Battle of the Brightest

by Hope McLean

  Aaron slumped in his chair. “But there’s no hint about where the treasure is hidden,” he groaned. “We’re no better off than we were before.”

  “If the treasure was hidden, why didn’t he or somebody else get it after the war?” Willow asked. “Or maybe someone did and all this is for nothing.”

  Isabel shook her head, her short blond hair swinging around her face. “I have done some research on Samuel Lindley. He died in 1780, three years before the war ended.”

  Veronica leaned forward on the table, her eyes gleaming. “Maybe he took the secret of where the treasure was hidden to the grave with him. It could still be hidden away after all these years.”

  Ryan nodded. “It’s a possibility. But where is it hidden?”

  Lili snapped her fingers. “What if there is a code in the note, kind of like a hidden message or something? Like the Memento Mori sent to Eli. Lindley would have wanted Martha to know where the treasure was, right?”

  Isabel and Erin both spoke at the same time: “I love codes!” They looked at each other in surprise and everyone burst out laughing.

  “Maybe they are long-lost sisters,” Aaron joked.

  Isabel handed over her tablet to Erin, who grabbed a notebook out of her backpack. “It helps if I write it out line by line. Makes you pay attention to each and every letter.”

  She began to write as Isabel leaned over her shoulder, watching every letter carefully. “It could be an acrostic puzzle,” Isabel suggested eagerly.

  Erin continued to write, her lips pursed in concentration. “Maybe, but if so, it’s not hidden in the first paragraph.”

  “What’s an acrostic puzzle?” Veronica wondered as the girls worked.

  “It’s when a recurring feature in the written words spells out a word or message,” Aaron, the Rivals’ arts and literature expert, explained. “Like the first word of every sentence or paragraph.”

  Lili nodded in agreement. “It’s a form of poetry, too.”

  Erin dropped her pen and looked at Isabel, who was grinning from ear to ear. “We did it! We did it!” Erin shouted.

  Ms. Keatley and Mr. Haverford looked over at them, startled. “What did you do, Erin?” Mr. Haverford asked.

  “Um, we ate all the pizza,” Erin said quickly. “I’m a lifetime member of the clean plate club so that makes me happy.”

  The teachers laughed and returned to their conversation.

  “What did you find?” Willow asked impatiently.

  “The first letter of every sentence in the second paragraph spells out the name of a place,” Isabel shared, as Erin held up her notebook.

  Moreover, I want to assure you of my dedication to the peace and liberty we have so long contended. Over time our cause will be victorious. Understandably the strain of war leaves much sorrow. Now is the time to remain ever hopeful. The tumultuous days ahead cannot be avoided, but know I have done everything possible to aid you. Virginia has no British troops upon its soil at this time. Everything points to triumph. Report back when you are able, as I am most eager to hear any news. Night is falling and I bid you good evening. Our only course is to bear our burdens patiently. Never forget that I am your dutiful servant, always.

  They all leaned over to read it. Jasmine gasped with excitement.

  “The treasure is hidden at Mount Vernon!” she cried.

  “Shhh,” Willow warned. “What if Arthur Atkinson is listening?”

  “I don’t blame her. This is amazing,” Aaron said. “I mean, it’s right there in the letter. Mount Vernon, the famous home of George and Martha Washington.”

  Excited, Erin bolted out of her chair, knocking it over. “Let’s go!” she cried.

  Ms. Keatley looked up and frowned. “We’re not done eating yet, Erin.”

  “Oh yeah, right. Sorry!” Erin tried to keep her legs from running out the door. “I’ll just sit and wait.” She righted her chair and sat back down in it, tapping her feet impatiently.

  “Smooth move,” Ryan leaned over and whispered.

  Lili stuck up for her friend. “But this is big news!”

  Erin’s feet ricocheted along the floor. “Mount Vernon is not too far from here. We could be there in under an hour!”

  “It’s nighttime, Erin. Mount Vernon is closed to visitors now,” Willow reminded her. “But you’re right. We should go and investigate ASAP.”

  Erin let out a big exhalation of air. Her feet stopped tapping. “Okay. But how do we get there?”

