Detective Camp by Ron Roy Read Free Book Online Page B

stragglers were just arriving.
    Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose sat together just as Buzzy, Luke, and Angiecame out through the kitchen door. Buzzy stood on a bench and blew his whistle.
    “Detective Robb is busy, but he wanted us to ask if anyone is still missing his or her map piece,” the tall teenager said.
    No hands went up.
    “That’s awesome!” Buzzy said.
    Luke went around and collected all twenty-six map pieces.
    “Now, since there are so many of you, each cabin should select one person,” Buzzy went on, “and those three kids will meet and assemble the map.”
    “Why can’t we all do it together?” one girl asked.
    Angie laughed. “Have you ever tried to put a jigsaw puzzle together with twenty-five other kids helping? That’s two hundred sixty fingers altogether!”
    Everyone laughed.
    “Can they put the map together right now?” Duke asked.
    “Sure,” Luke said. “The three you choose can work on it while we eat lunch. So get in a huddle with your cabinmates and vote for who you think would do a good job on the map.”
    The kids scrambled around and formed into three groups by cabin.
    “I nominate Dink,” Josh said to the rest of his group. “He’s really good at puzzles and stuff.”
    Dink was chosen.
    A minute later, he found himself sitting with Jade from Fox Cabin and Stanley from Bear Cabin. Luke came over and piled the map pieces on the table in front of them. “I’ll give you a hint,” Luke whispered. “The edges have a dark blue line.”
    The three kids went to work. Many of the pieces had blue lines, so it tookonly a minute to assemble the four edges. Then they worked on the inside. As the map took shape, the kids saw a picture of the lake, the dock, and the ring of stones around the campfire. There was a big
X
drawn at one spot, on a flat rock. An arrow pointed from the dock to the
X
. Dink realized that the ET and FR he’d seen on Ruth Rose’s map piece were part of a sentence: MEASURE TEN FEET FROM THE DOCK .
    “The treasure must be under that rock!” Stanley said.
    Just then the three counselors came over to their table. “Guys, your lunch is waiting,” Buzzy said. “How’re you doing with the map?”
    “We finished!” Jade said.
    “You guys are amazing!” Angie said. “Now go back to your tables and tell the other kids what you learned. After lunch, you can all run down to the lake and get your well-earned treasure.”

    Mario had heaped platters with rolls, cheese and tomato slices, and three kinds of sandwich meat. The kids built their own sandwiches. They gulped them down with milk, then took off for the lake.
    The fastest runners were already moving the rock when Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose got there. Everyone gathered around as Jade began digging in the sand under the rock.
    A minute later, she held up a plastic baggie. Inside was a folded sheet of paper. Jade unzipped the baggie and read the note:
“Congratulations! Your treasure is a lobster feast tonight. Come here at five o’clock, and wear your bathing suits!”
    The note was signed by Angie, Buzzy, and Luke.
    “Lobsters! Awesome!” Josh said.
    Angie and Luke had walked up behind the group.
    “Good work, kids,” Angie said. “Now it’s time to head back to your cabins for a while. At one-thirty, meet at the barn to choose an activity. Luke will take some of you canoeing if you choose that. I’ll be with the kids who want archery or crafts.”
    “Where’s Buzzy?” Campbell asked.
    “He’s … he’s busy,” Angie said. “Okay, we’ll see you all later.”
    The kids started to head toward the path. Angie stopped Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose. “They want you three in the lodge,” she said quietly.
    “Who does?” Dink asked.
    “The Darbys,” she answered. “And Detective Robb.” Then she followed the rest of the kids toward the cabins.

Dink had eaten too fast. Now his stomach felt like he’d swallowed marbles. “What if Mademoiselle Musée is there?” he asked. “What if I was all