All sounds of the storm raging out side the old boat house fadded away as the three scooters studied the map in silence.

Closer and closer the three were drawn to the paper on top of the barrel. The correlation of the coin's markings in the center of the map needed to be adjusted just a little.

Ben reached over to the paper coin to shift it's location just a little. Then!

CRACK-BOOOM! The floor gave way and the barrel, map, and the coin copy were gone in an instant.

The three scooters just stood there, frozen in place, holding the lanterns, looking into a hole in the floor of the boat house where the barrel once stood.

Dust and sand filled the air for a moment and then quickly settled.

Ben Looked up at the others "WOW...Glade we wert standing on that when it gave way"!

"LOOK...It's a passage way entrance...there's a ramp" Ben was holding the lanern over the hole in the floor!

"Well...We need to get the map back" said Sally as she looked in the hole in the floor.

"OK...I'll do it, I'm the smallest" volunteered Vespa as she started for the opening.

Sally looked at Vespa "HOLD ON NOW...first we need to get the rope out of the boat and tie it around you for safety".

Sally quickly opened the boat house door and went out and shortly returned with a coiled, wet rope over her handlebars.

"Let's get you tied up good...we don't want to lose you" said Ben as he gave her a reasuring look.

Once the rope and knot was checked by Sally, Vespa started for the ramp in the floor.

Slowly she started her descent into the darkness. Her head light blassing on highbeam.

Sally looked over at Ben and said as the rope was being let out "She has brave heart".

"The heart of an explorer" Ben responded.

Vespa was just about half way down the ramp when she slid a little on a patch of sand and caught herself on a tree root hanging from the tunnels ceiling. "I'm OK" she yelled up to the boat house.

"DARN IT...BE CAREFUL VESPA" Ben yelled back as he ajusted his grip on the rope!

Soon Vespa found herself at the bottom of the ramp and looked up to see Ben and Sally looking over the edge of the hole with their lanterns.

"Now that was a scrary 30 feet" Vespa said to herself.

"DO YOU SEE THE MAP" yelled Sally down the hole!

"NO...THE BARREL MUST HAVE ROLLED DOWN THE TUNNEL WITH THE MAP" responed Vespa.

Ben looked at the 5 feet rope he held and looked up at Sally. "Is there any more rope in the boat" he asked? Sally just shook her head no.

"CAN YOU SEE THE BARREL FROM WHERE YOU ARE" yelled Sally.

"YES" Vespa responded back. "IT'S ABOUT FOURTY FEET AWAY, I THINK I CAN SEE IT"

"WE ARE OUT OF ROPE, SO WE'LL PULL YOU BACK UP" yelled Ben!

Just then the rope went slack as Bend started to pull her back.

"VESPA"!!!


(c) DennisB 2010

Vespa stood there in the dark and dust filled tunnel for a moment. Her vision was starting to clear and she could see the faint outline of the barrel through the tagled mass of tree roots that pierced the roof of the old tunnel.

"I'll be right back...I can see the barrel at the end of the tunnel" she yelled to her friends just standing feet away at the top of the ramp.

He pushed her way past some of the smaller roots and over the larger ones that stood before her and blocked her way. The rootes sparked with small droplets of water in her head light.

Cold drops of rain water dripped on her from the ceiling. Each one made her shiver as they fell upon her.

Trickles of water where running down the old stone walls gathering into moss filled pools along the now slippery floor.

There at the end of the tunnel, where it tuned to the right, was the barrel... just a few more feet to go.

She made it. The barrel was on it's side with the map still cinging to it's top.

"Thank Goodness" she said to herself and looked to see if she could find the paper coin. It was gone..."no surpise there" she said out load. Her words echoed down the tunnel.

She put the map in her glove box and turned to start the journey back. She could just see the light of the lanterns reflecting off the ramp.

Then she heard it...a wisper of a voice called to her..."Vespa, come see".

She turned back around and moved quickly past the barrel and looked down the unexplored part of the tunnel.

She could see a dim light, far off down the tunnel. Then she heard the whispering voice again..."Vespa, come see".

She started to move slowly down the tunnel toward the dim light and the voice when she slipped on a patch of moss and went down and started to slide further down the dark abyss.

She caught herself on a tree root and stopped herself from slidding any further.

A few moments later she was back on her tires. She stood there in the dark for a moment.

"That's it...enough tunnel exploring for me" and turned back toward her friends in the boat house.

It didn't take her long to get to the ramp and find the rope. "OK...PULL AWAY" she shouted and was quickly hauled up the ramp by her friends.

"Are you OK" asked Ben as Vespa reached the top of the ramp. "Yes...I'm fine and have the map".

"What did you see down there" Sally asked?

Vespa looked deep into Sally's eyes, "It's more of...what I felt and heard" she responed.

"I have never seen a ghost before...and never want to again" she wispered to her friends.


(c) DennisB 2010

The three friends waited in the old boat house for the storm to pass and taking a moment to look at the map once again.

Vespa opened the envelope that she had in her glove box and took out the gold coin. She placed the map on Ben's spoiler and then the coin in the center.

"Now stay still...we need to look at the map" she told Ben. "Darn it...I wanted to look at the map to" Ben said with a fustrated tone of voice.

Vespa and Sally held the lanterns close to the map.

The map had these words along the top edge "I, Captain Gray Beard, in the year of our Lord, 1726. Being the soul survivor of the Marinette and creator of this treasure map, give my full blessing to all that come after me in the quist to find the Gold of the Marinette. BE WARNED... the remainder of the warning was missing, long gone with the passage of time.

"OK...here we are" said Sally, pointing to a small cove on the north side of the island.

"Back in 1726, when this map was drawn, there was nothing on this island except birds, sand, and coconut trees. So we need to look at the island as it was back then and try to ignore all the things that have been changed" Sally told the others.

Sally leaned over the map and coin to get a better look at the way the coins surface markings aligned with the map.

"Look...you see it...how the mark on the coin matches the drawing.

Sally shifted the coin position several times. Many lines coming off the center of the map and going in all directions on the drawing of the island and intersected by other lines at different degrees.

"How does this work" asked Vespa?

"I just don't know" said Sally?

