The Goose's Gold (2 page)

The kids thanked Spike and Chip and walked back along the dock.

“I wonder how much those coins are worth,” Josh said.

“A lot!” Ruth Rose said.

Josh sighed. “Wouldn’t it be cool to dive for treasure?”

“Josh,” Dink said, “you need to know how to use an air tank and everything. They go down deep!”

Across the street, a small orange train was loading up with passengers.

“There’s the trolley!” Ruth Rose said. “Let’s catch it!”

The kids rushed over. They climbed aboard and sat right behind the driver. When most of the seats were filled, the trolley gave a jolt, then moved down the street.

“Where does the trolley go?” Dink asked the driver.

“We go everywhere, my man!” said the driver. He handed Dink a map. “See those blue circles? Those are my stops. You can get off at any of them, then hop back on when I come by again.”

The driver stopped the train in front of a white building with overflowing flower boxes. The sign in front of the building read
MEL FISHER’S TREASURE MUSEUM. SEE SPANISH GOLD AND SILVER INSIDE
.

“Who’s Mel Fisher?” Dink asked the driver.

“Mel Fisher found an old Spanish ship loaded with gold and silver,” he said. “Some of what he found is in this museum.”

He pointed at the sign. “Why don’t you kids hop off and check it out? I’ll swing by again in about forty-five minutes,”

“All right!” Josh said.

The kids got off the trolley and followed a few of the other sightseers to the museum.

Inside were rows of glass cases. Each case held gleaming gold, silver, or jewelry.

The kids walked around the room staring at the priceless treasures.

After a while, Ruth Rose stopped in front of a picture of Mel Fisher. He was wearing a long gold chain. The real chain was displayed in a glass case below the picture.

“Listen,” Ruth Rose said. “‘This solid gold chain was made in 1622 and weighs 200 pounds. It is worth more than one million dollars!’”

“Boy imagine wearing that around your neck!” Josh said.

Dink was looking at a picture of Mel Fisher’s boat. “Look, this says it took him almost twenty years to find the treasure!”

“Speaking of food, let’s get some lunch,” Josh said.

“We weren’t talking about food,” Ruth Rose said.

“Well, my stomach was,” said Josh. “Looking at treasure makes me hungry!”

A few minutes later, the trolley stopped back at the museum.

“What’d you think of all that gold?” the driver asked them. “Pretty amazing, huh?”

“Did Mel Fisher get to keep everything he found?” Dink asked.

The driver shook his head. “Some had to go to the state of Florida, but he and his investors got rich on the rest.”

“What’re investors?” Josh asked.

“People who lent Mel Fisher money,” said the driver. “Fisher had to borrow a lot to buy equipment and pay his crew. When he struck it rich, he paid his investors back with gold!”

The man grinned in his mirror. “Wish he’d asked
me
to invest!”

A few minutes later the kids said good-bye and hopped off the trolley. They raced home and rushed into Gram Hathaway’s kitchen.

“How was your morning?” she asked.

“We rode on the trolley, Gram!” Ruth Rose said. “The driver was so nice!”

“He dropped us off at the Mel Fisher museum,” Dink said.

“And we met two guys who dive for treasure,” Josh added. “We went on their boat and saw real gold coins!”

Ruth Rose’s grandmother smiled. “I’m glad you got to see some treasure,” she said with sparkling eyes. “Now let me tell you about our special company! Their names are Spike and Chip.”

“Gram, how do you know Spike and Chip?” Ruth Rose asked.

“Wash up for lunch, and I’ll tell you all about it,” her grandmother said.

The kids crowded around the kitchen sink and washed their hands.

“A few weeks ago, Spike and Chip came to my senior center,” Ruth Rose’s gram said. She set a plate of sandwiches on the table.

The kids wiped their hands and sat down.

“They told us all about the treasure they found!” Gram continued. She poured lemonade. “Now they’re looking for investors.”

“Just like Mel Fisher!” Dink said. He reached for a tuna sandwich.

“That’s right, Dink,” Gram said.

Josh heaped three sandwiches onto his plate. “Are you gonna get rich?” he asked.

Ruth Rose’s grandmother laughed. “We’ll have to wait and see,” she said. “Anyway, we’re each thinking about investing ten thousand dollars!”

“Gram!” Ruth Rose said.

Her grandmother’s eyes twinkled. “I know, it
is
a little scary.”

“Boy, I’d do anything to go with them when they dive for treasure!” Josh said.

“That reminds me,” Gram said. She took three presents off the counter. “Merry Christmas!”

“Wow, thanks, Gram!” said Ruth Rose.

“Yeah, thanks!” said Dink and Josh.

“They’re all the same,” Gram Hathaway said. “That way you won’t have to share.”

The kids pulled off the paper.

Inside, they each found a book called
Finding Sunken Treasure in Florida
.

The cover showed a boat like the one Mel Fisher had used. Under the boat was a sunken ship. Divers were searching the wreck and bringing up treasure.

“I thought you’d have fun learning about shipwrecks,” said Gram, “since I might be investing in one!”

