Part II - The Professor and her Lab Rabbit
Hulbury was the only town or city in Galar that Jim could remember being too more than once. He had come here at least three times in life. The first time was with his mother when he was much younger, though he could not remember what the occasion was. Maybe they had come for business. Maybe they had come for vacation. Maybe they were going to move there for some reason. However, regardless of the cause it ultimately did not matter; because the second time Jim came to Hulbury it was for his mother's funeral and burial. Even now Jim did not know why she had died nor did he have any desire to, death was death regardless of how it happened. His third visit to Hulbury was when he and Ms. Zoroark went to the town courthouse to file the adoption paperwork that made the Illusion Fox his legal guardian.
Jim was fairly certain the bureaucrat handling the case might have denied it were it not for his mother's will explicitly ordering that he be put in Ms. Zoroark's care.
As a consequence, Jim was not very familiar with Hulbury and soon became lost as he went to retrieve Billy Bones' body from the morgue. The only route he truly remembered was the northbound way out of town. The medium-sized crowds moving through Hulbury's streets did not help with navigation either.
"Have you lost your way, young one?" a passing man asked.
"What would suggest I have, sir?" Jim asked as he looked to the speaker. He was a man entering middle age and had light stubble growing on his face with a customary cocked hat on his head.
"That you stand in the middle of the street and look down each road with an uncertain stare," the man replied.
Jim had not realized he was doing that. Since there was no point in trying to hide it he came clean. "Yes, I'm lost," he said. "I'm trying to reach the local morgue; I'm to retrieve the body of a family friend for his burial."
"Ah, you have my sympathies," the man continued. "Take this road here southward for two blocks, then turn left and travel all the way down to that roads end. The morgue sits there."
"My thanks, sir," Jim said.
"You are welcome, lad," the man said before heading off on his own business.
Jim followed the man's instructions and started walking south. He had not noticed the crutch the man was using to walk with only one good leg.
Jim traveled down the street with a bit more confidence now. Not only did he know where he was going, but he also had a rough idea of how to interact with the humans so that they would not question his having a Pokémon for a guardian: just do not say anything that might bring it up. Perhaps it was a bit dishonest, but if they did not ask he did not need to tell them.
It did not take long for the morgue to come into view, and it was as depressing to look at as Jim expected. It was a wide one-story building that looked to have been deliberately painted black. A sign outside the building simply read "morgue." Jim steeled his resolve and entered through the front door before walking to the woman working at the front desk.
"Good morning, miss," he said.
"Welcome, young man," the receptionist half-heartedly greeted. "At least, as much welcome as can be given by so morbid a business. What brings you to such a place?"
"I am here to retrieve a recently deceased Blastoise for his burial," Jim said.
The receptionist nodded and looked through the papers on her desk. "Constable Jenny spoke of this," she started as she looked over one sheet in particular. "You are here at the behest of one Ms. Zoroark?"
"Aye, I am," Jim replied.
The receptionist then gained a somewhat askance look. "Then you are James Hawkins, her human ward?" she asked.
It seemed that little fact would bring itself up. The way the receptionist emphasized the word "human" was not lost on Jim, and neither was the reason why she said it that way.
"So what if I am?" he questioned. "It was my mother's wish that Ms. Zoroark became my guardian upon her demise."
"I cannot imagine why," the receptionist remarked. "Have you no other relatives to take you?"
"What difference does it make if I am taken in by a relative or a close family friend?" Jim further questioned. "As long as I am loved and cared for regardless, should it matter?"
"Ms. Zoroark is a Zoroark," the receptionist said bluntly.
"Aye, a trait for which there is no cure. She was also the owner of a very liked and respected inn," Jim countered before shaking his head. "This isn't my reason for being here anyway; pray, may I take the Blastoise's body to be buried?"
The receptionist paused for a minute before answering in a still bored tone. "Aye, you may. Speak with the mortician and he shall help you," she instructed while gesturing to the doorway that led to the back of the building.
Jim nodded in acknowledgement but did not thank her. A short walk down the hallway later and Jim found the mortician he was looking for.
"Hello?" Jim asked. "I am here for the Blastoise named Billy Bones."
The mortician looked at Jim and nodded without a word.
Jim was not sure if the silence was preferable or worse.
At the very least, the mortician was not questioning Jim's guardian status, explicitly or otherwise, if he even cared. He seemed content to simply do his job and little else given how he said nothing and his expression did not change from cold detachment to the world around him. Jim figured it was the man's way of handling his admittedly depressing job.