Just then, Ben shifted his position and the coin stood on it's edge, rolled for a moment and then fell over again in a diffrent place on the map.

Sally looked at the coin and map and her eyes got big . "THAT'S IT...YOU FOUND IT, BEN...The way the map and coin work together....Your a Genius"!!

"No...Captain Gray Beard was the genius" replied Ben"

Vespa gave Ben a big hug.


(c) DennisB 2010

"Police Detective Sally...I wonder what she's up to" Doctor LaMain said to himself as he looked north through a telescope from a rain spotted, third story observation tower window and saw the boat tied to the old wooded dock.

"I should find out if the Captain has the map yet" he said to himself.

He turned and headed toward a closed door in the towers floor. He grabbed the handel on the small door and the hinges creeked in disagreement as he swung it open to revel the spiral stairwell that lead down to the main house. A boney handle bar gripping the rail as he decended through the darkness.

As he reached the second floor his old tires found comfort when they rested on the hand made Persian rug that was at the base of the stairwell.

His small, dark shadowy form scurried quickly across the second story room and picked up a lit candle from a small table. He had left the candle there just minutes before going up the obervation tower. The brass handle on the candle holder was cold to his touch but soon warmed.

"I just wish they could figure out how to keep the electrical power on during a storm" he said to himself.

Holding the candle out in front of him, he desended the remaining flight of stars to the main floor in his home.

"Let me see...where did I leave that phone...There it is" he said to himself as the moved to seat himself in the worn leather highback chair in his dusty library. He sat the lit candle on the table next to the chair and sat down on the warm leather.

He carefully pushed the numbered buttons to a memorized phone number and then placed the receiver next to his head and he waited for Captain John to answer.

One ring, then two, then several...but no answer. "I hope he's out doing what I asked him to do" the Doctor said to himself as he placed the receiver back on the phone and leaned back in the chair.

"Police Detective Sally...It must be her bi-weekly visit. I'll just wait here for the knock on the front door" he said to himself and closed his eyes as he waited.


(c) DennisB 2010

The morning was slipping by for the three friends in the old boathouse. After a few more minutes of looking at Captain Gray Beards treasure map and trying out the rolling coin edge theory they decided that the distance between the raised dots along the coins edge equaled close to one meter and that corresponded with the roman numerals that were along side of each line. Now where to begin?

Sally opend the front door of the boathouse and looked at the boat still tied to the dock. "We need to get the equipment, food, and packs out of the boat" she said as she started out the door.

The morning storm had moved North, taking with it the wind and rain. The sun was starting to peek through what was left of the storm clouds sending bright shafts of light into the clear, blue water just off shore.

Vespa and Ben emerged form the boathouse's opened door and stood there on the sand looking at the spectacular sight that was before them.

"Ben...Quick...get a picture of this before it's gone"! Ben already had his cell phone out of the sealed plastic bag he had it in and snapped a couple of pictures. "Got it" he said with a smile on his face.

"Come on you two...we need to get our stuff and head to the middle of the island" Sally said as she was heading for the boat.

Ben put away his cell phone back and started toward the dock and the boat.

After a few minutes the equipment was out of the boat and on their backs. They stopped for a moment on the beach.

"OK... When we get to Doctor LaMain home, I want you two to stay by the front gate with the equipment hidden from view and you both standing in front of the gate so the Doctor can see you.

At this moment, I'm making both of you honorary police investigators...Raise your right hanlebars and repeat after me".

Sally swore Ben and Vespa in, right there on the beach, as honorary police investigators for the police department. Vespa and Ben were very excited about this.

"Now here's the story I'm going to tell the Doctor of why were going to be on the his island for a few days...


(c) DennisB 2010

The three scooters headed east along the islands north shore guided by Sally.

She had payed Doctor LaMain many visits in the past to see if he was OK, since he lived alone and his island fell under her jurisdiction.

A well warn path came into view just around an outcropping of some very large, volcanic looking bolders on the shore. The bolders had the look of being warn down from countless waves hitting them.

The path lead from the beach up into the dense island jungle growth and seemed to disappear in the heavy ground fog that was starting to form on the narrow path in front of them from the recent rain and now the heat of the midday sun.

Island birds and insects sang all around them as they made their way to Doctor LaMain home in the center of the island. The heat of the jungle was stifling to Vespa and Ben as they rolled along following Sally up the pathway.

Soon the they found them selves at a large entree gate. Two tall pliars made up of volcanic stones cemented together and a heavy, black, ornate double wrought iron gate hinged to the pliars.

"This is where we need it take off our packs" said Sally as she swung the heavy load from her back and into the bushes next to the gate.

Ben and Vespa removed their packs as well.

"Now stand here, in front of the gate...and remember...Don't wave...Just nodd if the Doctor looks at you...remember your police investigators now".

Sally pushed open one side of the huge gate and entered. The rusted gate made a loud screeching sound as it opened.

"Well the Doctor knows were here" Ben whispered to Vespa as Sally rolled to the front door of the huge home covered with flowering jungle veins.

Sally stood on the front porch and reached for the doors brass knocker and let them fall three times to announce her arrival. A hollow sound echoed through the old mansion.

Minutes past as Sally waited. Soon the sound of the doors locks being turned could be heard and then the door came open with a groaning sound that could be heard all the way to were Ben and Vespa stood.

There in the open doorway, stood Doctor LaMain....


(c) DennisB 2010

The shadowy figure of the Doctor moved slowly out of the darkened doorway and into the dim light of the midday shade of the porch. He was wearing a long dark hooded cloak that covered him from top to bottom. His face was hidden in the shadows of the hood.

"Good afternoon, Detective...Always a good day when you come to call...I hope this morning's storm didn't get you too waterlogged... wouldn't want you to get sick now" said the Doctor with a mocking concern to his voice.

"Good afternoon to you Doctor LaMain....sorry to bother you, but as you know, I need to check on you from time to time, to make sure your OK out here by yourself."

"Who are they" Asked the Doctor as he raised a bony handlebar from beneath his cloak and pointed past Sally to the gate?

Ben and Vespa saw the Doctor looking at them so they both nodded to him. The Doctors attention returned to Sally.

