The Treasure Cave: sea tales of Tiptoes Lightly Read Free Page B

Berry, scrambling after him.
    They stood on
a narrow ledge about half way up the bluff. All about lay fresh, untouched
soil, all jumbled up. Higher up the soil and rocks had fallen away, leaving a
scar.
    “The dirt must
have fallen down last night,” said Tom. “See how new it is—there’s not a single
footprint.” He got down on his hands and knees and looked into the hole. “It
opens up,” he said, digging away the dirt on the ledge. “Let’s go inside,” and
before June Berry could say anything he had vanished.
    June Berry
hunkered down, but the opening was too low. She got onto her hands and knees
and peered in. She saw Tom looking back at her.
    “Come in,
Junebug,” said Tom, using her nickname and waving her in.
    June Berry
wasn’t sure if it was safe or not. She looked at the bluff above the opening.
It was solid rock. She walked back along the ledge and glanced down at her dad.
He was still lying on the sand. So she returned and crawled in.
    “It’s a cave,”
she said as soon as she got inside.
    The cave was
big enough to stand up in. The floor was sandy and the walls solid rock. At the
back there seemed to be another passage, but it dived downwards and was blocked
by sand.
    “A secret
cave,” said Tom grinning from ear to ear and looking around. “We’re the first
ones here—ever!”
    He went all
the way around the walls. They were smooth and water worn.
    “It looks
safe,” he said. “It’s been buried underground for ages and ages.”
    “This can be
our Treasure Cave,” said June Berry.
    Tom’s eyes
widened. “We can make swords and protect our gold from pirates and sea
dragons.”
    “No sea dragon
will dare to come close to me!” shouted June Berry fiercely, waving her arm
about.
    “Nor me!”
declared Tom.
    “First we need
to get real swords,” said June Berry. “I saw some outside,” and she scooted out
the door with Tom at her heels.

Chapter 11
    Tiptoes
meets Obaro
    Tiptoes sat on
a log close to Farmer John. He was lying in the sand and enjoying the sun. She
watched the rising tide swirl around the two sea stacks that marked the end of
the long sandy beach. After a while she noticed Tom Nutcracker and June Berry
climb up the rocky bluff and crawl into a narrow tunnel. The tunnel had been
uncovered by a fresh landslide.
    “What are
those guys up to?” she thought.
    A few minutes
later they came out and clambered over the rocks to the next bay. They were
searching for something and were very excited. Tiptoes was curious. She flew to
the tunnel and went inside.
    “What a
wonderful cave,” she exclaimed, looking around. “These walls are water worn. I
bet a river ran through here a long  time ago.”
    “That’s right
… that’s right,” said a hollow voice behind her.
    “Eeek!”
screeched Tiptoes, spinning around.
    In front of
her was the oddest creature. She stared and stared, trying to work out what it
was.
    “Hello, Mr …
um … Cave Thingy,” said Tiptoes, trying to sound polite.
    “I am not a
Cave Thingy … Thingy,” said the creature, his voice echoing in the hollow cave.
“There’s no need to be rude … so rude.”
    “I’m sorry,”
said Tiptoes, “I didn’t … I mean … I don’t know what you are. You look so … um
… um … different.”
    “I’m the cave
spirit … spirit,” said the creature. “If you have to know, I am a kind of
gnome, only turned, turned inside out.”
    “That’s
wonderful,” said Tiptoes, trying to sound cheerful. “I have gnome friends, Pine
Cone and Pepper Pot. Perhaps you’re cousins.”
    The cave
spirit did not look pleased. Tiptoes wished he wouldn’t stare so hard. He was
so odd and funny looking—and his voice kept echoing his last words. It was
strange, very strange.
    “I meant my
friends might be distant gnome cousins,” said Tiptoes, “ … very, very distant.”
She wasn’t sure why the cave gnome looked so displeased.
    “Well … you
look odd and funny to me, to me, Miss Blue Dress with