The Falcon Street Club

Chapter 1: Planning the Future

The Falcon Street Club was changing. Drew's father had purchased a farm outside of Colby with some of the money he had received from his invention, so it looked like Drew would be moving away. Jordie, Tim and Riley felt sad. "Don't worry," said Drew with a smile. "My dad says you can all come out and visit whenever you want, and we'll still see each other at school.” Their new house was close enough for the boys to ride their bikes. Still, Falcon Street wouldn’t be the same without Drew.

Money had changed all of their lives in one way or another. Jordie’s parents had started a college fund for him, even though he wasn’t sure he wanted to go to college. Most days, he didn’t even like getting out of bed for school!

Riley’s folks talked about investing his portion in something that would earn extra money for him while it sat in the bank. Then, once he reached the age of eighteen, he could take it out and do whatever he wanted with it. Tim’s parents were confident that he would make the right decisions with his share once he got older. He always had a good degree of common-sense regarding money.

Tim continued to build his yard work operation and would take some of the cash he'd made on the weekends and put it right back into the business again. His father said he was happy to see him putting so much effort into a "fine, promising business." He had already invested in a shiny new lawnmower, two rakes, a set of clippers and an edger. He decided to buy a little cart that he could pull along behind him as he pushed the mower from yard to yard.

On both sides of the cart, he had painted Tim’s Yard Service in bold, black letters. He planned to add snow shoveling to his services once the winter weather returned. Tim’s dad was proud of his ambitious son, calling him a “chip off the old block.”

Chapter 2: Mower Mishap

One Sunday afternoon, Riley asked Tim if he needed some help with his yard work. "Sure," replied Tim. "You can pull the cart if you want." Tim pushed the mower to Mrs. Pike's house, one of his regular customers. "Hey, I wanna push the mower today, okay?" Riley begged. "Well-l, I dunno. It's pretty hard to do, and ya gotta be real careful," Tim warned.

Mrs. Pike's house sat on a corner lot. It reminded Riley of a park. Several trees and bushes dotted the yard, shading the lush, green grass. There were lots of hills, some steeper than others, that ran along a stone path that led to the front door. On one side of the yard lay a beautiful stone pond. The water glistened in the sun as brightly colored koi swam through it gracefully. "Wow!" shouted Riley. "Look at the cool fish. They're huge!"

Tim pushed the mower to the edge of the yard. "C'mon, let me try it," Riley persisted. Tim finally gave in. He stood behind Riley and put his hand out, drawing an imaginary line in front of him. "Now, go in a straight line like this, starting here. Be careful on that slope." "I know, I know," Riley said, annoyed at Tim's instructions.

As Tim fired up the lawnmower, Riley took hold of the handlebar and began walking in a line. The mower proved to be a bit heavier than he had anticipated. As Riley pushed it, it began to pick up speed once he reached a slope in the yard. "Whoa," he yelled over the sound of the motor. The weight of the machine began to pull him down the hill. "Stop!" cried Tim as he began to run after Riley. Suddenly, Riley tripped and fell, letting go of the mower. It rolled faster and faster as it headed down the steep hill. Before Tim could take hold of it, the boys looked on in horror as it headed straight for the koi pond.

Tim yelled, putting his hands up to his head. "Noo!" Riley jumped up and ran after the mower. It clipped a row of large stones edging the pond, which caused it to turn and start heading back towards the boys again. "Ahh! It's gonna get me!" Yelled Riley as he scrambled up the hill. The mower didn't stop until it careened right through the flower bed, destroying everything in its path. "Ahhh, dang it!" yelled Tim. Riley ran to the mangled flowers. "I'm sorry. It was too heavy. I couldn't stop it!"

They picked up the petals and broken stems. Tim stepped up to the porch and knocked on the door. "Well, hello, Tim," and how is it going today?" asked the elderly woman with a smile. Tim held up what was left of her petunias. "I'm sorry, it was an accident." The woman opened the door and stepped onto the porch. "Oh my," she exclaimed as her eyes scanned the battered flower bed. "Well, accidents happen," she sighed, "but I appreciate you bringing it to my attention."