"The two Detectives by your gate are here for training and to assist me in an investigation of a possible escaped convict hiding on your island." Sally said with a deeply concered look on her face.

"Have you seen any strangers on your island lately" asked Sally?

"No...no one...only you and your friends" replied the Doctor.

"We'll be here for a few of days to do a bit of looking around...if that's OK with you, Doctor" asked Sally.

"You and your assistants can stay here at my home, if you would like, during your little stay on my island" offered the Doctor.

"No...We brought camping gear and food with us...We'll be OK with that, thank you the invitation" said Sally.

"OK then, You can stay...Camp out if you like...just don't make a mess of my island" the Doctor said a he turned and rolled back into his home, slaming the door closed behind him.

Sally stood on the porch for a moment and then turned to go back the gate. She could hear the sound of the door locks engaging from the opposite side of the massive door as she rolled back to the front gate where Ben and Vespa waited.


(c) DennisB 2010

Sally closed and swung the large latch over to secure the front gate.

"OK...Let's go treasure hunting" Salley whispered as she stood out side the gate.

"According to Captain John's map we need to start at the ""Source of life"" on the island" Sally said to the others.

"I think he means a natural fresh water spring" Vespa injected into the conversation.

"A fresh water spring would work well as a source of life" Good job, Vespa!

"I've flown over this island many times on ariel patrol with the department...I think I know where to find the water spring....Let's go".

The heavy equipment packs were once again loaded on their backs and then they were on their way.

They moved slowly along overgrown jungle trials most of the afternoon. The humity in the jungle air was starting to rust their brake rotors and the mud was starting to clog their radiators, causing them to over heat.

"Let's take a break in the clearing up ahead" said Sally. Ben and Vespa nodded in agreement.

As the three stopped to cool down for a few minutes, Vespa heard what sounded like a small stream running just beyond the jungle wall of the little clearing.

After cooling down they followed the sound of the water. They made their way through the heavy undergrowth and found the small stream they've been hearing.

Only a few inches wide surrounded with moss cover rocks and large island ferns.

"Here's where we start" said Sally. "We'll follow the stream up to it's source from here".

Ben and Vespa had their tires resting in the cool water and washing out the jungle mud from their radiators.

"That's much better...Let's go" said Vespa with a voice full of enthusiasm.

Evening was starting to fall for the three treasure hunters... and in the jungle, that happens quickly...


(c) DennisB 2010

The little fresh water stream seemed to get larger as the three treasure hunters followed it up through the islands dense jungle.

Rain water from the morning storm, was still dripping off the heavy vegetation when they found a suitable, flat location where they could pitch their tents and try to get a fire going to cook dinner.

After the camp campsite was sit up, Ben and Vespa went out into the jungle to see about finding some dry firewood.

It wasn't long before the two found a cave that had a good amount of dry wood, stacked just inside the entrance. It took a few seconds for their eyes to adjust to the dim light inside the cave. They could hear water dripping further down in the cave.

Unlit wooden torches were placed in holes in the caves walls and old spider webs hung from the ceiling to the floor.

Ben looked at the spider webs "Looks like no ones been in here for quite a while" and started to geather the wood to take back to camp.

Vespa stood there, looking past the spider webs and into the darkness that was beyond. She wanted to explore the cave and started to roll further and further into the caves darkness. Her front fender just touching the vail of webs that hung before her.

She stopped.

"Vespa...come see" the voice whispered to her. Calling here to explore the unknown beyond the webs.

Again...."Come see" the voice sang to her like in a dream. A voice that couldn't be ignored. A whispering voice that could not be heard by the others.

She started to be pulled in......"VESPA....What are you doing" Ben asked, breaking the still silence in the cave. "Please...Help me with this wood".

Vespa turned and helped Ben with his load of wood and then picked a load for herself.

As she was ready to leave the cave, she turned back and once again looked down into the darkness of the cave.

She turned and then followed Ben out into the fresh cool air and the fading light of the evening.

The setting sun turned the clouds overhead a brillinnt red and orange as they rolled back to camp. Vespa did not notice.

The three made dinner and set by the campfire for the rest of that evening. Vespa wondered if she sould talk to Ben and Sally about the voice in the cave that called her.


And still called to her as she looked into the fire....


(c) DennisB 2010

"Let's see now" Sally said as she looked at the map next to the fire. When we get to the fresh water spring, we need to look for some kind of marker or indicator.

Vespa sat by the fire, looking at the flames and wondering if her friends would understand.... Vespa spoke up.

"Ben, Sally....Something is going on... and I need to talk to you about it".

Both Ben and Sally fell silent and looked at Vespa.

Vespa continued "This might sound like I need to be locked up for being crazy...but I've been hearing a voice that keeps calling me to explore the caves on this island. It calls my name and then asks me to come see something down inside the cave tunnels."

Vespa paused for a moment to look at the expressions on her friends faces, in the fire light, then continued.

"I have no idea who it is...it just wants me to come see something". Vespa added.

"Did you hear the voice when we were in the cave enterance getting the fire" Ben asked?

"Yes" said Vespa. "And it's really starting to bother me" she added.

"Sounds to me like we need to do a little cave exploring tomorrow" said Sally with a smile on her face.

"Then that's what we'll do" added Ben. "We can get an early start".

Vespa sat next to the fire thinking of how lucky she was to have friends like Ben and Sally.

Morning was just a few hours away, so they all turned in for the night.

The shadowy cloaked figure of Doctor LaMain shifted position just a little, just outside of the reach of the light of the camp fire.

"Treasure hunters...BAH...They told me lies" the Doctor said himself.

"Hummm"

"A voice calls her....I thought I was the only one that could hear it's call" he whispered to himself as he moved back into the dark jungle to wait for morning.

(c) DennisB 2010

After being booked and spending the night in the islands jail, Mister Smith was let go under his own recognizes to appear in court in two weeks. He also promised not to leave the island during this time.

He was given back his personal possessions and he rolled out the door.

"I need to get that map back" he said to himself as he headed to Captain John's shop.

He soon found himself standing in front of the Captains nautical shop. He opened the door and rolled in, the small brass bell above the door, anounced him as the door was opened.

