The Great Scavenger Hunt Read Online Free PDF Page A

tow who looked like he’d just stepped out of the Revolutionary War.
    â€œAre they serious?” Maeve’s eyes widened. The man was wearing britches and carrying a musket!
    â€œHey, be nice—that’s Betsy’s father,” Charlotte said, reminding her friends of Betsy’s little speech in class the week before.
    â€œWhy didn’t anyone tell me that this was where Nerd-opalooza was meeting?” Kiki Underwood sauntered over from a gleaming red convertible, speaking loud enough to evoke giggles from a few people around her.
    Avery scowled. She did not find Kiki funny at all and she hated it when Kiki made fun of other kids.
    Charlotte, for her part, was relieved that Betsy was so busy showing off her costumed father to Mr. Moore and spouting out facts about Paul Revere that she completely missed Kiki’s remark.
    â€œHey, Char, I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
    Charlotte started when she heard the familiar voice. She couldn’t help feeling slightly off-kilter every time she saw Nick Montoya. Sure, it went away after a few minutes and then they were totally cool. Because Nick was just like her buddy…a buddy with deep, chocolate eyes and the most adorable little wave in his hair… STOP! Charlotte firmly ordered herself. This is Nick Montoya, and we planned this trip. Get a grip. Hey, that rhymed….
    â€œNicholas, there you are. Fashionably late as usual.” Maeve kissed the air near Nick’s head. Nick looked at Maeve like a UFO might have just unloaded a half gorilla–half space creature hybrid onto the city of Brookline.
    â€œHi, Maeve. Um, Charlotte…we need to get going and no one is doing anything about it….” Nick gestured at the busy parking lot. In one corner Mr. Moore and his wife were talking to Henry Yurt’s father, a professor at MIT, about the positive effects of organic feed on cows. Ms. O’Reilly was rummaging around in the back ofa minivan, and Dillon Johnson and Avery were flinging a Frisbee back and forth.
    â€œWell, I found one chaperone who wants to make her team into a—” Charlotte began.
    â€œLean, mean, scavenger-hunting machine,” finished Patrice, folding her arms smartly. “So who’s with me?”
    â€œUmmm…,” Nick started, glancing at Charlotte.
    â€œI’ll get the team assignments,” she promised, and trotted over to Ms. O’Reilly, who had just pulled a canvas tote bag full of envelopes out of her van.
    Charlotte handed out one bundle each for Patrice, Fabiana Montoya, and Ben Briggs, who had just arrived with his sister, Chelsea, toting all the team cameras. Patrice held up a manila envelope labeled TEAM SALTY and cleared her throat. “All right, shorties. Let me show you how the big kids play! Listen up, everybody! If you are any of the following people, please report to my office IMMEDIATELY!”
    Patrice opened the envelope in her hand very dramatically, like she was announcing an Academy Award. Maeve clasped her hands together accordingly. “My team, the Salty Cods, are…Dillon Johnson, Riley Lee, Charlotte Ramsey, and my very own little sis, Katani Summers!”
    Charlotte felt a sudden stab of disappointment. Nick wasn’t on her team? In a way it made sense; Mr. Moore had put Katani with her sister, so maybe Nick was with his sister. Or maybe the teachers thought there should be one trip organizer on each team.
    â€œI’m Dillon,” shouted a voice from the Frisbee game,“and no one told me where your office was….”
    â€œRIGHT HERE—you ready to roll?” Patrice cheered. Katani wanted to hide. Patrice sounded like a drill sergeant and their trip hadn’t even started! And wouldn’t you know it? All the other chaperones started to follow Patrice’s lead.
    Ben Briggs of the Beach Barnacles, in a milder voice than Patrice’s, gathered his brigade—Avery Madden, Henry Yurt,