Heather and The Highland Pony 1.0

By Maggie Felsch
SKU 359.6
Written by Maggie Felsch
Cover design by Phillip Colhouer
Illustrations by Cory Walker

Colored by Nada Serafimovic
© 2023 The Good and the Beautiful, LLC
goodandbeautiful.com
Table of
Contents
Glossary�� vi
Prologue�� 2
1. Hurry!�� 7
2. X Marks the Spot�� 15
3. Escape�� 24
4. Cranky Crofter�� 32
5. Silver Spoons�� 40
6. One Mystery Solved�� 47
7. The Cave�� 55
8. Fort William�� 63
9. Mushrooms�� 71
10. Prowlers�� 78
11. Turning Back�� 85
12. Loch Ness�� 92
13. Foraging�� 99
14. Captain Angus�� 106
15. The Neesick�� 114
16. Orkney�� 121
17. Mum’s Poems�� 129
18. Gladness Bay�� 137
19. Magnus�� 147
20. The Bundle�� 155
21. The Plan�� 162
22. In the Castle�� 170
23. A Promise�� 178
Introduction
Read to the child: I’m excited to read this book with you. I’ll
read the sections following the parent/teacher banner. You’ll
read the sections following the student banner. I’ll help you
with difficult words.
Reading this book together increases your enjoyment of

reading and your reading speed, accuracy, and confidence.
It will also help you practice decoding difficult words and
increase your vocabulary, which is all the words you know the
meanings of.
Before reading each chapter, we will complete a practice

page. In many chapters I will read vocabulary words, their
definitions, and example sentences that use the words. Each
vocabulary word will then be used in the chapter.
Most words from the Challenging Words List break English

phonics rules (often because they originated in a foreign
language). You will most likely need to learn the challenging
words by sight rather than sounding them out. Thus, all the
challenging words (listed on the next page) will be repeated in
multiple lessons.
Captain Angus Bonnie Heather Archie Haggis

Challenging Words List
These words—which are difficult to decode (sound out)
phonetically—are included repeatedly on the practice pages.
aroma message
choir nutritious
debt peculiar
hallelujah pierce
Vocabulary Words
These words are learned on the practice pages, included in the
chapters, and reviewed in the Level 3 Course Book.
desolate ignorant
distress unison
hardy suitable
Practice Page Principles
Level 3 Phonics Principles
These principles are reviewed repeatedly on
the practice pages.
• DU can say /jew/ or /juh/

• Decoding skills
• Phonograms review
• AIN can say /ain/ or /in/
• ANT can say /ent/
• AGE or IAGE can say /ij/
• ATE can say /it/
• SS can say /sh/
• OUR can say /er/
Glossary
The following words are common Scottish terms used in Heather
and the Highland Pony.
aye - yes
bens - mountains
bonnie - pretty
croft - small farm
crofter - a person who tends a small farm
Da - Dad
glen - valley
isle - island
lad / laddie - boy
laird - a wealthy landowner, “lord”
lass / lassie - girl
loch - lake
Mum - Mom
nae - no
wee - little
Here are a few more common Scottish terms for those who
would like to learn even more.
bairn - child
braw - good or pleasing
peerie - tiny
1
Prologue: Practice Page
PHONICS
DU Can Say /jew/ or /juh/

Read to the child: DU can say /jew/ or /juh/. Read the words.
educate individual gradual

procedure gradually educator
Read to the child: Read each sentence. Then point to the

image that best relates to the sentence.
I’ll write my schedule on the calendar.
Installing a car battery is a simple procedure.
We put each pie in an individual box.
After the sun set, the sky gradually grew dark.

2
Prologue
The story you’re about to read takes place in the Highlands

and islands of Scotland, the northernmost part of the United
Kingdom. These lands are an artistic masterpiece of rolling green
hills, meandering rivers, great blue lochs (the Scottish word for
lakes is pronounced LOCKS), dense forests, deep glens (the
Scottish name for valleys), dramatic waterfalls, and towering bens
(mountains). The land is lush, green, and wet—for it rains almost
daily.
Much of the area is wild, with nobody living in it, yet it is
rich with a long history of human life. Visitors to Scotland can
view the ancient stone remains of humble roundhouses, Viking
longhouses, magnificent cathedrals, and even medieval castles.
Later in history, the lands were dotted with crofts and stone
croft houses (the Scottish terms for small farms and farmhouses).
Humble crofters farmed the lands, raising sheep, cattle, and crops,
but they almost never owned the land themselves. Only nobility,
clan chiefs, and wealthy landlords owned land.
During the 1800s—during which this story takes place—more
than half of the Highland people were cleared off the farmland
to make room for more sheep. This was because sheep brought
in more money for the landowners than people did. The crofters
had no choice—they were forced to leave their homes. This sad
and difficult time is now known as the Highland Clearances.
Prologue 3
4 Heather and the Highland Pony
A few new words were introduced on the previous page.

