“Ranger Rivers said you went to Harvard.”
He nodded, as if it was no big deal. And yet it was a huge deal. She wondered if many of his friends went to college or if he was unusual. She knew so little about the life of today’s Native Americans. Now, after meeting Naki, she’d like to know more.
Before Scout could ask more, Chase’s voice carried across the wide lawn. “Hey! Keep up! Time’s a-wasting.”
Naki cupped his hands around his mouth. “Go check out the twin sentinels. We’ll sweep the eastern side, just to be sure. Meet back at the trail split.”
A beat of silence, then Chase called back, “Suit yourself.”
“What makes you think he’s wrong about the trees as twin sentinels?” It had made sense to Scout.
“Chase’s haste is causing him to overlook things.” Naki started walking, then paused to look back at her over his shoulder. “There was no Carriage Road Outlook in the 1850s. And most likely, those trees weren’t here then either.”
Scout frowned, quickening her pace to catch up. “Even if there wasn’t, people did hike here before it became a national park.”
“True, but most trails weren’t formalized until after Acadia became a park in 1919. That’s when the more popular routes were reinforced—chiseled paths, iron ladders, even small bridges. Before that, the terrain decided the way.”
Scout nodded, letting his words settle in. “Why didn’t you just tell Chase that he was wrong?”
“Would he have listened?”
Probably not. She glanced over to see signs of Chase between the trees, striding down the wooden boardwalk on the western side of the pond, all focus and forward momentum. He had a way of pushing ahead with a relentless drive, which was great—except when it steamrolled over the nuance.
She replayed the clues they’d pieced together so far, like a mental map she was still sketching out. Naki had a knack for zeroing in on the nuance that Chase skimmed right past. And nuance, she was beginning to realize, was where the truth liked to hide.
The farther they walked along the eastern side of Jordan Pond, the more the trail started to change. More rugged and uneven. Large boulders, rocky terrain. Scout had to pick her way carefully, stepping from rock to rock. She didn’t mind. It was the kind of walk that made you slow down, smell the scent of pine that was so thick in the air, notice how the water was as clear as glass.
“The eastern side is a jumble of boulders,” Naki said, giving her a hand to climb over a huge rock. “It’s the perfect spot for something to be hidden—if you know just where to look.”
Did he? Because she had no idea. Some boulders were half submerged, others piled along the shoreline like they had tumbled there on purpose.
“Scout,” Naki said, oblivious to what was running through her mind, “have you been to Cadillac Mountain?”
“Once,” she said. “Years ago. With my dad.”
“Tomorrow morning, right at dawn, you’ll need to look for the light to reveal a unique shadow on a cairn or in a crevice. I highly doubt it would be hidden anywhere on the summit. I suggest looking below the summit.”
Naki’s insights were indispensable, but the thought of tomorrow’s search without him left her uneasy. And then this question circled her like a mosquito: If Naki stepped out of the hunt now, would he come back to it?
To:[email protected] Subject:Time isticking...
Hi Dad,
Remember Chase Fletcher? I’ve mentioned himbefore. He’s convinced he’s sniffed out the storyof the century to save his newspaper.
Yes,my shipwreckstory.
Honestly,he’s not wrong. Gold hidden around Acadia? It’s newsworthy. Imagine the rush of treasure hunters! Can’t you just see people scouring the park with metaldetectors?
But Chase’s involvement has ratcheted up the urgencyto solve those clues and find the gold in abig way. That’s what today was all about—wouldyou believe we foundthreecaches? Credit goes to Naki. He’s the clue cracker. He takes his time pondering... and then he seems to know exactly where to look. I keep thinking how much you’d love to havethis guy on your diving team.
The last cache ofgold we found today was downright comical. Chase was absolutely,positively sure that he’d figured out where it washidden,and so off he marched. Naki let him goand went off in a different direction. And of course,Naki found it easily,like it was almost calling outto him to be found.
When we met up againat the trail split,Chase’s face said it all—equal parts confusion and,“Who is this guy?” I’vehad the same thoughts.
But I have to give propsto Chase too. His optimism and determinationare driving thishunt. Making it a whole lot more fun. Then again,he’s complicated it too.(Too long a story toget into now.)
The real mystery is shaping up aroundthe lighthouse keeper and his wife. Naki has a theorythat the wife wrote the clues and hid the gold. He might be right,but why? And why did thekeeper sabotage the ship in the first place? And whathappened to the keeper? How did he die?
