Now, you're probably wondering what happened with Olivia. Well, when she got back, Olivia felt miserable of how Patrick treated her. Ian tried to cheer her up day after day, but it was no use. Skipper tried to cheer Olivia up, Then one day, Olivia took Cottontail back to me. "Why didn't you bring Cottontail back?!" I demanded angrily. Olivia told me the story of what happened with Patrick, but I didn't believe them at first. "You just wanted to keep him!" I said. "Well, Ian and I are going to rescue Patrick so we can prove he got glass in his eyes and got taken by the Snow King." said Olivia. "Very well," I said. "Listen closely on how to get there."
And I told them how to rescue Patrick: "First, head north to the spring garden and beware the magical gardener that lives there. Then head the summer kingdom, and do not be fooled by the fools. Then, travel through the autumn kingdom until you see reindeer." "We got it!" said Olivia and Ian, who were taking down notes.
The next morning, Olivia and Ian walked to the river. "Is it true that you have taken my pen pal?" Olivia asked the gently flowing water. The river did not reply, so Olivia, who was a determined young girl, tried again. "I will give you my new bracelet as a present if you will return Patrick Penguin to me," she said.
And then it seemed to Olivia and Ian as if the little blue waves nodded to her, so she took one final look at her bracelets, which were the most precious things she owned, and hurled them into the river. The little waves washed them to the shore and Olivia tried again, thinking that perhaps she had not thrown the shoes far enough.
Splash-Splash.
A second time, the waves bore the shoes to the riverbank, and hope began to burn inside Olivia. Was the river telling her that Patrick had not drowned here? Spying a boat at the water's edge, she and Ian clambered in and pushed it away from the bank. When they reached the middle of the river, Olivia and Ian threw in her bracelet one final time.
Ker-splosh!
Yet now the boat was drifting quickly downstream and Ian was frightened. Faster and faster they went. Ian was scared. But Olivia heard him, and so did the sparrows, and Olivia hugged him, while the sparrows flew along the bank, singing as if to comfort them.
Finally, the boat thudded to a halt beside an orchard. It was the spring orchard. There stood a pretty thatched cottage with red and blue windows, almost hidden by pale blossom.
Smiling with relief, Olivia wondered if Patrick had come this way. She and Ian climbed out of the boat and set off to find him.
Slowly, Olivia pushed open the garden gate. "Is anyone there?" she called. At once an old woman appeared, leaning on a crooked stick. She wore an elaborate hat that was decorated with the most amazing flowers. "Hello, dear," she said. "Do come inside and tell me about yourself." So Olivia and Ian told the old woman about her home and Patrick and the fun they had together, and that Patrick had vanished and how she wouldn't stop until she found him.
"Have you seen him?" Ian asked. "I have not," said the old woman. "But he will doubtless come this way, and while you are waiting for him, you may enjoy cherries from the garden, help tend my flowers, and live with me."
But while Olivia ate the wonderful cherries, the old woman began to brush her hair with a hairbrush that glittered and sparkled and made her forget all about Patrick. For the old woman was actually the magical gardener! While she was not evil, she had often longed for a dear little girl like Olivia and Ian to live with her. That night, the magical gardener cast a spell on all the roses in her garden, which sank down into the soil at once. "Now there is nothing to remind Olivia of Patrick," she whispered. "She will stay with me forever."
Unfortunately, she didn't realize that she forgot to brush the hair of Ian, who had remembered Patrick! The next day, Ian woke Olivia up. "Olivia!" he said, "We have to go get Patrick!" "Who's Patrick?" Olivia asked. "You remember that penguin?" That was when Olivia remembered! "Oh yeah!" Olivia whispered. "We need to go, now!" Quietly, the two siblings snuck out of the cottage, past the gate, and exited the orchard.
