Read Ruby Redfort Take Your Last Breath for Free Online

invitation due to a horrible problem with seasickness; the Sibling waters were notorious for their restless currents.
    Dora Shoering, a self-proclaimed intellectual who had almost attended Berklard as a student, gave a fascinating, if not entirely accurate, series of talks, but it was that Sunday afternoon’s lecture that sparked most chatter.
    “Fascinating,” said Sabina. “I just love the story of the lost treasure of Twinford. Of course, much of it I knew already, because you see it was my ancestor’s treasure that was lost. Did you all know that?”
    The others did know this, because Sabina had not stopped repeating it all through the lecture — how her great-great-great-grandmother Eliza Fairbank (she wasn’t sure how many greats) had been lost at sea off Twinford on the way to South America along with all her gems; only her little daughter, Martha, survived.
    “Utterly gripping,” said Marjorie Humbert. “Wouldn’t it be divine if it were true?”
    “But there is every possibility that it is true,” said Dora. “Though it has never been proved one way or the other.”
    “Why did no one look for it?” asked Brant.
    “Well, of course they did,” Dora replied. “But they never found a thing. Plus, they had a few other concerns.”
    “Such as?” asked Ambassador Crew.
    “A giant sea monster,” replied Dora. “It was said it guarded the treasure — sat on it, they say, and no one could ever retrieve the gems from its razor-sharp talons.”
    “Talons?” spat the ambassador. “You’re saying that this sea creature was an aquatic eagle?”
    Dora looked uneasy: she had made up the bit about the talons. “Or crab claws, no one knows,” she said hurriedly.
    Ambassador Crew couldn’t help but display his utter pity for anyone who would believe such total garbage, but the rest of the party was electric with excitement.
    “We should search for it!” said Brant. “Imagine — Sabina coming face-to-face with her own ancestor’s jewels.”
    “Good luck to you,” said Ambassador Crew. “It would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. You’d have to search the whole ocean floor just to find the wreck, and in these dangerous waters I wouldn’t fancy your chances.”
    “Gracious,” said Sabina. “Sounds like quite a quest.”
    “Exactly!” said Dora Shoering. “It’s no surprise no one’s ever found it.”
    “A nice fairy tale is what it is,” said Ambassador Crew.
    “Hey, look at that boat on the horizon.” Barbara Bartholomew was pointing to the southwest. “Doesn’t it look romantic against the setting sun?”
    “Yes,” agreed Sabina, looking at the old-fashioned sailing ship. “One could almost imagine oneself back in pirate times.”

THE NEXT MORNING, WHEN RUBY REDFORT turned the corner of Amster Street, she walked on past the bus stop, crossed the road, and headed for the Double Donut Diner. She figured there was plenty of time to grab a shake and still make the school bus.
    It wasn’t that the Double Donut Diner particularly specialized in donuts — it was really because Marla, the owner, thought it was a catchy name, and apparently it was, because everyone in Twinford seemed to know the Double Donut.
    The diner was popular with all sorts of locals, and Ruby liked to hang out observing the comings and goings of Twinford folk. It also did particularly good French toast — something Ruby’s mother was very much against due to the quantity of maple syrup her daughter drowned it in.
    Del and Mouse looked up as she came in. “Hey, Rube, how you doing?”
    “Oh, you know, could complain, can’t be bothered.” She looked around. “Clancy not here?”
    “He had to leave early,” said Mouse. “Said he had to go and see Principal Levine, on account of flunking French,
again
— Madame Loup is
furieux
.”
    “How come he didn’t tell me about that last night?” asked Ruby.
    “He only just found out. Mrs. Bexenheath actually
called
the Crew household this