The Secret Path Read Online Free PDF Page A

at Adam. “Have you figured it out?”
    Adam had been struggling with the riddle since Bum had told them. But he had been hesitant to say anything because he feared he might make a fool of himself. Watch was obviously the most intelligent one in the group. He spoke quietly as he answered Watch’s question.
    â€œI was thinking to follow her life meant to follow where she went during her life,” Adam said.
    â€œThat’s ridiculous,” Sally said.
    â€œIt’s probably true,” Watch said. “It’s the only explanation. What puzzles me is what’s so special about each place she went.”
    â€œMaybe the places aren’t so important as the order they’re in,” Adam said. “Maybe the Secret Path is right in front of us, like the numbers on a combination lock. But you have to turn the numbers in the exact right way. And only then will the lock open.”
    Sally stared at them, dumbfounded. “I can’t believe you guys. You both think you’re Sherlock Holmes. Bum’s just taking you for a ride. He only wants you to bring him another sandwich, and then he’ll tell you another stupid riddle. He’ll keep going until you’ve fed him the entire summer,”
    Watch ignored her. “I think you’re right, Adam,” he said, impressed. “The path must be right in front of us. It’s the sequence that’s important—where you go first, second, third. Let’s try to figure out the first place. Where was Madeline Templeton born?”
    â€œI don’t know,” Adam said. “I never heard of the woman until this morning.”
    Watch turned to Sally. “Do you know where she was born?”
    Sally continued to pout. “I think this is stupid.” She paused. “At the beach.”
    â€œHow do you know?” Watch asked, surprised.
    â€œThere’s the old story about how Madeline Templeton was brought to earth by a flock of sea gulls on a dark and stormy night,” Sally explained. “In fact, she was supposed to have come out of the sky exactly where we just were with Bum.” Sally made a face. “If you can believe that.”
    â€œYou believe everything else,” Adam said.
    â€œI draw the line at supernatural births,” Sally replied.
    â€œThe story may have a germ of truth in it,” Watch said. “As long as the location of her birth is correct, it doesn’t matter if birds, or her mother, brought her into the world. And if the location is accurate, we don’t have to search for the first place on the Secret Path—we’ve already been there.” He considered for a moment. “It makes sense to me. Bum insisted on telling me the riddle at that exact spot. Maybe he knew we would have trouble finding the first location.”
    â€œWhere did she go next?” Adam asked. “How can we know?”
    â€œWe may not have to know every detail ofwhat she did,” Watch said. “We can just follow the general direction of her life. There are so many stories about Madeline Templeton that this won’t be as hard as it sounds. For example, I know that when she was five she was supposed to have wandered into the Derby Tree and made all the leaves turn red.”
    â€œHow could a kid get inside a tree?” Adam asked.
    â€œShe was no ordinary kid,” Sally explained. “And it’s no ordinary tree. It’s still alive, up on Derby Street, an old oak with branches hanging like clawed hands. Its leaves are always red, year-round. They look like they were dipped in blood. And there’s a large hole in it. You can actually slide inside and sit down, one person at a time. But if you do, your brains get scrambled.”
    â€œI’ve been in it,” Watch said. “My brain didn’t get scrambled.”
    â€œAre you sure?” Sally asked.
    â€œAfter that what did she do?” Adam asked.
    Watch started walking back up the hill.