Lost Cipher by Michael Oechsle

all.”
    â€œWhat’s Aaron going to do to them?” asked a girl behind Lucas.
    Before Sarah could answer, they heard shouting from back in the forest where the counselors had gone. It was Aaron. They could hear his angry words, but not what the trespassers were saying.
    â€œNo, you’re on private property!… Sorry or not, I’ll be calling the sheriff!”
    One of the men said something Lucas couldn’t make out, but Aaron’s response was loud and clear.
    â€œAnd you’re wasting your time! We’ve got holes all over this county because of people like you, and not one of them ever had anything in it but dirt. Just go!”
    The hikers heard the snapping of branches as Aaron and Rooster made their way back to the trail. Plowing angrily through the woods, Aaron looked at Sarah and said, “Just more treasure-hunting idiots. Let’s get these kids back to camp.” He stormed off down the trail, and the campers had to hurry to catch up.
    â€œTreasure?” George raised his eyebrows.
    â€œI heard somethin’ about it yesterday,” Lucas told the others. “Some guy in a store near here said it was millions in gold and silver. Had somethin’ to do with secret codes. ’Course there’s always treasure stories like that in these parts. Ain’t none of ’em ever true.”
    â€œI don’t know,” replied Alex. “Those guys must have had some reason to hike all the way up here and dig a hole in the middle of nowhere.”
    They hadn’t noticed Zack closing in behind them on the trail. But he’d been listening in on their conversation. Passing them, he looked Lucas straight in the eye.
    â€œStupid hillbillies,” he said, grinning. “Probably so poor they’d do anything for money.” He kept smiling and looking back, hoping for a reaction out of Lucas, but Lucas just let him pass. He wouldn’t let Zack goad him into a fight. Not here at least.
    A half mile later, Aaron finally slowed his angry pace. He began drifting back along the line of campers, letting them know that the encounter with the treasure hunters was nothing to worry about, and that he probably wouldn’t even call the sheriff. Still, Lucas could tell Aaron was bothered by the trespassing strangers who had interrupted their hike.
    â€œWhat were they looking for?” he asked tentatively when Aaron came up beside them.
    â€œOh, just an old legend. They won’t find anything.”
    â€œHow do you know?” asked Alex.
    Aaron didn’t answer at first. He stopped at a heavy tree branch that had fallen across the trail and waited for the rest of the group to negotiate their way over it. “You guys help me with this,” he said, and the four of them lifted the branch to the side of the trail. Brushing the dirt from his hands, he turned to the boys.
    â€œI tell you what,” he said. “I think we’ll answer everybody’s treasure questions tonight.”

CHAPTER 9
    That evening, with the valley in deep shadow and the last of the sunset sky turning to twilight, the campers gathered around the central fire ring. While Maggie made sure the fire caught, Aaron went over the next day’s plans. They would head off on a backpacking trip and spend two nights camping out.
    â€œOur camp land is surrounded by a big roadless area on two sides,” he explained. “The Preacher Rocks Wilderness. By hiking a loop through it, we can do a nice three-day trip.”
    Everyone there already knew the backpacking trip was on the week’s schedule, but a few of the campers still groaned about lugging heavy packs and leaving their real beds behind.
    Aaron ignored the complainers. “The rules of the wilderness area say we can’t have more than fifteen in one group. So that means the girls will head out in one direction on the loop, and the boys will go the opposite way. Somewhere on the second day, we’ll pass