents. In one section the trees had been chopped to stumps. Fire pits burned, filling the sky with a gray haze.

  “That’s the Philistine camp,” David said. He pointed to some tents.

  “Why are most of the trees gone?” Beth asked. “And why is there so much smoke?”

  David stopped walking and scowled.

  “The Philistines destroy everything they come near,” David said. “Though I’m not sure why they’ve cut down the trees. Some believe they have a secret way to fight. But by the power of God, we’ll stop them!”