Mayflower Treasure Hunt by Ron Roy Read Free Book Online

anything. Ruth Rose hugged her teddy bear as the officers led Clint down the long hallway toward the elevators.
    The three families unpacked. There was a lot of laughter and confusion as the adults decided who would sleep where.
    Dink’s father kept muttering to Dink. “I let you out of my sight for two days, and suddenly there are trapdoors and burglars!” he said. “Why can’t you kids just watch TV like normal kids?”
    Dink laughed. “Because you keep telling me not to watch TV,” he said, then added slyly, “and I always do what you tell me to do.”
    This got a laugh from Dink’s mom.
    Finally, everyone was settled and unpacked. They all decided to spendthe afternoon at Plimoth Plantation, a reconstruction of the original Plymouth Colony. It was a short drive from the hotel.
    After they parked, the three families walked into the village. They saw small wooden homes with thatched roofs. Men, women, and children worked and played. They were all dressed the way people from England would have dressed in the early 1600s.
    The group split up and agreed to meet back at the entrance in one hour. Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose wandered along the gravel paths. They peeked inside homes where women cooked, sewed, or did other chores. They watched men in a field chopping wood.
    “This is how the village looked in 1627,” Ruth Rose read from her guidebook. “They even shared a cow so everyone could have milk.”

    Josh stopped in front of a small building. It had only one small window, with stout wooden bars. A man in dark clothing was standing in the doorway.
    “This is the village jail,” he explained to the kids. “Wrongdoers had to spend time in here.”
    “What kind of crimes did they commit?” Josh asked.
    “Being lazy, not sharing, not attending church,” the man said. “If you stole a pig or a hen, that would get you in here, too.”
    “I wonder if Clint will go to jail,” Ruth Rose said as they kept walking. “I mean, he didn’t really steal anything.”
    “He would have if we didn’t stop him,” Dink said.
    Josh nudged Ruth Rose. “Don’t forget that Clint broke into your room,” he said. “And he threatened to let the rats get us!”
    Ruth Rose shuddered. “Yeah, you’re right,” she said.
    The kids kept wandering among the homes. They saw men and womenworking in gardens and adding thatch to the roofs of buildings. They looked inside a small room where a man was teaching children to learn their letters and numbers. Each child held a small slate and chalk.
    “I’ve been thinking about the necklace we found,” Ruth Rose said. “I think we should donate it to the Pilgrim Hall Museum.”
    “Excellent,” Dink said. “That way everyone who visits would get to see Emma Browne’s jewelry.”
    “Cool idea, Ruth Rose,” Josh agreed. “Remember that pamphlet about the ‘Muddlesome
Mayflower
Mystery’? Well, if we give the necklace to the museum, people can see the necklace and know the mystery has been solved.”

The next day, the twelve family members walked to a restaurant called the Pilgrim’s Pantry. The sun was out, and last night’s snow had melted.
    Inside, they were greeted by a woman dressed in a white shirt, a long dark apron, and a tight-fitting white bonnet. She led them to a large round table. Turkey-shaped name cards had been set at each place, and everyone found his or her seat easily.
    Ruth Rose sat between Dink and Josh. She was wearing the fake necklace. In honor of the holiday, she hadchosen pumpkin orange as her color for the day.
    “The police called and told us you were right about the mints, Dink,” his father said. “They were in the
Mayflower II
hold, on the deck. And they were able to get Clint’s fingerprints off them.”
    “So Clint’s mints had prints,” Josh joked, waggling his eyebrows.
    “That was a great idea you kids had to give the necklace to the museum,” Josh’s father said. “I’m sure they’ll love to have it.” He winked at the kids.