The Treasure Cave: sea tales of Tiptoes Lightly Read Online Free PDF

was put up the flag. They pulled the mast
out of the sand, tied on the flag, and put it back.
    “Hurray!”
cried Tom and June as the flag blew merrily in the breeze. “No one will attack
our ship now!”
    They gathered
driftwood and built up the sides of the ship. Lucy brought sticks too—they were
too small but Tom and June used them anyway. They were almost finished when the
wind picked up. The flag crackled and snapped in the wind, and the air suddenly
got colder. June Berry looked out to sea.
    “Rain’s
coming,” she shouted. “Tighten the sails! Batten down the hatches!”
    “Aye-aye,
Captain Berrybug,” called King Thomas, pulling on the ropes to tighten the
sail. “But we don’t have any hatches.”
    The first
raindrops flew through the air and struck their faces.
    “Abandon
ship!” cried Captain Berrybug. “Run for the Treasure Cave. Guard our treasures!”

    Out of the
ship Tom and June jumped and scrambled up the bluff to the cave. Lucy followed,
barking loudly at their heels. He wasn’t sure what all the excitement was about
but it looked like fun. The rain was already lashing the bluff when they dived
into the cave. Lucy ran around inside wagging his tail and barking loudly. The
sound echoed off the walls—it was deafening.
    “Shush, Lucy,
shush,” said Tom. “No barking. Lie down.”
    Lucy spun
around a few times and flopped down at the back of the cave. Tom and June lay
on the sandy floor and peered out the entrance. Outside the wind was howling
and the rain beating down, but inside everything was still and dry. They
watched as the squall moved inland off the sea and listened to the sound of the
surf.
    “We forgot out
raincoats,” said Tom. “They’re by the boat.”
    June Berry
shrugged. “We can get them later,” she said.
    After a while
Lucy got up and explored the cave. He sniffed in every nook and cranny. At the
back he began to dig into the sand. Tom looked over and saw that he was digging
out another passage. He went over and helped.

    “It goes
further,” said Tom, “or at least I think so. Let’s find out,” and he set to
work with a will.
    As he dug down
the sand became coarse. Soon he was digging out tightly packed pebbles and
stones and his fingers began to hurt.
    “The passage
goes on,” he said. “I’m sure of it. But we’ll have to get spades from the
garden shed to dig this out.”

Chapter 17
    The
Tail
    Tiptoes sat at
the living room window. She watched as a sudden squall rushed in from the
ocean. The light dimmed and in a moment lashing wind and rain shook the
cottage. A short while later, the storm had blown past and was flying over the
mountains.
    She decided it
was time to check on Tom and June. She found them busily digging out a passage
in the cave. She wondered what Obaro the cave spirit would think of that, but
he was nowhere in sight. So she left and wandered down the beach. Seagulls were
everywhere. They were pouring onto the beach from the north and south. Round
and round they flew, whirling and calling and mewing. They landed on the sand
in great white flocks, only to take off again and fly out over the sea and dive
into the waves.
    Tiptoes came
to the old railway trestle spanning Pudding Creek. The creek flowed down from
the hills, past the edge of town, and into the sea at the end of the beach. The
trestle was no longer used for trains. It’d been turned into a walkway for
people hiking the coast. Seagulls sat shoulder to shoulder along the whole
length of the guardrail. All at once a great cry rose up and the gulls swept
out to sea. They gathered where the creek, flush with water and running fast,
swept into the ocean. Such a noise the gulls made—Tiptoes almost had to cover
her ears! By the hundreds they dived and dipped into the swell.
    “I wonder what
they are fishing for?” thought Tiptoes, and she flew out to join them. She had
to be careful. Gulls were twisting and turning here and there and everywhere.
Three times she almost got run