Dead Man's Map

KS

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EX

BO

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M. Peschke

VO

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the summer osh Strickland is spending East Texas. working with his cousins in oy needs the The sixteen-year-old cowb ch that’s money to help save the ran rations. But the been in his family for gene es than he summer holds more surpris us garage sale, bargained for. At a mysterio t has a map Josh buys a cowboy hat tha p lead him to hidden inside. Could the ma a dead man’s treasure?

010-014 RL: 3.1 GUIDED READING LEVEL: O ISBN-13: 978-1-59889-855-2 ISBN-10: 1-59889-855-8

by M. Peschke REINFORCED LIBRARY BINDING

STONE ARCH STONE ARCH Fantasy Adventure

BY M. PESCHKE ILLUSTRATED BY TOD SMITH Librarian Reviewer Chris Kreie Media Specialist, Eden Prairie Schools, MN MS in Information Media, St. Cloud State University, MN Reading Consultant Elizabeth Stedem Educator/Consultant, Colorado Springs, CO MA in Elementary Education, University of Denver, CO

Vortex Books are published by Stone Arch Books 151 Good Counsel Drive, P.O. Box 669 Mankato, Minnesota 56002 www.stonearchbooks.com Copyright © 2008 by Stone Arch Books All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Peschke, M. (Marci) Dead Man’s Map / by M. Peschke; illustrated by Tod Smith. p. cm. — (Vortex Books) Summary: While in Phoenix to work for his uncle’s construction firm in hopes of earning money to save his family’s Texas ranch, Josh finds a map that might lead to a legendary lost mine, and asks his twin cousins to help him find it, despite bad omens. ISBN-13: 978-1-59889-855-2 (library binding) ISBN-10: 1-59889-855-8 (library binding) ISBN-13: 978-1-59889-921-4 (paperback) ISBN-10: 1-59889-921-X (paperback) [1. Buried treasure—Fiction. 2. Cousins—Fiction. 3. Twins— Fiction. 4. Apache Indians—Fiction. 5. Indians of North America— Arizona—Fiction. 6. Phoenix (Ariz.)—Fiction.] I. Smith, Tod, ill. II. Title. PZ7.P441245Dea 2008 [Fic]—dc22 2007005957

Art Director: Heather Kindseth Graphic Designer: Kay Fraser Photo Credits Karon Dubke, cover

1 2 3 4 5 6 12 11 10 09 08 07 Printed in the United States of America

TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1

Death Messenger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Chapter 2

Inside the Hat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Chapter 3

Tied in Knots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Chapter 4

The Lost Mine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Chapter 5

Lightning Strikes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Chapter 6

Mystery Cave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Chapter 7

Shadow Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Chapter 8

The Professor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Chapter 9

Rattlesnake Canyon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Chapter 10

Lost. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Chapter 11

The Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Chapter 12

Sacred Ground . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Chapter 13

Going Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Chapter #

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Chapter 1

DEATH MESSENGER “Hey, what’s that on your hand?” Josh was embarrassed. He turned over his hand so that his cousin Cody could see it more clearly. “Cool,” said Cody. “An owl! What’s that all about?” Josh, his cousins Cody and Brian, and his uncle Paul were standing in the middle of the Phoenix airport. Josh had come to visit them for the summer from his home in Texas.

-5-

Half an hour ago, while his plane was beginning to land, Josh had seen something weird out the window. He saw what looked like an owl floating below him, like a gray kite. It seemed to be just above the ground and he felt that it might mean something. Josh had pulled out a pen and traced the outline of an owl on his hand. “Why’d you draw that?” asked his other cousin, Brian. Cody and Brian were brothers, but they looked different from one another. Cody had blond hair, green eyes, loads of freckles, and was sixteen, like Josh was. Brian reminded Josh of himself. He had dark hair, blue eyes, and skin that always looked tanned. He was fourteen. “I don’t really know why,” said Josh. “It’s a sketch of a cloud I saw on the plane.”

-6-

“It means death,” said Brian. “What?” asked Josh, shocked. “Lots of Native American tribes believe the owl is a messenger of death,” Brian explained. “Shut up, Super Brain,” said Cody. Death? wondered Josh. Whose death? Brian and Cody were shoving each other, but they stopped to pick up Josh’s bags. Uncle Paul was busy moving them toward the exit. In a few moments they were standing in the parking lot next to a black half-ton pickup truck with an extended cab. A sign on the side of the truck read: Strickland’s Construction, Built to Last. Cody and Brian tossed Josh’s bags in the back of the truck. They all piled into the cab, and they were off. -7-

Uncle Paul asked Josh a lot of questions about Josh’s parents and their ranch, but Josh was having a hard time listening. His face was pressed against the window and he was staring at the mountains. They were amazing. The mountain ranges rose up like giants. Phoenix sat low in the center of them. “What do you call that one?” he asked, pointing. “We call it Superstition,” said Cody. “Of course, so does everyone else.” Brian said to Josh, “I’ll bet you’re not superstitious.” “Why not?” asked Josh. “If you were, you wouldn’t walk around with a death messenger on your hand,” said Brian.

-8-

-9-

Cody jabbed Josh in his side. “Just ignore Weird Boy over there.” “Enough,” Uncle Paul commanded as he turned into a driveway. They pulled up in front of a long low house that had been painted yellow. It had huge windows. Uncle Paul parked the truck and turned off the engine. Josh saw his aunt Shelley waving at him from inside the house. She was a tiny blond ball of energy. The next thing he knew, Aunt Shelley was outside hugging him and asking him hundreds of questions. Did they feed him on the plane? Did he sit next to someone nice? Did he forget anything at home? How were his folks? The inside of their house was different from Josh’s home back on the ranch. - 10 -

In Uncle Paul and Aunt Shelley’s house, there was a huge fireplace. It sat in the middle of the house. The living room was on one side and a den was on the other. The ceilings were tall, the floors were covered with stone tile, and all the walls were white. Josh was suddenly homesick for the ranch. “Hungry?” Aunt Shelley asked. “Yes, ma’am,” he replied. “Chili in five minutes,” his aunt said, “so everyone needs to wash up, pronto!” Brian led Josh to the bathroom, which was down a white hallway. A few minutes later, Josh scrubbed his hands in the bathroom sink. The black ink from his drawing ran down the drain and the death messenger disappeared. The image of the black owl, however, seemed stuck in his mind. - 11 -

Chapter 2

INSIDE THE HAT The next morning, Josh was up early. At home he always woke up at five o’clock to do his ranch chores before school. He wondered how long there would even be a ranch. He hoped that working at Uncle Paul’s construction company for the summer would earn him enough money that he could help out at home. Quietly, Josh got dressed. - 12 -

He picked upChapter his boots, and # then tiptoed

out to the kitchen.

Aunt Shelley was sitting at the kitchen table making a list. “Josh, I didn’t even have to wake you up!” she said. “Could I trade with your momma? I’d give two rowdy boys for you.”