"I'LL BE RIGHT WITH YOU" could be heard from the back room and soon Captain John came through the doorway into the front room of the shop.

"O'... it's you...Where's my map" the Captain said with anger in his voice.

"Please...Let me explane to you about what happened" said Mister Smith.

"OK...but make it quick, I have things to do" the Captain responded.

Mister Smith told the story truthfully to Captain John and the Captain could see it in his eyes.

"We need to get that treasure map back...and quick" said the Captain. "But how..."?


(c) DennisB 2010

Time pasted away in the little nautical shop while the Captain and Mister Smith tried to come up with a sane and useful way to get the map out of the police departments evidents room. They talked about it most of that evening and into the night.

Just when the two were about to call it a night, the phone rang in the little shop.

"Hello, Captain John's"

"They have the map...I saw it, here on my island, not more then an hour ago" the voice belonged to Doctor LaMain.

"How soon can you get here" asked the Doctor?

"We'll be there in the morning" said the Captain. Then he hung up the phone.

Early the next morning, both Mister Smith and the Captain were on a boat heading for the island.

Morning came early for the three scooters camping on the island. A small campfire was made and coffee and breakfast was prepared by Ben.

Vespa was the last scooter out of her tent and she had the look of a bike that didn't get enough rest.

"Vespa, did you get any sleep last night" Ben asked with a concerned voice?"

"A little bit...I'm OK...I just need some coffee" she resonded as she looked to the fire pit and the coffee pot.

"You came to the right place...Coffee's strong enough to take rust off a Ford's bumper" Ben replied.

Ben got Vespa a cup of coffee and she sat by the fire as she drank it down.

"We need to leave all our camping gear here as we explore the cave...we'll just need to take along some lunch, climing gear, shovels, and lights" Sally thought for a second. "You said there are two torches at the entrance to the cave...We can use them as well".

Light packs full of the things they needed were put on their backs and off they went.

It wasn't long before they reached the caves entrance and they went in.

Vespa stood outside for a moment longer to geather her courage and then she followed the others in.

As their eyes got ajusted to the dim light in the cave Ben noticed that there was only one torch mounted in the cave wall. The other was gone.

"Were not alone here" Sally whispered to the others as she looked at the veil of spider webs that were now showing signs of being burnt and pushed to one side. A set of new motorcycle tracks were in the dust of the cave floor...going in and not coming out.

"We need to be very careful in here...stay close to me" as Sally brought out her 9mm Beretta.

They lit the one torch and started to move into the cave...


(c) DennisB 2010

The boat carrying Captain John and Mister Smith moved closer to the old wooden dock where Sally's police boat was tied up.

"Detective Sally is here" the Captain whispered.

They meneuvered their boat to the other side of the dock and they both jumped onto the old wooden structure and it creeked from the heavy load.

"When I was a kid, we used to play in the tunnels on this island" said the Capain as he tied up the mooring lines. "There was an entrance in the boat house as I remember...A trap door leading down into the island and coming up near the the Doctors house".

"Lets take it so we wont run into Detective Sally" Mister Smith agreed knowing full well that he broke the conditions of his release from jail.

Captain John led as they rolled off the dock and onto the shore and up to the old boat house.

When they got to the boat house the door was standing open and from outside they could see the trap was open as well.

"What do you want to do" whispered Mister Smith?

"I have another way in besides the trail and the boat house...Let's get back to the boat" replied the Captain.

The two rolled back to their boat and headed to the south side of the island.

The islands south side was rocky and even more over grown with dense jungle vines. No sandy beaches could be seen from the water. Just large volcanic rocks and vines all the way to the water.

The Captain pointed the boat toward the island and gunned the boatmotor.

They moved faster and faster, straight toward a heavy gathering of vines hanging off the rocks into the water.

Mister Smith looked back at the Captain driving the boat and yelled "ARE YOU CRAZY...YOUR GOING TO KILL US"!

The little boat was at it's top speed when it hit the vine wall.


(c) DennisB 2010

A moment later Mister Smith opened his eyes and found himself in a very dark water cave, as dark as any moonless night. The smell of moist, stale air filled his intake and old spider webs lightly brushed by his face as they moved deeper into the cave.

"Well it looks like I didn't kill us after all" said the Captain as he turned off the boat motor and pulled it up and out of the water in a locked position behind the boat.

"From here on, we use the paddles...You do know how to use a paddle" the Captain asked?

Mister Smith picked up the paddle next to him and looked over the side of the boat. Millions of small shrimp were flashing brightly all around the boat. "It almost looks like the night sky in summer" Mister Smith remarked.

"Please, start paddling...We have just a little ways to go before we get to the end" The Captain urged.

They paddled for a few minutes and soon the small water tunnel opened up into a larger cave room. On the left side, a large flat boat landing with rusted mooring rings lined it's edge. Rusted chains with wheel restraints lined the wall of the platform.

"For the slaves that came through here long ago..a sad part of history...but history never the less" the Captain said from behind Mister Smith as they approched the landing.

"Go ahead and tie the bow line...I'll get the aft" said the Captain.

Carved rock stairs leading up to another platform over looking the cave. A large, heavy wooden door stood closed and latched at it's end. Unlit wooden torches placed in holes in the wall, follwed the stairs up to the second paltform.

The Captain and Mister Smith climbed out of the boat and rolled over to the stairs leading up to the second platform.

They climbed the rock stairway and approached the door. The Captain reached out and pushed the rusted latch open and the door opened with a growning sound that echoed loudly through the cave.

Behind the door was a dark passage way...leading up into the island.


(c) DennisB 2010

The light of the single torch flickered before Sally and the others as they moved slowly through the small cave tunnel.

Small droplets of cave moisture hung on the spider webs hanging in front of them, shimmering like small diamonds.

"Stay close to me" Sally whispered to Ben and Vespa as they rolled deeper into the islands dark underworld.

Small streams of water trickled down the tunnel walls causing the floor to be slippery.

Time pasted slowly and the air became heavy to breath for Ben. He could feel Vespa's handlebar grip holding onto his spoiler, it gave him confidance to move forward.

Down the tunnel, Sally could see a dim light not more then a few yeards ahead and around a bend to the right. The sound of falling water could be heard.

