Read Online Finders Keepers by Andrea Spalding - Free Book Online

sprang to life. Carefully Danny shielded it with his hand and leaned over. The light grew as Danny lit two candles in pickle jars, placed one on a rock and held the other from a string handle attached to the jar’s rim. “Well, what do you think?” he asked, holding the light up.
    Mike looked around in amazement. They were standing in a dried up river channel, that widened in the middle and was blocked at the other end by a fall of rocks. The ancient river had cut deep into the bank so there was a large overhang. It was almost a cave and would be impossible to see from the fields above.
    â€œNeat-oh,” Mike breathed admiringly. “What’s that?” He pointed to a large conical pile of trimmed branches nestling into the base of the cliff.
    â€œMy tipi,” replied Danny proudly and walked towards it. He carefully placed the homemade lantern on the ground, shifted some concealing brush, lifted aside an old towel hanging down as a door, dropped to his knees and crawled inside. His head reappeared, framed in the doorway. “Come inside,” he invited, and grabbing the lantern, disappeared from view.
    Mike hesitated. “What about snakes or spiders?” he called.
    â€œOh for heavens sake,” replied Danny crossly, “don’t be chicken.”
    Mike pushed aside the towel and crawled through.
    The tipi was just big enough for two. Rough barn planks were laid for a floor and the sloping piles of branches forming the walls were draped with old horse blankets. A cut log made a table and the pickle jar lantern swung gently from a protruding branch at the apex of the roof. The candle light made it warm and inviting.
    Danny sat cross-legged and gazed anxiously at Mike. “Well, what do you think?”
    Mike settled himself. “It’s great. This whole place is a great secret. No one would ever find it,” he enthused. “You could hide out here for weeks if you had food, but…” hehesitated and looked curiously across at Danny. “What do you do here?”
    â€œOh, stuff,” replied Danny vaguely. “Indian stuff mostly.”
    Mike teasingly punched Danny on the arm. “Yeah, I forgot, you want to be Indian.” He started a Hollywood style chant. “Pow pow wow wow. Pow wow wow wow,” he warbled, stamping his foot and waving an imaginary tomahawk. “Come on Danny. Let’s have a Sundance.”
    Danny froze. “It’s not like that,” he muttered. “And you shouldn’t joke about the Sundance. It’s sacred. It’s nothing to do with us.”
    â€œSo what, we’re only having fun.” Puzzled, Mike looked at Danny. “Come on man, relax. Don’t be so weird. What kind of stuff do you do?”
    Danny reached behind him and brought out a small rag bundle. He untied the ends and spread it out on the log. Mike gazed with bemusement at a pile of rock chips.
    â€œSee,” said Danny picking up a small rock flake and holding it out to Mike. “I’m trying to make a stone point, but I can’t get the shape right.” He fiddled in his pocket, brought out the wad of tissues and carefully unwrapped his lance point. “It should look something like this.”
    â€œWow!” Mike eagerly grabbed the point.
    â€œHey, careful,” Danny gasped. “Don’t break it!”
    â€œI won’t,” said Mike scornfully. “I’m not a klutz. Hey! How much?”
    Danny sat back on his haunches in dismay. “How much?” he faltered.
    â€œYeah. I’ll buy this from you. How much?”
    Danny shook his head, wishing he’d never shown the point to Mike. He held out his hand. “Give it back, Mike. It’s mine. I’m not selling.”
    â€œAw come on Danny, everything has a price. Two bucks, Five bucks?”
    Danny shook his head again. “Come on Mike. Give it back.” He leaned over the log and grabbed for it.
    Mike swung his hand back