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“Thanks for the offer,” said Josh, “but I think I’d miss the ranch too much.” His aunt smiled. “You know your uncle Paul grew up on Snake River Ranch just like your dad,” she said. “He’d give your dad any money he needs, but I reckon he’s too proud to take it.” “Yes, ma’am,” said Josh. “I reckon he is.” The Snake River Ranch had belonged to the Strickland family for a hundred years. Josh knew the value of the ranch. It was priceless. It was home. - 13 -

Josh didn’t want any charity from Uncle Paul either. It was his plan to work hard that summer and earn his pay, just like the cowboys back on his dad’s ranch. “I have a job for you this morning,” said Aunt Shelley. “I need you to lift and carry some stuff for me.” “What stuff?” asked Josh. “I don’t know,” she said. “I haven’t bought it yet.” Aunt Shelley laughed. “I hope you like garage sales, Josh.” They both ate a quick breakfast. Josh pulled on his boots, and then the two of them slipped out the garage door and climbed into the Jeep Cherokee. The dashboard clock said six a.m. Aunt Shelley told Josh her plan. First they would go to the sales in Phoenix, and then they would go to the ones in nearby Scottsdale. - 14 -

“We’ll save grocery shopping for last,” said Aunt Shelley. “If we don’t get to those garage sales early, all the good stuff’s gone!” For the next two hours, Aunt Shelley bought stuff and Josh carried it to the Jeep. A few of the sales had interesting electronics or magazines or tools to look at. Josh figured he was having an okay time. They were heading over to Scottsdale when they saw a bright orange sign that pointed down a dusty driveway. “Hmm, this sale wasn’t in the paper,” said Aunt Shelley, “but I think we’ll try it.” When they pulled up in front of the house, they realized they were the only ones there. Aunt Shelley disappeared into the dark garage, but Josh stood a moment looking at the house.

- 15 -

It was in bad shape. Shutters were broken, a door was missing, and some of the paint was peeling off. “Find anything good, Aunt Shelley?” Josh called. Her voice called back, “No one in here to take the money even if we do.” Josh walked into the garage. From the shadows in the back, an older man with long gray hair appeared. He had tired brown eyes. The man was so quiet that he startled Aunt Shelley. “Sir, you scared ten years off my life sneaking up on me like that,” she said. The man’s face was wrinkled and worn like leather. “Are you buying something?” he asked. Aunt Shelley looked at the man, and then at the few things on the table set up in the garage.

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Josh could tell she didn’t want anything. He stepped closer to the old man and picked up a small basket from the table. “How much?” Josh asked. Before the man could reply, Josh saw a dusty brown cowboy hat under the table. “And the hat,” Josh added. The man looked at him curiously. Then he said, “The basket is five dollars. And the hat is not for sale.” Josh didn’t want to pay so much for the basket. He was saving his money for the ranch. But he guessed he could give the basket to his mom as a souvenir. He dug into his pocket, pulled out a fivedollar bill, and handed it to the man. Aunt Shelley had already returned to the Jeep and was waiting for him. As Josh turned to walk out, the man stopped him. - 18 -

“Here,” said the man. “You forgot this.” He tossed the brown cowboy hat to Josh. Josh caught the hat. “This isn’t mine,” he said. “You said it wasn’t for sale.” The man turned around and disappeared back into the shadows. When Josh got into the Jeep, his aunt let out a deep breath. “That fellow was creepy,” she said. “He scared me half to death.” “Yes, ma’am. He was weird,” said Josh. “That sale was so strange, I may have to take a break for a while,” said Aunt Shelley. Josh looked down at the cowboy hat in his hand. This would be great to wear on the construction site, he thought. He slapped it against his leg to shake off the dust. It made an odd crunching sound.

- 19 -

Josh stuck his hand inside # it and pressed Chapter

until he heard the crunching sound again. Strange.

He pulled at the brown lining inside the hat. It was old and worn, so it came out easily. Underneath he could see a small, dirty square of paper.

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“What’s that?” asked Aunt Shelley. Josh pulled it out and gently unfolded it. It was a map.

- 20 -

Chapter 3

TIED IN KNOTS Josh didn’t have time to get a real good look at the map. As soon as he and Aunt Shelley returned home, his uncle announced they were all going out to eat at their favorite restaurant, the Greek Isle. “You like Greek food?” Uncle Paul asked Josh as they walked into the restaurant. “Never had it,” Josh replied. Josh thought the menu was confusing. “Do they have any hamburgers?” he asked.

- 21 -

“Try the veal stew,” Uncle Paul said. Josh looked at his cousins. Cody was shaking his head no. Josh watched as waiters brought freshly baked pita bread and some weird dip to their table. The pita bread reminded Josh of chewy tortillas. The veal stew had some strange spices in it, but Josh ate it anyway. It would be rude not to eat it, and his mother had raised him better than that. On the way home, they discussed plans for the next day. Uncle Paul wanted to take Josh to the Heard Museum. “That place is cool,” said Brian. “It’s one of the best Native American museums in the country.” “Sorry, but I can’t go,” said Cody. “I have to referee a soccer game.” Josh had the feeling that Cody wasn’t too disappointed.

- 22 -

Aunt Shelley already had plans. “Well, it’ll just be the three of us, then,” Uncle Paul said. Later that night, in bed, Josh woke up in pain. The Greek food was having an argument with his insides. His stomach was twisting like a roped-up calf. Stumbling through the house, Josh made his way to the kitchen. He remembered how his mother would give him a soda to settle his stomach. Josh found a soda and went to sit on the couch. He was still feeling rough as he gazed out the big picture window. The sky was a deep royal blue, dotted with stars, and brightly lit by a full moon. Silver light shined on a tall figure in the backyard. The figure held both of its arms up to the sky. - 23 -

- 24 -

Who would be out this late? wondered Josh. Then he grinned. He could see that the figure was actually a cactus the size of a man. Suddenly, he heard a noise. “Whooo. Whooo.” Josh shuddered. It was an owl. The death messenger. Josh switched on the TV and turned the volume down. He began channel surfing. He flipped through several shows and was about to change the channel again when he heard a man talking about the Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine. More than a hundred years ago, a man named Jacob Waltz, who was originally from the Netherlands, said he had found a huge gold mine. After Waltz died, several people claimed to have copies of a map leading to the treasure. - 25 -

Suddenly Josh Chapter remembered#the map from

his new cowboy hat. He went quietly down the hall to his room and switched on the lamp. He pulled the map from his jeans pocket and spread it out on the bed. The lamp light cast a golden glow over the old paper.

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Josh saw some faded ink lines that could be an old military trail. His heart began to race. Could this be one of the Dutchman’s maps? If Josh found the gold he could save his family’s ranch for sure. He swallowed hard and leaned over the bed to see if he recognized any of the clues. Just then something knocked him onto the bed from behind. He struggled for a moment trying to figure out what was on his back. Someone was tying his arms behind his back!

