Free The Hound of Rowan by Henry H. Neff Page B

walked along with Connor and David as Miss Awolowo gathered the group by the closest tree.
    â€œThe apples!” a girl exclaimed. “They’re made of gold!”
    Max looked up to see a number of small apples that appeared to be cast of gold. Jesse Chu slipped past Max and stood on his tiptoes to reach one of them.
    â€œDo
not
touch that apple!”
    Jesse recoiled as if he had been stung. Miss Awolowo slipped past several students, lifting the hem of her dress above the grass.
    â€œForgive me for startling you, Jesse, but these trees are sacred. Let me explain a bit about the Rowan orchard. Omar, will you please read that plaque for me?”
    A dark-skinned, studious-looking boy with glasses bent down and read the stone tablet embedded at the base of the tree.
    â€œ
Fiat Lux
—Class of 1653.”
    â€œThank you. Does anyone know the expression or why we are looking at this tree?”
    A tall blond boy, whose nametag said he was Rolf from Düsseldorf, raised his hand. Max thought he must be at least fourteen.
    â€œ
Fiat Lux
is Latin,” Rolf said in a heavy German accent. “It’s translated ‘Let there be light.’ According to the brochure, 1653 is when Rowan graduated its first class.”
    Miss Awolowo smiled; the boy looked very pleased with himself.
    â€œVery good, Rolf—correct on both counts. This is a sacred tree—a Class Tree representing Rowan’s very first graduating class. They chose
Fiat Lux
for their class motto, as they arrived here in a time of great darkness. There is a sacred tree in this orchard for every class at Rowan.
    â€œEvery year, a Class Tree will bear one apple for each living member of that class. When a member of that class has passed on, his or her apple turns to gold. Thus we remember them, and these apples we do not touch. Take a few moments and walk among them.”
    Fanning out with the others, Max threaded his way through the rows of trees whose golden apples gleamed brightly in the summer sun. He tried to imagine the people they represented and what they had made of their lives. After a few moments, he noticed that gold glinted from most of the trees, including some of the younger ones.
    Miss Awolowo called, and they continued through the orchard and into a dense wood of ash, oak, maple, and beech. Sunlight twinkled through the leaves as they followed a meandering path through the trees before stopping at a long, low building set in a small clearing. Its windows were dark, but small puffs of white smoke issued from a chimney.
    â€œThis is the Smithy,” said Miss Awolowo, pointing at a formidable-looking door of black iron. “As Apprentices, you will not yet take Devices, but during the school year you may have occasion to visit.”
    Connor mouthed the word “Devices?” at Max with a quizzical look. Max shrugged with a smile as Rolf shot his hand in the air.
    â€œSpeaking of classes—when do we get our class schedules? My parents insisted that I’m to be enrolled in advanced math.”
    Max saw Lucia roll her eyes.
    â€œClass assignments will be distributed tomorrow, Rolf,” Miss Awolowo answered.
    She continued their tour through the forest, pointing out notable trees and deflecting questions regarding the small side paths that veered off the main way to disappear into the thick undergrowth. There were several of these, and Max was curious about them. David paused so long at one that Max had to trot back to pull him along.
    â€œWait a minute,” said David, fishing in his pockets.
    â€œC’mon,” said Max, watching the tour disappear beyond a bend in the path.
    David retrieved a coin from his pocket. He scratched at the soil and buried the coin beneath the twisty root of a sagging elm. Apparently satisfied, he brushed the dirt from his hands and hurried with Max after the others.
    â€œWhy’d you do that?” asked Max.
    David did not seem to hear him.
    As they