The Seventh Voyage of Temperance (The Adventures of Ichabod Temperance Book 7) Read Free Page A

pond of trouble, and a big, foreboding ripple of indignation spread out from there. I sure hope Miss Plumtartt was mistaken about all them curses and hexes and whatnot as is often associated with sealed, places of sacred significance as this structure gives every indication of being.”
    “Don’t be such a sniveling coward, Icki-bod, besides, this little tomb is a big disappointment anyway. There is nothing here but a small room with absolutely nothing in it. Nothing at all. Nothing except this low pedestal in the middle of the floor. All it has is an unimpressive statue on it. This statue is so plain, I am sure it has no meaning. It is just a cone of stone. It is round, about a foot across at the base, and then rises about four feet into the air and comes to a blunt end.”
    “Looks like a swollen elephant tusk, only straighter, don’tcha think Miss Plumtartt? Miss Plumtartt, are you all right? You look to be kind of flushed.”
    “Oh, eh hem, yes, er, please forgive the rush of colour in my face Mr. Temperance, it’s just that I recognize the article on display. It is obvious to me that this is a, eh hem, how shall I say, fertility totem.”
    “Fertile, as in good crops and that sort of thing, Ma’am?”
    “Ehm, that is close enough to suffice for our purposes, Mr. Temperance.”
    “Si, it is a lovely example of these people’s culture. I shall just pick it up so that I can study it better in the sunlight, or back in Italy at my University laboratory.”
    “Wait, Professor, please don’t!”
    “Unh! There I have it! Let’s go.”
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    “Dang it, I know y’all felt that one! You done it now, Professor. It’s like the whole island just shuddered in anger at that holy relic being removed from its rightful place. C’mon Professor, how about putting that statue back where it was?”
    “No, it’s mine! Finders/keepers, losers/weepers! Now, let’s get out of here!”
    “My word, Mr. Temperance, as we hastily exit the slab walled tomb, I note the weather has certainly taken a sudden change for the worse, wouldn’t you say? It was bright sunshine when we entered that tomb a moment ago, but now dark skies and blustery winds await our return. Does this not send you a hint, Professor, that something is not right, eh hem? My feminine intuition informs me that indeed, this island is not happy about your keeping that souvenir, sir, and my instincts are never wrong.”
    “Rain, rain, go away, this loot is mine and that’s how it’s gonna stay.”
    “Hey Miss Plumtartt and Professor Fuzziwitz, the whole time we have been on this island, all these statue heads sticking up out of the ground have given the impression of being kind of solemn and serene. Things are different. Up until now, they have given me a peaceful feeling, yet, unaccountably, I am kind of nervous around them. I have the oddest sensation that the statues are now awake and watching us.”
    “Oh, that is an unsettling thought, Mr. Temperance. Surely you are simply imagining such a phenomenon.”
    “Not only do I get a creepy feeling like we are being watched, but that the folks watching us are very angry, too.”
    “Ha, ha, you scare-dy-cat, to even think such a ridiculous... Eek! I think that giant Valentine Island statue just turned to me a little bit!”
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    “Mr. Temperance, the statues are moving! They are now animated with life! ”
    “Yes Ma’am, Miss Plumtartt Ma’am, for as far as I can see, scores of the statues grow progressively more mobile. These stone giants are trying to climb and squirm up out of the ground! This one here close by has his arms clear of the ground. He is placing his stone palms to the earth on either side and pushing himself up and out of the ground. Oops! She is pushing herself up and out of the ground.”
    “I say, Mr. Temperance, this is a repeating attribute among these statues. In