Tim offered to deduct the day's work in exchange for the damaged flowers. "So, am I fired?" Riley asked as they loaded up the cart. Tim snickered, "Well, no, but maybe you'd better stick to raking next ti

Chapter 3: The Farmhouse

Soon, a moving day had arrived for Drew and his dad. The boys agreed to help, so they all loaded up Mr. Wasco's pickup truck and headed out of Colby. The property sat on a dusty, dirt road just outside of town. It was a beautiful little farm. An old, red barn stood at the back with plenty of room for horses, cows, and whatever other animals Drew's dad might want. The yard had several apple trees that lined a fence spanning the entire acreage of the farm.

The house was large and airy. It had a little screened porch that looked east over the great plains, making it a perfect place to watch the sunrise. Near the front gate stood a large oak tree just like the one in Drew’s old yard.

“Hey guys, we could build a big clubhouse right there,” Drew said, pointing to the tree. “You could ride your bikes out.” Drew’s father thought that was a splendid idea and offered to help them build it once they got settled. He had quit his job and would now devote his full time to his inventions.

Inside the farmhouse, the sunlight streamed in from the many windows, casting a warm haze over the old, wooden floor. A thick staircase stood on the side of the entrance, its banister faded and worn. There were three floors, including an attic, which was an adventure in itself because it now held all of the old forgotten toys and treasures that had been in Drew’s basement for years. “We’ll have a lot of fun going through these boxes,” exclaimed Drew.

Drew’s bedroom was on the second floor next to his father’s, and there was even a spare room for the boys to stay in whenever they came to visit.

The basement was open and roomy, but a dirt floor shrouded everything in dust, making it an unpleasant place to play. Drew’s dad planned to make it his invention room once he fixed it up a bit. In the corner stood an old cellar, its doors sealed with a rusty padlock. The boys wondered what was in it. The previous owners had never had a key but claimed the owner before them kept old barrels in it, once used for cider. Mr. Wasco would have to chop the rusty lock away to gain entrance, which he agreed to do once the house was his.

It was surprising that he and the previous owners had purchased the house without checking every room first, but Drew’s dad said it was “exciting and mysterious” not knowing what lay beyond those doors, and he welcomed the adventure.

Chapter 4: City Versus Country

It was late afternoon by the time the boys finished unpacking everything from the truck. Drew and his father didn't have much furniture, so Mr. Wasco said they would go to the city one day and go shopping. Drew begged his dad to let his friends come along. "Sure," said Mr. Wasco. They planned to go as soon as the boxes were emptied, and space was made for the furniture.

The boys rarely got to go to the city. That was reserved for special occasions like school shopping or a fancy dinner when there was something big to celebrate.

Downtown was teeming with life, the kind of life most of the adults in Colby wished to stay away from. Colby was small and laid back, where most people knew one another, and nobody locked their doors. Annual picnics and parades were the main attractions, and nearly everyone was friendly and helpful. On the other hand, the city was crowded and stuffy, with people pushing and shoving and strangers never taking the time to become friends.

Chapter 5: Fraidy

Drew's dad said the boys could play for a little bit before taking them back home, so they all decided to go exploring. The first stop was the big barn. It had a hay loft at the top with a ladder that came down when a rope was pulled. The barn smelled of musty hay. "Let's build a fort," Jordie said, dragging a large bale behind him. As he pulled it, a tiny kitten ran from the corner and hid in the bales stacked against the wall.

"Aww, let's try to get her out," said Tim. He took a piece of hay and stuck it in between two bales. He could see the frightened kitten cowering in the corner, her yellow eyes staring at him. "Psss psss,” whispered Tim, flicking the piece of hay back and forth. “Come on, come and get this.” She was not impressed. “Maybe she’s hungry,” suggested Riley.

Drew ran to the house and got a piece of ham, which they stuck on a fork and pushed between the hay bales. The kitten lunged forward, snatching the tasty morsel and gobbling it up. "She's so hungry," Jordie said. They continued to coax her out with food and water, but every time they tried to pick her up, she ran back and hid in the hay again.

They figured they would work on getting her out every chance they could. They decided to name her Fraidy. “Fraidy cat,” laughed Drew. “That name fits her well!”

Soon it was time for the boys to head back home. They got in the bed of the pickup truck, and Drew’s father drove them back to Falcon Street. It was hard saying goodbye to his old home and the treehouse, but Drew had a feeling a new chapter was on the horizon for the boys and their club.