- 26 -

Chapter 4

THE LOST MINE Josh heard laughter. Then he looked up and saw Brian standing in front of him. “Let me guess,” said Josh. “Cody is camped out on my back, right?” He tried to roll over, but wasn’t able to move. “That’s called a hog-tie, cousin,” said Cody. Josh easily freed himself from the rope. “Not bad,” he said, “but I can show you a real hog-tie.” Josh had been around ropes and knots and lassos his whole life on the ranch.

- 27 -

“Hmm, you cowboys aren’t as dumb as we thought,” Cody said. “Why are you awake?” “That food is messing with my stomach,” said Josh. “Why are you guys up?” Then Cody spied the map on the bed. He snatched it up and looked at it carefully. “Hunting for buried treasure?” he asked. He handed the map to Brian. Brian looked at it from several angles and ran his fingers over the top and bottom of the map. “I wonder what all these symbols mean,” he said. The map was covered with lines, as well as strange pictures that looked like a horse’s head, a cave, the sun, and a bolt of lightning. “Better be careful, or the Brain will take off with your treasure,” Cody said. Josh held his hand out and Brian gave him the map. “Where did you get it?” Brian asked. - 28 -

“He found it in a box of Lucky Charms,” Cody said. “I found it in my hat,” said Josh. His cousins looked at him, amazed. Then Josh explained the story about the garage sale and the creepy guy standing in the shadows. “What do you guys know about the Lost Dutchman mine?” asked Josh. “Everyone knows about that old mine,” Cody pointed out. “It’s just a dumb story.” “This map looks real to me,” Brian said. “Shut it, Brian,” Cody commanded. “How can we tell if it’s real, Brian?” Josh asked. Brian explained that if they could examine the map’s ink, they could tell how old the map was. If the ink was the kind used a hundred years ago, the map might be real.

- 29 -

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“So, how do we get the map tested?” Josh asked. Brian told Josh that they could run tests on the ink and paper in a lab. “My science teacher knows someone who works in the lab at the University of Phoenix, and I bet he could get the map tested,” Brian said. “Cody, do you have a pencil?” Josh asked. Cody said, “Man, if you need a football or a soccer ball, I’ve got it. But a pencil? Ask the Brain.” Brian left to find a pencil and a notebook. Moments later, Josh carefully copied the map onto a sheet of paper. Then Brian folded the original map, wrapped it in wax paper, and put it in a plastic bag. The three went back out to the kitchen where Cody and Brian ate some chocolate cake and drank half a gallon of milk.

- 31 -

Josh didn’t want any cake.#“My stomach Chapter

still feels weird,” he said. Cody burped loudly.

“I’d be lying if I said I was sorry. I really enjoyed eating your share,” Cody said, grinning.

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“And speaking of share,” he added, “if that map is the real deal, and there really is a mine, I say we split it three ways!”

- 32 -

Chapter 5

LIGHTNING STRIKES The next day after breakfast, Uncle Paul, Brian, and Josh climbed into the pickup and headed for the Heard Museum. “Enjoy your day off, boys,” Uncle Paul said. “Tomorrow we’ll be busy. Our rich clients are real picky about what they want.” It must be nice to be rich, thought Josh. He saw the museum before the truck pulled up to it. It was a white adobe building with dark timbers and black iron bars over the windows. - 33 -

Inside the museum, Uncle Paul bought three tickets. “If we hurry, we can catch the movie,” Brian said. They stepped into a small theater and watched a film about the tribes of the Southwest. Uncle Paul said he had seen the movie many times, but each time he came away feeling haunted by the way the white settlers had treated the Native Americans. Josh knew that Indians had lost their land, but never realized how much their way of life was destroyed. The children were taught not to speak in their native language and were forced to wear different clothes. Josh wondered how he would feel if someone took away his jeans, made him dress in black clothes, and pierced his nose.

- 34 -

The whole idea was so upsetting that he closed his eyes for a few seconds. After the movie, they wandered around the museum. Josh liked looking at the different weapons. Brian was reading the note cards inside the glass display cases. Josh’s eyes were caught by a basket inside one of the cases. He leaned down to read the card in front of the basket. It was an Apache coil basket. It was marked with frogs, snakes, and other designs. Each symbol had a meaning. Brian came closer to look. “Just like the map!” he whispered. Josh nodded. They were both looking at a pattern of lightning bolts inside the basket. “Got a pen?” asked Josh.

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Josh copied the design on the palm of his hand. “Let’s go home and look at the map,” Brian suggested. They found Uncle Paul looking at a Hopi Indian display and told him they were ready to leave. “Now? What’s the rush? Where’s the fire?” he asked. “There’s no fire, Dad,” said Brian. “It’s more like a lightning strike.” Back at the house, the boys discovered that the symbol in the basket was a perfect match to one on the map. The notecard next to the basket had said that the meaning of the lightning symbol was a blessing, or good luck. Josh thought that if he found the treasure, he would save his family’s ranch, and that would indeed be a blessing. - 37 -

Soon everyoneChapter was home, # gathered around

the table looking at the map.

“Cousin, why does your treasure map have Indian symbols on it?” Cody asked. Brian said, “According to the story of the Lost Mine, the family that found the mine

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were killed by Apache. Maybe the Apache made the map.” “Some people think there’s a curse on that mine,” said Cody. Blessing or curse, Josh was determined to find the lost gold. He had to. His family’s future depended on it.

- 38 -

Chapter 6

MYSTERY CAVE The sky was dark when they left in the morning. Gradually the sun brushed the sky first a smoky gray and then golden. The construction job was in a different town, and the drive from Phoenix took a couple of hours. They’d be staying in a trailer on the site. After a while, Uncle Paul turned down a dusty driveway by a sign that said Strickland’s Construction. The dirt driveway was a mile long, and it twisted like a snake. - 39 -

Finally Josh could see a huge concrete pad and a bunch of trucks and trailers. All sorts of men were leaning against the trucks. The men waved and gathered around Uncle Paul as he got out of the truck. “Hey, y’all, come meet my nephew, Josh,” Uncle Paul said. Josh was going to be the site gofer. Being a gofer was hard work. Josh spent his morning running errands for the workers, filling coolers with ice, counting supplies, and cleaning up garbage. Sometimes he got to help the workers when they needed an extra pair of arms for lifting and pulling. At three o’clock, after hours of work in the hot sun, suddenly the men packed up their tools, crowded into their trucks, and left.

- 40 -

Josh watched them go in surprise. On the ranch, the workers didn’t quit until it was dark. Brian said, “We start early and we quit early.” “Let’s get a shower and take another look at that copy you made of the map,” said Cody. “I have an idea, and that doesn’t happen too often. Right, Brain?” Brian said, “Call the doctor. If Cody has an idea he must be coming down with something.” The boys headed into one of the trailers. *** After everyone got cleaned up, Uncle Paul grilled hamburgers. Then they played cards until Uncle Paul said he was ready for bed.

