The Lost Treasure of Tuckernuck by Emily Fairlie Read Free Book Online

supposed to mean?” Who cared what Bud Wallace thought, anyway?
    â€œThat poem. She left off the title, right? So that’s the clue. We need to know the title to solve the clue. It’s a poem by Keats, and it’s called ‘Mrs. Reynolds’ Cat.’ So there. Clue solved.”
    Laurie felt her skepticism waning. “So how’d you find that out?” It sounded good, she had to admit. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t even considered the name of the poem.
    â€œJust a little thing I like to call Google,” Bud bragged. He seemed to have recovered from the whole Misti snub. “I just typed in that first line, and the work was done.”
    He opened his backpack and pulled out a page printed off of the internet. It was an exact copy of the poem in the scroll, except Bud was right. Right there along the top, it said “Mrs. Reynolds’ Cat” by John Keats.
    Laurie nodded. “Wow. Good job, Einstein. You’re right.” It was some impressive Googling.
    Bud stopped smirking and broke into a genuine smile. “No problem.”
    Laurie wasn’t willing to let him off the hook though. “So Mrs. Reynolds’ cat what ? Or is Keats the important part? I still don’t see how that leads us anywhere except to a big old dead end.”
    â€œWell, whatever.” Bud slumped back into the chair. “It’s something, though.”
    Laurie nodded. “Yeah, it’s something.”
    They sat in silence for a second, staring at the poem. Finally Bud cleared his throat.
    â€œIt must be Keats, right? Maybe something in the English department?”
    â€œLaurie!” Misti came racing over before Laurie could respond. “Oh, hello, Bud.” Her voice was so icy Laurie’s milk almost froze over. But Misti was too excited to keep up the pose for long.
    â€œLaurie, you were right! We get hats!” She put on a baseball hat with a big chicken face on the front, wings on the sides, and scrawny yellow legs dangling down the back. “Aren’t they great? This school is the best!”
    Laurie put her head on her arms and groaned.
    â€œOkay, kids! Let’s hear it for Tuckernuck Hall!” Principal Winkle looked out over the sea of bobbing Clucker hats and smiled. It was amazing—give a kid some Clucker gear, teach them the fight song, and poof —instant school spirit. It never failed.
    Principal Winkle nodded to Mr. Murphy, the band director. The older students erupted in cheers at the opening notes of the Tuckernuck Hall fight song.
    This last semester was going to be a good one.
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    Clucker Fight Song
    Remember—sing out with spirit and enthusiasm! (Clapping encouraged!)
    All Tuckernuck Cluckers should give a cheer
    Because us Cluckers do not bow to fear.
    We’re gonna win win win the game today.
    We’ll use our pluck and brains whatever come what may.
    And we will peck! peck! peck! at every foe.
    We’ll show our opposition where to go,
    And we will crow our victory out loud.
    Oh, and how! CLUCK! CLUCK! CLUCK!
    YAY!
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    â€œWasn’t that awesome, Laurie?” Misti skipped alongside Laurie, her hat’s chicken legs flapping out behind her. “This is the best school. We never had assemblies like that last year!”
    Laurie felt a pang of guilt. She was the worst Clucker ever. She stopped skipping, tearing off her Clucker hat and dragging it behind her by one spindly yellow leg. This was going to be a bad, bad year. Without Kimmy around, everything was wrong. Misti was all weird and chicken crazed, and the whole Clucker thing just seemed stupid. Besides, she wasn’t even going to be a Clucker. She’d stick around until she found that treasure, maybe, but after that she’d do whatever it took to be a Hamilton Hornet. But she wasn’t about to say that to a girl in a chicken hat.
    Misti, still skipping, linked arms with Crystal Martin. She didn’t even notice as Laurie dropped