The Mystery of the Pirate's Treasure (11 page)

“There's no sign of a flashlight or map, is there?” M.E. asked, scouring the area around the footprints.

“Yeah, right,” Luke said. “Like they'd leave those behind.”

“I wonder if it was one of the teachers?” M.E. said. “Maybe Stad was practicing Morse code with another teacher so she could send us a message today. She loves codes about as much as we do.”

“I doubt it,” Quinn said. “Not that many kids would be able to translate it.”

Something caught Cody's eye as she followed the boot prints leading deeper into the trees. The object was small, thin, and white, and sticking out of the ground. If she hadn't been looking carefully, she might have missed it.

She knelt down for a closer look.

“Come here!” she called to the others. “I think I found something.”

“What is it?” M.E. asked, hurrying to Cody's side. The gang knelt down around the object in the dirt, frowning at the discovery.

Cody reached for it.

“Don't touch!” Quinn commanded.

“Why not?” Cody asked.

“Because it probably has germs.” Quinn grabbed the bottom of his T-shirt and used it to grasp the tip of the sharp object. He held it up.

A toothpick.

The kids looked at one another.

Then Quinn said aloud what they were all thinking: “Longbeard was here.”

Luke nodded. “He was chewing on a toothpick when we saw him. Remember, he spat one out at the museum.”

“Gross,” M.E. said, making a face.

Cody shivered, creeped out by the thought that the angry old man who'd been hassling Chad was the one hiding in the dark trees while she and her friends slept. What was he doing out here? Who
was he signaling to?

The camp bell rang, calling the kids to breakfast. The Code Busters returned to Quinn's tent to drop off the puzzling toothpick, but as they were about to leave, Cody saw Quinn staring at his backpack.

“What's the matter?” Cody asked.

“My backpack. It was on the bed, and now it's on the floor.” Quinn began rummaging through the pack. After pulling out all of his stuff, he sat back, frowning. “The map I copied … you know, the one the treasure hunter made?”

“Yeah?”

“It's gone!”

“Boys and girls,” Ms. Stad called after the students had finished their buckwheat pancakes, bacon, and strawberries. “Gather 'round, please.”

Over breakfast the Code Busters had discussed the missing map. Who had gotten into Quinn's backpack? Longbeard and Jolly? How had they gotten in without being seen? Was that the map they'd referred to in Morse code? And why would they want to steal it?

“It's time for another day at the mission,” Ms.
Stad continued, interrupting Cody's thoughts. The students mumbled under their breath, excited about more map puzzles. Cody hoped they'd see Chad so she could ask him about Longbeard and Jolly. Maybe he knew why the old couple might want the map.

Each student was handed another of Ms. Stad's maps for a return trip to the mission. This time they were given a list of objects to find when they reached the mission itself.

M.E. smiled. “This should be easy.”

Code Buster's Key and Solution found on
this page
,
this page
.

“Let's search the area fast,” Quinn said, eager to find each of the objects in the puzzle. The Code Busters headed for the flower garden and jotted down the location on their maps, using the codes they'd been taught. Next, they headed for the courtyard fountain and marked it on the map. Finding all nine bells took some time, but Cody had kept an eye out for them earlier, since Ms. Stad had told them they'd be searching for the bells. They found the last one in the courtyard on top of a circular cement pedestal. Cody noticed this bell appeared to be cracked.

One of the docents had told the students that the bells were made out of bronze because they produced a nicer sound. But if the mixture of softer metals—tin, copper, lead—wasn't accurate, the bell could crack.

Cody leaned in and ran her finger along the crack, wondering why the mission employees didn't fix it. She thought she saw a glint of something bright deep within the crack. Could that be tin or copper?

“Come on, Cody,” Quinn said, interrupting her thoughts. “We still have a few more to find.”

Cody nodded, and they set off in search of the stone wall. By the time they were finished with the search, they realized they were the first ones to complete the challenge.

Quinn looked at his military-style watch.

“We've got some time before the rest of the kids are done. Cody, let me see the picture you took of the treasure hunter's map.”

Cody got out her phone, tapped the picture, and handed it to Quinn. The map filled the small screen. Enlarging it with his fingers, he pointed to a section of the map. “What's that?”

