Read Online Gasparilla's Treasure (Trip Mongomery Book 1) by Scott Clements - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Scott Clements
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say?” interrupted Trip.
“I just said if we don’t find something ... And then you didn't let me finish. You just cut me off. It was pretty rude if you ask me.”
“No, you said clay pots. These pots are all made of clay,” said Trip.
“Actually,” said Josh, “I said dirty old clay pots, not just clay pots. Look at them, they’re filthy.”
Last summer, Trip’s mom had made him take a pottery class and during one of the classes, they gathered their own clay. It surprised Trip that they just dug the clay right out of the earth. When he heard Josh mention the pots, it hit him.
“These pots are made of clay. And clay is…” Trip urged them to reach his conclusion.
“Muddy,” said Josh. “Clay is muddy. One time I was hiking with my dad, and I slipped in something, and my dad said it was clay. I really don’t like to go hiking, but sometimes my dad made me. I think he was…”
“Josh,” interrupted Trip. “Clay is dug out of the earth. These pots are made from earth.”
“And to bear something,” said Sarah, suddenly lighting up, “means to hold it up. So the bearer of earth would be whatever is holding up the pots.”
They looked at all the pots in the room, and all were resting on the floor. All but one. There was a thick wooden shelf inset into grooves in the wall. It held up a single pot with a small plaque next to it.
Sarah read the plaque. “La Olla Tierra is one of the only fully intact pieces of early Spaniard earthenware still in existence today. It has kept its place on this shelf since the original house was built in 1702, but could possibly date back as far as…”
Josh picked up the pot.
“Careful with that!” warned Trip.
Trip and Josh examined the pot, but there were no markings or symbols, and there was nothing inside the pot. Trip turned his attention to the thick shelf on the wall. He noticed there was a small gap where the shelf fit into the wall. He firmly grabbed it and the shelf easily slid out. Now they saw a small hole in the wall where the shelf usually rested. Trip handed the shelf to Josh and reached into it. He gently felt around the edges.
“Maybe there’s a lever in there or something,” said Josh. “Feel around for a lever that will open a secret passage or something.”
“There’s nothing in here,” said Trip, disappointed. Then he had an idea. “Give me that shelf.”
Josh handed the heavy wooden shelf to Trip. He examined it, and hidden in the back edge was a small hole. Trip put his finger in the hole and felt something.
“There’s something in here!” Trip cried.
He fished around, and finally pulled out a very old, yellowed rolled up piece of paper. He carefully unrolled it and drew in his breath. It was a handwritten map! But it was torn along two edges.
“I’ve got it!” said Trip in complete wonder. “It’s the first piece of the map.” They stared at the delicate map piece in silence.
“We better get out of here,” Sarah finally said quietly. “We don’t want to get caught.”
Trip slid the shelf back in the wall.
“I was really hoping for a secret passage,” said Josh. “Wouldn’t that have been amazing if a hole had opened up in one of these walls or something?” Josh gently put the pot back on its shelf and made sure it was in exactly the same place. As he removed his hands from the pot, he lost his footing and slipped, stumbling into the pot. La Olla Tierra crashed down, smashing into hundreds of pieces.
“Oops,” said Josh. “Look at that. I can fix that… I think I have some glue in my backpack. Hang on a second.” He started to go for his backpack.
“No time,” said Trip. “We have got to get out of here. Fast!”
They slowly opened the door, trying not to make any noise. Trip peeked out and spotted the tour guide in the distance. She ran towards them to see what had happened.
“Can’t go
“I just said if we don’t find something ... And then you didn't let me finish. You just cut me off. It was pretty rude if you ask me.”
“No, you said clay pots. These pots are all made of clay,” said Trip.
“Actually,” said Josh, “I said dirty old clay pots, not just clay pots. Look at them, they’re filthy.”
Last summer, Trip’s mom had made him take a pottery class and during one of the classes, they gathered their own clay. It surprised Trip that they just dug the clay right out of the earth. When he heard Josh mention the pots, it hit him.
“These pots are made of clay. And clay is…” Trip urged them to reach his conclusion.
“Muddy,” said Josh. “Clay is muddy. One time I was hiking with my dad, and I slipped in something, and my dad said it was clay. I really don’t like to go hiking, but sometimes my dad made me. I think he was…”
“Josh,” interrupted Trip. “Clay is dug out of the earth. These pots are made from earth.”
“And to bear something,” said Sarah, suddenly lighting up, “means to hold it up. So the bearer of earth would be whatever is holding up the pots.”
They looked at all the pots in the room, and all were resting on the floor. All but one. There was a thick wooden shelf inset into grooves in the wall. It held up a single pot with a small plaque next to it.
Sarah read the plaque. “La Olla Tierra is one of the only fully intact pieces of early Spaniard earthenware still in existence today. It has kept its place on this shelf since the original house was built in 1702, but could possibly date back as far as…”
Josh picked up the pot.
“Careful with that!” warned Trip.
Trip and Josh examined the pot, but there were no markings or symbols, and there was nothing inside the pot. Trip turned his attention to the thick shelf on the wall. He noticed there was a small gap where the shelf fit into the wall. He firmly grabbed it and the shelf easily slid out. Now they saw a small hole in the wall where the shelf usually rested. Trip handed the shelf to Josh and reached into it. He gently felt around the edges.
“Maybe there’s a lever in there or something,” said Josh. “Feel around for a lever that will open a secret passage or something.”
“There’s nothing in here,” said Trip, disappointed. Then he had an idea. “Give me that shelf.”
Josh handed the heavy wooden shelf to Trip. He examined it, and hidden in the back edge was a small hole. Trip put his finger in the hole and felt something.
“There’s something in here!” Trip cried.
He fished around, and finally pulled out a very old, yellowed rolled up piece of paper. He carefully unrolled it and drew in his breath. It was a handwritten map! But it was torn along two edges.
“I’ve got it!” said Trip in complete wonder. “It’s the first piece of the map.” They stared at the delicate map piece in silence.
“We better get out of here,” Sarah finally said quietly. “We don’t want to get caught.”
Trip slid the shelf back in the wall.
“I was really hoping for a secret passage,” said Josh. “Wouldn’t that have been amazing if a hole had opened up in one of these walls or something?” Josh gently put the pot back on its shelf and made sure it was in exactly the same place. As he removed his hands from the pot, he lost his footing and slipped, stumbling into the pot. La Olla Tierra crashed down, smashing into hundreds of pieces.
“Oops,” said Josh. “Look at that. I can fix that… I think I have some glue in my backpack. Hang on a second.” He started to go for his backpack.
“No time,” said Trip. “We have got to get out of here. Fast!”
They slowly opened the door, trying not to make any noise. Trip peeked out and spotted the tour guide in the distance. She ran towards them to see what had happened.
“Can’t go
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