Read Finders Keepers for Free Online Page B

cases. “Come and look at this,” he called. “It’s the best thing in the wholeplace.” And he pointed to a photo on the wall.
    It was a blown up copy of a stark black and white photo showing a group of First Nations people standing in a circle, intently watching a young warrior. The young man, a dazed look on his face, was straining against two ropes tied around the top of a central pole. The end of each rope was threaded through the skin on the two fleshy parts of his chest.
    â€œSee,” said Danny eagerly. “He’s being tortured. They are making him pull the ropes out through his skin.” He pointed to the young warrior’s chest. “Do you reckon that’s blood?”
    Joshua glanced at the photo and turned away. “That shouldn’t be here,” he said flatly.
    â€œWhat do you mean?” said Danny. “It’s just an old photo.”
    â€œIt’s sacred.” Joshua turned and looked at Danny. “That’s the Sundance,” he said fiercely. “No one’s torturing him. It’s a sacred ceremony.” Joshua turned away again. “It’s just that you people don’t understand. My grandfather says the Sundance should never have been photographed.”
    Feeling the tension between them, Danny grappled to understand. “Sacred? You mean like in church?” he asked hesitantly.
    Joshua nodded. “It’s a sacred ritual. It isn’t talked about and it shouldn’t be photographed. Even the Sundance lodges are kept secret and are only used once.”
    â€œThe lodges?” questioned Danny.
    â€œTrees are cut and made into a circular frame, like a giant wheel. The Sundance is held inside them. Then that’s the sacred site.” Joshua swung around urgently to Danny. “Look, this stuff’s secret. I’m only explaining so you understand. You are not to ask me anything more. OK?”
    Danny nodded. “OK, but…” He hesitated. “You mean it’s still going on?”
    Joshua walked away.
    Baffled, but not wanting to wreck his new friendship,Danny followed Joshua. But now he wasn’t sure about the stone points. Maybe Joshua would get mad when he saw them. Danny stopped in front of the case where they were displayed. “Are these sacred too?” he asked hesitantly.
    Joshua walked over and looked at the display. The arrowheads and lance tips were arranged in two circles, with a couple of stone hammer heads in the middle. “Don’t think so,” he said, then grinned. “I don’t think you’ll learn anything new here. There’s no information. The points have just been set out in a pretty pattern.”
    Danny looked critically at the display. “You’re right. There’s not even any dates telling how old they are.” He pointed to the lower circle of arrowheads. “It doesn’t even say which are arrowheads and which are lance points. Do you know?”
    Joshua peered carefully through the glass. “I can tell those are lance points.” He pointed to some elegant long tips arranged at the top of the circle. “The arrowheads are the small ones.” He pointed to some very small tips at the bottom of the circle. “But I don’t know enough to guess about the in-between sizes, they could be either. Let’s see yours again.”
    Danny pulled out the lance tip from his pocket and the boys compared it with the ones in on display.
    â€œIt doesn’t look like any here,” said Danny doubtfully. “I guess it’s an in-between size. Where will I find out?”
    Joshua looked thoughtfully at Danny. “Have you ever been to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump? To the Interpretive Centre?”
    Danny shook his head. “I wanted to go last summer,” he said sadly, “but we couldn’t. There were so many tourists in town we all had to work in the store.”
    â€œCould you get a lift out there next