are you guys doing over here?â he asked.
âChet found something,â Frank said.
Chet nodded eagerly. âIâm pretty sure itâs a treasure map!â
âA treasure map? Really?â Joe couldnât help being doubtful. Who would hide a treasure map in boring old Bayport? Still, he bent down to help the others dig out the piece of paper. It was pretty muddy after being buried in the ground.
Joe noticed that one corner of the paper was missing and its edges were ragged. âLooks like something chewed off part of it,â he said.
Chet nodded. âIt could have been that raccoon I was tracking.â He pointed to some small, hand-like prints in the mud. âOr maybe a dog or something.â
Joe looked over at the sidewalk across the street. He remembered that a tall, blond kid had been walking a lively hound puppy on a leash over there earlier. Joe had noticed them because he loved dogs. He didnât know the kid, but heâd seen him around. He was pretty sure the puppy was new, though. They were both gone now anyway.
âIt was probably a dog,â Joe said. âThey like toeat anything and everything. Thatâs why Mom says we canât get one.â
Frank was carefully spreading out the muddy paper. âSorry, Chet,â he said. âI donât think itâs a treasure map after all. Looks like a used wrapper from a fast-food burger.â
âYuck,â Joe said. âYouâre right. I think thatâs ketchup there under the dirt.â
Chet grabbed the burger wrapper and turned it over. âLook,â he said, pointing. âThereâs stuff written on the back. See? It
is
a map!â
Joe leaned forward for a closer look. Just then there was a shout from behind them. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Adam heading their way.
âOops,â he said, shoving the wrapper at Chet. âBetter hide this before Adam sees it. You know how he is.â
Chet looked nervous. âYou take it,â he whispered, shoving it back at Joe.
Joe shrugged and stuffed the wrapper in his pocket. Then he and Frank walked back toward Adam and the others. Chet stayed a little behind them.
âHiding from me, Morton?â Adam taunted him with a smirk.
âLeave him alone,â Frank said.
Just then there was a buzzing sound. Phil reached into his pocket. âItâs my phone,â he said.
Phil had the fanciest cell phone of anyone his age. He loved gadgets and anything high tech. When he grew up, he wanted to be an inventor.
He answered the phone. Then he held it out to Frank and Joe.
âItâs for you two,â he said. âItâs your mom.â
âThanks.â Frank took the phone from him.
âAw, how cute,â Adam goaded Joe, using a baby voice. âYour mommy is checking up on you! Is she afraid her two little babies will get lost trying to find your way home all by your baby selves?â
âNo way,â Joe answered with a frown. âIf someone with a brain as tiny as yours can find your way home, we can do it too.â
Adam just smirked. âIf you say so, Baby Joe.â
Soon Frank hung up and handed the phone back to Phil. âWeâd better head home,â he told Joe.
âAlready?â Joe asked unhappily.
âJust come on,â Frank said. âMom wants us to stop at the grocery store on the way.â
âWeâll walk you to the store,â Chet said. âItâs on our way home. Right, Iola?â
He still sounded nervous. That reminded Joe that Adam was still hanging around. As long as he was there, staying at the park wouldnât be much fun anyway.
The four of them said good-bye to the others and walked away. âI still donât see why we had to leave so early,â Joe complained. âThe storeâs right across the street. It will only take a second to stop in there.â
âI know,â Frank said. âBut Mom wants us home