"We need to be very quiet now" she whisered back to Ben and Vespa as they moved forward toward light.

Slowly they came around the corner and found sunlight shinning down a five foot wide waterfall that fell into a clear pool next to the path. Wild island ferns grew along the edge of it's clear water that sparked in the sunlight. Wild jungle vines hung down through the surface opening above to the pool, far below.

Vespa froze in place. "Come see" the voice whispered to her.

Ben felt the Vespa's grip tighten on his spoiler.

Ben turned "Vespa...are you OK" he whispered.

Sally turned toward the others behind her. As she turned her head light caught something carved deep into the rock surface just left of the waterfall. Almost half covered in cave moss were the letters "GB".

"Gray Beard...my family" Sally whispared to herself. "This is it"!

Sally turned and moved toward Ben and Vespa. Her headlight locked on the cave wall where the letters were carved. Almost afraid she would loose the location of the lettering on the wall.

"You see it..." she whispered. "GB...the mark of Gray Beard...this must be the fountain of life mentioned on the map".

Vespa and Ben stood there looking at the wall.

Again..."Vespa...come see". The voice called her.


(c) DennisB 2010

"Let's take a look at the map and see what's next " Sally said while reaching in her glove box. She pulled out the map and looked...

"Water hides two ends, a thinking man will travel forth, a hurried man his journey ends" Sally read to the others from the map.

They stood there looking at the waterfall and the pool of water before it.

Ben picked up a large stone from the cave tunnel floor and tossed into the pool in front of the waterfall.

A muffled mechnaical sound was heard from behind the falling water, two rusted sword blades pierced through waterfalls vail and then slowly withdrew back into hiding.

"Well... we need to think this through" said Ben

They started to look around and found three rusted eye hooks imbedded in the cave walls. One was located above their heads in the ceiling and the other two were open hooks located on each side of the waterfall.

"I have an idea of how this works...give me the rope" Ben asked.

Sally reached into Bens pack and pulled out the climbing rope. Ben tied two large slip loops, one on each ends of the rope and ran the rope through the eye hook over his head.

He then tossed the other slip loop across the pool to the left wall hook. He missed several times and then success. He pulled the rope tight between the two hooks and tied the rope to eye hook overhead.

"OK...I'll go first and see if I can disarm the sword trap" Ben said with a half smile on his face and then placed the other end of the rope over his handlebars.

"Are you sure about this" Vespa asked?

"No problem...a piece of cake" Ben responed.

Ben climbed onto the rope and started accoss the pool toward the waterfall. Half way he threw the other end of the rope onto the open hook on the right side of the waterfall and brought the rope over the top of rope he was on.

Ben looked back at the others standing there looking at him. "OK...HERE WE GO" He said.

Ben let go of the first section of rope and held onto the second and swung into the waterfall vail and was gone.

Vespa and Sally whatched and waited for what seemed like hours.

"OK...that was easy...you can roll across the pool now" Ben's voice could be heard from behind the vail of water.

Sally and Vespa cautiously moved into the pool and waded across to the waterfall.

Sally went through first and found Ben waiting on the other side to help her into the tunnel beyond.

Vespa was next and she started in. She felt Ben's hand hold too help her through.

They stood there for a moment and looked at the two swords suspended through a large wood plank, now locked in place with a slide latch in the rock ceiling.

"Dang it Ben...Your a regular Indiana Jones...Please lead on" Sally remarked.

The torch was relit and down the new tunnel they went...slowly now... mindful of the death traps that might be just ahead.


(c) DennisB 2010

Doctor LaMain pulled back the cowling of his dark robe and bent over a small stream of water running down the center of the tunnel floor. He looked at the reflection of himself in the water, lighted by the torch he carried.

"I'm getting to old to be chasing treasure hunters through these caves" he said to himself. Just then he heard voices approaching his location.

He listened carfully for a moment and then recognized the two that approched so he waited. Soon Mister Smith and the Captain came rolling into sight.

"Took you long enough to get here" the Doctor said with some irratation in his voice.

"Police Detective Sally is here on the island so we came in through the South water cave entrance". Said the Captain.

"Yes I know they are here, you IDIOT!...and we might need to do away with them when the time comes...So be ready".

"Now, follow me...I think I know where they are...Did you bring a gun with you?" asked the Doctor.

"Yes" said the Captain.

"Good...we may need it before this is over" said the Doctor.

The Doctor rolled down the tunnel past the Captain and Mister Smith. "Follow me".

Mister Smith and the Captain looked at each other in the torch light for a moment and then followed the Doctor.

"He wants use to kill them" the Captain whispered to Mister Smith.

"MURDER THEM!... is a better choice of words...Don't you think"? said the Doctor as he moved down the tunnel, in front of the two.


(c) DennisB 2010

BANG, BANG! "What was that? asked Vespa.

All three treasure hunters turned toward the sound coming from the direction they just came from. The sounds were muffled and echoed through the tunnels.

"Sounds like gun shots to me" said Sally looking at Ben and Vespa. Torch light flickering off their faces.

"We need to move a little faster...We are not alone in here...But first, lets take a look at the map". said Sally.

The map was taken out of Vespa's glove box once more. The lines on the paper danced in the light of the torch as they looked upon it.

"The tunnel ahead splits into two, according to the map" and then Sally read from the map. "This voyage could divide you in two, but which one takes you to your final end. One goes Port the other Starboard the numbers will tell you which one holds true."

"Lets go" Ben whispered to the others "I think I know".

They put away the map and they moved further down the damp tunnel.

Soon they found themselves standing in front of were the tunnel splits into two.

"Look around...We need to find a set of numbers or a clue of some kind" asked Ben.

They soon found a set of small numbers, covered with cave moss, located in the rock above each tunnel enterance and between the two tunnels was the letters "GB"

"Gray Beard" Vespa whispered.

"OK...Lets look at the map and coin one more time" said Ben.

Ben and Sally looked at the map and Vespa slowly rolled over to the right tunnel entrace and looked down into it's dark expanse.

Soon... a familiar voice softly came into her mined and the voices of her friends, Sally and Ben faded away.

"Vespa...The Other...Come See". Vespa slowing closed her eyes and backed up from the tunnel enterance.

