The Lost Treasure of Tuckernuck by Emily Fairlie Page A

Mariah was almost completely turned around in her seat, she was glaring at Laurie so hard.
    Laurie put her head on her desk. But before she did, she couldn’t help but notice Bud, staring straight ahead, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter.
    â€œSo, how does it feel to be club founder?” Bud smirked at Laurie as he filled Ponch and Jon’s water bottle.
    â€œShut up, Bud.” Laurie scowled, flinging gerbil food into the cage recklessly. Ponch and Jon scurried for the nearest toilet-paper tube to escape the unexpected sunflower seed flurries. “I am so not talking about it.”
    Bud chuckled under his breath. Chorus didn’t seem so bad anymore.
    Laurie ignored the chuckle. “Besides, the important thing is getting into that bell tower. Once we do, we can find the next clue and we’ll have the whole night to think about it.” She slammed the lid on Ponch and Jon’s cage and grabbed her backpack. “Hurry up, okay? I’m not spending the weekend wondering what’s in there.”
    Bud was learning when it was best not to argue with Laurie. He gave a salute of good-bye to the irritated rodents and hurried after Laurie toward the bell tower.
    Sign on the bell-tower door
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    WARNING
DANGEROUS AREA
NO ACCESS
AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY
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    Laurie jerked the door handle in frustration for what seemed like the fiftieth time.
    â€œI think it’s still locked, Laurie,” Bud said carefully. Laurie was going to rip her arm off if she wasn’t careful. He’d never seen it happen before, but he was sure it was possible, especially the way she was pulling at that handle.
    Laurie didn’t answer. She just jerked the door again.
    â€œWe’ll have to find another way in. I’m sure there’s a key. We’ll just get it somehow,” Bud said, trying to talk her down. Laurie had a crazed look on her face that Bud was sure wasn’t normal.
    Laurie glared at Bud and jerked the door again. “Sure, and when’s that going to be? Tomorrow? The next day? Next week? I can’t take a whole weekend of waiting, Bud!”
    Bud knew how she felt. But that wasn’t going to magically open the door. Besides, the late bus was going to leave soon, and he hadn’t even looked at his dictionary pages this week. His dad was going to be really disappointed in him.
    Bud tried not to glance at his watch. “It’ll give us time to plan and figure things out. We need to do that anyway, right? If it’s locked, it’s locked. Nothing we can do.”
    Laurie knew Bud was right. But that didn’t mean she had to like it. Especially since it was coming from Mr. Hey-Let’s-Break-Into-the-Auditorium. Nice time for him to turn all moral and law-abiding. She decided to give the door one last pull for good measure.
    â€œHey! You there—girlie, now, don’t be tugging on that door. You’re gonna hurt yourself.” An angry voice interrupted Laurie midtug.
    Laurie and Bud looked up to see a lanky, slick-haired janitor hurrying toward them with a scowl on his face. He was wearing a pair of coveralls with the name Reginald embroidered on the pocket. Laurie dropped the door handle and tried to put on her innocent face, but it was too late. Reginald had totally busted her.
    â€œNow why are you messing with that door? Can’t go in there, not a couple of kids like you. It’s dangerous. Can’t you read the sign?” Reginald shook his head at them, like he’d had high hopes for them and now those hopes were dashed.
    Bud cleared his throat. “We just wanted to look at the bells. It’s for class. A project.” The project line got them every time.
    But Reginald just pursed his lips in disgust. “Now don’t give me that line, young man. There’s not a teacher in this school who would assign you to go in there. It’s too high, and not safe. Now get away from here. I’ve got my eye on you two.