Free The Time Hunters (Book 1 of the acclaimed series for children of all ages) by Carl Ashmore Page A

deliberated for a few seconds, and then nodded coolly. Uncle Percy
turned back to Becky. ‘Very well, you can stay.’
    Becky beamed at Joe.
    ‘What do you think they were looking for?’ Joe
asked.
    ‘I’m afraid, Joe, I have absolutely no idea.’
    ‘It’s to do with the Golden Fleece, isn’t it?’ Becky
said sharply.
    A tense silence swept the kitchen.
    ‘The Golden Fleece?’ Joe blurted. ‘What’re you talking ab - ’
    ‘Shhh,’ Becky snapped back. ‘It is, isn’t it?’
    Uncle Percy hesitated for a moment. ‘It may be.
Although for the life of me I can’t imagine what.’
    ‘I knew it!’ Becky said, sounding triumphant.
    ‘Knew what?’ Joe barked. ‘Will somebody tell me what
is going on. ’
    Uncle Percy gave a heavy sigh. ‘Perhaps we should go
to the library, and I’ll tell you all I know.’
    Maria spun round, trembling with anger. ‘Sir … NO!’
    ‘Maria,’ Uncle Percy said calmly. ‘Otto Kruger came
looking for something. Something, it seems that concerns Becky or Joe. Now you
know Kruger better than anyone, and the horrors he’s capable of, it’s only fair
they know what we know. Who knows, they may even be able to help…’

 

Chapter 10

 
    Bowen
Library

 
 
    Becky had never entered Bowen library before. A
sprawling room on the top floor, it had tall walls and an ornate rococo ceiling.
Thick with dust, a stale smell emanated through the room. She had the feeling it
was the one room she’d seen that was off-limits to Maria’s thorough cleaning
regime. Books of all shapes and sizes, old and new, filled the bookshelves,
with the uppermost tiers occupied by ancient ragged scrolls, coiled up, and
tied with string.
    Uncle Percy ushered Becky and Joe to a large, circular
table in the centre of the room.   He
moved to a corner shelf, pulled out a thick leather bound volume and returned
to the table. ‘Where to begin?’ He placed the book down
on his right. ‘About a month ago, a good friend of mine, Bernard Preston,
turned up at the Hall. He’d been shot and was dying. Now according to his time
machine, he had travelled to London on the 15 th January 1900. Upon examining
the bullet, however, it was clear that the gun from which it was fired was not
made until many years later. Therefore, he had to have been murdered by a time
traveller.’
    The words made Becky shiver.
    ‘Now just before he died, he told me to see someone
named Aubrey. Later, I discovered he was referring to the seventeenth century
writer and antiquarian, John Aubrey. Now, Aubrey’s specific area of expertise
was Stonehenge. You’ve heard of Stonehenge?’
    ‘Of course,’ Becky said.
    ‘I went there with the school.’ Joe crumpled his
nose. ‘It was naff.’
    Uncle Percy shot Joe a disapproving look. ‘I assure
you, Joe. Stonehenge is far from naff . In fact, I believe somehow the monument lies at the very heart of this mystery.
Anyway, I visited Aubrey, and he told me that Bernard had indeed been to see
him to discuss a legend associated with Stonehenge.’
    ‘What legend?’ Becky asked excitedly.
    ‘Well, as you may know, Stonehenge took hundreds of
years to build. Anyway, there is an ancient legend that states that when it was
finished, God was so delighted he rewarded its makers with a powerful object. A divine object.’
    ‘The Golden Fleece,’ Becky said.
    ‘Precisely. Now, of course, stories like this are common throughout history, and more often
than not are total poppycock. I didn’t see why this one would be any different.
That was until I scrutinized his research. His investigations, both academic
and in the field, have convinced me that the legend was indeed based on some semblance
of fact. To what extent, I’m not sure, but I am in no doubt that the Golden
Fleece existed. You’ve heard of the Golden Fleece, Joe?’’
    ‘Course,’ Joe said, ‘Dad used to read it to me. It’s
an awesome story.’
    Uncle Percy continued. ‘Yes, it is. Anyway, as
Stonehenge was finished