Page 10 of Riches Beyond Measure (Golden State Treasure #3)

Seven

School was out for the summer. It was the middle of May, and they let the children have some freedom for a stretch.

And Annie was finally going on a treasure hunt. She was giddy at the thought of not teaching for a while, and grateful to Michelle for offering to care for Caroline since she and Zane were staying behind.

“Remember now, when you find whatever is at the end of Cord’s map”—Michelle spoke loud enough to reach the front of the line of riders just as they rode out—“none of you are doing the digging.”

Annie thought Lock’s shoulders almost trembled. That boy wanted to dig and that was that.

“Agreed?” Michelle put her most threatening tone into the single word.

They all rode away, soundly scolded. Professor Hardy had been infuriated about the armor being dug up by amateurs. He’d impressed them all with his scolding.

Michelle, apparently, took it to heart. The rest of them probably weren’t quite so willing to be obedient.

Annie said, “Professor Hardy’s scolding is clear in my ears still even after he’s been gone for weeks. You should not have dug up the armor. He wants to go over the site himself.”

“We dug it up because I knelt on something sharp and found the helmet. We didn’t know what it was at the time.

He can’t fault us for that.” Josh glanced over his shoulder and grinned.

He was enjoying arguing with her. “Besides, Professor Hardy hadn’t had a chance to scold us yet.

” Josh seemed to be glad he’d annoyed the arrogant archeologist.

“I think he was just mad that we didn’t leave things alone, so he could dig them up himself and claim he’d found the treasure,” Thayne said. “He’d’ve probably tried to keep it for himself, too. We made some money on those suits of armor, and Hardy wanted that money for himself.”

Annie considered that and wondered if Thayne had the right idea.

“I don’t think he needs money, though some never think they have enough,” said Cord.

He brought up the rear, with their horses strung out five in a row.

“I’d guess there is fame to be gained by finding things like that armor, at least in academic circles.

It struck me that he was maybe hoping to go back to teaching in the fall with his name attached to a big find like the armor. ”

Hardy was a professor at the University of the Pacific, where Ellie had gone to college.

He ran the History Department. But when Tilda wanted to talk about California history, especially Captain Cabrillo, her ancestor, Hardy had rolled his eyes and turned up his nose at her.

And when it came out that her background included being an orphan, one who hadn’t much formal education, he was outright rude.

He’d been lucky that Josh hadn’t kicked him off the ranch. Michelle had noticed his arrogance and muttered under her breath about education being wasted on the man.

All in all, it amounted to Annie wondering if they should trust the professor. Was he interested in history and research, or was he interested in his own fame and fortune? They’d decide how to handle him once they found what they were looking for.

Josh was leading the group. He didn’t like leaving Tilda behind, who was dealing with morning sickness, but Brody promised he’d watch over her.

Brody himself had to remain behind to watch over Harriet, and Gretel was getting close to delivering her own baby.

As for Ellie, who had three months to go before her baby was to be born, she’d had labor pains last night.

Brody had her tucked into bed and ordered her to stay there.

Annie figured herself to be good at reading a trail. Thayne, Lock, and Cord had gone on earlier hunts, yet no one thought they could find their way along the mapped-out trail without Josh.

He had led every hunt so far, but he’d refused to go until Tilda said Josh’s nervous hovering made her nausea worse, so he agreed to join the hunt. He was a little moody, though.

Lock, then Thayne followed Josh. Nothing could have stopped them from being as near to the front of the line as they were.

Annie and then Cord came next.

Annie figured she was better in the wilderness than he was, but she worried it’d pinch his manly pride to insist on being last, and no danger was obvious.

Of course, it hadn’t been obvious on previous excursions, but she hoped it was safe enough.

She still wasn’t sure why Cord had decided it was time to go on this hunt, except maybe it just was.

She looked over her shoulder at him. “What made you say it was time for the treasure hunt?”

“Whoever stole the armor and discarded it in the brush, but kept the dagger, well, it struck me that too many people are aware of our treasure hunt. We need to get this over with. It’s spring now, which is what we were waiting for.

I’m hoping this one last trip will uncover everything.

We’ll get it all situated in the museum or on loan to private collections, and then there’ll be no more danger.