She rolled past Ben and Sally and both stopped talking and looked over at her for a second.

"Is it the voice" Ben asked quietly.

Vespa opened her eyes and very slowly looked over at Ben and nodded, yes.


(c) DennnisB 2010

I wasn't long before the Doctor, Mister Smith, and the Captain were standing in front of the waterfall of life. A rope still hung from the hooks above the pool.

"Looks like they went through the waterfall...I wonder what the rope was for...O'well, we need to follow them" said the Doctor.

"How many ways do they have to return to the surface" asked the Captain? "What I mean is, why don't we just wait here for them on their return trip...an ambush".

"What a great idea...Why didn't I think of that" said the Doctor.

"Captain, Let me see your gun" asked the Doctor.

The Captain reached into his saddle bag and withdrew the old 45 caliber revolver and handed it to the Doctor.

The Doctor took the old rusted revolver and looked it over carefully in the torch light.

"Is it loaded and does it work" the doctor asked" the Doctor asked?

"Why yes, it works and shoots great and please be carefull...it is loaded" said the Captain.

"Great...Thanks" said the Doctor.

BANG, BANG....and the Captain fell lifeless into the pool of water at the base of the waterfall.

Then the Doctor pointed the gun at Mister Smith.

Mister Smith backed up into the cave wall in horror of what he just witnessed.

"Do you think we can continue with out any more complaints about taking a life if we need to" the Doctor said with a grin on his face.

"OK" said Mister Smith. "You have the gun"

"Yes I do...Mister Smith. We need to go through the water fall now...You first" said the Doctor with the revolver pointing at him.

Mister Smith slowly rolled by the lifeless motorcycle laying in the pool of water.

"Good-by my old Friend" Mister Smith said to himself as he went by.


(c) DennisB 2010

"Vespa... what did the voice say to you". Asked Ben as he held up the torch so he could see her face.

"The voice told me to go to the other tunnel and to come see. I was standing in front of the right tunnel when I heard the voice". Vespa added.

"OK....That's what the map and coin is showing us also". Said Ben.

The three started down the left tunnel with Ben in the lead and then Vespa and then Sally in the back of the line.

The air was starting to get hot and humid after a few minutes of travel and a red glow was starting to show it's self further down the dark tunnel.

Ben stopped and looked back at the faces of his companions with the torch light. "Can any one else fell that change"? Asked Ben.

"It's getting hotter and alot more humid, I'm starting to feel like the lunch special at the hotel". The others nodded and they moved on.

They soon found themselves entering a much larger cave and the tunnel floor they were on, turned into a narrow foot path running down the right wall.

Ben looked over the edge of the foot path and what he saw scared him. Not more that 35 feet down was a boiling caldron of bubbling hot, sulfur water super heated by the islands volcanic core.

Vespa looked over the edge as she slowly move down the path and remarked how it looked like what hell is supposed to look like.

The wall next to the path was to hot to touch and covered with quarts deposits, Vespa took a big sample and put it in her glove box to look at later.

"We need to move through here quickly". Said Ben as he looked back at the others.

Soon they were out of the hot volcanic cave and in a cool tunnel once more.

"We need to look at the map before going on and take a break". Said Sally.

All agreed.


(c) DennisB 2010

Mister Smith rolled over to the waterfall, just then he felt the trap, pressure plate with his front tire. He truned and looked at Doctor LaMain befind him.

"GO ON NOW" said the Doctor pointing the gun at him.

Mister Smith moved slowly and cautionsly toward the water falling infront of him.

He finally put his front fairing through the water and to his surprise was a tunnel.

For just a moment he was alone. He looked around quikly for the trap that didn't spring, thinking this might be a only chance he might get.

He looked up...and there in the dim light he saw the trap release and started to reach for it.

"If you touch it, I will shoot you right where you stand". Came the evil voice from behind him and he turned to look. There was the Doctor holding the gun. Just emerging from the waterfall.

"You see...I felt the trap release also... NOW LETS GET GOING" Then the Doctors voice started to calm a bit.

"You may have more chances later...Or...I just might shoot you NOW!" The Doctor smiled.

Mister Smith turned and started to make his way down the tunnel with the murder, Doctor LaMain behind him.


(c) DennisB 2010

As Mister Smith slowly and quitly rolled down the tunnel, his mined started to wonder back to the time when he first arrived on the island. He was invited to a big party in his honor at the hotel. "What a party that was" he thought to himself.

All the important island bike's and scooters were there, including this little so and so that now had a gun pointed at him. That's when he met Captain John, Detective Sally, and of course, the Doctor.

"I just wish I knew then, what I know now" Mister Smith told himself as he went along in the dark.

They soon arrived at the where the tunnel split into two.

Mister Smith looked back at the Doctor. "Well...Which way do you want to go?"

"Let's try the right tunnel first. If it looks like a trap then I can always turn around and try the left tunnel."

"Go on now...The right tunnel...IF YOU PLEASE." said the Doctor in a mean voice.

Mister Smith started for the right tunnel with the Doctor not far behind him.

They rolled for a few minutes and found themselves on a narrow foot path on the left side of what looked like a larger tunnel.

Half way through... "O' GOD!" Were Mister Smiths last words. He rolled onto a well hidden trap door and plummeted straight down 40 feet to a floor carpeted with sharped steel spikes.

The small cave filled instantly with dust and then fell silent.

The Doctor froze in place and then moved slowly to the trap doors edge and looked down into the pit. He waited a few more seconds for the rest of the dust to settle down and brought the torch over the opening and looked down into the pit.

There at the bottom, in the dim torch light was Mister Smith. Seven spikes had pierced his body and he looked lifeless.

"Sleep well my old friend...and thank you for giving your life on this tresure quest."

The dark shadowy, hooded, figure of the Doctor LaMain then turned and went quickly back through the dark tunnel and soon found the left tunnel where he quietly entered.


(c) DennisB 2010

"The time has come, your almost done, you can proceed forward or turn and run". Ben looked up from the map and looked at Vespa and Sally.

"There's more" said Sally and she started to read more from the map.

"Each hour that passes and the sun is full height, it will show you the way if you get it just right. May your heading be true."

