The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt

by Megan McDonald

  “It just popped out,” said Judy.

  “Tall Boy and Crab Girl are beating our pants off. Did they look like they were just eating breakfast? Or searching for clues? What if they already found the gold and we’re too late?”

  “Chill out, Curious George,” said Judy. “Believe me, if they found it, we’d know.” Judy dug through all the sugar packets at the table and found four with seashells for her collection.

  “Let’s look for the last piece of eight,” Stink urged. “Scurvy Sam said it would be hard. But it has to be here — it just has to.”

  “Order first,” said Mom.

  Stink stared at the menu.

  “This menu sure is crabby.”

  “You sure are crabby,” said Judy.

  “You’re crabbier,” said Stink.

  “You’re crabbiest,” said Judy.

  “You’re a she-crab,” said Stink.

  “Well, you’re a he-crab,” said Judy.

  The waiter asked, “What can I get for you folks this morning?”

  “A glass of water, please,” said Stink.

  “Me, too,” said Judy.

  “Kids,” said Mom, “you have to eat.”

  “Order cereal,” Judy told Stink. “That’s the fastest.”

  While they waited for their food, Judy and Stink nosed around, searching for the last coin hidden in a crab’s claw. There were crabs hanging in nets on the walls. There were crabby curtains, crab-shaped mirrors, crab door knockers.

  “There are ten hundred million crabs in this place,” said Judy.

  But not one single piece of silver.

  “I got it!” said Stink. “One time I saw this old movie called Mysterious Island, and these two guys, Ted and Ned or something, walk right on top of this evil giant crab under the sand. The crab attacks and grabs Ned —”

  “How do you know it was Ned?”

  “I’m just saying,” said Stink. “Anyway, listen. Ned screams while the other guy ties a rope around one of the giant crab’s claws. He flips the crab off a cliff and tosses him into a pool of super-boiling-hot water. And then they eat him.”

  “Food’s here,” Dad called to them.

  “So what’s your point?” Judy asked.

  “My point is that there could be a giant crab hidden under the sand on this island, and in his right claw could be the silver coin. Why didn’t I think of it before?”

  “Go figure,” said Judy.

  On their way out, Stink asked, “Is this the right hand of the crab?”

  “No, it’s the Crab’s Claw,” said the lady behind the counter.

  “Are you by any chance an Assistant Pirate? Do you have a silver piece of eight hidden somewhere?”

  “Not here, I’m afraid,” said the lady, shaking her head. “Sorry, kids.”

  “So what’s next?” Dad asked when they got outside.

  “Oops, I have to go back,” said Judy. “I forgot my sugar packets. And my place mat. I want to save it for my scrapbook.”

  “Hurry up!” said Stink. “We’re almost out of time.”

  A few minutes later, Judy came rushing out of the restaurant, waving her place mat in the air. “Stink! I think I found it. Take a look at this.” She held out her paper place mat for Stink to see.

  “So? It’s a place mat,” said Stink.

  “Look at what’s on the place mat,” said Judy.

  Stink looked again. “So? It’s a map.”

  Judy pointed again. “Stop being a Crabby Appleton for one second and look harder.”

  “So? It’s a map of the island.”

  “It’s a map of the island and the Atlantic Ocean and Pamlico Sound.” Judy traced her finger around the tip of land that formed Silver Lake Harbor. “Look at the shape of the island.”

  “So? It looks like —” Finally it hit him. “It looks like a giant crab claw!” Stink shrieked, jumping up and down.

  Judy clamped a hand over his mouth. “Tell the whole world, why don’t you?”

  Dad turned onto Silver Lake Drive, and they followed it around the harbor.

  “Take us out as far as you can go, Dad,” said Stink.

  “Yeah, to the tip of the crab’s claw,” said Judy.

  “We can park at the Visitor Center,” Mom suggested.

  They got out of the car and looked around. “I see a bunch of kids with maps,” Mom said. “They seem to be crossing the boardwalk over to the museum. But the tip of the island is really the old Coast Guard station. It’s the one with the bell out front, down by the water.”

  “Bell?” said Judy and Stink at the same time.

  “A bell rings,” said Stink, “but doesn’t have fingers.”

  “What do you call that thingie that hangs inside a bell?”

  “A clapper,” said Mom.

  “Or a tongue,” said Dad.

