Treasure Fever! by Andy Griffiths

them out as if that’s really the case.’
    â€˜ARM WRESTLING!’ yelled Gretel.
    â€˜ICE-CREAM!’ yelled Jack.
    â€˜BANDAIDS!’ yelled Newton.
    â€˜FRIENDS!’ yelled Jenny.
    â€˜I still can’t hear you!’ said Mr Brainfright. ‘Stand up on your desks and tell me again!’
    â€˜ARM WRESTLING!’ yelled Gretel.
    â€˜ICE-CREAM!’ yelled Jack.
    â€˜BANDAIDS!’ yelled Newton.
    â€˜FRIENDS!’ yelled Jenny.
    Mr Brainfright was smiling broadly. ‘That’s better!’ he said. ‘Now, keep repeating those words while everybody else gets up on their desks and yells out one of their own favourite things!’
    â€˜Will we be tested on this?’ asked Fiona.
    â€˜Yes,’ said Mr Brainfright. ‘The happier you feel, the better your mark.’
    â€˜But how will you know?’ said Fiona.
    â€˜I won’t,’ said Mr Brainfright. ‘But you will.’
    â€˜Huh?’ said Fiona. ‘What sort of test is that?’
    â€˜The most important sort!’ said Mr Brainfright. ‘But don’t take my word for it. Try it out and see for yourself.’
    Nobody needed any further encouragement.
    Every single 5C student climbed onto their desk and began yelling out their favourite thing at the top of their voice.
    â€˜CHOCOLATE!’
    â€˜WEEKENDS!’
    â€˜MOVIES!’
    â€˜COMPUTERS!’
    â€˜PENGUINS!’
    â€˜PONIES!’
    â€˜MOTORBIKES!’
    â€˜GRANDMOTHERS!’
    â€˜PONIES!’
    â€˜POTATO CHIPS!’
    â€˜DINOSAURS!’
    â€˜MUSIC!’
    â€˜MUD!’
    â€˜PIRATES!’
    â€˜TREASURE!’
    The students were making more noise than the storm that continued to rage outside. This fact didn’t go unnoticed by Mrs Cross, who appeared at the door of the classroom, red-faced and puffing.
    â€˜I’m trying to teach algebra!’ she yelled.
    â€˜Now that’s one that nobody has mentioned so far,’ said Mr Brainfright.
    â€˜ALGEBRA!’ yelled Fiona.
    Mrs Cross looked at Fiona. ‘You used to be such a nice, quiet girl, Fiona,’ she said. ‘What happened?’
    â€˜ALGEBRA!’ Fiona shouted again.
    Mrs Cross shook her head and turned her attention back to Mr Brainfright. ‘This is all your doing!’ she scolded. ‘This was a quiet, orderly school until you arrived.’
    â€˜Quiet and orderly does not necessarily mean that the students are learning anything,’ countered Mr Brainfright.
    â€˜I can’t see that they are learning anything standing on their desks and yelling at the top of their voices!’ Mrs Cross cried. ‘I may be old-fashioned, Mr Brainfright, but I believe learninghappens
at
desks, not
on
them. I’ll be reporting this to Principal Greenbeard. If you can’t keep order, I’m sure that he can!’
    Mrs Cross turned on her heels and marched towards the door.
    â€˜ALGEBRA!’ shouted Fiona, triggering another enthusiastic round of shouting amongst the class.

29
A brilliant idea

    Fortunately, the sun came out at lunchtime.
    Unfortunately, Skull Island was covered with fifth-grade treasure seekers all desperately digging with sticks, rulers, pens, pencils and even their bare hands.
    Jenny, Gretel, Jack, Newton and I stood at the bottom and watched. Grant wasn’t with us. He was too busy repairing his buried-treasure detector to look for real buried treasure.
    â€˜We have to stop them!’ said Jack. ‘They’re trying to steal our treasure!’
    Jenny was frantic.
    â€˜I’m so sorry, so sorry. I’m such an idiot. I’ve ruined everything,’ she said. ‘They’re going to find it before we do—and it’s all my fault!’
    â€˜Don’t worry,’ I said. ‘We’ll find it.’
    â€˜Find what?’ said a voice behind me.
    I turned around.
    It was Fred.
    â€˜I don’t know what you’re talking about,