“Enlarge it again,” Luke said.

“Looks like a drawing of a big rock,” Quinn said. They took turns studying it up close.

“Yeah? What's so special about that?” Luke asked.

“Why would a big rock be noted on the map?” Quinn asked.

Before anyone could answer, Cody said, “Guys, look over there.” She pointed to the cemetery several yards away, where they'd found their last clue.

“I don't see anything except a couple of gardeners.”

“Those aren't gardeners,” Cody said. “Look at that beard!”

Finally, the others saw what she had: Longbeard and Jolly standing near a big rock. Each held a shovel.

“What are they doing?” M.E. asked.

“It looks like they're planning to dig in the cemetery,” Cody said. “I'm pretty sure they shouldn't be doing that.”

“Maybe that's why they're acting like gardeners. Did you see their matching shirts?” Luke said.

“Do you think they're digging up old bones?” M.E. asked, watching them from behind a large bush.

“I'll bet it's the treasure they're after, not bones,” Quinn said. “That's probably why they stole our map. Come on. Let's go get a closer look.”

The Code Busters headed for some nearby bushes, keeping out of sight of the two treasure hunters. When they reached their hiding place, Quinn turned around and finger-spelled:

After a few minutes, they inched closer to the cemetery. Cody held her breath and stepped carefully,
not wanting to make a noise. Quinn stopped a few yards away from the couple, behind another large bush, and finger-spelled:

Code Buster's Key and Solution found on
this page
,
this page
.

Hidden behind the hedge, the kids stood still, straining to hear what the two suspicious characters were talking about.

“It has to be here!” Longbeard said to Jolly, swinging the shovel around the area that surrounded the large rock.

“We've been all over this place!” Jolly snapped back. “We can't go digging up everything in broad daylight. We'll be arrested.”

“We're not digging up the ground. We're planting flowers, remember?” Longbeard nodded toward a half-dozen marigolds in little cartons. “That's why we're wearing these stupid shirts and using that stupid sign on our van.”

Cody took a closer look at the shirts. She could see the lettering more clearly now:
GREEN THUMB GARDNERS
.

Wait a minute. It didn't say “gardeners.” It said
“gardners!” They'd probably made their own shirts and had misspelled the word!

She was about to finger-spell to the Code Busters when she heard a crack from behind her. She turned to see M.E. biting her lip and looking down at a twig she'd just stepped on.

The kids ducked and froze. Cody didn't dare breathe as she peered through the leafy wall of the shrubbery.

Longbeard's and Jolly's heads shot up. They listened for a few seconds, not moving.

“What was that?” Jolly asked Longbeard.

The grizzled old man shrugged. “Probably some animal creeping around.”

“Or one of them kids,” Jolly said, scanning the area. “There's too many of them here.”

Longbeard laughed. “That's just it. They're the perfect distraction. No one's going to notice us with all them rug rats running all over the place. Now start digging.”

“Maybe we better go check on our ‘guest' first,” Jolly said, glancing toward a parking lot a few yards beyond the cemetery.

Longbeard threw his shovel down. “Jeepers, you're such a worrywart! Go on and check if you have to, but hurry back. We don't have much time. And try not to attract too much attention, will ya?”

Cody and her friends remained still and watched Jolly head for a small panel truck parked in the otherwise empty lot. A sign on the van read
GREEN THUMB GARDNERS
, with the same misspelled word.

Quinn turned to Cody and signed:

Code Buster's Key and Solution found on
this page
,
this page
.

Cody nodded, then she took Luke's hand and pulled him behind the bushes. Together they tiptoed toward the lot, staying close to the plants for camouflage. Cody saw Jolly reach the van and pat her pockets, then frown. The old woman knelt down and felt under the passenger wheel well. Seconds later she rose, holding a key in her hand. Looking around as if to make sure the coast was clear, she yanked open the side door.

Cody couldn't make out what was inside—it was too dark. But whatever it was made a moaning
sound, like the cry of a wounded animal, just before Jolly slammed the door shut and relocked it.

Something—or someone—was locked up inside that van.