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

it?”
    â€œYou mean, photocopy? No. Too delicate.”
    â€œNo, I mean take a picture of it, with a cell phone?”
    â€œI suppose that would be all right,” Chad said.
    Quinn turned to Cody. “You take the picture. I’ll sketch it on a piece of paper and make it larger.”
    Cody focused her cell phone over the map and took a couple of pictures. Meanwhile, Quinn got out his Code Busters notebook, flipped to a blank page, and drew the map, adding all the marks and symbols.
    â€œHurry,” Luke said to him. “We don’t have much time until Stad comes after us.”
    Quinn nodded as he sketched the map.
    â€œCould we see his notebook, too?” Cody asked, still holding her cell phone.
    Chad smiled. “I think it’s great when young people take an interest in this old stuff.” He untied the leather string of the notebook and opened it to show the kids some of the entries. Turning the pages carefully, he explained what he knew about the contents. It was mostly the ramblings of FrancoBouchard—descriptions of the area, details of the pirate Hippolyte de Bouchard, his own musings about chasing after the treasure.
    When Chad turned to a page that looked different from the others, Cody raised her hand and said, “Stop!” She caught herself and blushed, then said, “Please.”
    Chad left the notebook open to the page Cody had indicated. The message that had caught her eye was printed differently from the other entries in the notebook. There were strange numbers underneath.
    All I can find around this place is the path made of cobbler’s stone. There’s a bench that’s carved with the form of a monkey that I have chased until I’ve tired
.
    The only friend a weasel who thinks I’m the one acting the monkey, but my own thought is, that soon it will, I hope, all be worth it. In fact, though not fun, I shall see Pop when the man goes with me into the mouth of the weasel
.
    10-19-12-4-23-22-19-17     4-10
    13-14-23-12-22-13
    â€œCody! MariaElena! You two boys! It’s time to go!” Ms. Stad stood in the doorway, arms crossed, summoning them. Cody knew they had to leave.
    â€œWe’re coming,” she promised. She turned to Chad and quickly asked, “Do you mind if I take a picture of this part? It’s really interesting.”
    â€œBe my guest,” he said. “Just don’t touch the notebook.”
    Cody snapped a couple of pictures, hoping the passage would be legible on such a small screen. As soon as they went to lunch, she’d copy down the page onto paper so they could see it more clearly.
    â€œNow!” Ms. Stad commanded.
    Cody turned to Chad. “Thank you so much,” she said.
    â€œYeah, thanks,” Quinn added, closing his notebook with a copy of the map.
    â€œLet me know if you come up with something,” Chad said.
    Cody put her cell phone back in her backpack while Quinn returned his notebook to his. All four headed for the door where Ms. Stad stood waiting for them. Cody turned to give Chad a last wave of good-bye, but he was bent over the map, still propped open on the display case. She watched as he ran a finger over the glass … as if he were following a path.
    Why
, Cody wondered,
is he frowning?
    During the lunch hour, Cody copied the odd passage into her notebook. While the others ate their sandwiches, she read her reproduction aloud.
    â€œIt doesn’t make any sense,” M.E. said, after taking a bite of her cheese sandwich. Everyone had gotten the same bagged lunch. Cody wasn’t a fan of cheese, but the school didn’t allow peanut butter and jelly—her favorite—because too many kids had allergies. She’d traded M.E. her sandwich for her friend’s apple.
    â€œYeah, just sounds like a bunch of jibberish,” Luke added.
    Cody read the first sentence out loud again. “ ‘AllI can find around this place is the