Treasure in the Hills: A Young Reader Chapter Book

By Chris Morningforest and Rebecca Raymond

"I found a treasure beyond my imagining. I have taken it with me my whole life and also left it behind for others to find. Does this sound strange? Well, you’ll see when you find it. You, too, will take it with you and leave it
behind!!" The note in the old box that the boys found in Grandma Girdleberg's attic started them out on an adventure they would always remember. As Alex, Chubby, and Sam studied the old map, they began to make plans for a hiking trip into the High Hills. Trek with the 3 friends as they travel through canyons, ancient Anasazi ruins, meadows, and forests - encountering ghosts, fairies and other strange things along the way. Will they find the treasure? Will they come to know the person who wrote the note? Read on and find out. This middle reader chapter book is sure to hold your attention. Perhaps you have found this treasure and also know where it lies. This is one of several chapter books created by Huckleberry Happy Books®. Look for the others on this and other internet sites.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: May 7, 2012
• ISBN: 9781105736377

Book preview

Treasure in the Hills: A Young Reader Chapter Book

Treasure in the Hills: A Young Reader Chapter Book – Chris Morningforest & Rebecca Raymond

Treasure in the Hills; 2011 Chris Morningforest & Rebecca Raymond. All Rights Reserved. ISBN 978-1-105-73637-7

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 – The Very Last Thing

Chapter 2 – The Adventure Begins

Chapter 3 – The Arctic Ice Cave

Chapter 4 – Ghost Canyon

Chapter 5 - A Change in the Wind

Chapter 6 – Mighty River and Beyond

Chapter 7 – Magic at Midnight

Chapter 8 – There at Last

Chapter 9 – Sally’s Cave

Chapter 10 – The Treasure

Chapter 1 – The Very Last Thing

Suddenly, Chubby dove under the attic eaves and came back holding a small, dusty box.  Look what I found! he shouted.

Sam stared at it.  Man, does that look ancient.  Let’s open it!  His voice cracked and he giggled and looked embarrassed.  He still hadn’t gotten used to that happening.

Yeah! echoed Alex. What’s in it?

Wait a minute, guys, said Chubby.  This belongs to Grandma Girdleberg.  Let’s find her and we can all open it together.

The three friends rushed down the attic stairs and through the house to where Grandma Girdleberg was weeding her garden.  She looked up and smiled.  She loved having them around and was very thankful for the great job they were doing on cleaning her attic.

Grandma, Grandma! shouted Chubby.  We found a little box hidden in the attic and… could we… you open it?  He came to an abrupt halt a few inches from Grandma’s prize rose bush. 

Oh, my! exclaimed Grandma as she stood up.  Let’s go over in the shade and take a look.

The four of them sat down beneath the big oak tree.  Chubby still held the box.  Why don’t you see if you can get it open, said Grandma to him. 

Chubby pulled on the cover, but nothing happened.  Then he noticed a tiny keyhole in one side.  Oh, he said.  It needs a key.  Everyone looked disappointed.  As Chubby turned the box over in his hand, he noticed a glob of something dirty on the recessed bottom.  Scraping at it with his fingernail, he uncovered a key.  It had been stuck to the bottom with some sort of glue or wax or something.  He pulled it off and, laying the box on the grass, he inserted the key.  It was hard to turn, but he finally succeeded in unlocking the box.  As he opened it, the ancient hinges creaked and dust swirled away on a breeze and there was a faint sound of tiny bells.

They looked at one another.  I have goose bumps, said Sam.  The others nodded in agreement.

Chubby handed the box to Grandma Girdleberg and she began to remove the contents.  A small book was lying on top.  Under it was a cloth package and a folded piece of paper.  She handed the book to Alex.  My reading glasses are inside, she said.  Would you read this?

Alex took the book and carefully opened it.  The date at the top of the first page told them it had been written over 100 years ago.

August 10, 1841

-My name is Eagle Eye Sally and this is my story.  I am writing it now because I am very old and I am going from this place soon to live far away.

-If you find this box, then you will be on your way to finding something very wonderful. 

-When I was just a young girl, I went into the High Hills to live for a while.  One day, I found a deep cave, which was hidden by a rock near some kind of bush with beautiful yellow flowers.  When I went to pick a flower, the stone moved, as if by magic, revealing a dark opening.  I was frightened by the darkness, but then I heard tiny bells somewhere and my fear evaporated.

-I made a torch from a bundle of sticks, soaking the grass wrapped handhold in a nearby spring, which gurgled out of the mountain.  I lit the dry end and entered the cave opening.  I moved along a tunnel and soon entered a great cavern.

-Here, I found a treasure beyond my imagining.  I have taken it with me my whole life and also left it behind for others to find.  Does this sound strange?  Well, you’ll see when you find it.  You, too, will take it with you and leave it behind!!

-As you search for it.  The most important thing for you to remember is to always look for reasons to feel good as you journey, no matter what happens.  Have fun and enjoy yourself and the treasure will reveal itself to you.

-Good Luck,

Eagle Eye Sally

There was much more to Eagle Eye Sally’s story, and over the next several days the boys and Grandma enjoyed reading every word.  Right then Alex just read that much. Then he handed the box to Chubby.  Chubby picked up the small cloth package.  The material was stiff with age.  What could be in it?  When he carefully unwrapped it, he held in his hand the most beautiful, shining stone that he had ever seen.

Wow! exclaimed the three friends.  Grandma smiled.  There was a twinkle and a far away