Once the mortician had Billy Bones' body in a coffin and on a wagon, towed by a large equine Pokémon with brown fur and a red and black mane and tail, they rode towards the beach where the deceased pirate would be laid to rest in the sea he once sailed.
When it began, Billy Bones' funeral was a very small and short affair. By Constable Jenny's orders, no one had said a word about it and they were to only lay his coffined body in a boat before seeing it off to the sea. They did not even have time to give him a proper eulogy, lest the at large pirates take the opportunity to attack. The only attendees were Jim, Zoey, Ralph, the mortician, Ms. Zoroark, and surprisingly Dr. Joy. Ms. Zoroark had to attend while restricted to a stretcher which was how Dr. Joy had first arrived, though she unexpectedly stayed to watch the boat bearing Bones in his coffin sail towards the horizon. She was even the only one to speak at the occasion, everyone else having gone mournfully silent.
"May his next life be an honest one," she had said quietly, though everyone still heard her since the surrounding area was even more silent.
For her part, Zoey looked to be fighting back tears. She had been eager to look for Captain Flint's treasure under Bones' direction. Ms. Zoroark as well seemed somewhat chocked up, though she let her tears flow more freely than her daughter. Ralph looked neither saddened nor relieved by it all; he simply stared out at the boat.
Jim did much the same as Ralph. He would not say he had any strong liking for the late Billy Bones; the Blastoise was a bit too prone to drunkenness and belligerence for his liking. But Jim would never wish death upon a human or Pokémon who simply wished to live out the rest of their days in peace and quiet, and Billy Bones had been robbed of such a retirement by his greedy and vengeful former shipmates.
All told, it was a surprisingly respectful and calm burial for an unrepentant pirate.
And then jet black dorsal fins started circling the boat.
The mortician broke his silence. "I was under the impression the tropical climates of Hoenn were the preferred habitat of Sharpedo."
It was when the owners of the dorsal fins started bumping into the boat to knock it over that everyone took their leave. The mortician and his Mudsdale headed back to the morgue, while Jim helped Dr. Joy take Ms. Zoroark back to her house.
"I wish to take the map to Professor Livesey tomorrow," Jim said.
"And you may," Ms. Zoroark allowed. "I would have Zoey and Ralph both accompany you on your journey, and today they are to train for battling."
"Training yesterday went quite well, I think," Jim said as he and his two Pokémon friends walked towards the large mansion that was the "lair" of Professor Danielle Livesey. Once again, the map was sewn to the inside of Jim's coat to hide it from spying eyes.
"Constable Jenny training you to take and give a punch has no similarity to her overzealous guard Pokémon attempting to teach us battle," Zoey replied with a bitter tone.
"Your efforts weren't so terrible," Ralph attempted to reassure. "You certainly showed greater results than I."
"You speak as though such a feat was a challenge," Zoey grumbled. "I'm certain no other user of Shadow Ball has made it explode in their face while attempting to use it."
"Now let's not begin giving each other insults," Jim said. "Neither of you have received true battle training before now, hence your somewhat unflattering performance yesterday. Practice shall yet yield positive results."
"Nonetheless, I don't want either of you speaking of yesterday's training to any but who was present," Zoey grossed.
"Not even if our future children wish to hear an amusing tale?" Jim asked with a cheeky smile.
"NO!" Zoey barked, or more accurately "yipped".
"I imagine she'll allow it a few years hence," Ralph observed.
"I shall never," Zoey assured.
The conversation ended, for they were walking up the path that led to the Professor's home. The size of the place was a little overwhelming. The Admiral Benbow was big so it could accommodate multiple guests. This three-floor mansion was definitely bigger than the inn and yet, as far as the kids knew, only housed the Professor along with any assistants she might employ. It also bore much more architectural flair than the pragmatic Admiral Benbow. The polished windows were tall rectangles or circles, the corners resembled the turrets of long-disused castles, and the front door was covered by a long stone archway that had a deck made out of its roof. It also had multiple chimneys and a flag pole on the roof flying Galar's regional banner. It looked like a summer estate fit for the king or gentry such as Squire Trelawney.
As they approached the archway the kids took notice of a string hanging down from its ceiling. It ran back to the door and appeared to go into the house. Next to where the string dangled was a sign that read: "Visitor's Please Ring."
Zoey did what the sign asked; she jumped to catch the string in her teeth and shifted her weight to start pulling it. A ringing could be heard coming from within the building.
