The Hunt for Hidden Treasure

by Paula Harrison

  Millie took the dish and poured some blue paint called cobalt in the middle. Dabbing a brush in a pot of water, she swirled the paint round and round the dish. It looked too dark for the sky. Maybe she should add some white paint or a lighter shade of blue.

  She popped her head round the doorway. “Would you like the sky to be light blue – like on a sunny day?”

  “That sounds great.” Gilbert was leaning close to the paper and smudging something with his finger.

  Millie mixed some white paint with the cobalt, and then added a little cornflower blue on top. She loved making swirly patterns in the dish as the colours mixed together. Picking up the bowl, she went to show Gilbert her sky colour.

  A shadow fell across the window as a man wearing a tall hat walked by.

  Millie’s breath caught in her throat. Was that a grey hat? Could it be the same man that Jess saw yesterday?

  “Are you all right, Princess Amelia?” Gilbert looked up. “That shade of blue is perfect.”

  “Oh!” Millie had almost forgotten about the dish. It tipped sideways and a huge blob of sky-blue paint dripped on to her dress. She quickly put the dish down.

  Hurrying to the window, she spotted the man in the tall hat standing outside Mr Bibby’s bakery. Her heart thumped faster. His hat was definitely grey.

  “Would you like to get some fresh air, Princess Amelia?” boomed Gilbert. “I daresay you’re tired of sitting still. I don’t need you here to finish off the background, you know.”

  “Oh, thank you. Yes, I would!” Millie dashed to the door. “I’ll be back soon.”

  The man in the tall grey hat was gazing at the cakes in Mr Bibby’s shop window. Millie knew this was her chance! Maybe if she followed him, she’d find the hidden gold and the missing paintings.

  She walked past slowly, glancing at Grey-Hat-Man from the corner of her eye. She didn’t want him to catch her watching and get suspicious.

  Suddenly, she saw her own reflection in the bakery window. The beads on her purple dress were sparkling in the sunshine and the silver sash gleamed at her waist. This was the special dress that her mother had made her wear for the portrait. There was no way she could follow Grey-Hat-Man without being spotted. In this dress she’d be noticed everywhere!

  The gooey blob of paint sticking to her skirt gave her an idea and she rushed across the street into Buttons and Bows.

  “Hello, Amelia!” Mrs Woolhead, Jess’s mother, was winding up a roll of cloth.

  “Hello, Mrs Woolhead. Would you help me?” asked Millie breathlessly. “I need to clean the paint off this dress. Is there something else I could wear while it’s drying?”

  “Of course! I’ll wash your gown for you. I’m very good at getting out stains.” Mrs Woolhead took a yellow dress from the clothes rack. “In the meantime, you could put on this lovely buttercup gown.”

  Millie knew straight away the dress would be much too bright to wear while secretly following somebody. “Oh, I wouldn’t want to get that messy! Could I borrow this?” She pulled an ordinary-looking dark blue dress from the rack.

  “Are you sure? That’s not really a royal dress,” said Mrs Woolhead.

  “It’s perfect!” Millie dashed into the changing room. She wriggled out of her pretty gown and into the plain blue one in seconds. Then she tucked the Medal of Friendship inside her dress so it couldn’t be seen. She was proud of it and she didn’t want to lose it!

  “Thanks so much for letting me borrow this dress, Mrs Woolhead.” Millie rushed to the door. “I just have to do something. I’ll be back soon.”

  Mrs Woolhead called after her. “Take care, my dear. I’ve made some scones if you’d like one later.”

  Millie stared up and down Bodkin Street. Where was Grey-Hat-Man? There he was – slipping into the alley that led to Halfpenny Square. Millie dodged through the crowd, her eyes fixed on his tall hat. In the alleyway, she had to squeeze past a boy with a dog and an old lady with a basket. By the time she reached Halfpenny Square, Grey-Hat-Man had vanished.

  Running past the market stalls, Millie went straight to the fountain in the middle. She climbed on to the stone ledge and stared around the square. There were plenty of ladies in white bonnets and men in brown caps, but she couldn’t see anyone in a tall grey hat. Where had he gone? Had he noticed her following?