Chapter 6: The Investor

One day when Riley walked in from school, he found a man in the living room talking to his parents. “Riley, come here for a minute,” his mother said. “I’d like you to meet Mr. Forsythe. He’s an investor.” Riley said hello and shook his hand. He sat down and listened as Mr. Forsythe explained the reason for his visit.

It seemed he was trying to entice families in the Colby area to help fund a new shopping center that was going to be built outside of town. “There is a dire need for a facility of this magnitude, to link the five small towns in this surrounding area,” Mr. Forsythe explained. Riley was in awe of his interesting speech and big words (even though he really didn’t understand what the gentleman was talking about.)

The man was tall and distinguished-looking, with dark, wavy hair and thick, black glasses. He wore a three-piece suit and carried a leather briefcase. Riley and his family couldn't help but be taken in by his charm. He was looking for investors to purchase bonds for the mall project, and that's where Riley's parents came in.

“We need to talk to our son here,” said Mr. Boyer, pointing to Riley. “After all, it’s his money in the bank." Mr. Forsythe said he would leave the information for them to review and get in touch with them in a week or so. Riley looked at the colorful brochure the man had left. It was a drawing of the new shopping mall. "Wow! Look", said Riley. "This even has a theater and a bowling alley!" "Well," Riley's mother said reluctantly, "our town is on the verge of change, and we'll all have to get on board sooner or later." "We may as well reap the financial rewards," Riley's stepdad chimed in as he cleared cups and saucers from the coffee table.

"What is a bond?" asked Riley. Mr. Boyer told him that bonds were a sort of loan. Those designing and constructing the project would use the money they got from Riley's family and others to build the shopping center immediately instead of waiting until they had enough money. Then in several years, the bond would "mature," meaning Riley would get the money back, PLUS some for letting the companies borrow it.

It seemed like the best way to invest the money. Riley looked again at the beautiful brochure with its bowling alley, theater, and large parking lot. "I say let's do it!" said Riley, matter-of-factly. He wanted to be part of the modern shopping center that was sure to put Colby on the map. His parents had to do a little more research and talk to other families interested in the project before making a final decision.

Chapter 7: City Bound

Drew asked the boys the following week if they would like to go over on Saturday and ride to the city with him and his father. They were going to pick out some furniture for their new house. "Oh boy!" yelled Tim. Unlike his parents, Tim loved the big city.

They all met at Jordie’s house on Saturday morning, and Drew’s father came to pick them up in their brand-new car. It was a beige station wagon with wood-like panels on each side and electric windows that rolled up and down with the push of a button.

The boys piled into the car and made their way through the long, dusty roads to the city. As they approached a large hill, they could see the tall buildings on the horizon. At first, they seemed so far away, but soon they were smack dab in the middle of the busy streets with seemingly endless streams of traffic. The sounds of honking horns and people bustling to and fro filled the air. There was excitement and energy unlike anything found in the sleepy town of Colby.

Mr. Wasco parked the car, and they all approached the large department store. It had hundreds of bright, shiny lights, brass railings, and a tall, slow-moving, revolving door. “These are fun,” shouted Riley as he tried to jump into one of the sections. The heavy doors closed slowly, eager to trap any little boy too slow to get out of the way. The boys laughed as they each tried to hop in between the glass door panels. “Ya gotta be quick!” laughed Drew.

The store seemed to have everything a person could ever want. Mr. Wasco and the boys filed onto the escalator and rode up, up, up to the third floor. They could look down and see all the people shuffling back and forth like little ants. To the right of the escalator was the toy department, brimming with every toy imaginable. There were aisles and aisles of trucks, cars, and action figures. A small, pink table and chair set stood in the center of the department. Two teddy bears and a pretty little doll sat all dressed up for a tea party. Jordie and Tim pushed the bears off the chairs, and each took a seat.

“Oh, I would like a spot of tea,” Jordie said, laughing. He took the fragile teacup in his hand and extended his pinky finger, pretending to sip tea ever so delicately. Tim giggled and picked up one of the Teddy bears. “You’ve had enough tea, Mister Bear!” he said, punching it in the head and sending it flying. Riley grabbed a flowery hat from the dress-up shelf and placed it on Tim’s head. “Oh, you look so pretty!” he beamed. The boys all laughed heartily. A salesclerk approached them, and apparently, she did not find their antics funny. "Okay, gentleman, the fun’s over. Let’s put this all back the way you found it.”

