Celtic Run by Sean Vogel

Author:Sean Vogel [Vogel, Sean]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Adventure, Young Adult, Thieves, Spanish Armada, danger, scrapes, connect, Ireland, chase, clue-hunting, nemesis, Zach, sailboat, treasure, ingenious devices, Dingle, injured, class bully, lucky, clue, Jake, Dingle Peninsula, gadget whiz, wisecracks, accident, concocting, 400-year-old mystery, riches, piece
ISBN: 9780985081409
Publisher: MB Publishing, LLC
Published: 2012-04-25T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

Jake yawned and trudged upward, still tired from having helped Maggie with her early-morning chores.

She hiked up the rocky path, keeping a few steps ahead of him, with an ease that made Jake vow to beef up his workout routine when he returned home.

He tried to focus on the terrain as opposed to Maggie’s legs. She was wearing knee-high socks with a plaid skirt, and watching it swish back and forth was making him blush—and the strenuous hike more enjoyable.

“Your backpack looks fuller today,” she called back to him. “What’d you pack?”

“Rain poncho. Learned my lesson.”

“A good Irishman loves the rain—has to, since he sees it practically every day!” Maggie grinned, slowing to admire a patch of yellow flowers.

Jake thought for a moment about the rainy days in New York. He had always liked to go outside and walk in the rain when everyone else was running for cover. Maybe I am Irish. He stopped next to Maggie and checked the map, using the break to catch his breath. “We’re almost there. Whatever the window is, it should be around here somewhere.”

“Well, come on then. Let’s go.”

An hour later, they crested the final summit. The soreness from the hike vanished as Jake drank in the view below—an emerald patchwork quilt of farms, creeks, and flagstone cairns on one side and miles of blue ocean on the other.

Maggie twirled around. “Wow, you can see a long way from up here.”

“Look!” Jake pointed to a rock formation behind her. Dozens of gigantic boulders had toppled from the peak of the hill. One had landed atop two others, forming a natural stone window frame.

Maggie squealed and raced toward it, with Jake following closely behind and scanning for clues. An unexpected shower took them by surprise, but their excitement trumped any worry.

Maggie stood next to the formation and peered in every direction. “Fifty steps,” she said. “But which way?”

“Toward Spain, I’d guess.” He took out his compass to orient himself.

A deep voice came up from behind them, and Jake froze.

“What was that?” Maggie whispered.

“Shhh.” Jake grabbed her and led her behind the boulders. They crouched, listening for more.

“The boss’d better be right. I’m fed up walkin’ through the middle of nowhere,” said a familiar gruff voice.

Jake squinted through the gaps between the rocks. “There’re two of them,” he whispered to Maggie. “I think they’re the ones from the church. But the big one is definitely that guy Malic, who tried to mug Julie and me.”

Maggie’s eyes widened with fear. “Were they following us?”

Jake shrugged and watched as the men turned in their direction.

“Can you see the other one? Is he the one who met my da?” Maggie asked.

“I can’t tell from here.”

“I have to know!” She tried to crawl to a better spot, but Jake reached for her.

“No, Maggie, stop!”

She inched closer. Resting her knee on a pile of stones, she lost her balance when she leaned too far forward. The small stones scattered beneath her, and the hard crunching sound seemed to ricochet across the peninsula.

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