- 41 -

The boys each grabbed a cold soda and sat down at one of the picnic tables outside the trailer. Cody pulled out a map of Arizona. “Ta da!” he said. “This map is your big idea?” said Brian. “I think better in my sleep!” “Chill out, Brain. You haven’t let me explain my idea yet,” Cody said. He went on, “I thought we could compare Josh’s old map with a new map of Arizona. Maybe we’ll see some landmarks that match up.” They put the maps side by side on the table. Josh noticed that there were two sets of mountain ranges on both maps. The mountain ranges on the new map were the Dragoon Mountains. “This is a great idea, Cody,” Josh said. - 42 -

Cody reached over, pulled Brian into a headlock, and said, “Admit or submit. I can keep you here all night if I want to.” Brian croaked, “All right, all right, you had a good idea. Now let me go!” Brian went inside and got his laptop. Using his wireless connection to the Internet, he searched for the Dragoon Mountains. He found out that it would take about an hour to drive from the construction site to the mountains. When they got close to the mountain range, they would have to drive through an area called Ghost Gap. “Ghost Gap?” said Brian. “Death messengers and ghosts. This whole thing is getting a little creepy!” The boys bunked down in their sleeping bags on the floor of the trailer. - 43 -

That night, Josh had a strange dream. He was walking through a desert. He saw low mountains rising up out of the sandy ground. They were covered with rocks and boulders the size of small houses. He saw tall grass and cactus plants. Then he began climbing up the mountain. The rocks scraped his hands. Sweat ran down his face, but he kept climbing. It seemed like his hands and feet knew where they were going, even though his brain had no idea. Suddenly Josh reached a ledge and was shocked to be staring at a very large face. It was craggy and covered with lines. The features of the face were sharp. The face was made of rock. Next to the rock face was a narrow opening in the mountain. Josh stepped closer and peered inside.

- 44 -

He slipped into the darkness of the cave. It was cool and damp. He fumbled around in his pocket and found the penlight on his key chain. The light was small, but it cast a tiny white beam ahead of him. He flashed it back and forth. The cave was narrow like the opening. The walls were formed of reddish rock. Something caught his eye. It looked like a picture a child might have painted. Josh stopped and used the light to examine the painting. The painting included a group of stick figures, a man and his horse, some feathers, an owl, and the sun. The sight of the owl sent shivers down Josh’s spine. Then Josh woke up.

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He wiggled out of his sleeping bag, grabbed a pen, and wrote, “Men, man, horse, owl, and feathers” on his palm. He didn’t want to forget the details of the strange dream. What did it mean? The sign of an owl seemed to be haunting him. Why? Did it mean that someone was going to die?

- 47 -

Chapter 7

SHADOW MAN When Josh woke up that morning, he saw that Cody had used some toothpaste to make a mustache on Brian’s face. Then Cody took a string and brushed the tip of his brother’s nose gently. Brian’s hand reached up to swat the string and smeared the toothpaste all over his face. He sat straight up, looking at his hand. “Morning, Brain,” said Cody. “Feeling minty fresh?”

- 48 -

Josh looked around for Uncle Chapter # Paul, but he

must have gone outside.

Cody shouted, “It was just a joke.” Brian leaped at his brother and the two boys faced off. Josh tried to think of a way to stop them from fighting. He could feel World

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War III coming on.

Josh grabbed a length of rope from the corner of the trailer and jumped on Brian. He held him down like one of the calves on his ranch, and tied Brian’s hands and feet behind him. “Sorry, Brian,” said Josh. “But you guys were going to trash this place!” “Wow!” said Cody. “The cowboy does know a few tricks.” The door of the trailer opened. All three of the boys turned.

- 49 -

Uncle Paul was across the room in no time. “You boys stop horsing around and get cleaned up. Now! The men are already here. It’s time to work.” “Yes, sir,” said Josh and his cousins. The sun was blasting down on the construction site and on the workmen. All day Josh ran around filling thermoses with ice and water. Just before noon, he spied his uncle waving at him. Uncle Paul said, “Josh, take my truck and go into town. We need supplies for tonight.” He handed Josh a list of food and a few items to buy at the local lumberyard. Then his uncle handed him the truck keys. Josh thought about his old orange pickup back home and the slick, shiny, black truck he was going to drive now. - 50 -

He was deep in truck heaven. “Don’t you dare speed,” warned Uncle Paul. In the truck, Josh looked at the scenery passing by outside the windows. Arizona was in the West, but it was not like West Texas. It was different. Josh liked it, though. Keeping busy at the construction site was good for him. He wasn’t feeling so homesick anymore. It seemed like he was the only one on the road. No people. No cars. No animals. When he glanced into the rearview mirror, Josh noticed an old rusty brown truck behind him. The truck stayed behind him all the way into town. Josh turned on Main and Jasper, following his uncle’s directions to the lumberyard. - 51 -

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He pulled into the second driveway of the yard and gave Uncle Paul’s list to one of the salesmen. Josh waited while the salesman looked over the list. He was sitting in the truck and listening to the radio, enjoying his break. Then he noticed the same old truck from the highway was now parked across the street. Josh figured he had seen too many movies. In real life, people did not follow other people. He shook his head and tried to stop thinking about it. But his eyes still wandered toward the truck from time to time. The shadowy outline of a person filled the cab of the truck, but Josh could not see the person’s face. The salesman finished up the order, and Josh was on to the grocery store. He started up his uncle’s truck and headed down the street.

- 53 -

The old truck followed a short distance behind. No matter how hard Josh tried to pretend that truck was not following, it tailed behind him dangerously like a killer shark, silent, but deadly. In the store, Josh cruised up and down the grocery aisles tossing items into the cart. When he walked outside, the sunlight drilled into his eyes. The heat blasted his skin. He walked back to his truck. The other truck and the shadowy figure were waiting on the edge of the parking lot. Josh was getting mad. He didn’t even feel afraid anymore. What kind of a jerk followed a kid around all day for no good reason? Josh was about to find out. He put the supplies in the truck, started the engine, and then drove quickly toward the empty side of the parking lot. - 54 -

The truck followed him, speeding up. Josh turned around unexpectedly so that he faced the rusty old truck. His jaw dropped. The truck stopped. It was the shadow man from the garage sale.

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Chapter 8

THE PROFESSOR At first, Josh assumed that the weird old man wanted his cowboy hat back. Maybe he remembered about the map and was going to ask for it. Instead, the man stared at Josh. Josh stared back. What did he want? While Josh was busy thinking, the old man’s truck suddenly backed up and sped out of the lot onto the street and into an alley. Josh guessed the shadow man was not in the mood to talk. - 56 -

Josh was more puzzled than Chapter # ever. He

headed back to the job site with his brain bursting with questions. Back in the trailer, Cody and Brian were playing video games. Josh asked them, “You ever have a really weird dream?”