Meanwhile, in the Home Department, Drew’s father had purchased a living room and kitchen set that would look great in the big old farmhouse. After he had arranged for the store to deliver it all, he offered to buy the boys lunch at the little in-store cafeteria. They all ran ahead and jumped onto the moving escalator. “Hang on, boys,” said Mr. Wasco. “Let’s all stay together.”

When Tim got off the escalator, he hurried ahead to find the cafeteria. "I think it's over there," he shouted, pointing to the far end of the store. He was hungry and couldn't wait to eat lunch. When he reached the end, however, it was not the cafeteria but a kitchen and bath department.

"Oops, sorry guys," he said, turning around. "Guys? Hey, guys?" Where was everyone? He began to panic as he ran back towards the escalator. The boys were nowhere to be found. He stared down at the bustling crowds of people, wondering if they had returned to the first floor or if they were still upstairs? He hopped on the escalator, and as it began to climb, he looked over and saw the boys going down on the other one. ‘Hey!” he yelled as he waved to them. “There he is,” Jordie said, pointing to Tim.

Tim jumped off and quickly got on the escalator going down. As it began its slow descent, he passed the boys again, this time going back up on the other. They all started to giggle. "Hello again," laughed Drew, giving Tim a salute as he sailed by him. Tim lifted his feet off the ground and rested on the rubber handrail, allowing it to glide him to his destination. "Look at me! I'm flying," he shouted to the others. When he reached the floor, Mr. Wasco was there. "Just wait here with me," he said, sounding annoyed. Seconds later, the boys all arrived again. "Finally!" chuckled Tim. Between the revolving door, the tea party, and the moving staircase, shopping in the big city proved to be a lot of fun.

Chapter 8. Danger from Above

A few days later, Riley and his parents decided it was time to purchase the bonds for the new shopping center. Riley's stepdad had spoken with a few others in town keen to go in on the project, and they all agreed it would be a good thing for Colby, not to mention Rusttown and the others. There were still some of the older folks who were not happy about turning their quaint little town into another bustling city, but the majority of people were excited about the change. Riley's mother and stepdad wanted to make sure he was okay with their decision; after all, it was still his money. "By the time the bond matures, you'll be able to put your money to good use," Mr. Boyer told Riley.

Mr. Forsythe dropped by to get their checks for the bonds and leave them the paperwork. "You are doing the right thing here, son," he said to Riley, putting his hand on his shoulder. "The return of your money - and then some, will be slow, but sure." Soon, the town would have some things the big city had. Riley hoped that included an escalator and a revolving door!

Back at Drew’s farm, his father was busy getting the house in order for their furniture to arrive. It seemed the plans to build a new clubhouse would have to wait.

Drew went outside and looked for Fraidy. She was beginning to get more comfortable around him and would even come out and rub against his leg. He had managed to put a little elastic collar on her. It had blue and red beads and a tiny bell that jingled whenever she walked. He still couldn't pick her up without her trying to squirm out of his hands and run back to the barn.

He took a bowl of milk out for her, and she came walking towards him cautiously. Drew crouched down and watched her drink. Her tiny gray and white face became dotted with droplets of milk as she lapped it up eagerly. As soon as she finished, she went over to the edge of the barn and began to wash. Her little pink tongue moved around her face and paws, eager to get every drop.

Suddenly, she was startled by a noise. A giant bird came flying from the other side of the barn. Fraidy slinked down and took off, running back behind the barn with the giant bird following close behind her. Drew ran after them, afraid for his kitten. She was still so little, and the bird was so big!

Drew rounded the corner of the barn just in time to see the bird flying off. Fraidy was nowhere to be found. He listened for the tiny bell, but everything was silent. Suddenly, dread overwhelmed him as he thought the bird may have flown away with her. He continued to look for her for several days.

Chapter 9: An Evil Scheme

A whole month had passed, and still no sign of Fraidy. Drew had told the others at school. They were heartbroken that the giant bird may have carried away their beloved kitten. "She was going to be Falcon Street Club's new mascot," said Jordie. "We can go out further in the field and look for her when you come over,” said Drew. Drew's father invited the boys out so they could start constructing the new clubhouse on Saturday.