  Stepping sideways, Millie tried to get a better view of the square. Her foot missed the ledge and she wobbled, her arms spinning as she tried not to tumble into the water.

  “Millie!” Jess grabbed her arm and saved her from falling. “What are you doing? I saw you standing up here and I thought you were going to jump in!”

  “I saw a man in a tall grey hat and I wondered if he was the one you saw yesterday.” Millie jumped to the ground. “So I followed him but I can’t see him any more.”

  Jess’s hand tightened on Millie’s arm. “The man in the grey hat was the one who took the cheese cart. I just found out from the shopkeeper, Mrs Lee.”

  “Really?” Millie’s face fell. “I wish I hadn’t lost sight of him.”

  “But we know he was here,” said Jess. “And that could be important. Let’s have another look at those drawings Gilbert made for us – those copies of the stolen pictures.”

  “I think I left them in his studio.” Millie cast one more look around the square but there were no tall grey hats anywhere. Her tummy rumbled. “Let’s go to Buttons and Bows and plan what we’re going to do next. Your mother said she’d baked some scones.”

  When they got to Buttons and Bows, Mrs Woolhead fussed over them. She set out two stools, poured tea into china teacups and offered them a plate of cherry scones. “The paint came out of your dress quite easily,” she told Millie. “And I’ve hung it out to dry.”

  “Thank you!” Millie nibbled her scone. “Mm, this is delicious.”

  “Cherry scones are my favourite! We should take one to Gilbert when we’re finished,” said Jess, picking up a second one. “So we know we’re looking for a man in a tall grey hat. We just need to work out who he is and where he’s put the paintings.”

  Millie peered through the window. A crowd was gathering in the street. “There are a lot of people by Gilbert’s studio.”

  “Alfie said he’d help us catch the thief,” said Jess, who wasn’t really listening. “I saw him at the cheese shop.”

  Millie put down her teacup, frowning. “There’s a palace guard there too. Jess, something’s happening!”

  “What’s that?” Jess looked surprised.

  Millie rushed outside just as the palace guard called out, ordering people to stand back. She had a horrible wriggly feeling in her tummy – the kind of feeling she always got when something was wrong. The crowd in the street was growing bigger by the minute.

  “Dear me, Jess!” Miss Clackton took Millie’s hand, mistaking her for Jess because of her plain gown. “Have you heard the news? Isn’t it awful! I was sure there must be a mistake when I found out what everyone was saying.”

  “What news?” asked Millie. “What’s everyone saying?” But Miss Clackton had moved away amongst the crowd.

  “Millie, what’s going on?” Jess slipped over to Millie’s side.

  Millie shook her head. “I don’t know. I hope nobody’s hurt.”

  Just then the door to the studio swung open. Gilbert Small came out with a palace guard on either side of him. They were holding his arms tightly.

  Gilbert’s face crumpled as he saw the waiting crowd. “I didn’t do it! I promise you. I would never steal the royal paintings!”

  Chapter Nine

  The Little Black Cat

  Jess’s heart sank as the palace guards marched Gilbert Small out of his shop. The artist’s beard and hands were streaked with paint and he looked confused. “I didn’t take the paintings,” he repeated. “I promise you I didn’t.”

  A lump grew in Jess’s throat. How could they think Gilbert was the thief? Pushing her way through the crowd, she stopped in front of the guards. “Gilbert
wouldn’t steal anything,” she told them. “You’ve made a mistake!”

  “Stand aside, young miss!” said a guard with a moustache. “We’re taking this man to the Royal Garrison. We’ll hand him over to the soldiers as a prisoner.”

  “But you’ve got the wrong person. Mr Small was busy painting yesterday and he didn’t leave the studio,” said Jess. “He told me so.”

  “He would say that, wouldn’t he?” The guard with the moustache peered at Jess. “Hold on a minute! I didn’t realize it was you, Miss Jess. Now listen: we’ve got some information about this gentleman and that’s why we’re here.”

  “What information?” said Jess.

  “It’s all right, Miss Jess,” said Gilbert, trying to smile. “You mustn’t worry – I’ll be fine.”