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Cody started to dig through the grocery bags as Brian began putting the food away. Cody said, “You mean that dream where you show up at school in your underwear, or in the Brain’s case, some dorky pajamas?” “Not exactly,” said Josh. “I mean a dream that seems kind of crazy. Like maybe you thought about too many things before you went to bed.” Brian nodded. “I know what you mean. What did you dream? Maybe we can figure out why you dreamed it.” Josh described his dream about the cave.

- 57 -

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Then he read the list of items he had written on the palm of his hand. “Did you hear an owl before you went to sleep?” asked Brian. “I don’t think so,” Josh replied. Brian and Josh were deep in thought. “All this thinking is making me hungry,” Cody said. “Let’s throw some steaks on the grill.” They all went outside. When the meat was ready, the boys put the steaks on paper plates with some fries and headed to the picnic table. Uncle Paul sat down, too. He turned to Brian and said, “A professor from the University of Phoenix left a message today. When you get a chance, call him. His name is Thaddeus Ladd and his number is on the answering machine.”

- 59 -

“Weird name,” said Cody, chewing his steak. “I bet it’s about the map,” said Brian. “I asked Mom to drop it off for me at the university.” Brian went to the office to make the call. A few minutes later, Brian came out of the office. He shrugged. “No answer. I left a message,” he said. The rest of the meal was filled with talk about the job. *** Before he went to sleep that night, Josh got a picture of the professor in his head. He would probably be short and bald, and wear glasses and a suit with a bow tie. Josh just hoped Professor Ladd would have some information about the map that would help him find the treasure. - 60 -

His thoughts shifted to the shadow man. He was starting to wonder if he had imagined the whole thing. The hot afternoon seemed as if it had been days ago, instead of only hours ago. He had considered telling Uncle Paul what happened in town, but he didn’t have any proof. Feeling tired, his limbs heavy, and his eyes drooping, Josh rolled over to go to sleep. He would worry about it all tomorrow. *** The next few days on the job site were busy. Josh was glad that time was passing quickly. Finally Professor Ladd returned Brian’s call. He suggested a meeting on Friday. He also agreed to drive over to the job site.

- 61 -

Josh, Brian, and Cody spent the next few days talking about what the professor might have to say. If the news was bad, the professor could have told them on the phone. They were thrilled that he was coming to visit them at the job site. While he was working, Josh had several daydreams about saving the ranch. He saw himself driving up the long dusty drive to the ranch in a new truck. He would jump out and hand his dad a check for a million dollars. He loved thinking about the mountain of gold, somewhere out there, just waiting for him to find it. On Friday morning, they woke to rain pelting the metal roof like nails spraying from a nail gun. A summer rainstorm was rare. - 62 -

Uncle Paul scowled. They could lose at least a day of work. After he made several phone calls, Uncle Paul decided it was a good day to have a really big breakfast. He went to the stove and started to make his famous skillet flapjacks and oven bacon. The pancakes Uncle Paul made were huge. They hung over the edges of the plate and left no room for the bacon. Uncle Paul was just flipping the last pancake when they heard pounding on the door. Cody went to the door and opened it. The man who entered the trailer was nearly seven feet tall and had to duck to come inside. His short blond hair stuck up from his head. A rain poncho dripped on his shoes and his jeans were wet up to the knees. He took off his glasses and shook them.

- 63 -

The man moved toward Uncle Paul, extending a wet hand. “Thad Ladd,” the young man said, smiling. Uncle Paul put down the spatula to shake the outstretched hand. “Paul Strickland. Pleased to meet you. These are my sons, Cody and Brian, and my nephew Josh, and you are just in time for breakfast,” he said. “Can I fix you a plate of my famous flapjacks?” Professor Ladd’s smile seemed to grow. “Well, sir, I never met a pancake I didn’t like, so pile them on,” he said. Taking the huge plate of pancakes, the professor asked, “Who found the map?” “That would be me, sir,” Josh said. Josh told him about the garage sale and how he’d found the map in the hat. “I don’t know the name of the man who had the sale, but I’ve seen him in town,” he added. - 64 -

- 65 -

He decided not to reveal the part about the guy following him. Cody looked at Josh and blurted out, “You’ve been doing all the talking. I have a question too! Is the map real?” Professor Ladd’s fork stopped a few inches from his mouth. He looked serious. “Yes and no,” he said mysteriously. “What does that mean?” Josh asked. “I have good news and bad news,” said the professor. Uncle Paul said, “Give us the good news first.” Professor Ladd took a breath before he went on. “The good news is that the map is authentic. It’s real, it’s old, and it’s from the 1870s.” “What’s the bad news, then?” asked Brian.

- 66 -

Professor Ladd put his fork down on his plate. “Judging from the symbols, the map you found seems to be Native American in origin,” he replied. “Then Josh made an important discovery, but he didn’t find the gold mine, right?” Brian asked. “Correct,” Professor Ladd responded. He cleaned up the syrup on his plate with one last bite of pancake. “Then what is it a map of?” asked Uncle Paul. Grinning again, the professor said, “I have no idea. But I gave a copy of the map to Dr. Crowfoot in Native American Studies. He’s an expert when it comes to symbols and ancient writing. I’m sure he’ll be able to tell us what it all means. Oh, and these were great pancakes, by the way!”

- 67 -

Chapter 9

RATTLESNAKE CANYON “That big guy got breakfast and we got nothing,” said Cody. He was staring at the back of Professor Ladd’s car as it left the construction site. “We have to take this into our own hands,” he added. When Uncle Paul walked out of the room and into his office, Cody said in a whisper, “I think we need to find the cave from Josh’s dream.” He grabbed the Arizona state map and stared at it. - 68 -

He frowned. Chapter “There aren’t# any caves

marked on here,” he said.

“Maps are flat. They only have one dimension,” Brian said. “We can look on the Internet to find caves and other geological features.”

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They spent the next hour googling caves in the area of the Dragoon Mountains. They found two possibilities. Since Uncle Paul was going to catch up on a few things around the office, he said they could take his truck. During the road trip, Brian pulled his laptop out of his backpack. “I think we should look up the symbols you saw in your dream,” he told Josh. “Great idea,” Josh said. “Don’t forget, it was my idea to look for the cave,” Cody insisted. - 69 -

Brian found the symbols on different American Indian websites. The man stood for human life, the horse was a journey, and the sun was life. They already knew the owl was a death messenger. Brian figured that the cave symbols meant that someone had died, but who? “Maybe it’s a famous chief!” Josh said excitedly. “The most famous chief around here is Cochise,” Brian said. “Finding a skeleton would be creepy, but cool,” said Cody. “But it wouldn’t be as good as finding a huge pile of gold.” Soon they saw a highway sign that said Apache Pass and they knew they were close to the site of the first cave.