  Ryan and Willow exchanged grins, both thinking the same thing. “No problem!” Ryan said. He walked over to the booth Ms. Keatley and Mr. Haverford were sitting in, Willow right behind him.

  “We had an idea,” Ryan said, smiling. “We were all just talking about how field trips are a great way to study.”

  “Immersion learning!” Willow chimed in. “It’s been working really well for us.”

  “Learning from experience is highly effective,” Ms. Keatley said while Mr. Haverford nodded in agreement.

  “To prepare for Nationals, we’d all like to visit Mount Vernon together,” Ryan said. “Could we take a field trip?”

  “That’s a wonderful idea.” Mr. Haverford beamed. He looked hopefully at Ms. Keatley. “What do you think? We could take the Atkinson Prep van and all ride down together.”

  “How about this weekend?” Ms. Keatley replied.

  Mr. Haverford opened the calendar on his smartphone. “Does Saturday work for you?”

  Ms. Keatley nodded. “It’s a date!” she said. As soon as she realized what she had said, her cheeks began to turn red. “I mean, it’s a date for us to take our students there, of course.”

  Mr. Haverford smiled at her. “Of course,” he said.

  “Yuck!” Ryan whispered in Willow’s ear and she giggled.

  “I’ll be in touch with your parents to get permission slips signed,” Ms. Keatley said.

  Willow and Ryan returned to their chairs and waited until Ms. Keatley and Mr. Haverford were deep in conversation again before speaking.

  “Today is Wednesday,” Willow said. “That gives us a couple of days to try to work out the clues from the ruby, diamond, emerald, and sapphire. If we can figure that out, we’ll know what to look for when we get to Mount Vernon.”

  Ryan frowned. “I just thought of something. My uncle’s computer calendar gets automatically updated with all field trips. If he sees we’re all going to Mount Vernon together, he’ll be suspicious. What should we do?”

  “Maybe Eli could use his computer wizardry and wipe it off the calendar?” Lili suggested.

  “Does he know how to do something like that?” Ryan asked.

  “Eli can do anything,” Lili said confidently.

  “Okay, talk to Eli and let us know what he says,” Willow told Lili. “Everyone else, keep researching. If you find anything out, text us.”

  * * *

  The next afternoon, Willow sat at her desk in her bedroom, her door shut to keep out her three little brothers. She was trying to study for the quiz bowl Nationals, but her mind kept wandering back to Mount Vernon and the clues etched on the gems. What could they mean?

  She let out a big sigh before turning the volume up on the online radio station she was streaming. A little background music always helped her to concentrate. She hummed along as she read the sample math questions Ms. Keatley had given her. Willow was surprised at how much she was beginning to like the Rivals, especially Ryan. But no matter how good friends they might become, she still wanted to beat them at Nationals, and the competition was only a few weeks away. She had to focus!

  She managed to work her way through a couple of sample questions before her eyes fell on the map of Mount Vernon Estate she had spread out earlier on her desk. Hmmm, she thought, the main part of the estate is sort of a circle shape. Her eyes went back to her paper and the next sample question, this one about geometry. She stared at the circle on the page. Circles. It made her think of the first clue etched on the ruby: 110°. If the little circle wa
s a degree mark, it could refer to a point on a circle, like one hundred and ten degrees.

  She sat up straight and shut the radio off. I think I’m on to something, she thought. She pushed the study papers aside and pulled the map directly in front of her. If you assume that zero degrees is at the very top center of the map, then one hundred and ten degrees would be — she ran her finger down the map — right here! Her finger had stopped at a point in Mount Vernon Estate right by the path leading to the fruit garden.

  She tapped the map excitedly. If they started at this spot, the other clues might lead to the exact location of the treasure. Maybe, just maybe, she could be right! Willow grabbed her phone.

  I think I’ve got it, she texted to all of her friends — even the Rivals. I know where we should look when we get 2 MV!

  The next day after school Willow met with Ryan at Café X to talk about her discovery. She spread the map of Mount Vernon out on the table and showed Ryan how she came to her conclusion.