  “‘Sound without ears,’” said Stink.

  “‘Voice without tongue,’” said Judy. “I bet that bell doesn’t ring.”

  “’Cause there’s pirate booty in there.” Stink stopped in his tracks. “I think I just saw Tall Boy and Smart Girl go into the museum. What if there’s another bell in there? The right one?”

  But Judy had already taken off. “Wait for me!” cried Stink.

  They stopped in front of a large brass bell, like the Liberty Bell but without the crack. Stink pushed it. “It doesn’t ring!”

  “But look inside! Look inside!” Judy squealed. Stink stuck his head up inside the bell. “See anything?”

  “Dark,” said Stink. “Flashlight!”

  Judy dug into Stink’s backpack and pulled out the flashlight. She stuck her head inside the bell and shone the flashlight all around.

  Suddenly, the beam of light hit something shiny. A shimmer. A sparkle. Silver! A shiny silver coin was duct-taped to the inside of the bell.

  “Eureka!” said Judy.

  “Mom! Dad!” yelled Stink. “We struck gold!”

  “Well, really, we struck silver,” said Judy. “But that means we win, win, win!” Judy and Stink screamed and hugged each other. People nearby stared, squirrels skittered, and seagulls took flight.

  Judy and Stink jumped around and shouted until they were all out of breath, and collapsed in a fit of giggles. Stink got the hiccups because he laughed so hard. “I feel — hic — like I won — hic — the Olympics!” said Stink. “HIC!”

  “The Hiccup Olympics,” said Judy.

  A guy from the Coast Guard station came up and shook hands with them. “Base to Scurvy Sam,” he said into a walkie-talkie. “Come in, Scurvy Sam. We have a couple of winners.”

  Mom and Dad caught up and peered at the silver coin. “I can’t believe we beat Tall Boy and Smart Girl,” said Stink. “Just in time, too.”

  “I like how you kids stuck it out and didn’t give up,” said Dad.

  “See what can happen when you two work together?” said Mom.

  “Two brains are better than one,” said Judy.

  “Especially when it’s Scurvy-Stink-and-Mad-Molly-O’Maggot brains,” Stink said, tapping his head.

  Scurvy Stink and Mad Molly reported to Pirate Headquarters just before twelve noon. A small crowd of people had gathered, waiting.

  Stink and Judy ran up to Scurvy Sam. Stink opened his pouch and counted out all sixteen pieces of eight. Scurvy Sam’s eyes lit up brighter than the firecrackers that Blackbeard was famous for having in his beard. “Well, blow me down. If it ain’t Mad Molly and Scurvy Stink. Ain’t you two o’ the smartest urchins on the Outer Banks!”

  Scurvy Sam climbed aboard his ship and clanged the bell twelve times. “Avast, me hearties! We have us two winners!” After a big speech, Scurvy Sam climbed down and went up to Judy and Stink. He raised their hands in the air, then danced a funny hornpipe. The crowd clapped and hooted.

  “Now tell us, fer all to hear,” he said. “How’d ye do it, me mateys? What’s yer secret? Arrr.”

  “Just super-duper brain power,” said Stink, tapping his head. “And a trusty-d
usty survival kit.”

  “And a little luck,” Judy said. “Even though Stink almost got us in jail.” The crowd broke into laughter.

  Scurvy Sam presented Judy and Stink each with a shiny gold doubloon. Stink’s had a skull and crossbones and said 1587 on the back.

  “Rare,” said Judy. “Mine has pictures of Blackbeard and Anne Bonny!”

  “Whoa, it’s like a gold silver dollar,” said Stink. “Is it real?”

  “It’ll break yer teeth if ye bite it.”

  “It’s not cursed, is it?” Stink asked.

  Scurvy Sam winked. “Would an old sea dog like me curse a fellow pirate?” He turned back to the crowd.

  “That be it, mateys. Thanks be to ye one and all for makin’ the Third Annual Pirate Treasure Hunt such a dandy hoot and a holler. Now, mind ye, don’t be leavin’ without yer pirate booty! Treasure for all!” The Assistant Pirates passed out goody bags while Scurvy Sam shook hands and waved good-bye to all the treasure hunters.

  “I told you it was the bell,” said a Girl voice.

  “I know you did, but you never said which bell, and there was one inside the museum!” said a Boy voice.

