1
Chapter 2
Ben parked a few blocks away from his father's house. He turned around to face Riley and Abigail.
"How is he?" Ben asked.
"I stitched up the wound and bandaged it, but I don't have anything to make a sling with," Abigail made known.
"My dad should have some towels that we can use. You think you can walk a few blocks Riley?" Ben asked.
"I think so," Riley mumbled.
Ben got out of the car and went to the back. He opened the back door and helped Riley out. He put the Declaration on his shoulder and the three started walking to the house. Ben kept a grip on Riley's good arm in case Riley fell over. They got to the door and Ben rang the door bell.
The door opened and Patrick Gates stood there.
"Dad," Ben greeted.
"Where's the party?" Patrick asked.
"Oh well...I'm in a little trouble," Ben sighed.
"Is she pregnant?" Patrick asked looking at Abigail.
"Well, if she is, are you going to leave the woman carrying your grandchild standing out in the cold?" Ben asked.
Patrick led them in.
"This better not be about that dumb treasure," Patrick whispered in Ben's ear.
"Dad, do you have any towels that we could use to make a sling for Riley's arm?" Ben asked.
"Why? What happened?" Patrick asked.
"Long story short, it's about the treasure and I need the Silence Dogood letters," Ben answered.
"And he dragged you two into this nonsense?" Patrick asked Abigail and Riley.
"Literally," Abigail mumbled.
"I volunteered," Riley smiled.
"Well unvolunteer. Before you waste your life," Patrick suggested as he got some towels from the kitchen and handed them to Abigail.
Abigail had Riley sit on the couch and she sat next to him. As she made a sling for his arm, Ben and his dad argued.
"Well maybe that's the real Gates legacy. Sons who disappoint their fathers," Ben stated.
"Get out take your troubles with you," Patrick ordered.
"I found the Charlotte," Ben sighed.
"The Charlotte? You mean she was a ship?" Patrick asked.
"Yeah and she was beautiful," Ben smiled.
"And the treasure?" Patrick asked.
"No, but we found another clue that lead us here..."
"And that will lead to another clue. And that is all you'll ever find is another clue. Don't you get it Ben? I finally figured it out. The legend said the treasure was hidden to keep it from the British, but what really happened was the legend was invented to keep the British busy searching for buried treasure. The treasure is a myth," Patrick explained.
"I refuse to believe that," Ben stated determinedly.
Riley had never seen Ben so determined. He was willing to spend his whole life searching for this treasure until it was found or until he was proven wrong. And Riley would be there every step of the way.
"Well, you can do what you want you're a grown person. What am I doing? Do what you want Ben. Do what you want," Patrick huffed.
"He's probably right. You don't even know there is another clue," Abigail added.
"Well, I can think of way we can find out. We can find out right now," Ben stated.
They set everything out on the dining room table to examine the declaration.
"Looks like animal skin. How old is it?" Patrick asked.
"At least 200 years," Ben commented.
"Really? You sure?" Patrick asked.
"Pretty darn,"
"Now if this thing is in invisible ink, how do we look at it?" Riley asked.
"Throw it in the oven," Patrick brought forth.
"No! Nuh uh!" the three stated firmly.
"Invisible ink can only be brought out with heat," Patrick informed.
"Yes but this is.."
"It's very old. It's very old, and we can't risk compromising the map."
"You need heat,"
"Dad it's real late why don't you get some rest?"
"I'm fine."
"Lemons?" Ben asked.
Riley handed the lemons to Ben with his good arm. Ben took one and went to put it on the declaration, but Abigail stopped him.
"You can't do that," she stated.
"But it has to be done," Ben sighed.
"Then someone who is trained to handle antique documents is gonna do it," Abigail firmly stated taking the lemon, "now if there is a map on here it will probably be marked by a symbol in the upper right hand corner."
She took a Q-tip and leaned forward.
"I'm so getting fired for this," she mumbled.
She spread the lemon on the right hand corner. Nothing.
"I told you. You need heat," Patrick reminded.
Ben and Abigail leaned down and blew on it. A faint symbol showed up. Abigail stared in disbelief while Ben and Riley smiled.
"You see," Patrick mumbled.
"We need more juice,"
"We need more heat,"
They were soon revealing a bunch of numbers.
"It's not a map. Is it?" Riley asked.
"More clues what a surprise," Patrick sighed.
"Are those latitudes and longitudes?" Riley asked.
"It's why we need the Silence Dogood letters," Ben stated.
"That's the key?" Abigail asked.
"The key in silence undetected," Ben quoted, "dad can we have the letters now?"
"Will someone please explain to me what these magic numbers are?" Riley asked.
"It's an Ottendorf cipher," Abigail answered.
"Oh okay. What's on Ottendorf cipher?" Riley asked.
"They're just codes," Patrick replied.
"Each of these three numbers corresponds to a word in a key. Usually a random book or a newspaper article. In this case, the Silence Dogood letters. So it's like the page number of the key text, the line on the page, and the letter in that line," Ben explained, "so dad where's the letters?"
"You know, it's just by sheer happenstance that his grandfather..." Patrick began.
"Dad?" Ben asked.
" ...even found them. They were in an antique desk from the press room..." Patrick continued.
"Dad?"
" ...of The New England Courant. That's a newspaper."
"Dad where are the letters?" Ben asked.
"I don't have them son," Patrick made known.
"What?"
"I don't have them," Patrick repeated.
"Where are they?" Ben asked.
"I donated them to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia," Patrick answered.
"Time to go," Ben stated getting up and putting stuff away.
"I still can't believe it," Abigail began, "all this time no one knew what was on the back."
"The back of what?" Patrick asked lifting the paper.
"No!" the three yelled.
"Oh, my God. Oh, my God," He gasped the paper shaking in his hands.
"I know," Ben sighed.
"Oh, my God. What have you done? This is... this is the..."
"I know!"
"This is the Declaration of Independence!"
"Yes," Abigail stated calmly, gently taking it from him, "And it's very delicate."
"You stole it?" Patrick asked in disbelief. Riley pointed to Ben.
"Dad, I can explain, but I don't have time. It was necessary. And you saw the cipher-" Ben reasoned.
"And that will lead to another clue, and that will lead to another clue! There is no treasure. I wasted years of my life. And now you've destroyed yours. And you pulled me into all this!" Patrick shouted.
"Well, we can't have that." Ben stated.