  “So if the small circle after one hundred and ten is a degree mark, it would put us right here.” She pointed to the path leading to the fruit garden.

  Ryan let out a low whistle and sat back in his chair. “Wow. I never would have thought of that. I’m impressed, Willow.”

  Willow smiled proudly. “It’s not for sure. We’ll have to figure out what the E-fifty and N–two hundred mean. And then there’s that Pythagorean symbol on the sapphire.”

  “The E and N could stand for east and north,” Ryan suggested. “So maybe you need to walk that number of feet or paces in either direction.”

  Willow smacked a palm to her forehead. “Duh! Why didn’t I think of that?”

  “If you hadn’t thought of the degrees, I never would have gotten that idea,” Ryan said. “We’re a good team. That’s why I wanted your help.”

  They both grinned at each other for a moment before Willow said, “I talked to Lili. Eli said he couldn’t delete the field trip from Atkinson’s calendar, but he could move it to a different date. He’s going to put it to next Saturday, not this one.”

  Ryan frowned. “I hope that throws him off the trail, at least for a little while. Even so, we’ll have to be careful and keep an eye out for him.”

  Willow took out her phone and started texting. “I’m going to send a group message out to everyone to let them know what we’ve figured out so far. Too bad no one else could make it. Jasmine has a dance class, Lili is at an art club meeting, and Erin was forced into going to her sister Mary Ellen’s ice-skating competition.”

  “It’s hard to remember sometimes, but we do have actual lives outside all of this jewels drama.” Ryan sighed. “I guess life will get back to normal once we find the treasure.”

  But he didn’t look happy about it, and neither did Willow. They both laughed out loud after noticing each other’s sad faces.

  “It has been fun,” Willow admitted.

  “And exciting!” Ryan added.

  Willow’s phone beeped when she received a text message. “It’s from Erin,” she explained to Ryan. “She said she has a lead on the clue on the sapphire. She’ll tell us on the trip to Mount Vernon. “

  “Every last bit of information helps,” Ryan said solemnly. “We have to do anything we can to find the treasure before my uncle does!”

  * * *

  Saturday morning dawned sunny and bright, with only a few fluffy white clouds dotting the sky. The Jewels and Ms. Keatley stood in front of Martha Washington School, waiting for the Rivals to pick them up.

  “Today’s the big day,” Lili whispered to the others so Ms. Keatley wouldn’t overhear her. “I wonder what we’ll find!”

  Jasmine bit her lip. “I don’t want to get my hopes up, but I have such a good feeling. It’s like I can just tell something is out there, waiting for us to find it.”

  “No matter what, we’ll know we tried our best,” Willow whispered back to her friends.

  Erin nodded. “If the Jewels can’t do it, no one can!”

  A shiny white van with blue lettering that read “Atkinson Preparatory School” pulled into the driveway. Mr. Haverford parked the car and hopped out, walking toward Ms. Keatley with a big smile on his face.

  “Your chariot awaits,” he said with a bow. The girls stifled giggles as Ms. Keatley got into the front passenger seat. Mr. Haverford slid the large van doors open for them and the girls climbed inside. Isabel, Veronica, and Aaron sat in the rear row. Ryan sat in the middle and scooted over to make room for Willow and Jasmine, while Erin and Lili took the front row.

  After buckling up, Erin leaned over her seat and spoke in a low voice to the others.

  “I can’t believe it took me this long to figure it out,” Erin said. “The symbol on the sapphire — the Pythagorean theorem — it’s a symbol the Masons use!”

  “Of course!” Isabel added. “And George Washington was a Mason.”

  “What’s a Mason?” Veronica wondered.

  “It’s the name for someone who is a member of the Freemasons, a fraternal organization for men, first formed in the sixteenth century. It still exists today,” Isabel explained. “There’s lots of mystery surrounding the early Masons, including hidden symbols on everything from the dollar bill to the Capitol building.”

  Aaron frowned. “That’s interesting and all, but how does it help us understand the clues?”

  Ryan shook his head. “It doesn’t, but maybe it will mean something when we get to Mount Vernon.”