No more gold fever. Life can finally return to normal. ”

Annie thought he had it exactly right. So here they were, working their way into the mountains and forests.

She was fascinated by the green pool they’d come across on the first leg of the search.

They’d paused and talked in solemn tones about Graham MacKenzie, lying there dead in a cave.

As for taking his body back to the Two Harts to bury him, the timing never seemed to be right.

Before long they rode through a beautiful stone arch and reached the burial place where they’d found the armor—the location where Cord’s map started. By then it was time to camp for the night.

“I hope tomorrow we can ride straight for the end of that map.” Josh had a fire going and coffee boiling while Annie cut up jerky and potatoes and onions to make stew.

“So there are just the five graves here?” Annie looked around. The last group searching the area had placed a good-sized stone over each grave.

“That’s right,” Thayne said. “Grandpa’s map led us here. But what were five men doing out here? And what does it mean that Grandpa drew a map, too?”

“We left the bones behind and just took the armor,” Lock said.

Annie thought the boy showed a serious lack of sensitivity. “I wonder what Professor Hardy thinks he could have found here that you didn’t.”

She meant that sincerely, but the men nodded without seeming to give it much thought, then quickly turned their attention back to the map Thayne and Lock had been studying.

“We know exactly where Grandpa Graham made a mining claim,” Lock said.

“And Josh studied up on those lines of ... well, whatever they are.” Thayne turned the map he held sideways, then upside down.

“Latitude and longitude. It’s something we use in sailing, but they help to find your way on land too, if you know how to use them.”

“Can you teach us how to figure those things, Uncle Josh?” Lock poked sticks into the fire beneath Annie’s stewpot.

“Sure I can,” he replied. “Maybe the other youngsters in school would like to learn about latitude and longitude as well. It’s a mighty useful skill to have.”

“We grown-ups should probably think more about what knowledge we can pass on to those coming up behind us,” Annie said.

“Michelle told me today she’s ordered a piano. It’s to be shipped here by train in the next few weeks. She thinks I should teach piano lessons.” Cord shrugged. “I can play the piano all right, though I’ve never tried teaching it to someone else.”

“You also worked at a bank, Cord.” Annie began scooping stew onto plates and handing them around.

“You could teach our students about keeping account books and balancing totals. And maybe if you find a child sufficiently interested, you could help them get a job someday at your grandpa’s bank.

Michelle’s going to teach them Morse code.

” She hesitated, then added more quietly, “I myself am going to quit teaching.” But everyone heard her just fine, and they jerked their heads around to stare at her.

“You are?” Lock’s dismay was sweet. “But I’ve got a few years left still, Aunt Annie. Can’t you keep teaching a little longer?”

Thayne said, “I’m done with school, I think. Brody found a doctor college near San Jose. I can start going there in the fall.”

“Look what that did for Ellie when she went to school there for a while.” Lock sounded as if he was hunting for a reason for his brother to stay with him. “She quit to get married, and then her fiancé broke her heart and tried to kill all of us.”

“If he was that upset about losing her, he shouldn’t have broken her heart.” Thayne shook his head. They all knew Loyal Kelton, locked up now in San Quentin Prison. Only the gold coins in Brody’s pocket had shielded his heart from what would have been a fatal gunshot.

“I wanted to go to the music conservatory there,” Cord said thoughtfully. “The University of the Pacific was close to Sacramento. But Grandpa said no.”

“I’m not sure what college could have done for you, Cord.” Josh moved back just a bit from the warmth of the fire. “You’re the best piano player I’ve ever heard. Not that I’ve heard many, but you’re really good. It’s hard to imagine you getting much better at it.”

“Are you sure you’re ready for college, Thayne?

You didn’t go to school all that much when you were growing up.

” Annie had done her best to fill in the gaps of his spotty education.

She reminded herself that he’d gone to school in Boston through the winter, so maybe he was caught up now.

Still, he was seventeen years old—a little young to start college.

“You may want to quit being a teacher, Annie,” Cord said, “but you’re a natural at it. Anyone here can tell that you’re worried about Thayne and Lock’s education.” He then smiled at her in a way that confused and warmed her heart at the same time.