The Dangerous Adventures of Jeep Muldoon!

By Matt Musson

Jeep Muldoon, 'the boy who finds things', reveals his most dangerous adventures ever. And,he warns - Don't Try This At Home!

"Do not fire a Civil War cannon. Do not build and pilot your own rocket bike. Do not fly cluster balloons into the stratosphere. And do not ever under any circumstances ever face down the legendary Wampus Cat!"

When a fortune in Civil War gold is located, a rocket powered bicycle outruns the Sheriff's cruiser, Santa Clause takes over the Christmas parade and flys off without reindeer and the legendary Wampus Cat is captured by a band of middle schoolers - you will know that Jeep Muldoon and the Gang are at it again!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Matt Musson
• Release date: Apr 12, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476050201

Matt Musson

Matt Musson is the creator of the Jeep Muldoon series about a boy with the unusual ability to 'Find Things.' Jeep and his pals solve mysteries and have adventures, usually with a scientific orientation. But, ultimately, Jeep's stories are about friendship and fun!Matt has also written the acclaimed sports novel: The '51 Rocks - Batboy on the Worst Team Ever! The '51 Rocks is a fictional account of the true story of the 1951 Granite Falls Graniteers. The Graniteers were the losinest team in Baseball History. But, with 6 games left in the 1951 season - the Graniteers signed 5 Negro League players and became the first team to integrate Baseball in the Old South!Publishers Weekly called the book ‘beguiling.' “There are some very pleasant moments (and perhaps even a Denzel Washington movie) in this novel ... based on the incredible true story of the worst team in Baseball History that became the first Southern team to break the color barrier."Matt was born in Austin, TX and grew up in San Antonio. He earned two degrees at the University of Texas and moved east to work for Ross Perot as a Systems Analyst. He has developed systems for Planters Peanuts, LifeSavers Candies, Sara Lee, and Bank of America.Matt is currently in North Carolina developing banking software and working part-time for the Charlotte Bobcats. He has four incredible children: Skye, McClain, Granath, and Chandler. Matt collects vintage rodeo belt buckles and Indian jewelry when he is not prospecting for Carolina gold and emeralds.He is a contributing author to the non-fiction anthology Sports in the Carolinas: From Death Valley to Tobacco Road.

Book preview

The Dangerous Adventures of Jeep Muldoon!

By

Matt Musson

SMASHWORDS EDITION

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PUBLISHED BY:

Matt Musson on Smashwords

The Dangerous Adventures of Jeep Muldoon!

The Boy Who Finds Things reveals his most dangerous adventures ever. But, will they be too dangerous to handle?

Copyright © 2009, 2011, 2012 by Matt Musson

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. Thank you for respecting the author's work.

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Table of Contents

Forward by Jeep Muldoon

The Secret of the Civil War Gold!

The Adventure of the Rocket Bike!

Santa Clause Comes to Granite Falls

We Capture the Wampus Cat!

Rescue at Pickle Curve

About the Author

FORWARD By Jeep Muldoon:

First of all, if you know my Mom, please do not tell her about this book. Especially do not tell her the title of this book. I swear that if Mom knew I was having Dangerous Adventures, she would give birth to live kittens!

And, if your Mom knows my Mom, do not tell your Mom about this book either, because you know how Moms talk.

And, if you know my little sister Jenny, do not tell her about this book under any circumstances! Let’s face it, she’s a little sister. She would rather tell on me than breath. And, then I would probably get grounded for life and never have another adventure ever.

Of course, feel free to talk to Grandpa Gus about these adventures. And, you can discuss it with anyone in the Ranger club. They were part of there. If I get in trouble, they get in trouble too.

So, just as a rule of thumb, think twice when you talk about this book with anyone who has already graduated from High School, and things should be just fine. However, if you do tell anyone else about this book, maybe you should just give me one of those fake names so no one knows it is really me. Call me Terrance Hackensack or maybe Tumbler Barstow. In fact, call me whatever you like. Just do not call me Jeep Muldoon!

And of course, I need to warn you about how you should not ever, ever, ever try these dangerous adventures for yourself. So, here goes. Do not try this at home. Do not fire a Civil War cannon. Do not build and pilot your own rocket bike. Do not fly cluster balloons into the stratosphere. And do not ever under any circumstances ever face down the legendary Wampus Cat!

Still, if you do choose to ignore my advice and have dangerous adventures of your very own, here is one last piece of advice: Do not tell your Mother about your adventures either!

The Secret of the Civil War Gold

Every year on the third weekend in October, Civil War re-enactors come from all over the state to stage a mock battle in Granite Falls that professional historians have described as the least decisive confrontation of 1863. However, both the North and the South claimed victory in the battle for our little town, so both re-enacting sides get to ‘win’ at Granite Falls. Plus, it is always one of the most beautiful fall weekends of the year and it is a great time to be outside re-fighting the War of Northern Aggression. So, with booming cannons and rifles thundering, and with bugles sounding charges for horse mounted cavalry, you can bet that every member of the Granite Falls Rangers spends that October weekend in the thick of battle.