  The guard puffed out his chest. “We heard that this gentleman had something suspicious in his studio. So we came to see for ourselves and look what we found!” He pulled some paper from the pocket of his uniform. They were the drawings that Gilbert had made.

  Jess gasped. “But those are copies of the missing pictures.”

  “Exactly!” The guard thrust the drawings into Jess’s hand. “That’s how we know he took the royal paintings. He must be making copies of them that he can sell to everyone.”

  “That’s not fair!” Jess burst out. “He drew them because we asked him to.” But the guards were already marching Gilbert away.

  “Don’t worry, Jess,” Gilbert called over his shoulder. “I’ll be all right.”

  Millie pushed her way to Jess’s side. “Why won’t they listen? Mr Small could never be the thief.”

  Jess handed her the pencil drawings. “They think these pictures are a clue. They think Gilbert has been making copies of the paintings for money.”

  The palace guards marched Gilbert out of Bodkin Street and the crowd of people began to scatter.

  Jess swallowed. “I should never have left these pictures in the studio. If only I’d put them in my apron pocket.” Tears pricked her eyes.

  “It’s not your fault!” Millie put an arm around her. “We can go back to Peveril Palace and explain everything. We’ll make them understand!”

  Jess wiped her eyes on her apron. “Look – they didn’t even shut the door!” She went into the studio and stared at the painting on the easel. The girl in the picture smiled back. She had Millie’s pretty purple dress but Jess’s darker hazel eyes. The paint in the background was still wet where Gilbert had been working.

  Smoothing the crumpled paper, Millie spread the three drawings out on the table. “If only we could prove Mr Small’s not the thief,” she muttered. “I still think we’re missing something.”

  “There’s no time!” said Jess. “Poor Gilbert’s locked in the garrison and we have to free him!”

  “We will!” Millie put the pictures side by side. “It’s just … there’s something bothering me about these pictures. Why is there a black cat in all of them? Why was that so important?”

  Jess frowned. “I don’t know! It’s just a cat, isn’t it? It’s the same in all three pictures.”

  Millie leaned closer and squinted at the paper. “Not exactly! This one has something on its neck.” She pointed to the cat on the steps of St Anne’s church.

  “Let me see!” Jess leaned in and gazed at each picture in turn. “You’re right – the cat in Halfpenny Square and the one at the Royal Garrison aren’t wearing anything. But this one has a little collar with a bell.”

  Millie picked up the drawing of the church. Rumble-tum strolled out of the back room and rubbed his soft head against Jess’s ankle. She crouched down to stroke his ginger fur.

  “I think I remember it now – the real painting.” Millie’s forehead creased. “The church door was green and the stained-glass windows looked beautiful. The cat had a little golden bell around its neck.”

  “Do you think the bell on the collar is the clue?” said Jess. “I don’t understand how it tells us where the gold is.”

  “I’m not sure either, but if the bell is important that means the gold could be in the church.” Millie held up the drawing of St Anne’s church.

  Jess rubbed her eyes. She couldn’t stop thinking about Gilbert being marched away by the palace guards. “Look for the gold at St Anne’s if you want, but I’m not going. We’ve spent the whole day searching already and the bell could mean anything.” She opened the door and walked outside just as church bells rang out across the rooftops.

  Jess’s heart leapt as she listened to the sweet sound. Those were the bells of St Anne’s church just one street away.

  That was it! That was the clue!

  Spinning round, she dived back inside. “Millie, I’ve got it!” she gasped. “You’re right! The black cat is important and the bell on its collar is the clue.”

  “Really?” Millie’s eyes lit up. “What does it mean?”

  Jess pulled her to the door. “Do you hear that? The cat with the bell is on the church picture and St Anne’s has bells inside its tower.”

  “Ooh, I didn’t think of that!” Millie’s face flushed with excitement. “So the gold could be hidden right up there in the bell tower and if we catch the thief trying to get it we can prove that Gilbert had nothing to do with taking the royal paintings!”

  Jess was silent for a moment. “We’re going to need help. You go to the church and I’ll meet you there.”

