Free Iva Honeysuckle Discovers the World by Candice Ransom

across the porch. Heaven was her last chance.
    â€œWait! Okay, you can have half the gold.” It was only money, Iva thought with a pang. The important thing was that she had found Ludwell’s treasure. “And you can be my partner, but you have to be a silent partner.”
    â€œWhat does that mean?”
    â€œIt means you can’t talk about it. It’s my discovery,” Iva said. Sensing Heaven was backing off again, she added, “Fifteen thousand dollars will buy a lot of pot holders and embroidered pillowcases.”
    â€œDeal,” Heaven said. “I’ll tell Miz Compton we’re leaving.”
    Iva knew she had made the right decision. Heaven might be a pain, but nothing stopped that girl when she made up her mind to do something.
    Heaven came out of the house and clipped briskly down the steps.
    â€œThere’s a lamp I want to get at Cazy Sparkle’s yard sale tomorrow,” she said. “The shade is a clear plastic tub with butterflies. You put it on your TV, and the warmth from the TV makes the tub go around. The butterflies look like they’re flying.” She shot Iva a meaningful glance. “I want it bad.”
    A sharp pain flickered through Iva’s right temple. The treasure had better be there. She hated to think what Heaven would do to her if it wasn’t.
    Heaven dropped the shovel Iva had borrowed from her father’s shed, and waved her arms at the mountain of steaming garbage.
    â€œThe dump ?” she exclaimed. “ This is where that old guy buried the gold?”
    â€œIt wasn’t the dump back when General Braddock was here,” Iva told her. “It was a pretty field with trees and flowers.”
    â€œWell, it’s not so pretty now,” Heaven said with disgust.
    Iva had planned to find the treasure in an hour or so, before the worst heat of the day. Her picture would be splashed across the front page of the evening edition of The Uncertain Star.
    But by the time she and Heaven had walked to Iva’s house to get the shovel, and then stopped at Heaven’s house because Heaven wanted a brown-sugar-and-butter sandwich, and Iva decided she wanted one, too, and then walked all the way to the dump, the sun was at its sizzling midafternoon peak.
    Stinky steam rose from the garbage pile.
    Iva glanced up the road at Swannanoah Priddy’s little house. Swannanoah was working on the engine of her yellow pickup truck. She didn’t see Iva and Heaven sneak across the parking lot.
    â€œHow do you know this is the right place? Where’s the map?” Heaven demanded. “I want to see it.”
    â€œI don’t have it with me. I memorized the clues,” Iva said. “Trust me, this is the spot.”
    â€œCan we get started?” Heaven asked. “Before I have a heat stroke?”
    â€œExcuse me, please.” Iva brushed past Heaven. “I need to pace off again.”

    She marched to the old oak tree, turned smartly, and began counting out loud as she strode toward the dump. Up the hill, past the stump, across the parking lot. She stopped at the very edge of the garbage mound.
    Forty-five steps. Same as last time. She estimated another five steps inside the garbage heap, picked up a rock, and placed it in the center of a particularly ripe pile of used kitty litter.
    â€œStart digging right here,” Iva said.
    Heaven stabbed the shovel downward, like a spear. She scooped up a shovelful of kitty litter and expertly tossed it over her left shoulder.
    â€œYou could do this for a living,” Iva said. Discoverers were supposed to praise their workers. It made them feel good.
    â€œLet’s see if this shovel fits in your mouth.”
    â€œHa-ha!” Iva stepped back, just in case.
    Heaven dug and dug. She cleared out used Kleenexes, burned toast, moldy hot-dog buns, and what looked like a mess of beef stew that somebody had eaten and then spit out.

    She dug through onion peels,