Mosquitoes of Summer

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Book: Read Mosquitoes of Summer for Free Online
Authors: Julianna Kozma
floated on land. “File it away for future reference when they decide to take a trip to Wacky Ville,” sighed Hannah.
    “Obviously someone was at the beach. And they were desperate enough to go out in that kind of weather. They must have seen the wreck first, knew what they were looking for, and found it. We need to find out what that was,” said Lucy.
    “Why?” asked Emily.
    “Because whatever it was, they took it without permission,” Lucy patiently lectured. “Archaeologists and scientists like to study these things. If it was an important ‘relic’ it needs to be in a museum. That way everyone can see it. Pirates steal. I think he’s a modern day pirate, plundering treasure from shipwrecks.”
    Tucking away their detective kits in pockets and purses, the girls headed back to the Buzzel House, eager to start on the next part of their adventure.

CHAPTER SIX
    ARROW HEAD
    Tales of shipwrecks and hidden treasure have fascinated both young and old since time immemorial. Stories of boats lost at sea and mysterious disappearances of crew or cargo have been a vital part of the island’s storytelling repertoire. And much to the delight of the girls, many of the rotting remains of ships of all shapes and sizes, sunken skeletons of wood and metal, lay scattered deep within the clear waters of PEI.
    “Scarier yet are the whispers from the ghosts of lost souls who roam aimlessly along the coast’s beaches and burial grounds,” intoned Lucy, trying to set the mood. The girls eagerly made their way down the winding path that led to Arrowhead beach, with their parents trailing not far behind. “There it is, off to the left. Last one there is a square!”
    Although not one of the more popular areas for sunken ships, French River had unusual currents that swept in and out of the small bay located off to the right of Arrowhead Beach. These same currents that tragically drowned unsuspecting swimmers often also deposited an abundance of artifacts for those knowing where to look.
    Lucy’s family had been coming down for years now, wading through the shallow shore during low tide, searching for artifacts from these ancient shipwrecks. Shards of pottery, broken old medicine bottles, rusted square-peg nails and small pieces of Blue Willow china filled their buckets whenever they combed the beach. Never in their wildest dreams though did the girls expect something bigger than those trinkets to wash in.
    Just past the grassy dunes, all three girls came to a sudden stop.
    “Wow,” they said in unison and with varying degrees of emotion:
    Reverential: “It’s beautiful,” gasped Hannah.
    Relieved: “It’s still here,” said Lucy.
    Disappointed: “It’s dirty,” stated Emily.
    Indeed, the old wreck was still in the same position since its unexpected landing that stormy April night. Staff from the PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation had secured it with giant pegs nailed down into the sand, hoping to prevent it from being washed back out by rogue waves. So far, so good.
    The museum claimed that the 700-kilogram treasure from the past looked to be old timbers fashioned with hand tools and put together with wooden pegs. These were sure signs that the wreck was not of modern origin, thought Hannah.
    Gazing down at the 10 meter-long wooden structure, the three girls let their imaginations run wild. Emily first thought of ghosts. Then she imagined a clawed hand poking out from underneath the bottom edge of the plank nearest her foot. Jumping clear across the sand and Hannah’s feet, she splashed into a pool of water and face planted. Safe, at least! Imagination had to have its limits, she thought.
    “This might be the remains of a pirate ship,” cried Hannah. “I just love pirate stories. I have so many books at home. Did you know that according to some legends there was even a woman pirate? Her name was Arabella Drummond and the ship was called the Bold Adventure . And there were rumours that she sailed near the coast of

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