  Judy’s eyes grew wide. Stink hiccupped. Tall Boy and Smart Girl!

  “You’re so lucky,” Smart Girl said to Judy and Stink. “We came all the way from Maine, and we really wanted to win.”

  “We tried way hard. We were sure we had it,” said Tall Boy.

  “Wow!” said Smart Girl, eyeing Stink’s doubloon. “Sure is shiny.”

  “Yeah,” said Stink. “There’s only one thing better than gold.”

  “What could be better than gold?” Judy asked.

  “A ride on a for-real pirate ship!” said Stink.

  “I’d give anything to ride on a pirate ship,” said Tall Boy.

  Judy looked at Stink. Stink looked at Judy. She couldn’t help feeling funny about beating them. She could tell Stink felt bad, too.

  “Actually, we can’t go for a ride on the pirate ship after all,” Judy said.

  “What!?” said Smart Girl and Tall Boy at the same time.

  “Have ye lost yer senses?” said Scurvy Sam, overhearing them.

  “Not alone, anyway. We’d be breaking Pirate Rule Number Two,” said Judy.

  “That’s right!” Stink piped in. “Pirate Rule Two says that if you find treasure, you have to share it — even-steven.”

  “By jiggers, they be right!” said Scurvy Sam. “And the punishment for breakin’ Pirate Rule Number Two be marooning ye on a desert island with nothin’ but bugs for grub.”

  “You gotta come with us,” Stink told Tall Boy and Smart Girl.

  “Save us from eating bugs,” said Judy.

  “Besides,” said Stink, “you guys kinda helped us win.”

  “We did?” asked Smart Girl, crinkling her nose.

  “We saw you guys looking through your binoculars, so we looked, too. That’s how we found the sign of the pirate.”

  “But we found it ’cause of you,” said Tall Boy. “We saw you pointing up at the sign in front of the art shop, and that made us look.”

  “But Stink heard you saying ‘X marks the spot’ at the graveyard, so he followed you,” Judy said. “That’s how we found the hourglass.”

  Smart Girl looked at Scurvy Sam. “Can we?”

  “I’d be mighty honored to have two more pirates aboard, me beauty.”

  “You mean it?” asked Smart Girl.

  “I swear it, in the name of Davy Jones.”

  “Okay, you can come,” said Stink. “But only on one condition.”

  “What’s that?” asked Tall Boy.

  “You have to clean the poop deck!” said Stink.

  “Arrgh!” moaned Tall Boy and Smart Girl.

  “Kidding!” Stink said, and everybody cracked up. Stink laughed the loudest — a laugh that could be heard on the wind, across the seven seas, and back again . . . a laugh that was sure to haunt Pirate Island for years to come.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination, or, if real, are used fictitiously.

  Text copyright © 2009 by Megan McDonald

  Illustrations copyright © 2009 by Peter H. Reynolds

  Judy Moody font copyright © 2003 by Peter H. Reynolds

  Judy Moody®. Judy Moody is a registered trademark of Candlewick Press, Inc.

  Stink®. Stink is a registered trademark of Candlewick Press, Inc.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in an information retrieval system in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, taping, and recording, without prior written permission from the publisher.

  First electronic edition 2011

  The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows:

  McDonald, Megan.

  Judy Moody & Stink : the mad, mad, mad, mad treasure hunt /

  Megan McDonald; illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. — 1st ed.

  p. cm.

  Summary: During a weekend trip to Ocracoke Island, Judy and Stink Moody take part in a pirate treasure-hunting game, in which various clues lead them to silver coins, or “pieces of eight,” hidden across the island.

  ISBN 978-0-7636-3962-4 (hardcover)

  [1. Brothers and sisters — Fiction. 2. Treasure hunt (Game) — Fiction. 3. Pirates — Fiction. 4. Ocracoke Island (N.C.) — Fiction.] I. Reynolds, Peter, date, ill. II. Title.

  III. Title: Judy Moody and Stink. IV. Title: Mad, mad, mad, mad treasure hunt.

  PZ7.M478419Jual 2009

  [Fic] — dc22 2008021533

  ISBN 978-0-7636-4351-5 (paperback)

  ISBN 978-0-7636-5861-8 (electronic)

  Candlewick Press

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  Somerville, Massachusetts 02144

  visit us at www.candlewick.com