Soon, a town hall meeting was held for all of the families who had bought bonds for the new shopping center. When Riley’s parents arrived, the hall was abuzz with townspeople, many of whom they knew. There were tables and chairs set up, with coffee and donuts for everyone. As they all found their seats, the mayor stepped up to the microphone and announced. "I would like to introduce Mr. Thumm, an agent from the FBI.” Confusion swept over the crowd as everyone began to murmur.

Mr. Thumm began, “I am here to share with you this evening some of the actions of a mister Joseph Forsythe. I’m sure many of you are familiar with him.” Nearly everyone nodded. “We have been informed that he has left town and is currently unaccounted for.” A faint mumbling interrupted him as Riley’s parents sat in disbelief.

“What about our money?” yelled a man in the back. “Again, he is unaccounted for, so at this time, we cannot account for your money either,” replied Mr. Thumm. “You mean he was a fraud?” someone else yelled. “I’m afraid so. The bonds he distributed to all of you were fraudulent.” More murmuring filled the air. “Apparently, there were never any plans for a shopping center, and the brochures Mr. Forsythe passed out to all of you were also forgeries.” “He managed to get four other towns in on the scheme as well,” added the mayor.

“Will we be able to get our money back?” a woman asked in desperation. Mr. Thumm pushed his hands down as he tried to calm the growing anger of the crowd. “Please, folks, let me assure you, we are working on that.”

Questions and shouts began to turn the once hopeful meeting into an angry mob who continued pressing Mr. Thumm for more answers. Riley’s mother looked at her husband. They had put nearly twelve thousand dollars of Riley’s money into the fake bonds. Mrs. Boyer dropped her head and began to cry.

Mr. Thumm had a list from the bank of all the people’s names who had contributed money to the project. “Not everyone’s checks have been cashed yet. If your name appears in red on this list, you are one of the people whose money has gone through and whose accounts have been affected.”

Everyone formed a line at the front of the room to check the list. The tension was thick in the air. As the line moved forward, some shouted with joy while others moaned in disappointment. Some cried while others walked away, grief-stricken. Riley's parents stepped up to the table and skimmed the list. On the third line from the bottom appeared their names in red letters: Mr. and Mrs. N. Boyer.

"It seems Mr. Forsythe had some help gathering your information," Mr. Thumm continued. "We are investigating a worker in your local Government office who may have access to such information." "Who is it?" asked a man in the crowd. "We are not at liberty to discuss it further at this time, but please make sure to monitor your bank accounts for the next few weeks and call this number if you have any concerns." Mr. Thumm passed out a paper with his number to every family.

As the families left the hall, they all had the same question. Who? Who in this friendly, peaceful town would assist an evil man in such a terrible crime?

Chapter 10. The New Clubhouse

The boys had been busy building the new clubhouse at Drew's. They were able to go over on the weekends that Drew wasn't at his mother's and a few days after school. It was almost finished. It had a new ladder that was even better than the first one because this one had two separate flights of stairs. The first set had eight steps and stopped at a little landing; then, it was another four more steps to the top. Their club's flag was placed outside the door. The clubhouse had two windows and a skylight, which they could shut during the bad weather days or leave open during the summer. It was perfect for stargazing (even though they had a separate telescope tower just for that purpose). Drew's dad had put up a tire swing too. Jordie thought this was the coolest clubhouse ever.

It was Sunday, and the boys decided to go out to the field and look for Fraidy. There was a chance she was still around, but the boys weren't hopeful. They spread out and began to call her. After what seemed like hours, they gave up and went back to the clubhouse.

Drew's dad had already moved in the colorful foam chairs that Riley had gotten. They all lounged around in the new clubhouse while Riley began to tell them about the money his parents had lost. He knew they felt awful, but he also knew it wasn't their fault.

What started out as lottery money soon turned into millions for one family and loss for the other. Yet, despite all of their fortunes and misfortunes, the Falcon Street club still stood strong through it all. “I just wish we had our little mascot,” said Tim sadly, as they all remembered Fraidy.

Chapter 11. Mr. Roberts

One day, Riley was home watching television while his father sat on the couch reading the Town Tattler. There was an article about the ongoing investigation into the bond scheme. All of a sudden, a photograph caught Mr. Boyer’s eye. He sat up and took a closer look. Where had he seen this man before? The article went on to say that this man, Kendall Roberts, was facing possible charges about some information he had given to Mr. Forsythe, who sold the bonds to Riley's parents.