The middle schoolers of Granite Falls look at the annual re-enactment as a great opportunity to play soldier with hundreds of ‘big kids’. What makes it even better is that anybody participating gets out of school on Friday. So, not only do we get to play soldier all day in our blue and grey uniforms, we get out of our Math and English classes to do it!

If you have never heard of the Battle of Granite Falls (and there is really no reason that you would have) it was a two day engagement that began on Saturday October 17, 1863.

The engagement began when Union forces under Col. Robert Wheeler intercepted Confederate forces under Col. Hampton Wade at the bridge over Deep Gap Creek. Outnumbered, the Yankee soldiers set fire to the bridge and returned to Granite Falls for artillery support.

Meanwhile, the Confederate cavalry made a surprise crossing five miles west and captured an unrelated Union Army Supply Train, carrying the sum total of all the Medicinal Alcohol ordered by Union quartermasters for the winter of 1863.

As night fell, Col. Wheeler’s Yankee artillery launched an extended bombardment, pounding what they believed was the Confederate position. However, the rebels had pulled back out of range and spent the evening destroying the captured union alcohol, one stiff drink at a time.

When dawn broke on Sunday morning, Wheeler observed bodies covering the Confederate camp ground like leaves following an October windstorm. The elated Union Forces returned to Granite Falls to stage a tremendous victory celebration and parade.

As the day wore on, the Confederate soldiers gradually sobered up and returned to life. Colonel Wade, sporting a terrible hangover, ordered his troops to form up and march southward (as quietly as possible).

Ultimately, no one was killed in the Battle of Granite Falls. And, both sides celebrated wildly, returning home as victors. So, every year re-enactors return to Granite Falls to reenact this indecisive but enjoyable Civil War engagement.

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The Rangers always compete on the same team – even in war. We feel that since we are all members of the same club it would not be right for us to fight against each other. So every year we alternate between wearing the blue and the gray. Last year we all served with the Confederacy and this year we were all fighting to preserve the Union. As re-enactors, we show no favoritism to either cause. But, as Rangers, we are always loyal to each other.

On Thursday afternoon before the start of the big three day Battle weekend, we requested our assignments for the upcoming engagement and most of us got what we applied for. Bogdon was chosen as a surgeon’s assistant, using authentic Civil War techniques to treat the sprains and cuts in this non lethal re-enaction. Thor was an ammunition bearer, running up and down the lines of riflemen handing out shot and powder. Shad and Freddie, who have a year and half of middle school band, were chosen to serve in the drum and bugle corp. And, since Charlie’s Father and Grandfather were serving as Confederate cavalry they brought an extra horse for Charlie, who was portraying a Union horseback messenger. Unfortunately, Toby and I were assigned to serve as crew members for the Union artillery forces.

I guess most people would think that playing with the cannons would be a great job for two middle school boys. But the truth is if you are kid in the artillery, you don’t get to do anything fun. You don’t get to load the cannon. You don’t get to aim the cannon. And, you certainly don’t get shoot the cannon! The commander of the reenactment artillery is Major Oliver Tolley is so afraid one of us kids is going to get hurt, that we are forced to take our position 10 paces rear, whenever the cannon are fired.

You may know Major Tolley better as Ollie Tolley of Tolley’s Tree Service. But, the thing you probably did not know is that Ollie Tolley gets to be the artillery Major simply because he owns that tree service. Or, more specifically, Ollie Tolley owns a really nice hydraulic crane on the back of a truck that he uses in his tree service. When you are working with the civil war cannon it sure is nice to have a crane to lift the cannon on and off of the trailers and to occasionally lift the cannon barrels from the gun carriages if you need to repair something. So, because Mr. Tolley owns a crane he gets to be the Major. And, at 10 paces rear, we kids get to be spectators in itchy blue wool coats.

Anyway, it was lunchtime on Friday and we had been practicing our battle maneuvers all morning. It was a beautiful Indian summer day and much too warm to be wearing wool. We were hot and hungry, so the whole club settled into a nice shady spot on a stacked stone wall under a thick set of longleaf pines. And after all that marching and maneuvering, we were ready to eat the leather souls right off our civil war shoes. But, luckily something much better was coming down the path. A mule cart / mobile field kitchen was approaching our position, bringing a lunch that prepared by the ladies auxiliary of the First Apple Church of Granite Falls.

Actually the First Apple is short for the First Apostolic Church of the Chosen and Redeemed. The Apple is the oldest and most respected Black church in the entire County. And, as long as I can remember, Miss Hattie May had been the President of the Ladies Auxiliary of the First Apple, a group of women that cooks food so good that is probably the real reason why re-enactors come back to Granite Falls year after year.

What’s for Lunch, Miss Hattie? Charlie called out to the approaching wagon.

Miss Hattie was driving the team wearing a dark blue period dress with a red and white gingham shawl. She is a slender lady with large hands and nimble fingers. I have no idea how old she is. She has not seemed to age as long as I have known her. She has the same short grey hair, the same wrinkled brow and that same overwhelming friendly smile. She called out to us as