"Zoey, they likely know we're here by now," Jim said when he felt Zoey had rung the bell quite enough.
Zoey let go of the string and placed herself next to her friends again. It seemed that if anyone inside did know there were visitors they were not in any rush to do anything about it. After several minutes of no response had passed, Zoey prepared herself to jump at the string again.
Then the front door finally creaked open. It did not open very much, certainly not enough for any human to exit. However, the figure that emerged from the door and began hopping towards them was not a human anyway.
It was a small rabbit-like Pokémon with mostly white fur and yellow and orange trim on its ears and feet, along with a yellow band across its face that resembled a bandage. When it finally reached the kids after bouncing down the walkway under the arch it paused for a minute to take in some heavy breaths.
"[My… sincerest… apologies for… keeping you waiting,]" the Scorbunny gasped between breaths in a youthful and feminine Poké speak.
Jim looked to Zoey and Ralph to begin talking.
"Um… it's of no consequence," Zoey assured.
"[Well, then many thanks for your understanding,]" the Scorbunny said, her breath regained. "[The Professor's country house is quite large. Even after two years of residence, the fastest routes still elude me and my mind's map of it all.]"
Zoey stared up at the massive building. "This is called a 'country house?'" she asked disbelievingly.
"[It is,]" the Scorbunny replied. She then slapped a paw to her face as though she had just remembered something. "[Oh dear, I seem to have foregone my manners. I am Professor Danielle Livesey's 'lab rabbit' assistant; you may know me as Salva.]"
"Zoey, a pleasure," the Zorua introduced herself.
"Jim Hawkins, charmed," Jim said, understanding the conversation through Zoey's own introduction.
Ralph did not say anything.
"Ralph, will you not give her your name?" Jim looked down at his other Pokémon companion.
Ralph seemed to have lost interest in everything else around him. He looked to be staring off into space blankly in the direction of Salva and with a slightly opened mouth. His face also looked oddly flushed. Zoey walked around Jim to get a better look and then gave Ralph a lick on the back of his neck.
Ralph cried out a "GAH!" in surprise before rounding on Zoey with an annoyed glower. "I don't appreciate that any more than Jim!" he said loudly. "Don't do it again!"
"Peace Ralph, peace," Zoey said. "I simply wished to drag your mind back to the present. The Professor's assistant would like to know your name."
Zoey gestured to the Scorbunny waiting with a polite smile on her face. Ralph's face became flushed again as he turned to look her in the eyes and stuttered while trying to get his introduction out.
"M-m-my n-name is R-R-Ralph, M-miss S-S-S-Salva," he finally said, slowly raising a forepaw to shake.
"And what a nice name it is for you," Salva replied as she took Ralph's paw and lightly shook it. It seemed to lose all the bones within as she did.
Once Salva released his paw Ralph quietly sat back down and stared at the ground with his face even more flushed.
Jim looked somewhat confused at Ralph's behavior. Salva seemed amused. Zoey, however, smirked knowingly. "On the subject of 'charmed," she whispered into Ralph's ear. He gave her a dark look.
"Anyways," Jim said, trying to get back on the rails. "We have come seeking Professor Livesey's assistance."
"[What matter of assistance do you seek?]" Salva asked.
Jim correctly guessed what the question was and removed his coat to reveal the map sewn to the inside. He got down on his knees to more effectively show it to Salva "There are some symbols written upon this map," Jim said, pointing to the characters in question. "We cannot read them, we hope the Professor might."
Salva looked over the map and the strange characters before nodding. "[I cannot guarantee she can decipher such lettering, but we shan't know unless we try,]" she said.
"Huh?" Jim asked, not understanding the Scorbunny.
"She says to not raise your hopes too high," Zoey loosely translated. "But there's no harm to be had from trying."
"[In different words, but yes,]" Salva grumbled. She turned and gestured for her guests to follow her. "[Come, I shall show you to Professor Livesey.]"
The kids followed her lead through the archway and into the country house, Jim putting his coat back on as they went. Ralph looked like he was floating, though Jim attributed such a sight to not getting as much sleep as he though he had last night.
The inside of the country house was surprisingly bare for its grandiose exterior. The walls were devoid of any artwork and the polish or paint that coated them seemed to be fading. There was a large central stairway in front of them as they entered that led to the second and third floors.
Jim and Zoey both mentally decided that they would call the building what it was, a mansion.
Salva led them down the hallway to the left of the entrance. "[Please follow and do not lose sight of me, it is easy for visitors to get lost here,]" she instructed.
