Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Josh and Ruth Rose scrambled down and stared into the opening. Inside, it was like a vault. Metal shelves had been attached to the cement walls with thick bolts. And every shelf held money. Stacks of green bills were piled one on top of another. Everywhere Dink looked, he saw wads and wads of money. "There must be millions of dollars in here!" Josh said. He closed his eyes. "I think I'm gonna throw up."

"But whose money is it?" Ruth Rose asked. "Who put it here?" Dink stepped inside the vault. On the bottom shelves were cardboard boxes with HAPPY HEART DOG FOOD written on the sides. "Dog food?" he said. Josh and Ruth Rose crowded into the vault. Ruth Rose peeked into two of the boxes. "More money," she said. Suddenly Dink looked back over his shoulder. "Shhh!" he whispered. "I think I heard something!" The kids stood perfectly still and listened. "There it is again!" Dink said. A muffled squeaking sound came through the fog. Then there was silence, then another squeak. Dink gulped, frozen to the spot. "It's coming closer!" he whispered. "M-maybe it's the p-pirate!" Josh said.

"It could be the guy with big feet!" said Ruth Rose. "Maybe this is his treasure!" "Let's get out of here!" Dink said. "Help me close this thing!" The kids swung the cement door shut. Josh grabbed his shovel while Dink and Ruth Rose lifted the plastic poison ivy back into place. Now the cement safe was hidden again. Dink quickly led the way back through the boulders to the water. On the narrow beach, they stood in the fog and listened. Dink heard the squeaking sound again, then a soft thud, then silence. Slowly, a small boat drifted out of the fog. A large, dark figure sat hunched in the stern. Dink didn't dare move or say anything. It looked as if the figure was staring at them! After what seemed like a year, the figure began to row away. Dink heard the oars squeak as the boat vanished back into the fog. "Wh-who was that?" Josh croaked. "I don't know," Dink said.

"Whoever it was, let's get off this island!" Ruth Rose said. The kids quietly stepped into the shallow water. Trying not to splash, they waded to shore. Dink kept watch for the boat and its silent passenger. But he couldn't see anything through the fog. Behind them, Squaw Island became invisible once more. Ten minutes later, they flung open the door to Officer Fallon's office. Officer Fallon looked up from his computer. "What's wrong, kids? You look like you've seen a ghost!" He stared at their soggy sneakers. "And you're all wet!" "We found more money," Ruth Rose said. "Millions of dollars!"

Officer Fallon raised one eyebrow. "Really, we did!" Josh said. "Okay, sit down and talk to me," Officer Fallon said, switching off his computer. The kids perched on the edges of their chairs. "We went back to the island," Dink explained, "and found a cement safe. It had stacks of money in it!" They told Officer Fallon about the secret path, the plastic poison ivy, and the hidden cement vault. "Just before we left, we saw someone in a rowboat," Josh said. "I think he was coming to the island, but then he turned around and left!" Officer Fallon sat up. "Did you get a good look at him?" he asked. "It was too foggy," Dink said. Officer Fallon frowned and nodded. "Why would anyone keep money on Squaw Island?" Ruth Rose asked. "Why wouldn't they just keep it in a regular bank?" Officer Fallon looked at Ruth Rose. "Because it's not real money" he said. "It's not?" Ruth Rose asked. "What is it, then?"

"I guess there's no reason not to tell you," Officer Fallon said. "After you left yesterday I remembered something I read a few weeks ago about counterfeit money. I took a closer look at the bill you found." He pulled the envelope from his drawer and removed the hundred-dollar bill. "This is counterfeit, kids. And I'm guessing the money in your cement safe is counterfeit, too." "Counterfeit?" Josh gasped. "You mean it's all fake?" Officer Fallon smiled. "Sorry, Josh." "But who put it there?" Dink asked. "That's what we're trying to find out," Officer Fallon said. He stood and walked the kids to the door. "Officer Keene and I will go out there for a look today. Starting now, we'll be keeping an eye on that island." Officer Fallon opened his office door. "Off you go now. And promise me you'll stay away from that island. Counterfeiters can be dangerous!" The kids thanked Officer Fallon and left. As they walked up Main Street, Dink thought about the mysterious figure he'd seen in the boat. Was