  Jasmine rubbed the side of her nose nervously, while Veronica twisted anxiously in her seat. After what seemed like forever, the van pulled into a parking lot at Mount Vernon. The Rivals and the Jewels exchanged excited glances. It was time to find out if they had guessed right.

  Ms. Keatley’s eyes gleamed as they walked to the main entrance. “We’re in for a treat!” she said. “Dozens of the original buildings used in the Washingtons’ time still stand today. It’s truly like stepping back in history!”

  Their first stop was the orientation center, where they watched an exciting movie about George Washington. It was hard to concentrate, though, knowing what lay ahead. Erin drummed her fingers impatiently on the arm of her chair. “Did you and Isabel figure out how to distract them?” Willow leaned over and whispered to her, nodding at Ms. Keatley and Mr. Haverford.

  Erin gave a huge grin before answering. “No problemo. We got a great idea on how to do it from the Martha Washington book we were looking at the other day.”

  They left the visitor’s center and joined the crowds of tourists walking down the pathway, admiring the green lawns and early spring flowers. Willow sprang into action.

  “Since the weather is so warm today, can we start in the fruit gardens and work our way back?” Willow asked Ms. Keatley.

  Their advisor shrugged her shoulders and looked at Mr. Haverford. “That’s fine with me. In fact, it’s a good plan. We’ll beat the crowds that way, because it looks like most everyone else is heading toward the upper gardens first. Is that okay with you?” she asked Mr. Haverford.

  He grinned at Willow. “Excellent suggestion.”

  They started out on the path that looped around the estate, heading toward the fruit gardens. When they reached the middle of the path, they had a perfect view of the Mount Vernon mansion across the large lawn. It was an impressive white brick house with a red roof and majestic columns.

  “Beautiful,” Lili said, her eyes wide as she took in the structure. She felt like sitting on the grass and sketching the mansion, but knew they were there on a mission. She sighed. Maybe another time.

  Ms. Keatley and Mr. Haverford walked slowly behind the kids. They were deep in conversation and Ryan gave Willow a wink. This would make putting their plan into action a lot easier!

  They passed the paddock that housed sheep, horses, and — a little farther up — pigs. Lili sniffed the air. “It smells like Eli’s gym socks.” She pinched her nose.

  Willow had the map open in her hands when she stopped suddenly. “
We’re close,” she whispered. Ryan nodded at Erin and Isabel. It was time for them to distract Ms. Keatley and Mr. Haverford while the others went in search of the treasure.

  “Marie Antoinette was way more beautiful than Martha Washington!” Isabel whirled toward Erin, shouting. “Martha was an old frump!”

  Erin snorted. “And you call yourself a history expert? Everyone knows now that Martha was not only a shrewd estate manager, but really pretty. Marie Antoinette may have been cute, but she wasn’t that bright.”

  “Ha!” Isabel yelled. “Of course you’re going to side with the American. What you know about French history I can fit in my little finger.” She jabbed her pinky menacingly into Erin’s face.

  The two carried on as Mr. Haverford and Ms. Keatley rushed over. He looked at Ms. Keatley and shook his head. “Arguments over history? I didn’t know that refereeing them was part of our job description.”

  It was the perfect distraction. While the two advisors tried to calm Erin and Isabel’s fake feud, Willow ran toward the edge of the fruit garden that matched the hundred and ten degree point on the map. Jasmine, Lili, and the rest of the Rivals quickly followed behind her.

  If they were right, the treasure was only two hundred fifty paces away!

  Erin and Isabel could still be heard shouting in the distance when Willow skidded to a halt. “This is the spot that’s equal to one hundred ten degrees on the estate map,” she said, panting slightly.

  “Two hundred paces north!” Ryan said at the exact moment Jasmine said “Fifty paces east!” They exchanged confused glances.

  “We’ve got to go east first, then north,” Jasmine quickly explained. “In all the references to the jewels we’ve ever found in letters or diaries they are listed in the same order: ruby, diamond, emerald, and sapphire. So if one hundred ten degrees from the ruby is the first clue, then the E-fifty from the diamond has to be the second,” she insisted.

  “Smart thinking,” Ryan agreed.