Caching In Read Online Free PDF

does turn back to look at me, he’s smiling. I think he’s gone goofy, but he points and says, “It’s carved in this tree.”
    I look past him, and sure enough, there’s a heart chiseled into the tree trunk. Inside it are the words Billy loves Sara. I move in for a closer look, though I keep one eye on the cliff. The tree is awfully close to the edge, and I’m not good with heights.
    â€œ Be prepared for danger and be on edge. ” Chris’s voice sounds fuzzy and far away.
    He takes another step toward the cliff. Now he’s standing right on the edge. And he’s looking down. I get dizzy just watching him.
    â€œHey, Eric. Look.” Now Chris is pointing down at something. “This is it.”
    It takes all the nerve I have to move closer, but I do. I don’t want Chris to think I’m chicken. Now I’m looking over the edge too. My stomach is churning.
    â€œSee it?” Chris says.
    Sweat is dripping into my eyes, but I make myself focus. About three meters below the cliff we’re standing on is another cliff, and growing on it—practically straight out over the edge—is a small tree. It looks more like a branch than a tree. My thigh is fatter than it is. I look along the trunk. At the end is a nest. No bird though. Instead, there’s a toy lantern. And even from here, I can see there’s something inside the lantern.
    Chris turns toward me and grins. “Looks like we’ve found our nest egg.”

Chapter Seven
    â€œYeah,” I say, but I’m not the least bit excited. Mostly I’m terrified about standing on the edge of the cliff, so I back away and head for the clearing. My knees are shaking so much, they barely hold me up. When I reach the table, they give out altogether, and I collapse onto the bench.
    Chris doesn’t notice. I might not be thrilled about the cache, but he is. He’s jacked enough for both of us. He doesn’t seem to realize there’s no way we can get to it. It might as well be on the moon.
    When he comes back to the table, he’s practically dancing. He swoops down onto the bench across from me. Then he slouches out of his backpack and heaves it onto the table.
    â€œWe’ve found it!” he grins.
    â€œYeah, but we still have to get it.
    And that could be a problem. Maybe you didn’t notice, but the tree it’s in is hanging out over the middle of nowhere. And it doesn’t look that sturdy. There’s no way we can climb out onto it.” The thought of trying makes my world spin.
    Chris waves away my concerns. “You worry too much.”
    â€œHa!” I hoot as a man and woman on bikes ride into the clearing. They look in our direction for a half second and then continue along the trail.
    Chris lowers his voice and pats his pack. “I brought a rope.”
    â€œHow’s that going to help?” I scoff. “You think you can lasso that lantern?”
    Chris frowns. “Don’t be a jerk. I’m gonna use the rope to climb down the cliff.” He pauses. “Or you are. One of us is. It’s my rope, but I’ll flip you to see who gets to use it.”
    â€œThat’s crazy! You’re crazy! Climb down the cliff and onto that skinny branch? That’s suicide.”
    Chris shrugs. “Not with the rope as backup.”
    My jaw drops open. “You are crazy. There’s no way I’m climbing down there.”
    Chris looks puzzled. “You sure? You’re gonna let me have all the fun? You don’t even want to flip me for it?”
    I shake my head. “No way.” I have no intention of confessing my phobia, but my mouth turns traitor on me anyway, and I blurt out, “I can’t do heights.”
    Right away, I wish I could take the words back. Chris will think I’m a total wimp.
    â€œSeriously?” he says.
    I nod and look away. “I can barely look out over the cliff, never mind climb down it. Just