"This is May...Let's go" Ben said and then folded the map and handed it to Vespa.

They followed the tunnel and soon rolled into a large cave with no exits. The smallest sounds they made echoed throughout the cave as they entered.

In the center of the cave floor was a large volcanic, black rock about a meter tall and it had a flat top covered in a thick layer the cave moss.

"Stay here". Ben whispered to the others and then rolled over to the rock and cleared the moss from it's top.

Engraved into the rocks flat top was 12 small carved indentations, the size of the gold coin, and outside this circle was the carved points of a compass, "N" or North carved at one point.

Ben looked up at the cave ceiling with the help of the torch light and noticed an old iron hook and next to that a carved hole that had long strand moss hanging inside of it. Water dripped down from the moss strands and landed next to the large flat topped rock. Each drop of water made an errie sound as it hit the well weathered cave floor and echoed throughout the cave.

Over next to the cave wall was an old Iron round bar about 8 feet long.

"Vespa..Do you still have that old compass that you had stuck to your windshield?" Ben asked.

Vespa opened her glove box and produced a small ball compass with a suction cup on the end and held it up.

"Sally...I'm going to need the climbing rope you carry?" Said Ben.

Sally opened her truck and took out the rope.

Ben rolled over to Sally and asked if she would tie a slip noose in one end of the rope and then with the rope, he went back out to the center of the cave, next to the flat top rock.

"OK..When I get up there you need to hand me that iron rod so I can clean out the ceiling hole."

Ben rolled back to the center of the cave and climbed on top of the flat rock and tossed the noose over the iron hook and pulled on it and then he climbed up.

"Sally, hand me the rod." Sally rolled over and picked up the rod and brought it over to Ben.

"Here you go" As she lifted it to him.

Ben took the rod and poked it through the moss filled hole as far as he could and then removed it. Strands of moss, water and rock fell and landed on the cave floor below.

A brillant, amost blinding, shaft of sunlight pierced through the ceiling hole and landed next to the flat rock below.

Ben dropped the iron rod back down to Sally waiting below and then carefully climbed down to the cave floor.

Doctor LaMain, surprised by the bright light, moved quicky and quietly back further in the tunnel to hide his presents and continued to watch from the shadows.


(c) DennisB 2010

"OK now... Vespa we need the compass." Ben asked.

Vespa rolled over to Ben and handed him the little compass.

Ben placed the compass on the center of the flat cave stone and looked to see where magnetic North would be. Sally moved closer to the compass to look and the compass followed her. Sally was still holding the iron rod.

"Sally...the rod is a little magnetized. Can you take it down the tunnel a few feet so we can get a true north reading." asked Ben.

Doctor Main pulled his dark hooded cloak closer around himself and quietly backed up down the tunnel and melted into the shadows of the wall.

Sally went down the tunnel with the bar, a few feet. "OK... Give it a try!" The words ecohed through the cave.

Ben leaned over the compass and looked again..."YES...there it is!"

Ben picked up a small, straight wooden stick from the cave floor and placed it in the direction of north and removed the compass form the stone.

"OK." Ben said as he smiled at Vespa standing next to the tunnel.

Sally brought the iron rod back into the cave.

Ben carefully looked down the wooden stick and asked Vespa to take the torch and go to the cave wall where he was looking, and see is she could find a marker of some kind.

Vespa rolled to the wall location and held out the torch to look at the wall.

"YES! YES! Here it is." Vespa's voice echoed through the great cave.

A very thin line carved in to the cave wall with a small "GB" under it.

"OK...Sally, we need the bar now."

Ben started to look at the flat stone in the center of the cave. There it was....A hole carved right through the rock about half way up, paralle to the floor.

"If you would be so kind to run the rod through the stone so we can turn it in the correct direction." Ben asked.

"Ben, have you ever thought about being a police detective. We need someone like you on the payroll." Sally said as she rolled over to the stone with the bar.

She ran the bar into the hole carved into the center stone. The bar clanged as it went through the stone.

"OK...Now we need to turn the stone so the north mark, here on the stone, lines up with the mark on the wall...about 60 degrees...We need to turn it counterclock wise." said Ben

Ben and Sally started to turn the great center stone.

A loud gratting stone on stone sound filled the cave as the stone moved.

"Lets take a look." Ben looked. "Just a little more."

They pushed a little more....Just then there was a mechanical sound under Ben and the floor stone he was standing on gave way.

Ben grabbed onto the bar and held on for dear life. Sally and Vespa quickly rooled over to Ben and helped him up and out of the floor trap.

Ben stood there by the trap and shivered for a moment. Vespa held the torch over the trap. All looked down into the death pit.

"Spikes....I hate spikes. I need to slow down... I should have seen that one coming." Ben said as he looked down into the pit.

Doctor LaMain smiled and moved back into the shadows. "I like spikes." He said to himself.


(c) DennisB 2010

"What was that?" Vespa asked, suddenly looking up from the pit of spikes.

"Vespa, did you hear something?" Asked Sally.

"Yes...It sounded like a quite little voice." Vespa replied. "O'well."

"OK now, let's move forward." Ben replied.

The shaft of brilliant sun light coming from the hole in the ceiling was almost on the top surface of the center stone.

"Vespa...The coin, please." Vespa reached into her glove box and withdrew the gold coin.

Vespa looked at the coin for a moment and handed it to Ben. "I was just wondering, which side of the coin goes up?" She asked.

"Vespa, the map please." asked Sally...And she read from the map.

"Each hour that passes and the sun is full height, it will show you the way if you get it just right. May your heading be true." The words echoed through the cave.

"I think I under stand." Said Ben.

Ben rolled over to the center stone and placed the coin heads-up at the 12 O'clock position to north. "May your heading be true....Captain Gray Beard." Ben whispered as he backed away from the stone and joined the others next to the tunnel.

Minutes past slowly and the beam of light traveled across the flat top of the center stone at a snails pace.

The three friends waited in silence...Watching... Each one reliving the events leading up to this moment.

Finally...In a flash of light that filled the cave and almost blinded the four on lookers..A single beam of gold light bounced off the coins surface and struck a patch of cave moss on the caves ceiling and stopped.

"Wait...This can't be." said Vespa.

