William's Birthday and Other Stories by Martin Jarvis

Author:Martin Jarvis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pan Macmillan

WILLIAM AND THE HIDDEN TREASURE

& OTHER STORIES

Contents

William and the Hidden Treasure

William and the Snowman

Violet Elizabeth Runs Away

William Goes Shopping

“I’m going to be a millionaire when I grow up,” announced William to the Outlaws. “I’ll d’vide it with you three. We’ll all be millionaires.”

The interest of the others became less impersonal.

Then Henry said, “William, how’re we going to start gettin’ the money?”

William looked at him rather coldly.

“There’s a hundred ways of gettin’ to be millionaires. There – there’s—” then a flash of inspiration “—there’s findin’ hidden treasure. Why, when you think what a lot of pirates and smugglers there must have been, the earth must be full of hidden treasure if you know where to dig. An’ if you’ve got a map . . .”

They scuffled joyfully homewards down the lane, playing their game in which the sole object was to push someone else into the ditch. William was neatly precipitated into it by a combined attack from Ginger and Douglas.

Then they saw William sit up and take something from the hedge.

“What is it?”

“Bird’s nest.”

He was frowning thoughtfully. From among the moss and feathers he had taken a small piece of crumpled paper.

He spread it out.

“Crumbs!” he breathed. “It’s a map, of hidden treasure!”

They all tumbled down into the ditch with him. The piece of paper was crumpled but the markings on it were quite plain.

There were two circles. Under one were the words “Copper Beech”, and under the other, the word “Cedar”. And between the two circles – in the centre – was a large cross. At the bottom of the paper was written “P.M. 7.10”.

“It’s a map,” said William. “Look at it. All yellow and old. I expect that the pirate what made it jus’ threw it into the hedge when they were takin’ him off to prison, an’ it’s been here ever since . . . The cross is where the treasure is, of course.”

“I say,” said Henry. “There’s a copper beech an’ a cedar tree in Miss Peache’s garden. He must’ve buried it in Miss Peache’s garden.”

“Right,” said William. “We’ve got to find the ’xact spot, an’ dig for it. I bet it’s not as easy as it looks. He must’ve put some catch in it, so’s if anyone who wasn’t his mother or wife found the map, they wun’t be able to get hold of the treasure.”

“What does ‘P.M. 7.10’ mean?” said Ginger.

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