The Treasure Hunt by Rebecca Martin Page B

wouldn’t have noticed this little door if I’d just walked by,” Israel said admiringly. “It’s like a secret hideaway.”
    Levi asked eagerly, “Can we go in?”
    â€œFather said we’re not to go in, but we may open the door and peek inside,” Joe pushed the door open, and they all crowded close to take a look.
    â€œEverything is so tiny. Willie must not be a big man,” remarked Israel.
    â€œNo, he’s not even as tall as I am,” Joe replied.
    â€œIt would be fun to go in and sit on those chairs,” Levi said wistfully.
    â€œFather said we’re not to,” Joe said again. Soon he shut the door and suggested, “Shall we sit on the opposite bank?”
    The stream was so narrow that they could easily hop across. On the sun-warmed sand of the bank, they found a good spot to sit. Israel announced, “We’ve seen the teacher, Miss Price.”
    â€œOh? We heard that school’s to begin soon, but we didn’t know if the teacher had arrived,” Joe said.
    â€œWe went with Father to help get the school ready. You probably heard that they’re fixing up the Higgins’s shed. It’s really quite a nice classroom now. And the teacher will board at the Higgins’s house. Miss Price is tiny. Smaller than I am.”
    â€œOh?” Joe said again, noting that Israel was a good inch shorter than he was.
    â€œAnd not very old. Maybe not much older than I am. Well, maybe as old as your sister Lisbet.” Israel said with a grin. “Do you think Miss Price can make us listen?”
    Joe shifted uncomfortably. He wasn’t sure what he should say to that.
    Israel got to his feet. “I’m going to take another peek at that prospector’s cave.” With a single leap, he was across the creek and at the door. To Joe’s distress, he pulled it open and disappeared inside.
    Levi followed his brother into the den. Joe hopped over and stood unhappily outside the door. How he wished he hadn’t brought the Miller boys here! What if they damaged some of Willie’s belongings?
    Israel was walking stoop-shouldered around the low room, poking into every corner. He opened the stove lid. He got down on his hands and knees and peered under the bed. “I’m looking to see if he left any gold lying around,” he explained to Joe. “He did pan for gold, didn’t he?”
    â€œUh, yes,” stammered Joe. How could he get these boys out of here before they started nosing into the cupboard?
    Just then Israel reached for the cupboard door. Joe opened his mouth to tell him not to touch that cupboard, but shut his mouth before any words came out. If he said anything, Israel would certainly wonder what was inside.
    â€œHere’s a little wooden chest! Maybe this is where he keeps his gold,” Israel said.
    Joe clenched his fists. He wanted to go over and wrench the little blue-lined box out of Israel’s hands.
    Israel dumped the box upside down on the table. “Huh.It’s empty. Well, Levi, we better get out of here. Joe doesn’t look too happy with us, does he?”
    Joe bit his lip as they passed him. He wanted to go in there and check whether those little flakes of gold lay on the table. It was possible Israel just hadn’t seen them. But, of course, it wouldn’t work for him to do that now, so Joe closed the door carefully and followed the other two up the bank.
    For Joe the afternoon had been spoiled. He tried to be friendly and think of something else he and the boys could do together, but nothing was fun anymore. They ended up sitting on the lawn near Father and Samuel, who had taken two chairs outdoors to sit and visit. How relieved Joe was when the Millers left for home!
    There was no time to sneak off and set Willie’s home to rights that evening because Joe had to do the chores. Father did his best to help feed the cattle, but he still couldn’t use his right