The kids did as their guide said and never took their eyes off of Salva for too long. Occasionally they would look up and around at the hallways they traveled through. The only things mounted on any parts of them though were the labels posted onto doors to tell what room they were. Only Jim was tall enough to read them. He saw one labeled "reading room," another labeled "arithmetic room," a third labeled "geometry room," and a fourth labeled "naughty room" among others. They had just passed a room labeled for "food testing" when Salva suddenly stopped.
"[Hold,]" she said.
The kids looked up; they were back in the central hub of the mansion at the bottom of the staircase.
"Are we lost?" Jim asked.
"[No,]" Salva assured, not that Jim could understand it. "[I can and shall lead you to Livesey!]" She began confidently walking back the way they came. Jim, Zoey, and Ralph followed her.
When they looked around again they were on the second-floor landing for the central staircase.
"We didn't even traverse any stairs," Zoey grossed.
Salva shook it off and led the group down the second-floor hallway in front of them. The kids noticed that, for some reason, the second-floor rooms lacked labels; save for one Jim saw that was titled the "very naughty room." It took what felt like an eternity and ending up at the central stairs again briefly, but they eventually heard the sound of equipment being moved and a woman grunting.
"Finally, we close on our destination," Zoey said.
"[Yes, the Professor is working on another project,]" Salva said.
"We wouldn't be intruding on the good Professor, would we?" Ralph asked through his ongoing flushing.
"[I doubt so,]" Salva assured. "[She might wish to complete what we were attending too when you-]" she then stopped suddenly and heavily breathed through her nose as if she smelled something.
Ralph and Zoey started sniffing to and the former lost his flush, becoming very concerned.
"Is… is that the odor of burning gunpowder?" Ralph asked worriedly.
"[Oh no, she continues the experiment without me!?]" Salva cried before quickly bouncing ahead. "[Professor, I pray you wait for-!]"
BOOM!
The floor underneath Salva was blasted out from under her and she fell into the new hole with a cry of surprise and fear. Smoke billowed from it as the kids cautiously moved forward to investigate. When the smoke had dissipated enough they looked down into the first-floor room.
Smoke and soot were everywhere and the smell of gunpowder was even more pungent than earlier. It was hard to tell exactly what had happened to cause the explosion. The tables set up against each wall had several empty beakers resting on them, there was a small burner of some sort set up in the center of the room that still glowed with heat, and a woman in a long tunic wearing protective glasses over her eyes was floored against the table on the left. Salva was lying in the centre of the room with a less but still noticeable amount of soot matting her fur.
"I think you had it right, Salva," the woman said. "There indeed was too much gunpowder and nary enough ice."
"[What possessed your mind to do this without me!?]" Salva shouted angrily and she raised herself.
"Why so enraged?" the woman asked as she got up. "Did you not say to proceed if you took long to answer the door?"
"[I said no such thing! I asked of you to wait for my return to begin!]" Salva continued.
"She says she wished of you to wait for her to return, miss," Ralph translated.
"Oh," the woman said. She looked at her assistant. "I greatly apologize for misunderstanding you, Salva."
Salva's anger faded, but only to make room for annoyance. "[Perhaps I'd be more forgiving if I were not faced with this predicament in every experiment,]" she grumbled. "[If I could learn to speak human, these miscommunications would become things of memory.]"
The woman dusted some of the soot off herself before walking to and picking up Salva. "Perhaps we should clean ourselves up," she said.
Salva grumbled something but did not object. She did point up to Jim, Zoey, and Ralph still looking down through the hole in the room's ceiling.
"Ah, our guests," the woman said. "Welcome to my abode, I am Professor Danielle Livesey, BSA, BAcc, MD, MS, MLIS, DMA, DSc, and Ph.D."
It took a few minutes for the kids to process all of those degrees.
"What a list of credentials you have, professor," Jim said.
"Jim Hawkins?" the Professor asked with a raise in her voice, "why good day to you! I have not seen your face since…" she trailed off as a thought came to her. "Well, since your mother passed."
"Aye, I have not seen you since the same," Jim acknowledeged. "But I've come for other matters. We seek your help translating the symbols on a map we now own."
"Allow me to see myself and my assistant cleaned and we shall attend to it," Professor Livesey agreed. "Meanwhile, help yourselves to our bountiful kitchen and pantry here on the first floor while you wait."
"Should we be able to find it," Zoey grumbled.
