Chapter 24
Answers
Kathleen gasped. ‘Sinbad the Sailor?’
Abraham nodded. ‘Yes, that’s how we’ve come to know him.’
Nat curled her toes and grabbed onto a pillow. She was so excited she thought she might burst.
‘And how did it get here?’ asked Kathleen.
‘It was left as an offering,’ replied Abraham. ‘People who journeyed here many years ago from lands of sand left two treasure chests. They were to guarantee safe passage home. One was left in the hands of the fairy people, the patupaiarehe, also known as the urukehu. They have managed to drift from people’s memories as if they were a dream. But,’ he said, ‘real they are, as some of you in this room know intimately.’ His eyes met Nat’s for a moment.
‘They protected their chest for centuries. But then people began to settle in this remote area. The patupaiarehe decided to move the treasure, and enlisted a young man to help them. His name was Rewi Te Kaitiaki.’
Nat watched as the name rippled around the room. Riki’s chin rose higher. At the table, Mike was leaning forward, taking in every word.
‘Rewi was special for a number of reasons,’ continued Abraham. ‘He was the eagle keeper. The last pouakai lived in this valley. Eventually there was one left. His home was a sacred place known as ‘The Cave of the Emeralds.’’
Nat gasped. Everyone looked at her. ‘That’s the cave we’ve been looking for.’
Abraham nodded. ‘I know.’
‘But it’s not in the cave atlas,’ she said. ‘Kathleen fell off a cliff to make sure.’
A broader grin spread across Abraham’s face. ‘I know.’
‘You sure know heaps,’ said Kathleen.
Barnaby interrupted. ‘What do you mean a cave that’s not in the atlas? Are you saying this is a new cave?’
Nat rolled her eyes. ‘We knew it didn’t make sense,’ she told Barnaby. ‘But someone must have surveyed it for a map to exist. Which means it was lost – on purpose.’
‘Caves can be very expensive things to make disappear,’ said Abraham. ‘Our friend Rewi found that out. The other treasure chest, gifted to the local Maori, had been entrusted to the eagle. When the patupaiarehe approached Rewi, he moved their treasure to the same location. The treasure chests were a talisman for both cultures, ensuring their progress. Safely in the cave they lay, until yet more settlers arrived and there was again concern that the treasure would be found.
‘Rewi’s tribe concluded that their treasure must be moved, and this time more cunning would be required. They decided to hide the chest in plain sight. Before the Glowworm Cave opened, Rewi and his men created a secret room – but the story leaked out. Rumours began that have never rested. And finally someone with enough tenacity and cash followed those rumours to their source.’
‘Wylie,’ muttered Jack. ‘I knew he was fishy.’
‘You should have seen how he treated the cave!’ said Barnaby.
‘He’s as crooked as they come,’ said Abraham. ‘As the truth was passed down it rose to the surface now and again. But this time, it was bought.’ The old man’s head dropped. ‘Pride is not what it was,’ he said. ‘Now even our most sacred treasures are for sale.’
Elijah spoke up for the first time. ‘So Wylie sucked up to the community, to make all the contacts he needed?’
Abraham nodded.
Mike screwed his face up. ‘That’s why he was so damn friendly.’
‘But he was too late at the Glowworm Cave,’ said Riki.
‘Why’s that?’ said Mike.
‘Because someone got there first,’ said Barnaby.
‘Actually,’ said Abraham, ‘Rewi suspected that the secret was out. So at the very last moment, he returned the treasure to the care of the eagle, and sealed up the room – without telling a soul.’
‘Excuse me again,’ said Kathleen. ‘I don’t understand why the treasure maps were hidden in our attic.’
‘Ah,’ said Abraham. ‘That’s the sad part. Rewi worked on this farm, for Griffith and his wife Natalia. Griffith was assigned to collect maps of all the caves in the North Island. One day he heard a story about a sacred cave deep in the valley. Rewi pleaded that the location remain unpublished. But Griffith wanted money for the secret and demanded to know why it was so special.
‘Rewi was a man of the land who had everything provided for him by nature. He had no need of jewels – he was merely their guardian. But Griffith pushed, and finally Rewi had no choice. He went to the cave and retrieved one gem, to buy the safety of the treasure. It was enough; Griffith ceased demanding answers and seemed content to hear stories about this amazing cave.
‘Rewi warned him against trying to find it alone, but when Griffith considered himself experienced enough, he set off – and was never seen again. An extensive search began. Because his caving gear was missing, the focus fell on the caves published in his collection. As the map of the sacred cave was never included, his body was never found.’
‘After his disappearance, stories circulated about Rewi and Natalia. Rewi decided it would be best if he faded away. Some say he was banished, or sailed off to war, others that he went to live with the patupaiarehe. Before he left, he did two things. The first was to leave a sealed envelope with his family, containing his will and a few select papers.’
‘What was the second?’ asked Nat.
‘To build the room in your attic,’ said Abraham. ‘A secret place where all the clues could be left, waiting for someone to assemble them again.’
‘But then he moved the treasure,’ said Elijah. ‘So she wouldn’t have found it anyway.’
