The Dumnonian Hoard: Rosenberg Twins Adventure #1

  * * *

  With Troy and Uncle Marty gone to the dig site, the house is quiet. Madame Duguay’s in the garden out back. She’s left me alone now that I’ve helped her with her chores. Armand’s gone into town and Josh is sprawled out on the couch with a magazine.

  I still haven’t forgotten we need to get rope for the hole we found in the cave. But where to get it...

  “Hey Sair...is it true that sixty percent of the Amazon Rainforest is in Brazil?”

  I shoot my brother a dirty look. “How should I know?”

  “I don’t know...”

  I glance at the cover of his magazine.

  National Geographic.

  “You know, you can Google that stuff, right? You don’t need to ask me?”

  I am a bitch sometimes...

  “Alright...”

  “I’m sorry,” I sigh. “It’s just...I’m so frickin’ pissed at Uncle Marty. He’s making this vacation suck completely.”

  Josh sets down his magazine and sits up on the couch. “Well, we’re pretty close to finding the Dumnonian Hoard...and that won’t suck!”

  I feel a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. “I know.”

  “We still need to find some rope so we can climb down that hole.”

  “That’s exactly what I was just thinking about. But where could we find some rope around here...”

  Josh looks thoughtful. “How about the shed out back?”

  “Oh my god! Of course! I could actually hug you right now!”

  Josh grins. “Well, don’t.”

  I laugh. “Don’t worry.” I turn and head for the back door. I can hear Madame Duguay’s radio on outside. The little portable Sony one that looks like it’s from the seventies. “Let’s go and look in the shed for some rope.”

  “I’m right behind you.”

  We hurry outside and down the steps. Madame Duguay’s on her knees, in a flower bed, picking weeds and humming along to the song on the radio.

  “Madame Duguay?”

  “Ah, oh, who’s there!?” She whirls around and pats at her chest with a gloved hand in that way old ladies do when they’ve suddenly been surprised.

  “It’s just us, Madame Duguay!”

  “Oh, heavens, you gave me a fright!” She pats her chest with one hand now and fans herself with the other.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

  “Oh, it’s alright. I know you didn’t mean to.” She seems to look at us now as though she can tell we want something. “You look like you have a question...”

  I smile nervously and look at Josh and back at Madame Duguay. “Yeah...”

  Madame Duguay smiles and picks up her trowel once more. “What is it? Are you hungry? Is it supper time already?” She turns her wrist over and glances at her watch. “No, it’s not supper yet...”

  “Madame Duguay, I was wondering if you maybe had some rope...Josh and I want to have a game of tug o’ war and I thought you might have some in the shed or something.” I glance at the shed.

  “Oh, well, I don’t know...hmm...some rope you say. Yes...perhaps...though it wouldn’t be in the shed...I believe Armand has some rope in the garage...here,” she says, getting slowly (and painfully by the looks of it) to her feet, “let me go and have a look.”

  “Oh no, Madame Duguay. Please. I don’t want to trouble you. I can go and look for it.”

  The less she knows the better. Besides, there might be some other useful things in the garage - like a flashlight - that we can bring along.

  She stops mid-step. “Oh...are you sure?”

  I nod eagerly. “Yes, I’m sure.”

  “Very well. The key is on the hook by the door.”

  “Awesome! Thanks, Madame Duguay.”

  She smiles. “You kids have fun.”

  “We will.” I turn to Josh. “Come on, let’s go.”

  Josh grins, a mischievous grin, and together we head back inside.

  “This is going to be...” I can hardly control myself right now. “All we need is some rope and we can get back there and, oh man, just imagine the look on Uncle Marty’s face when we find it!”

  “If we find it,” Josh counters as I collect the key from the hook on the wall.

  “We’re going to find it.”

  “You’re jinxing it by saying that.”

  “Oh, don’t be so superstitious.”

  Josh shrugs as we turn and head for the front door.

  “We’re going to find it,” I repeat, “and it’s going to be awesome.” We reach the door and I lead the way outside, down the front steps and around the corner to the old fashioned garage.

  It’s got a handle at the bottom with key hole and you have to unlock it and then slide the door up. Josh helps me with this and after a minute and some difficulty, we’re inside.

  “Ahhh, it’s dark in here...” I say, staggering toward the string hanging from the bulb in the ceiling.

  “Well turn on the light,” says Josh.

  “That’s what I’m doing.”

  I pull the length of string and the garage is suddenly filled with light.

  As my eyes adjust, I scan the walls for anything resembling rope. I’m half expecting to see a ball of twine somewhere. Instead, after just a few seconds I see a coil of rope hanging from a hook on the wall.

  “And there it is,” I say, feeling victorious. I make my way toward it. “And it’s good and thick too. This should be strong enough, eh?” I ask, removing the coil from the wall.

  Josh takes it from me and runs a hand across it. “Yeah...it feels pretty strong.”

  “Do you think you can climb down into that hole with this? Because I sure as hell ain’t going down there.”

  Josh looks shocked. “What? Why do I have to be the one to go down there?”

  I smile and take the coil of rope back from him. “Because you’re my brother and that’s what brothers are for.” I pull the string for the light bulb and we’re once again shrouded in darkness.

  “When are we doing this?” Josh asks as we make our way back outside, the sun feeling rather warm after being in the garage.

  “Tomorrow night I think...here, help me with this.” I toss the coil of rope aside and start heaving on the garage door handle.

  Josh adds his weight to mine and we pull it shut with a bang.

  “Tomorrow night...okay.”

  “We should do it soon,” I add, “before anyone else finds it.”

  “It’s pretty well hidden.”

  “Yeah, but you never know,” I say, taking up the coil of rope and looping it over my shoulder.

  We make our way back up the steps toward the house.

  “Where’re you going to keep that?”

  “Under my bed,” I answer, smiling at the simplicity of the whole thing.

  Josh makes a sound of approval.

  “And we’ll leave after supper, as it’s getting dark. Not too dark because we still have to find our way down to the cave, but dark enough so that Uncle Marty and Troy don’t notice we’re gone.”

  “How’re they not going to notice we’re gone?” asks Josh as I pull the front door open and step inside the Duguay’s.

  I wipe my feet on the mat.

  “We’ll just say we’re tired and going to bed early. You can play your video game in your room for awhile. I’ll read my magazine or whatever. Stuff some pillows under your blanket to make it look like you’re in it...and then climb out the window and we’ll meet outside.”

  Josh nods, looking all business-like. “And then we’ll take our bikes to the cave?”

  “You got it.”

  Josh sounds his approval once more. “I gotta say, sis, you’re pretty smart for a girl.”

  “That’s rude.” I head down the hallway, making for my room.

  “Sorry...I didn’t mean it that way.”

  I want to laugh, but content myself with a smile instead. “You don’t have to apologize. I know you say dumb things from time to time.”

  “What are you
trying to say - ”

  I go into my bedroom and shut my door.

  Oh, mom and dad, why couldn’t you have had two girls instead. It would have been so much easier to have a sister!