“This is so neat!” Josh said. “Thanks a lot!”

Ruth Rose’s grandmother stood up. “You’re very welcome. Now I have to get busy. Spike and Chip will be here in an hour! Can you help me set up the living room?”

“Sure,” Dink said. “What do you want us to do?”

“I’ll need about ten folding chairs. They’re in the hall closet. And bring out the three card tables.”

The kids arranged the tables and chairs around the living room. Gram Hathaway set out covered plates of cookies on one of the tables.

“Can we stay for the meeting?” Ruth Rose asked.

“Of course!” her grandmother said. “After you read those books, I expect you to ask intelligent questions!”

The kids took their books out to the front porch.

“Look,” Josh said. “There’s a whole chapter just about Mel Fisher.”

Ruth Rose pointed to a map showing sunken ships. “They’re all off the coast of Florida,” she said. “If each one has treasure on it, think how much that is!”

Josh lay back on the porch and closed his eyes. “I’m staying here when you guys go back home. I’m gonna become a treasure hunter!”

Dink laughed.
“You
find treasure? You couldn’t find your shorts this morning, Josh!”

Josh jabbed Dink with his knee. “Call me Captain Josh, please!”

Just then, a car pulled up. Two gray-haired women climbed out and hurried toward the house.

“I’m going in to help Gram,” Ruth Rose said.

“We’ll help, too,” said Dink. He nudged Josh. “Come on, Captain Josh!”

Before they could go inside, a yellow cab stopped out front. Spike and Chip climbed out. Spike was carrying a wooden box. They were both dressed in clean pants, pressed shirts, and sandals.

“Hi!” Josh said as the two men walked up the sidewalk.

Spike and Chip stared at the kids. Finally, Chip waved. “How’re you doing? Do you guys live around here?”

Ruth Rose laughed. “No. We’re visiting my grandmother. This is her house!”

Spike smiled. “What a small world,” he said.

“Can I carry the box in?” Josh asked.

Spike shrugged. “It’s pretty heavy.”

“I can help,” Dink said. They ran down the sidewalk, and Spike handed them the box.

Josh grinned as they lugged the heavy box up the steps. “My fingers feel all tingly!” he said.

Gram Hathaway’s living room was crowded with people. Spike and Chip sat at a small table with the box in front of them. Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose perched on the stairs.

“Thank you all for coming!” Gram told everyone. Then she smiled at Spike. He stood up.

“Thanks for inviting us,” Spike said. “Chip and I have been diving for a few years now. A couple weeks ago, we found a sunken ship.”

Chip opened the box. Spike reached in and pulled out a gold cross, about eight inches tall. The gold shone warmly in the sunny room.

Someone said, “Oh, my goodness!” Spike gently laid the cross on the table.

Next he brought out a shiny hunk of silver, about the size of a big bar of soap. Then he spread a handful of gold coins on the table.

“There’s a lot more down there,” he continued. “We’ve found chains, silver goblets, even jewelry.”

Gram’s friends got out of their seats and crowded around Spike and Chip.

“May we touch it?” one woman asked.

Spike laughed. “Can’t hurt it, ma’am. It’s been on the bottom of the ocean for almost four hundred years!”

Josh was standing up so he could see. Gram Hathaway’s friends were passing around the gold and silver.

“Um, Spike?” Josh said. “How did you get it so clean? Wouldn’t it have barnacles and stuff all over it?”

Spike grinned. “Good question,” he said. “First we soak the pieces, then we rub them with regular old vinegar. You’d be surprised how easily it cleans up.”

Ruth Rose’s hand shot up. “Can I ask a question?”

Spike nodded. “Ask away.”

“It took Mel Fisher twenty years to find his sunken ship,” said Ruth Rose. “How did you find yours so quickly?”

Spike smiled. “I guess we were just lucky,” he said.

“And we had good maps,” Chip added.

Spike turned back to the group. “I hope you’ll all consider investing with us,” he said. “Once we can buy some more equipment, we’ll start bringing up some
serious
treasure.”

Ruth Rose’s grandmother stood up. “Why don’t we have refreshments now?” she said.

Everyone began talking and filling small plates with cookies. Ruth Rose went into the kitchen for the lemonade.

Dink and Josh stayed on the stairs, near the table of goodies.

Spike and Chip stepped over to the refreshment table. Dink watched Spike take a few cookies.

“‘These cookies are loaded with chocolate chips,” Spike whispered to his friend.

Dink was about to say something to Spike, but he stopped. He knew he had heard those words before!

Dink closed his eyes and tried to remember the voice he’d overheard in the airport. Dink was positive the man had said “…those cookies are loaded.”

Dink was almost sure it had been the same voice!

He looked down for a tattoo, but Spike’s pants covered his ankles.

The sandals looked the same. But a lot of people in Florida wore brown leather sandals.

“What’s the matter?” Ruth Rose asked Dink. “You look like you smelled something rotten.”

Dink stood up. “Come outside,” he whispered. “It’s important!”