‘One cave leads to the other,’ said Abraham. ‘You followed the clues. I’d like to think Natalia could have uncovered them too.’
‘So why didn’t she?’ asked Jack. ‘The letter was still sealed – she never found the room.’
‘Because,’ interrupted Mike, ‘a few months after Griffith disappeared, disaster struck again. Natalia was out caving. There was a rock fall and she was killed. My grandfather and his brothers were orphaned.’
Nat felt a pang across her chest as she absorbed the last elusive part of Natalia’s story. Now she understood why her father had been so worried when they were out adventuring.
Silence lingered in the room. Abraham produced an envelope. All eyes were on him as he pulled out a fragile piece of paper. ‘This is the last will and testament of Rewi Te Kaitiaki,’ he said. ‘He didn’t specify much, which is why this last sentence has puzzled us for years – and made us all believe.’ He looked at Nat. ‘It reads; ‘To Natalia Sheppard; two chests of ancient jewels, as gifted by the Arabian party in the time of Chief Pukunui. Location; Undisclosed.’
The room was suddenly alive with exclamation. Everyone looked at Nat and then back to Abraham. Barnaby bounced on the sofa. Mike stood up and shook his head, as if he couldn’t accept any of it, then sat back down again.
‘It’s really Nat’s?’ he said.
‘It is,’ said Abraham. ‘Technically, it’s yours, as you are the next immediate descendant of Natalia. In short, it belongs to all of you.’
‘And that’s okay?’ asked Mike.
‘Yes,’ said Abraham. ‘Rewi was part of a long line of guardians who watched over the treasure. They were known as the Protectors of the Last Valley. Natalia was also a protector. You must live here to continue the line. If the farm is sold, the line is broken, and anyone can access the valley’s riches.’
‘What kind of riches are we talking about?’ asked Mike.
‘It has been rumoured that hidden in this valley is a collection of clues and maps that will unlock the very secrets of the ancients,’ said Abraham. ‘I’m talking about vast wealth, and incredible wisdom.’
Barnaby’s eyes were shining. ‘Imagine if we could find that collection.’
‘Indeed,’ said Abraham. ‘I believe that Rewi would approve of you using the treasure to secure the farm. I can speak for both the local Maori and the Pat
upaiarehe; they have passed on their blessing. If we can find those chests, then all of us can continue Rewi’s task of looking after the valley.’
‘Sounds dangerous,’ said Mike. ‘And it’s a long shot.’
Nat was puzzling over everything she’d heard. ‘There’s still one part of the story left, isn’t there Abraham?’
‘What’s that?’ he asked.
‘How did the Cave of the Emeralds and the eagle stay hidden?’
‘Ah.’ A sadness crossed Abraham’s face. ‘Since that first cave atlas was published, the land has changed so much. Trees have been cut down and roads carved through the bush. No longer held in place by the deep roots, the rich soil washed down the hills, and filtered over the sacred places. Finally it was the elements that helped us keep our secret. A long time ago, a flood swept through the valley. High on hilltops, people huddled together, waiting for the wrath of nature to diminish. They could hear boulders being tossed about below as if they were grains of sand. When the waters subsided, everything in the upper end of the valley had changed. The mighty river had poured into the Cave of the Emeralds and made it her home. The eagle was trapped inside and was never seen again.’
Barnaby’s caving brain had been working overtime during the story. ‘I know where it is,’ he said. ‘There’s a lagoon under an alcove, right at the end of the Rehua Reserve. When the sun is high enough, the waters are a brilliant blue-green and it looks like there might be a large cavern back there.’
Abraham chuckled. ‘All these years,’ he said. ‘And a fourteen year old boy unravels this great secret.’ He smiled. ‘You’re right. That’s the entrance, leading to the eagle and the chests.’
‘Hold on,’ said Nat. ‘Do you mean we have to swim under to find the treasure?’
‘Yes,’ said Abraham.
‘Sump diving is risky,’ said Elijah.
Abraham nodded. ‘So there is a choice. We sit here safely and let Wylie go about his work. Elijah is right. There are dangers involved, and we do not want to be reckless.’
The room fell silent. Nat watched the looks pass back and forth. Jack glanced at Elijah, as if to say, danger or not, we can handle it, but Elijah’s somber expression showed he wasn’t convinced. Barnaby and Nat looked at Riki, who nodded, letting them know she’d be there in a heartbeat. Kathleen was anxious, scanning each face, and it was her voice that broke the silence.
‘If we don’t do anything,’ she said, ‘they get all the treasure. And that’s not fair.’
Mike’s voice boomed from the back of the kitchen. ‘Fair or not,’ he said, ‘someone has to keep an eye on you lot. What would your mother think of me if I let you chase a bunch of bad eggs into the bush and dive deep into a cave to search for a treasure that hasn’t been seen for a century? She’d have a fit. In the last week we’ve had one concussion, one broken arm, and Lord knows how many scrapes and near misses.’ He sat down and glared at each of them in turn. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘But I’m the boss and this whole thing is unsafe. Wylie and his cronies are ruthless. Searching for treasure already broke up one generation in our family. No more adventures. Are you all listening? You’re staying right here until the end of the holidays, and that is that.’