Jim and his companions agreed and returned to the central stairs to descend to the floor with the kitchen. The Professor and her Scorbunny assistant came up the stairs themselves before going down the left hallway. Fortunately for the kids, their destination was easily found since the kitchen was helpfully labeled such and was the only room with a pair of doors. The dining room was easily found as well since a doorway connected the two rooms together.
And as they looked around, they were quite happy to see Professor Livesey was not exaggerating when she said her kitchen and pantry were "bountiful."
Jim let out a belch as the hallway doors to the dining room opened to allow a much cleaner Professor Livesey and Salva to enter. The professor's clothes very much resembled that of Squire Trelawney's, though perhaps a bit less fanciful. They were much plainer and lacked any ornamentation. Salva was perched on Livesey's head in the place of any hat.
"Well, I am pleased to see you all nourished," Livesey said.
"Thank you for granting us free reign of your kitchen," Jim replied. "We were all quite hungry."
"Agreed," Zoey and Ralph added in unison.
"'Tis little more than a dent in our food stores," Livesey said. She looked to Jim in particular. "Ah, you still have the red coat I gifted you," she observed.
"I do, and the map we wish to show you is within," Jim said. He got up to take the coat off and reveal the map sewn to the oilcloth still stitched into it.
"How very intriguing," Dr. Livesey observed looking at the strange symbols especially. "How has this map come into your possession?"
"It was gifted to us by a recent patron of the Admiral Benbow," Zoey explained. "His name was Billy Bones."
The professor nodded. "Explain further whilst we travel to my linguistics and alphabet room, youths," she requested as she began leading everyone out of the kitchen.
The kids had plenty of time to explain everything as Livesey led them through her home. They told of how Billy Bones had come to the Admiral Benbow, how his former shipmates had followed him, how they had killed Bones and destroyed the inn to get his treasure map, and how they wished to follow it to Captain Flint's treasure and use it to fund rebuilding the inn since Squire Trelawney did not seem interested in doing it himself.
"Such sentiment matches the Squire perfectly," the Professor acknowledged with annoyance. "He is always ready to spend his wealth in the aid of another until someone tells him how he should," she looked around at the mansion at large, "'tis why I am living in such a country house as this despite requesting only half this space."
"You have plenty of room to be a polymath at the least," Jim suggested.
Livesey smiled. "I did not say the space was not appreciated."
"Have you ever gotten as lost here as your assistant did?" Zoey asked. She was unaware of the angry look the Scorbunny in question shot her way.
"Aye, I fear I have lost my way in this massive home many times, but as you can see I am in the process of labeling every room. Once I have finished, it will be negotiable by the blind." Livesey turned down to Salva. "Did you say Salva got lost again?"
Salva started shouting unprintable things at Zoey in Poké speak that boiled down to scolding her for telling Livesey she got lost.
"Salva, enough!" Livesey raised her voice at her assistant. "There is no need to shout at our guests over getting lost!"
"[Were you to lower the labels you so proudly speak of, perhaps I could read them and my getting lost would be quickly forgotten!]" Salva snapped.
"In time, Salva, you shall learn your way around the house as I have," Livesey said, not having understood.
Steam seemed to blast out from Salva's ears.
"She said she wishes the labels on the doors were lower so she can read them," Ralph translated.
The professor stopped walking briefly to think about that. "Aye, that is possible," she said as she resumed walking.
"[A thousand thanks to you, Ralph,]" Salva said.
Ralph turned away bashfully to hide the blush burning through his fur. "You-you're very welcome," he replied.
Livesey stopped suddenly. She had just led everyone to the third-floor landing at the top of the central stairs.
"Unbelievable," Zoey muttered. "Again, no stairs were climbed."
"With all due respect," Jim started. "I feel there's little room to criticize your assistant for getting lost anymore, professor."
Livesey scratched the back of her neck and smiled nervously. "Aye, perhaps you have the right of it."
It took another lap around the third floor and somehow ending up on the second instead of the first but the group did reach the room Livesey sought, one labeled "linguistics and alphabet room." The room had a central table and each wall, spare the one with the door, had a bookshelf that stretched from end to end that was filled with books. Upon closer inspection, each book was a dictionary, phrasebook, or a book on ancient languages long extinct.
"Jim, pray remove the map from your coat while I find the needed texts," Livesey requested.
Jim nodded and took his coat off. It was then placed upon the table where Ralph undid the sewing keeping the map in place. Once the map was removed Jim put his coat back on and patiently waited for the Professor to find the book she was looking for.