- 70 -

“Hey, Josh, turn down Ghost Gap. The next road to the left,” Brian said, looking at the map. They drove down the dusty road according to Brian’s very specific instructions. Josh pulled the truck into the first clearing he saw. Brian grabbed all of his gear and, looking at his compass, directed them to head south. “I better lead the way so you guys don’t get scared,” Cody boasted. Rocks, sand, and cactuses surrounded them. The sun beat down and sweat beaded on their brows. Josh was wearing the old brown cowboy hat that had started the whole adventure. Cody had on a baseball cap, but Brian was worried because he’d left his hat at the site. “Did you know you can get skin cancer on your head?” he asked. Cody rolled his eyes.

- 71 -

Just then they entered a shallow canyon and saw the tiny opening to a cave on the other side. Cody ran toward the cave. He called back, “It’s too small. Didn’t you go inside the cave in your dream?” The opening was just big enough to fit the top or bottom half of a person. Brian pulled a tiny flashlight out of his pocket, but he’d just gotten it out when Cody grabbed it. Seconds later, Cody’s head, arms, and shoulders had vanished into the cave. His back end was sticking out. His muffled voice said, “It’s dark in here.” Cody backed out of the cave. “I didn’t see anything in there but dirt,” he said. He handed the light to Brian. “You wanna look?” “Not really,” Brian said. “Well, at least we know this isn’t the cave we’re looking for.”

- 72 -

Josh and Cody followed Brian back to the pickup. Then they heard it. It sounded like someone shaking a jar full of marbles, a low rattling. A snake was coiled in a large heap near the boys. The scaly snake had grayish brown diamonds down its back and sides. Black and white stripes led to a rattle that was twitching wildly. The head of the snake weaved in front of them. Its yellow eyes stared at Brian, who was in front, only a few feet from the deadly rattler. They all froze. No one said anything. No one moved a muscle. Cody closed his eyes, but Josh watched the snake. Its swaying movement was hypnotic. Josh reminded himself that the snake was hunting. They were the prey. They were the enemy invading the snake’s space.

- 73 -

- 74 -

They stood motionless and silent, waiting for the strike, for what seemed like hours. Finally the rattling stopped. The snake slowly lowered itself to the rocky soil and began to slither away from them. No one moved or spoke until the snake finally disappeared on the opposite side of the canyon. “That bad boy was at least four feet long!” Cody exclaimed. “You okay?” Josh asked Brian. “Yeah,” Brian said nervously. The three carefully made their way back to the truck.

- 75 -

Chapter 10

LOST The boys were back on the highway, and heading toward the Dragoon Mountains to look for the second cave. Brian said, “Hey, have you noticed that rusty old truck following us?” Josh’s eyes cut over to the rearview mirror. He saw the old truck. “Ignore it,” he said. Cody twisted around on the seat to look at the truck. “Cool! Maybe the guy is a serial killer or something,” he exclaimed.

- 76 -

“He’s not a serial killer. At Chapter # least I don’t

think he is,” Josh said. He explained that

the man in the truck was the same guy from the garage sale, and told them about being followed in town. Just then, they saw the truck turn off on another road.

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“Maybe you’re just imagining it,” said Cody. Less than an hour later they pulled into the gate at the Coronado National Forest. The ranger booth looked liked a tiny log cabin. A short guy in a green uniform leaned out of the booth. “Afternoon, boys,” the ranger said. “Don’t stay in the park too late. It’s three o’clock now, and it’ll get dark around nine. You don’t want to be here then.” Then he gave them a park map and waved them forward.

- 77 -

Cody looked at the map briefly. “Head that way,” he told Josh, pointing. “That’ll bring us to cave number two.” They parked by a sign that said Mountain Trail. A hiking path began right next to the sign. The trail twisted and turned as it led them through a maze of rocks that looked like giant stone spikes. After about an hour Brian suggested they take a break. It had been cool, thanks to the morning drizzle, but after the rain stopped the air heated up fast. The three boys leaned against a huge boulder. Brian looked up from the map. “I think we need to head east from here,” he said. “You think you know everything!” Cody exclaimed. “I think we need to head west!”

- 78 -

“I have an idea,” Josh said. “Let’s go east and west.” He explained that his plan would let them cover more ground faster. Brian would head east, and Cody and Josh would go west. “Cool. We’ll meet back at the truck,” said Brian. Josh and Cody hiked through the mountains. It was hot and boring. Sometimes Josh would see a lizard just off the path or a little brown bird perched on a tall cactus. After they’d been walking for a while, they came to a fork in the path. “Right or left?” Cody asked. “Call Brian and ask him to look at the map again,” said Josh. Cody looked down. “I left my phone in the truck,” he said guiltily. “You know how I lose stuff all the time.” - 79 -

Josh suddenly felt terrified. No map! No cell phone! What were they going to do? They were lost. He looked down both sides of the path. One direction seemed to head up the mountain and the other went down. “I think the cave would probably be up the mountain, but since we’re lost, let’s go back down and get a map,” Josh suggested. “Whatever you think,” Cody said. “Lead the way.” The path seemed to be getting rougher all the time. Josh felt they had been wandering for hours. He looked at his watch. It was seven thirty. “If we don’t get off this mountain soon, it will be dark!” he said. “I think we’re up higher than we were before,” Cody said. Josh looked down. - 80 -

Maybe the path looped around and started to head back up the mountain again, he thought. Then Josh heard the long low boom of thunder above him. The sky was rapidly darkening. Sharp white lightning cracked and spiked above them. Both boys crouched low against the rocks. Rain poured down. “We need to find shelter!” shouted Cody. They ran toward some larger rocks. Just past the rocks was a dark, jagged shadow. A cave, Josh thought. The storm raged on. Inside the cave, it was damp, but at least it wasn’t raining. There was barely enough room for both boys to stand side by side. “Do you have a light?” Josh asked. “Right here, cowboy,” Cody said, passing a pen light to Josh.

- 81 -

Josh flashed it back and forth across the walls. He froze as the thin yellow light passed over the blank red stone. There were symbols painted in gray, white, and black. He drew a deep breath. “Just like my dream,” Josh said. “We need to copy it down,” Cody said. Using a ballpoint pen, Cody copied the whole mural on the leg of his jeans. Then they both headed toward the opening of the cave. “I’ll bet Brian has called Dad and the rangers are probably out looking for us,” Cody said. At the edge of the cave, white light exploded. A face materialized out of the darkness. “Run!” Cody shouted. Josh felt his blood run cold. He recognized the face. It was the shadow man.

- 82 -

- 83 -

Chapter 11

THE VISION Josh turned to run, but he realized the cave was probably a dead end anyway. “Wait!” commanded a voice. Both boys stopped and turned. The shadow man stood just inside the cave. “I won’t hurt you. My name is Henry Crowfoot,” the man said. “Dr. Crowfoot? From Native American studies at the university?” Josh asked. He aimed the flashlight at the man.

