By the time Ari got outside after the last school bell, Arden was already sleuthing around the gigantic trunk of the old black walnut tree.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cMaybe there\u2019s something here,\u201d she said looking it up and down. \u201cInitials carved in the trunk, a secret opening in the base…something.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI think we have to climb it,\u201d said Ari. \u201cThat\u2019s what the rhyme says.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tArden looked into the treetop uncertainly. \u201cThe lowest branch is twenty feet up,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cBut the lowest branch used to be lower,\u201d Ari reminded her. \u201cDewey probably thought someone would get here sooner.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tArden stared doubtfully at the tree. \u201cDid you bring a monkey?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cNo,\u201d said Ari, \u201cbut I brought something.\u201d He set his backpack, which was bulging at the seams, on the ground and pulled out a hefty coil of rope. Then he rummaged more deeply and removed a small blue handweight. \u201cIt\u2019s Uncle Ellery\u2019s,\u201d he said, doing a few bicep pumps with the weight. \u201cOnly 3 pounds though. Small enough to throw.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s worth a try,\u201d replied Arden. \u201cIt works in movies.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tSeveral teachers wandered out of the school building, glancing curiously at the two kids with a pile of rope.
\n\t\u201cTug of War?\u201d asked Mr. Blouncy the gym teacher.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cPigeon Scouts,\u201d replied Arden, with feigned earnestness. \u201cWe\u2019re learning knots.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tThey waited a half hour longer, dutifully pretending to practice their knot-tying, until Miss Jasper, the chief custodian, locked the front door and left with a nod.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cOkay,\u201d said Ari. He tied one end of the rope tightly around the middle of the blue dumbell, and took a few steps back from the tree. \u201cHere goes.\u201d With a strong heave, the dumbell flew halfway to the branch before colliding with the trunk and falling back down. Ari and Arden jumped back to avoid the falling weight. <\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cLet me try,\u201d said Arden, after Ari missed several more throws. \u201cThis,\u201d she said, nodding at the dumbell, \u201cis Finbar Fenker, and that,\u201d she said looking at the branch, \u201cis the moon.\u201d With a whoop, she wound up and flung the dumbell skyward, where it paused mid-arch, just above the branch, and dropped heavily to the other side, dangling several feet out of reach.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cJiggle the rope,\u201d said Ari. They each grabbed a piece, and jiggled, just until the dumbell dropped to within reach. Ari untied the weight and knotted the two ends of the rope together.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe climb up was tricky, and took longer than Ari had imagined. Every time he forgot to grab both pieces of rope at the same time he slipped down a foot or two. But by keeping his feet firmly planted against the tree trunk, and hoisting himself up the rope bit by bit, he was finally close enough to wrap his legs and freshly blistered hands around the branch.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cSee anything?\u201d shouted Arden.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cNot yet,\u201d replied Ari. He examined every piece of the tree he could see from there, but nothing seemed at all unusual.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI\u2019m coming up,\u201d said Arden.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cOk,\u201d said Ari, \u201chang on.\u201d He knotted the rope under the branch, so Arden could climb up with out so much slipping.
\n\tShe swung her leg over to straddle the branch, then examined the palms of her hands in dismay. \u201cOuch,\u201d she said simply. Then she looked around. \u201cMaybe we\u2019re supposed to be able to see something from up here that we can\u2019t see on the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAri shook his head. \u201cI see the schoolyard, and that\u2019s about it. Maybe you could see town in Dewey\u2019s time, but it\u2019s blocked by trees now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cMaybe we\u2019re not high enough,\u201d Arden said. She squinted at the sky, then she looked suspiciously at the ground, startled by how far away it suddenly seemed. \u201cBut I sure hope we\u2019re almost high enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAri climbed to the next branch, and then two more. There were still no markings on the trunk, and the tree\u2019s thick foliage completely obscured any view of town.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cCould he have written something on the building?\u201d Arden called up.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe school\u2019s brick wall was close to the tree trunk–almost within reach. But Ari saw no writing, or anything else unusual.