"Ah, here it sits," Professor Livesey said as she pulled a volume out from one of the bookshelves. It was titled "Notes on the Ruins outside the Town of Solaceon."
"What book is that, professor?" Jim asked.
"Why what it reads upon the cover," Livesey answered. "'Tis a collection of notes taken by myself at peculiar ruins outside a settlement in the Sinnoh region. My main interest was of the peculiar symbols that lined the walls of the ruins,"
"[They were most peculiar, indeed,]" Salva added. "[Each appears to have a single eye. While in those ruins I felt as though an unseen presence watched my every move.]"
"Indeed Salva, we are fortunate the ruins lacked any ancient traps," Livesey continued.
Salva groaned.
"Now, if memory has served me correctly…" the Professor resumed as she opened the large journal on the table. She smiled in satisfaction. Everyone else at the table stared in awe.
"These symbols are similar!" Zoey exclaimed.
"Not merely similar, I see several that are exact," Jim corrected. Then he looked again. "They're all exact!"
Professor Livesey nodded. "It pleases me to see such observation in you, Jim," she said. "Yes, these are the characters of an ancient alphabet, the one ours is theorized to be descended from in fact."
"How did a pirate captain learn to write in such a system?" Ralph asked.
"[Perhaps Captain Flint was better educated than his profession would otherwise imply,]" Salva theorized.
"How he learned to write in this alphabet is not our concern, only what he wrote with it," the Professor proclaimed. She turned to an empty page in the journal and began writing down the characters on the map.
Salva was taking a closer look at the map when she noticed something. "[Livesey, I think something is written on the other side of the paper,]" she said.
"Yes, Salva, the map and instructions appear to be quite detailed," Professor Livesey replied.
Salva slapped a paw to her forehead; misunderstood again.
"She sees writing on the other side of the map, professor," Ralph translated again.
"Does she?" Livesey asked, looking up from her work. "Then unstitch it from the oilcloth so we may look closer."
Ralph did as asked with his smaller and finer digits. He had to consciously focus on it because the thankful smile Salva was giving threatened to distract him. When the map was freed and flipped over, there was indeed writing on the other side in the form of two charts. Unlike the writing on the map, however, this was written in the modern alphabet. It was not any less confusing though. One chart was of dates with sums of money and the names of ships and occasional towns and cities attached to them. The other was of various items ranging from valuables such as gold and silver bars or ruby, sapphire and emerald jewelry to more mundane goods such as red and blue carpets and stolen antique swords and shields. The items also had estimated values of money attached to them.
"I despise mathematics," Zoey grossed. "Pray now someone with a mind for it explain its meaning."
"The explanation is at the bottom," Jim pointed out.
Under the charts and small bouts of mathematics was a pair of words: "Total Value." The number resting beneath "total value" was big enough to make everyone at the table stare blankly for a few moments.
"It that the value of Flint's treasure?" Zoey asked.
"Yes, I believe it is," the Professor confirmed.
"Never mind five," Jim said. "Merely a fraction of that wealth could rebuild the Admiral Benbow thirty times."
"If Squire Trelawney does not finance a voyage for this treasure I shall see it paid for myself," Zoey grossed.
"Hold those plans," Livesey calmed. "Should I translate this writing on the map itself, you shan't need to."
Livesey flipped the map back over and transcribed the last few symbols into her journal. With that done she began looking back through her notes to correspond the symbol with a modern letter; slowly she started spelling out words.
Begin with the tall Tree upon Spyglass shoulder, travel N.N.E
At first Skeleton, travel E.S.E. for ten meters
Upon encountering the hallowed Tree holding the north Cache, travel ten fathoms south
At second Skeleton travel E. for ten meters more
Upon encountering the Sand Hills travel N. to the inlet cape
And last turn E.N.E to the cave.
Once the symbols had been translated everyone looked with smiles on their faces.
"The directions are ours," Jim said. "The Squire must believe us now."
Professor Livesey ripped the page with the translation out of her journal. "Indeed he should young Hawkins, I shall have the Squire sent for immediately!" she proclaimed.
Emerging into the hallway, the group got a good look out the window. Night had fallen.
"Well, we've been here longer than anticipated," Ralph observed.
"You are more than welcomed to stay here tonight, there are plenty of rooms to choose from," Livesey assured. "But first, I suggest we sup; to toast our discovery and, hopefully, our upcoming voyage."
"Huzzah!" Jim and Zoey cheered at the prospect. Ralph only smiled.