Suddenly, it dawned on Mr. Boyer. It was the old man from the potluck who claimed the lottery tickets were his! He was the worker in the government office. He worked part-time as a clerk and had access to everyone’s personal and private information. He must have been giving it to Mr. Forsythe, possibly in exchange for money.

When he was questioned by a reporter who asked him why he had done it, he ranted and raved that he was “getting even with everyone in Colby who had wronged him.” He wanted to take revenge on the Boyers for not giving him the winning lottery ticket, which he insisted was his.

“How do ya like that?" said Mrs. Boyer. The old man had it in for other families as well, including Mr. and Mrs. Krupp, whose daughter had accidentally scratched his car one day, and the Crosbys, who had taken the last watermelon in the grocery store on the Fourth of July.

Mr. Roberts was just a crusty old man who seemed to jump at the chance of starting trouble. His actions were petty and childish, and he chose to fight about the silliest things. As everyone learned more about him, they found he was a lonely man who had lost his wife and all of his possessions in a fire a few years before. He had fought in a war and had even been a decorated soldier.

When the town came to clean up what was left of his house, all that was found was an old trunk full of the treasures he loved. It was the only thing left that had survived the blaze. Unfortunately, when he was finally able to move into another house, the trunk had simply disappeared. Those who had assisted in the clean-up couldn't remember moving it. Now he had truly lost everything.

Riley’s stepfather told him that the old man was perhaps lonely and in need of attention and needed to do something to get the love he craved (although giving personal information to a crook for money was not the right way to go about it.) When Riley heard the story, he couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for Mr. Roberts.

The article ended on a positive note. Since this investigation was moving forward, it was believed the FBI was closer to finding Mr. Forsythe and that Mr. Roberts might know where he was. Perhaps all of their money would be recovered after all.

Chapter 12. A Familiar Face

Another Friday rolled around, and the boys were invited to Drew's house for a sleepover. No school on Monday meant they would have a nice, long weekend ahead of them. They rode their bikes out to the farm and Drew met them at the clubhouse. Jordie was excited to do more exploring. It seemed that video games just weren't as fun as they used to be since Drew moved to the farm.

“Hey, let’s go to the attic!” said Jordie. “Yeah,” Drew agreed. “We can go through all my old stuff!” The boys climbed the stairs to the attic and gathered around the boxes. Drew found all the ones marked with his name on them. The first box he opened held items from his old scrapbook, which included ribbons from his first grade Field Day, a clay disk with his handprint, and an autographed baseball.

“We should make a time capsule,” suggested Jordie. Riley thought that was a great idea. They all agreed to go through their things and donate any items they would want someone to find - in perhaps a hundred years. A lot of fond memories were tucked into those boxes.

Drew reached into the bottom of a box and pulled out an old canvas bag that he had used for camping. "Oh, I remember this," cried Jordie. The bag contained a broken compass, pocketknife, a Boy Scout manual, a flashlight, and a box of matches. Drew and Jordie began to tell Tim and Riley about the time they went with their dads camping in Wyoming. They had been sleeping in their tent when a man approached and warned them all of a black bear just yards from their campsite. As they told their story, Riley thumbed through the Boy Scout manual, and Tim opened the box of matches.

"Hey, watch this!" said Drew, taking a match from the box. He struck it against the table. "You can strike these on a lot of stuff." He scraped one across the floorboard and another across an old wooden bookcase. “Hey! Don’t play with matches!” Tim said sternly. Drew ignored him as he held a lit match between his fingers. “It’s gonna burn you,” said Riley, watching anxiously. The match burned lower and lower, with Drew not even flinching. “Lemme try that!” said Jordie. “No, you guys. Don’t! You’re gonna get in trouble," said Tim and Riley backing away. Drew lit another match and held it again, but it burned his finger this time. "Ow!" he yelled, dropping the match. "See? That's your own fault," laughed Tim.

The boys awoke the next morning to the wonderful aroma of hot bacon and eggs. “Mmm,” said Tim, smacking his lips. Fresh squeezed orange juice and homemade biscuits with raspberry jam completed their feast. After they had eaten, they decided it was time to go exploring once again. Outside, the sun was warm, but a cool breeze was blowing. It was now autumn, and the leaves were brown and gold. They crunched beneath their feet, and the air smelled of ripe apples.