With one fluied motion Vespa raced across the cave floor and jumped onto the rope hanging from the ceiling and climed up to the hook. She reached over to where the beam of light was hitting and cleared the moss away.

The beam of light struck a small piece of volcanic glass imbedded in the ceiling and the shaft of light continued on it's way to a location onto the caves floor.

Ben and Sally quickly rolled over to where the light beam had landed on the floor. Ben brushed away three hundred years of debris and a small hole in the stone floor was discovered.

Vespa started down the rope to join the others when the haunting voice was heard in her mined once more. "Vespa...Come see...But beware of the hidden one."

She stopped half way down the rope and looked around the cave. She placed her rear view mirror in the beam of light coming from the hole in the ceiling and quickly flashed it around the cave.

The beam of light caught movment in the tunnel.

There...Hidden behind his dark cloak, stood the hideous form of Doctor LaMain.


(c) DennisB 2010

"Doctor LaMain." The words fell out of Vespa's mouth and echoed through the cave.

The Doctor produced a wooden torch from under his cloak and lit it with a cigarette lighter and rolled slowly into the cave.

Vespa slipped down the rope hanging from the ceiling and almost fell into the spike trap next to the center stone.

"Be careful young lady...You traveled way to far to end up in THAT trap." The Doctors words seamed like a warning to Vespa.

Ben and Sally stood there motionless, watching as the hooded figure entered the cave.

"Well, Well, Now what do we have here? Still looking for escaped convicts...Are we Detective." The Doctors words hissed like a snake.

"The gold the Marinette draws us all to this place....and time." The Doctor stood there with a smile on his old face.

Vespa moved slowly over to Ben and Sally.

"Well you caught us in a lie, Doctor." Sally spoke up. "We came here to discover the gold...My Families gold."

The Doctor spoke. "Lies...Yes, But I have a deal for you and it would be a good thing for you to consider at this point in time...OR... I'll kick you and your friends off my little island RIGHT NOW."

Ben, Vespa, and Sally looked at each other for a moment and then nodded. "OK, what's the deal?"

"50/50 is what I'm thinking and don't take all day to think about it." said the Doctor.

Again the three scooters looked at each other and nodded in agreement.

"Very good...I'll just stay out of the way for now... Let me know if I can help you in any way." The Doctor added.

"By the way young man...You are brilliant! You really should consider being a member of our police department." And then the Doctor smiled at Ben.


(c) DennisB 2010

Captain John's eyes opened just a little to see the Doctors dark cloak go through the waterfall and disappeared from view before he passed out.

"Dam it...I should have never handed him my loaded gun...What a fool I feel like."

He raised himself from the pool and looked at the bullet holes he now had.

"I must be the luckiest bike this side of Timbuktu. One hit my frame and my air cleaner...Wow that was close. No gas or oil leaks and my tires are good."

"OK, two can play this game." he said to himself as he rolled to the waterfall. He felt the trap trigger plate under the water with his front tire and waited for a moment and then went on through.

When he got to the other side he looked for the trap. "Aw...there you are...and what a beauty you are."

Two rusted sword blades tips stiking out of a large slot in the tunnel ceiling. "Let's just work on you a little and see if you can be my friend."

He worked on running a dark heavy string as a trap safety release and ran it out side the waterfall through one of the iron ceiling rings and down. He packed mud over the string to hide it's location.

"Now that should work just fine. If he's behind me with my gun I will just pull the string." Captain John smiled to himself and then quietly rolled down the dark tunnel.


(c) DennisB 2010

Ben and Sally rolled over to the newly discovered hole in the floor.

Vespa stood next to the wall and kept an eye on the Doctor.

"We need the long iron bar once more" said Ben as he rolled over and removed it from the caves center stone.

As he rolled back he looked over at the Doctor standing against the cave wall holding his torch. Just then something caught his eye. There, down the tunnel, a glint of light was being reflected off a moving head light.

Ben placed the bars end into the small hole in the floor and it started to fall through and he caught it. "WOW! Now that was close." His words echoed around the cave.

"Sally...What does the map say, if any thing about what to do next?" Ben asked.

Sally unfolded the map and started to examine it the torch light.

"Here let me add a little more light to this information quest." The Doctor said and started to roll closer to where Sally stood.

"STOP RIGHT THERE DOCTOR...YOU MURDERER!" The voice BOOMED through the cave and all eyes moved to it's source standing in the tunnel enterance.

Captain John...rolled into the cave and pointed at the Doctor.

"I just found the dead body of Mister Smith...And you also tried to kill me at the waterfall."

The Doctor felt the cold steal of the revolver in his cloak pocket and brought back the hammer on the old gun.


(c) DennisB 2010

Sally heard the hammer being cocked on the old revolver that the Doctor had hidden in his cloak pocket and quickly brought out her 9mm.

Doctor LaMain's attention was on the Captain when he started to bring out the revolver.

"Don't even think about it DOCTOR!" Sally's word echoed through the cave.

Just then Doctor LaMain felt Detective Sally's gun barrel being pushed against the back of his headlight.

"OK...I'll give you the gun." Offered the Doctor.

"NO...I'll take the gun...stay very still, Doctor" Said Sally.

Sally reached into the Doctor's cloak and withdrew the old revolver.

"Ben...Come over hear and take this revolver as I read the good Doctor his Rights."

After the Doctor's had his rights read to him by Detective Sally, he was wheel cuffed and placed against the cave wall while Captain John started to tell the story from the day Vespa rolled into his shop.

"....and I just found my friend, Mister Smith, dead, at the bottom of a pit in the other tunnel."

Doctor LaMain just looked at the cave floor as the story was told and did not speek a word. But under his cloak the good Doctor was unlocking the wheel cuffs.

"Ben, give me the gun" Said Sally. Ben handed the old revolver over to Sally and she unloaded it and placed it in her storage compartment.

"Well this changes things...now we have a murder and attempted murder to consider in this crazy treasure hunt." Said Sally.

Sally looked over at Ben. "Did you understand the last map reading and what to do next?"

Ben just said "yes" and rolled over to the newly discovered hole in the floor and placed the tip of the bar in the hole...then he let it go.


(c) DennisB 2010