The Mystery of the Pirate's Treasure by Penny Warner Read Free Book Online Page A

the door. When the coast was clear, Quinn whispered, “I want to know more about that treasure hunter’s map and notebook. Let’s talk to Chad and see if he’ll let us look at them.”
    Quinn approached Chad at the back of the museum as the old man gathered up the artifacts he’d shown to the students during his presentation.
    â€œExcuse me,” Quinn said.
    Chad Bour looked up and gave a toothy grin to Quinn. “Aye, mate? Got a question for the old sea dog?”
    M.E. giggled at Chad’s unique way of talking. Cody wondered if the “old sea dog” ever really sailed the ocean. Maybe he was just an actor, playing a part to entertain the students who visited the mission.
    Quinn nodded. “You know that treasure hunter you were talking about?”
    â€œBouchard!” Chad boomed, as if making animportant announcement. “Rumored to be a descendant of the pirate himself.”
    â€œYeah, him,” Quinn said. “Do you think we could see his map? And maybe his notebook?”
    Chad squinted at the four of them for a long moment, and Cody wondered if there really was a map and notebook. Maybe it was all part of the act.
    â€œWell, er, that’s really part of my, er, the museum’s private collection …”
    Luke spoke up. “We’re part of a club called the Code Busters, and we like to solve puzzles and crack codes. We just wanted to look at his stuff and see if we could figure out …” Luke paused.
    â€œFigure out where the treasure be?” Chad said, finishing his sentence.
    Luke nodded and smiled. “Yeah. We promise we’ll be careful.”
    â€œWell, I like your enthusiasm. And I’m a code lover myself. I suppose that would be all right. But you’d have to be mighty careful. His things are very old and very valuable. Got it, mates?”
    â€œCool!” said Quinn. The other Code Bustersgrinned excitedly. They were going to see something that the other students didn’t get to see—a real treasure map. And a coded notebook.
    â€œWait here,” the old man said. He headed for a door at the back of the museum with a sign that read STAFF ONLY .
    â€œWhat about lunch?” M.E. whispered.
    â€œWhy are you whispering?” Quinn asked, frowning.
    â€œI don’t know,” M.E. replied. “But Stad will miss us if we don’t show up soon.”
    â€œShe’s right,” Cody said. “Maybe one of us should go tell her we’re checking something in the museum and we’ll be right there.”
    â€œI’ll do it,” Luke volunteered, and headed out the door. As he left, Cody thought she spotted the baggy-clothed couple she’d seen twice earlier. This time they seemed to be watching the door.
    Chad returned holding a stained, weathered knapsack and gently set it on one of the glass display cases.
    â€œWhoa,” Quinn said, admiring the leather bag.The initial
B
was carved into the leather.
    â€œAye.” Chad nodded. “Like I said, it’s very old. And very valuable.” He pulled apart the top of the bag that was held together with leather strings, reached in, and withdrew a rolled-up piece of paper, worn at the edges. Next, he pulled out a tattered notebook, bound in leather and tied closed with strings.
    Quinn reached for the paper.
    â€œDon’t touch it!” Chad said sharply, his eyebrow raised.
    Quinn withdrew his hand.
    â€œI’ll put it under glass so you can see it, but it’ll still be protected.” Chad untied the string around the map and gently unrolled it, then placed a sheet of glass on top of it. The Code Busters crowded around.
A real treasure map!
thought Cody.
    â€œWhat’s up?” Luke asked, coming up behind them.
    â€œCheck it out, dude!” Quinn said. He could hardly contain his excitement. Luke looked over Quinn’s shoulder.
    â€œAwesome!”
    Quinn gazed up at Chad. “Can we copy