They strolled out to the trees and plopped down in the soft grass. Each boy found an apple and began to eat it. As they lay there talking, Tim sat up and looked around. “Shh!” he said, putting his finger to his lips. “Do you hear that?” “I don’t hear anything,” said Jordie. “Shh! Wait. There it is again!” whispered Tim. They all listened intently. As the breeze blew, they looked at one another. A small ‘tinkling’ noise was coming from the weeds beyond the tree. It got louder as the wind died down.

"A bell! FRAIDY!” yelled Drew. They stood up and were surprised to find Fraidy peering out from behind the weeds. All at once, the boys ran for her. “Fraidy! Come here, girl,” Drew cried. As soon as he got close, she darted back towards the barn. “Get her!” they all yelled at once. Riley dashed ahead of the boys and was just about to grab her when she sprinted away and disappeared behind the house. They were so happy to see that she was still alive! Drew ran to get some food to put out, hoping she would come back.

Mr. Wasco was moving dirt from a mound in the yard to the back of the house. He wanted to lay a foundation for a backyard porch. The boys each took turns riding in the tractor with him that afternoon. It was fun! Mr. Wasco even let them help operate the levers on the tractor, picking up the dirt and dropping it back down along the house.

Chapter 13: Behind the Cellar Door

It was now late afternoon, and the boys were called in to wash up for supper. It had been a long day. As they stood in the back doorway, Jordie began removing apples he had shoved into his pockets. Suddenly, one fell out and rolled down the stairs. He went down to get it, and as he picked it up, he heard a loud meowing. “Meow. Meow” It got louder and louder. It was coming from behind the cellar door. “Come here, guys,” he cried.

“There’s a cat in there!” Drew ran up and got his father. Mr. Wasco came down with a shovel to break open the lock on the cellar door. “How long do you suppose it’s been in there?” asked Riley. "Maybe it's Fraidy’s mamma.” “Stand back, boys,” Drew’s dad instructed as he hooked the shovel underneath the lock. He began to break the wood around it until the entire hinge fell away.

When they opened the door, there was Fraidy! "How did she get in here?" asked Tim. Drew's father looked around at the ceiling. There was a hole covered in dirt. "She must have run in that hole," shouted Tim. "...and I must have covered it up with dirt, and she couldn't get out," said Mr. Wasco.

The boys were so happy to see her again, and this time, she didn’t run off like she always did. It was as if she knew they were there to rescue her.

The cellar was dark and musty. There didn’t appear to be a light, so Mr. Wasco got a flashlight and shined it all around. There were old barrels, just as the previous owners had said, and a strong smell of cider filled the air. It looked a little spooky down there because it was so dark. Mr. Wasco shined the light in the farthest corner and spied a large trunk. "Whoa. What's that?" asked Jordie. Drew held the flashlight while Mr. Wasco grabbed one of its handles. "Can you boys give me a hand?" Jordie and Tim grabbed the other end and pulled it closer to the stairs.

With the boys all tugging on one end, and Mr. Wasco pushing the other, they managed to get the trunk up the stairs. They were excited to see what it was. It, too, had a lock, but they didn't know where the key might be. It looked like Mr. Wasco would have to break this one open too, but it would be easier. He would just need to cut a heavy strap connecting the lock to the trunk.

Chapter 14: Buried Treasure

“Ready, boys?” Mr. Wasco said with a smile as he began to saw away at the strap. They all gathered around eagerly to see what the trunk held.

He slowly lifted the heavy lid. There inside lay a whole treasure of items. There were old photographs and hats; some wire-framed spectacles, books, a large magnifying glass, papers, and a wooden box full of medals. “Wow. These are so old,” said Tim looking through the photographs. They were scorched and faded and curled on the edges. He turned them over to find writing on the back. “Oh, look! There’s a name on here!” he said, squinting to read the faded writing. “Let me see that magnifying glass, please,” said Drew’s father, taking the photos in his hands. As he looked at the names closely, he recognized one in particular: Kendall Roberts.

They had stumbled upon the trunk that Mr. Roberts, the old man, had lost when his house had caught fire. It had been missing all this time. “How did it get in here?” asked Drew. His father thought it was the owner before the ones who sold him the house. That man told them he only had cider barrels in the cellar, but he must have taken and hidden this trunk behind the locked door.

"What should we do with it?" asked Jordie. The boys all stood silent, looking at one another. It sounded like another adventure for the Falcon Street Club…

…to be continued

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