  “Where are you going?” said Millie.

  “I won’t be long!” Jess called back as she hurtled out of the shop. Racing over the cobbles, she turned into the twisting back streets of Plumchester.

  Chapter Ten

  Climbing the Tower

  Millie gazed at the church tower rising above the rooftops. Jess was right – the bell on the cat’s collar had to be the clue. It must mean the King’s Gold was hidden in the bell tower.

  She wished Jess hadn’t run off though. Jess did that sometimes. Once she got an idea into her head she had to do it straight away!

  Millie swallowed. She felt nervous about going to the church in case the Grey-Hat-Man saw her. She picked up Gilbert’s cloak, which was lying over a chair, and pulled it on. She knew he wouldn’t mind if she borrowed it. It was much too big but the hood would keep her face hidden.

  Closing the door, she made her way down Bodkin Street into Halfpenny Square. The sun had dipped behind the rows of houses and people in the marketplace were packing up their stalls.

  St Anne’s church was in the corner of the square. Millie slowed down as she reached the stone steps that led up to the green church door. She could see the spot where the black cat stood in the picture – there on the very top step.

  Black cats were meant to be lucky – that’s what Cook Walsh always said. She wished one was here right now to bring her luck. What was she going to do if she ran into the painting thief?

  The church bells fell silent and singing began inside. Millie pulled her hood down low. She couldn’t see anyone with a tall grey hat but she wanted to be extra careful.

  She slipped into the shadowy church and it took a moment for her eyes to get used to the dim light. Tall round pillars stretched up to the high ceiling and the light shining through the stained-glass windows made pretty rainbow patterns on the floor. Most of the pews at the back were empty and no one looked round as Millie tiptoed inside.

  The singing finished and the vicar began to speak. Millie ducked behind a pillar. She was sure there was a door that led to the bell tower. Sneaking up the side of the church, she found a little door leading to a spiral staircase. Long ropes dangled in mid-air beside the winding steps. Looking up, Millie saw them stretch through a hole in the ceiling at the very top. They must be the ropes that the bell-ringers used.

  Closing the door quickly, Millie began to climb. The stairs were steep and after a while her legs began to ache. At last she reached the top and leaned against the curved stone wall, trying to get her breath back.

  There was a hole in the middle of the wooden floor wh
ere the ropes dangled through. Millie gazed up at the four bronze bells high above her head. Each one hung in a frame beside a wooden wheel. They were enormous. No wonder they made such a loud sound!

  She scanned the rest of the tower. Where could the gold be hidden? There was nothing here except the bells and a bare wooden floor.

  She checked everywhere and even peered inside the bells. Then she spotted some strange marks on the wall. Kneeling down, she found herself staring at a rough picture of an animal scratched on to the stone. It had a tail and pointed ears and whiskers … it was a cat just like in the painting. That had to mean something!

  Fizzing with excitement, she touched the brick. It was loose! She dug her fingers round the edge of the stone, trying to pull it free.

  A strange creak broke the silence. Millie froze. What was that noise?

  The creak came again, followed by a soft click. An icy prickle ran down Millie’s neck. That was the door at the bottom of the stairs! But maybe it was Jess coming to help her find the King’s Gold.

  She crept over to look through the hole in the middle of the floor. A man in a tall grey hat was climbing the spiral staircase. Millie couldn’t see his face, just the top of his hat as he came closer and closer.

  Millie caught her breath. She was trapped! There was no other way out and soon the Grey-Hat-Man would reach the top and see her.

  She stepped back, her heart racing. She had to do something – anything! But what?

  She grabbed the nearest bell rope and tugged it hard. The bell rang out with a deep bong!

  Footsteps quickened on the staircase.

  Millie snatched the rope again and this time she kept on pulling. Bong, bong, bong! The bronze bell above her head tipped from side to side as the wooden wheel swung round. The sound was so loud it made Millie’s head ache but she didn’t dare stop ringing the bell.

  No one came to the top of the staircase. At last, Millie let the bell rope go. She peeped through the hole in the floor just in time to see Grey-Hat-Man disappear through the door at the bottom.