\n\t\u201cCould he have replaced a brick with this tile?\u201d called Arden.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWhat tile?\u201d yelled down Ari. <\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThis tile,\u201d she replied, pointing at the school wall. \u201cThere\u2019s a tile here, instead of a brick.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cLet me see,\u201d said Ari, carefully coming down to the lowest branch. Arden was pointing at one of the bricks on the school wall which was not a brick at all. It was smooth and glazed. And more orange than red. There was a flower, which popped out slightly from the tile\u2019s surface, in the center. \u201cIt looks like a rose.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cYeah, it\u2019s a rose,\u201d agreed Arden. \u201cAnd it says something underneath that I can\u2019t read from here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI can get closer,\u201d said Ari. He straddled the branch and scooted slowly toward the wall.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cNo fair killing yourself,\u201d said Arden nervously.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cDon\u2019t worry,\u201d replied Ari. \u201cI\u2019m not that anxious to talk to Dewey again.\u201d
\nThe branch was stout, and only swayed a bit as Ari inched his way closer to the building. \u201cIt says…wait a minute.\u201d He edged forward a tiny bit more and squinted at the tile. \u201cIt says…under the rose.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cUnder the rose?\u201d demanded Arden. \u201cWe\u2019re supposed to pry that tile off the wall?\u201d She stared appraisingly at the tile. It looked sturdy and appeared to be mortared into place. Somehow, chiseling at the old school wall didn\u2019t seem like what Dewey would\u2019ve had in mind. \u201cNo,\u201d she said finally. \u201cThe clue is \u2018under the rose.\u2019 It\u2019s telling us where to go next.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAri gave the tree branch a frustrated kick. \u201cWe\u2019re supposed to go under the rose? Where\u2019s the rose?\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s going to make some kind of sense,\u201d Arden insisted. \u201cIt will come to one of us. Just like the graveyard did.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAri looked unconvinced.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cIt will,\u201d Arden repeated reassuringly. \u201cWe\u2019ll think of something by Friday. Founders\u2019 Day, remember? No school. We can spend all day looking.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAri nodded. \u201cLet\u2019s get the heck out of this tree.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tGetting down would have been a simpler matter than climbing up, had it not been for the blisters, which rubbed and burned the whole way down. By the time she reached the ground, Arden was so preoccupied with inspecting her hands that she was unprepared for the sudden appearance of two of Wilton Daylatch\u2019s motorcycle-riding security guards, looming beefily on either side of Ari.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cSo kids…\u201d said the shorter one as he gave his knuckles a loud crack. \u201cWhat was in the tree?\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAri slid from between them and tugged at the rope. \u201cThe rope\u2019s still here,\u201d he said. \u201cClimb it yourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThat\u2019s not a very thorough answer,\u201d replied the Daylatch guard. He clicked his tongue in disapproval. \u201cAre you sure that\u2019s what you meant to say?\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cYeah,\u201d said Ari. \u201cArden, let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cMay I make a suggestion?\u201d said the oily voice of Wilton Daylatch, as he pushed his security guards aside to fix his narrow gaze on Ari and Arden. \u201cStubborn Soffits are nothing new to me. You don\u2019t foolishly suppose that your uncle has any chance of winning this fight, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAri glared back, but said nothing.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cPerhaps,\u201d continued Daylatch, \u201cyou\u2019d feel more cooperative if you considered that Dudge can fight clean…or Dudge can fight dirty. As dirty as I say.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cOr maybe,\u201d said Ari, \u201cThere won\u2019t be a fight at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n \tArden was tugging insistently on his arm, and Ari was in complete agreement. He could hear the guards\u2019 repetetive knuckle-cracking, and feel the burning gaze of Wilton Daylatch on his back as he turned away. A rough hand grabbed his shoulder and jerked him back around.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cMr. Daylatch wants that compass,\u201d snarled the tall security guard, \u201cyou get me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI get you,\u201d said Ari. Arden tugged harder. They turned and hustled across the schoolyard, toward town.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cHe scares me,\u201d said Arden, as they headed up Spoke Street. <\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cDon\u2019t let him,\u201d Ari replied. \u201cThat\u2019s how he gets people to do what he wants.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tShe nodded, and turned down South Street, while Ari made his way back to the deli.<\/p>\n
\n\tAt closing time Ari wiped the counters and took out the trash. Uncle Ellery looked tired, and Ari wondered if he\u2019d been working out instead of sleeping.
\n\t\u201cI\u2019ll lock the door,\u201d said Ari, taking the key ring from the hook above the cash register.<\/p>\n
\n\tBut the door swung open before Ari reached it, and Wilton Daylatch stepped into the deli. He placed a spidery elbow on the counter and assumed an absurdly casual posture.
\n\t\u201cChange of plans,\u201d said Daylatch with a cool smile that showed his dark, skinny teeth.<\/p>\n
\n\tUncle Ellery stopped wiping off the meat slicer and fixed Daylatch with a questioning gaze.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI\u2019m afraid circumstances have forced my hand,\u201d began Daylatch. \u201cThe fight date has been moved. To Friday.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAri thought immediately of the ring being set up at Town Dock Park. Had Daylatch planned this change in date all along? Or was it because he was afraid that Ari and Arden were close to finding the compass?
\n\t\u201cYou can\u2019t just go messing with the rules like that,\u201d protested Ari. <\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cOf course I can,\u201d replied Daylatch. \u201cThey\u2019re my rules. I can do whatever I want with them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAri fought the urge to lob a pickle jar at Daylatch\u2019s head, and said, \u201cWhat\u2019s the point of this fight anyway? Why not just take the store if you have all the papers and everything?\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tUncle Ellery answered before Daylatch could reply. \u201cTwo reasons. Daylatch likes watching any two people try to kill each other. And…,\u201d Ellery continued, \u201c…he\u2019d get special pleasure out of watching me get pounded.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWhy?\u201d asked Ari.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cOur student-teacher relationship used to be a little tense,\u201d replied Uncle Ellery.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThink whatever you like,\u201d snapped Daylatch, \u201cI just hope you\u2019re ready on Friday. Because I can assure you–Dudge is.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By the time Ari got outside after the last school bell, Arden was already sleuthing around the gigantic trunk of the old black walnut tree. \u201cMaybe there\u2019s something here,\u201d she said looking it up and down. \u201cInitials carved in the trunk, a secret opening in the base…something.\u201d \u201cI think we have to climb it,\u201d said […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=223"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":224,"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223\/revisions\/224"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=223"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.emilygillespieclement.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}