- 84 -

Dr. CrowfootChapter was older, with # long gray hair

pulled back in a ponytail. His jeans, plaid shirt, and hiking boots were soaked.

“Why are you following us?” Cody asked. “It’s a long story, so maybe we should get down the mountain and I’ll tell you

TITLE

everything,” Henry replied.

“We’d love to, but we’re lost,” Josh said. Henry said, “I know the way down.” The rain had stopped and the sun was bright. Henry led the way. After an hour, they reached the ranger station. Brian was already there, standing beside the truck. Josh had a million questions. When the rangers were finished filling out their report, the boys and Dr. Crowfoot walked back outside.

- 85 -

“You’ve been following me all week,” said Josh. “I want to know why.” Dr. Crowfoot took a deep breath. “Very well,” he said. “I’ll try to explain. For years I have been trying to locate the burial site of the great chief Cochise.” He paused, and then went on, “My father died a few months ago. Right after he died I started having these visions about a boy who could find Cochise. I thought I was losing my mind, and that the death of my dad was getting to me. Imagine how shocked I was when the boy I saw in my vision showed up at my garage sale.” He paused, and then said, “Josh, you were the boy in the vision.” Josh said, “But I don’t know anything!” “I disagree,” said Cody, pointing to the symbols on his pants leg.

- 86 -

- 87 -

“We have a map and clues,” said Brian. “Was the hat your dad’s?” asked Josh. Dr. Crowfoot nodded. “Yes, he got it from a man named Tom Jeffords when he was a boy. Why?” Josh pulled a copy of the map out of his pocket and handed it to Dr. Crowfoot. “This was inside the hat,” he said. “It’s not a treasure map, is it?” asked Brian. “No,” said Dr. Crowfoot. “I believe it shows where the great chief is buried.” Josh was disappointed. No treasure meant no saving his family’s ranch. “Can you tell us what these symbols mean, sir?” Brian said, “The horse means a journey. I looked it up.” Dr. Crowfoot looked carefully at the drawing on Cody’s jeans.

- 88 -

He said, “I believe these are not just symbols. I think they are telling the story of Cochise’s burial. It was common to bury the chief with his horse and his weapons. The eagle feathers tell us that this is a chief.” “So they buried the dog, too?” Cody asked. “What else did they bury with him?” Josh asked. He was still hoping for a little gold. Henry explained that according to stories passed down by Taza, Cochise’s son, the chief was buried in the traditional way. “Like an Egyptian?” Josh asked. “Sort of, but not exactly,” said Dr. Crowfoot. “The tribe believed that after death they would go to the underworld. They would live the same life there that they had on Earth, but better and for all eternity. A great chief would need his horse and his weapons. He would also want his dog.”

- 89 -

The doctor went on to explain Chapter # that Cochise

was buried by his band, his son, and his

trusted friend, the famous army scout Tom Jeffords. First they washed the body. Then they dressed him in his best gear, painted his face, and put on his feather headdress. He was wrapped in a red wool blanket that had been

TITLE

a gift from an officer.

The men killed Cochise’s horse and his dog. Then they lowered the horse, the dog, and the chief into a deep crack in the ground. The actual burial site was known only to Taza, Cochise’s band, and Tom Jeffords. The hair stood up on the back of Josh’s neck. “Tom Jeffords gave the map to your dad!” Dr. Crowfoot said, “Yes. And you found the map.”

- 90 -

Chapter 12

SACRED GROUND “Let’s look at that map again,” said Josh. Dr. Crowfoot handed it back to him. “Now that we know the whole story,” said Josh, “that jagged line could be the crack or crevice where they placed the chief’s body.” Dr. Crowfoot explained that the sun symbol meant the grave would be in a southern location. “That’s all we know about it?” Cody asked.

- 91 -

“Wait,” said Brian. “Look at the map and the jeans together!” With the two side by side, the symbols made more sense. There were two mountain ranges, a canyon, trees, the jagged mark that they guessed was the crevice, and a box shape. “What does the box mean?” asked Josh. “The Stronghold!” Dr. Crowfoot exclaimed. “The band had a place in the Dragoon Mountains that they called the Stronghold. It was like a fortress. The box is the Stronghold,” he continued. “I know where it is.” Cody shouted, “Hey, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” There was chaos as they all began to pile into their trucks. Josh decided to go with Dr. Crowfoot, and his cousins followed in the black pickup.

- 92 -

Dr. Crowfoot headed down a back road, wet with the recent rain, to the area known as the Ghost Gap. Once they arrived, they piled out of the trucks and made two teams. Cody and Brian headed in one direction, and Josh and the doctor headed in the other. Josh and the doctor followed an old trail for some time. The rocky desert mountain landscape had given way to a forest valley. Willows and oak trees dotted the trail. The path seemed to disappear. The searchers grew quiet. They were busy looking for clues. Soon an odd tree that had been hit by lightning blocked their way. Josh had a strange feeling. He stared at the tree. It seemed familiar, but he had never been to Ghost Gap before, or to the hidden fortress.

- 93 -

Josh ran his hand along one of the rough branches. “I can’t explain it,” he said, “but I think we’re getting close.” Dr. Crowfoot looked hard at Josh. “You found the map and the cave,” he said. “What are your feelings telling you now?” Josh had a feeling of peace. He knew they would find the chief’s burial site. “Just follow me,” he said. Josh rounded the tree and began to walk toward the sun. The tall grass brushed their legs and they could barely see the ground. Josh walked quickly, and then started to run. He was sure they very close now. Everything seemed more and more familiar. Suddenly Josh’s feet pushed through the tall grass and kept going. He wasn’t touching the ground. He was falling!

- 94 -

Narrow rock walls scraped his arms and elbows. Then he heard a sickening crack. He screamed out in pain. Reaching down, Josh felt something sharp sticking through his jeans. His hand was warm and sticky. The grass above him made a kind of roof. He wondered if the doctor saw him fall. Josh was dizzy with pain. His stomach rolled and he felt like he couldn’t breathe. He was angry and frustrated. Now he wouldn’t be able to work or look for Cochise. Finally he heard Dr. Crowfoot yelling, “Josh, are you okay?” Josh groaned. “I think I broke something.” Dusty light drifted down the shaft of the hole. Josh saw the soft gleam of old bones. He pulled himself up into a sitting position and leaned against the wall. - 95 -

- 96 -

Three faces looked down at him. Josh shouted excitedly, “I found the chief! I see some bones and a headdress.” “What else do you see?” Cody asked. “How did you get here so fast?” asked Josh. “I think you might have passed out for a few minutes,” said Brian. “Dr. Crowfoot called us. He said you had just disappeared.” “Like a rabbit,” said Cody. “Hey, cowboy, do you see any weapons?” Josh looked around. In the pale light he could see a bow and a cracked spear. He also saw the larger skeleton of a horse and smaller bones that might be the chief’s dog. Josh tried not to stare at the remains of the great chief. The bony face seemed to challenge him, even in death. It seemed to say that he was not welcome.

- 97 -

Josh noticed some rotted brown Chapter # bits of

fabric lying near the horse.

“It’s all here,” he called up to his friends. “The weapons, the animals, the blanket. We really found the great chief Cochise!”

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- 98 -

Chapter 13

GOING HOME “How are we going to get you out of there?” asked Brian. Josh smiled. “Do I have to think of everything?” he joked. “Do you guys have any rope with you?” Brian ran to the pickup and pulled a length of rope from the truck’s bed. “Throw the end down here,” said Josh. He was weak, but tying knots was second nature to him.

- 99 -

In a minute, he had made a rough harness that could fit around his upper body. “Pull me up,” said Josh. The others tugged on the rope. As his body was lifted off the rocky floor of the cave, Josh felt dizzy. Soon everything turned gray, and then black. While Josh was unconscious, Dr. Crowfoot called the ranger station. Soon a rescue helicopter buzzed overhead. The wind from its whirling blades flattened the tall grass. Two men from the rescue team slid down ropes. Then they lowered a long, flat, wire basket. The two men, who were wearing bright orange jumpsuits, carefully loaded Josh into the basket. Then one of the men made a circling gesture with his hand. The basket was raised, and the chopper took off.

- 100 -

Several hours later, Josh woke up. He was in a hospital bed, with his leg elevated and in a thick cast. The hospital room was small. He had tubes in his arms. During the week he was in the hospital, Josh became more and more depressed. He couldn’t stop thinking about his failure to find the Lost Dutchman’s Mine. To make matters worse, he only had a week’s pay from working for Uncle Paul, and with his broken leg, he wouldn’t be able to work for the rest of the summer. His cousins visited him every day. Mostly Cody and Brian bugged him and fought with each other. On the last day of Josh’s stay in the hospital, Dr. Crowfoot showed up. “Josh, I have some new for you,” Dr. Crowfoot said. “How’s Cochise?” asked Josh.

- 101 -

“The old chief is resting well. The tribe has moved him to another secret location,” Dr. Crowfoot said. Josh’s cousins walked into the hospital room, followed by Uncle Paul and Aunt Shelley. “Uncle Paul, why aren’t you at the construction site?” Josh asked. Uncle Paul said, “You better ask Henry. I mean, Dr. Crowfoot.” Cody looked like he was about to bounce off the ceiling with excitement. Dr. Crowfoot smiled. “The tribe is going to build a monument to Cochise at the original burial site. They’re so grateful to you, Josh, for finding the chief, that they’d like to hold a special naming ceremony for you.” Josh smiled. He felt honored. “Tell him what else,” said Cody. - 102 -

- 103 -

Josh looked confused. “Tell me what?” Dr. Crowfoot handed Josh a photo of Cochise’s headdress. Josh looked at it and said, “Very cool.” Brian said, “Josh, they are giving you the real headdress!” “What? Who?” said Josh, startled. Josh looked at Dr. Crowfoot, who nodded. “A man who is a great collector of Native American artifacts has asked if you might consider donating the headdress to the Heard Museum,” said Dr. Crowfoot. “If you do, he is prepared to pay you fifty thousand dollars as a finder’s fee. I have shared this with the tribe, and since it would go to the museum, and because your family needs the money to save your land, you have the tribe’s blessing.” Josh was speechless.

- 104 -

All he could think about was flying back home and handing the check to his parents. He had saved the Snake River Ranch after all. Josh had found a treasure, even if it wasn’t the treasure he’d expected.

- 105 -

MORE ABOUT . . .

Cochise (koh-CHEESS) was one of the most famous leaders of the Apache (uh-PATCHee). He fought against the Mexicans and Americans during the nineteenth century. Cochise and his tribe, the Chiricahua (chirih-KAH-wuh), lived in the area that is now New Mexico, Arizona, and Sonora, a northern region of Mexico. During the early 1800s, the Mexican government tried to control and capture the Chiricahua. However, Cochise and the other Apache refused to give in. They fought against the Mexican troops. Then the Mexican government ordered the deaths of Apache civilians, including Cochise’s own father. This only made Cochise fight back harder than before.

. . . COCHISE

During one of his raids in 1848, Cochise was captured in the town of Fronteras, Sonora. His people traded some captured Mexican soldiers to get him back. Peace between the Mexicans and the Apache lasted until 1861, when an Apache group kidnapped a rancher’s twelve-year-old son. Cochise was falsely accused of committing the crime. He and five other Apache men were put into prison although they were not responsible. Cochise managed to escape, however, and continued to fight against the Mexican government to protect his people. Cochise died of natural causes in 1874. His burial site has been kept a secret for more than one hundred years.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Marci Bales Peschke was born in Indiana, grew up in Florida, and now lives in Texas. She has lived in three haunted houses, but now lives with her husband, two children, and a feisty black and white cat named Phoebe. Marci is an official member of the Scottish Clan MacIntyre. She loves reading and watching movies.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR Tod Smith grew up in Rhode Island, where he attended the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art. He started working in comics in the 1980s, and has been an illustrator for comics and books ever since. He loves to play music in his free time, and when he was in middle school, the Beatles inspired him to start to play the guitar. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, Candace.

GLOSSARY adobe (uh-DOH-bee)—a brick made of clay mixed with straw and dried in the sun ancient (AYN-shunt)—very old chief (CHEEF)—the leader of a group of people hypnotic (hip-NOT-ik)—causing someone to go into a trance lasso (LASS-oh)—a length of rope with a loop on the end messenger (MESS-inj-uhr)—a person or thing that brings a message pronto (PRON-toe)—right away souvenir (soo-vuh-NEER)—an object to remind someone of a place or time superstitious (soo-pur-STISH-uhss)—someone who believes in luck or omens symbolized (SIM-buh-lyezd)—stood for or meant something else unconscious (uhn-KONSH-uhss)—not awake

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. Do you think that Josh had a special connection to the chief? Why or why not?

2. What do you think about the way Josh’s cousins act? Are they helpful to Josh or not?

3. If a strange man were following you, what would you do?

WRITING PROMPTS 1. What would you do with a $50,000 reward? Josh uses it for his family’s ranch. Write what you would use the money for.

2. Draw your own treasure map. What landmarks would you include? What would the treasure be? While you’re working on the map, think about where you might hide it.

INTERNET SITES Do you want to know more about subjects related to this book? Or are you interested in learning about other topics? Then check out FactHound, a fun, easy way to find Internet sites. Our investigative staff has already sniffed out great sites for you! Here’s how to use FactHound: 1. Visit www.facthound.com 2. Select your grade level. 3. To learn more about subjects related to this book, type in the book’s ISBN number: 1598898558. 4. Click the Fetch It button. FactHound will fetch the best Internet sites for you!