In Scotland, English is the most widely spoken language.
However, the Scottish people have lovely accents and many
words and phrases that only they use.
Even though we speak the same language, Scottish people
call some things by different names, and it can be fun and
interesting to learn the terms they use. For example, bonnie
is a common Scottish word for pretty, wee is a common
word for little, and girls are called lasses and lassies while
boys are called lads and laddies. Throughout this book, you
will find a few more words unique to the story’s setting. The
glossary on page vi gives an explanation of all Scottish terms
used in the story.
It’s almost time to jump into the pages of this story, like
leaping into a pool of adventure, sorrow, laughter, betrayal,
and joy. But first, there is one last thing to explain.
The creation of Heather as the main character of the story
was inspired by the more than 650,000 individuals currently
living with dwarfism as a result of genetics or other medical
conditions.
Prologue 5
People with dwarfism never grow taller than four feet ten
inches and often refer to themselves as little people. Little people
are just as smart, creative, and full of hopes, dreams, and feelings
as anyone else in the world.
Sadly, a lot of people with dwarfism have been treated poorly
throughout history and sometimes still are even today. We have
come a long way toward treating everybody with kindness and
consideration, but there is always room for improvement. Please,
never use the word midget to describe a little person. That is a
hurtful word, and we would all do well to learn not to use words
that hurt others.
It’s normal to feel unsure of how to treat people who are

different from us. When meeting someone with dwarfism
(or any other medical condition), it is always important
to treat him or her just the same as anyone else. Call him
or her by name. Make eye contact. Smile. Be kind. Find
out what this person enjoys or is good at. Being kind and
inclusive is always the right thing to do, and it may lead to
making a wonderful new friend! Now, enjoy this story about
the adventures of Heather, her family, and of course, her
Highland pony.
6
Chapter 1: Practice Page
PHONICS
Decoding
Read to the child: A phonogram is a letter or group of letters
that together make a sound. You have already learned many
phonograms, and this course will not review all phonograms.
The letters in green boxes in this course show phonograms
that almost always say the same sound. Point to each box
and say the sound of the phonogram.
ai qu oi ir oa wr
rain quit oil bird oat write
Some groups of letters can make different sounds. The
phonograms in gray boxes in this course have different
sounds. Read the words with different sounds of OU in the
orange box.
ou grouch, bounty, lounge, bough

group, souvenir, acoustic, routine
country, cousin, nervous, generous
Read the vocabulary section to the child. The vocabulary

words given on practice pages are included in the chapter and
throughout the book.
Distress is a feeling of extreme worry or trouble.
I looked at the broken vase in distress.
Hardy means tough and sturdy.
The hardy plant withstood the cold winter.
7
Chapter 1: Hurry!
“Wake up, my wee lassie!” came a fierce whisper.

Blinking in confusion, Heather rolled over to face her
mum in the dark room. “Mum, what’s—”
“No time for questions, lassie,” came Mum’s frantic
voice. “Please take your brother to the big rosebush by the
waterwheel. Make sure the soldiers don’t see you and wait
there for Da and me to come and collect you.”
Obediently, Heather propped herself up on her mat and
grabbed her wool dress, pulling it quickly over her sleeping
gown and not even bothering to tie the sash.
Heather’s mum quickly pressed a heavy cloth bag into
her daughter’s arms. “Heather, if we’ve not arrived at the
waterwheel by sunrise, you should leave town. Look after
your brother and take care of this bundle. It will help you.
You need to—”
But Heather’s mum couldn’t finish her sentence. A
soldier called her name loudly.
“I love you, Heather,” she said instead. “I must go. Stay
hidden. Hurry!”
Heather’s heart pounded. How she wished she had said,

“I love you, too, Mum,” but her mum had already turned and
disappeared out of the dark room.
Suddenly, she heard her da’s raised voice just outside. “I know
nothing about stolen items nor how the MacKinnons’s things
ended up in my barn!” His voice was confident, and Heather
knew he was being truthful.
I have no idea what is happening, Heather thought. All she
could piece together was that some soldiers were accusing her da
of stealing from the MacKinnons. How absurd! My da is no thief,
and who are the MacKinnons anyway? Heather hurried over to
her brother’s mat in the opposite corner of the room and shook
him gently.
“Archie, put on your coat and come with me.”
At only nine years old, Archie was three years younger than
Heather, but he was already several inches taller. Like their mum
and da, Archie was average height. Heather was the only person
in her family born with dwarfism.
Archie sleepily shrugged on his wool overcoat. He tried to
ask Heather what was happening, but she simply told him, “Not
now!” The siblings crept through the small, dark house to the
back door. It creaked loudly as it swung open, and the children
froze, afraid they would be discovered. But the raised voices at
the front of the house never changed.
A light rain, not much more than mist, sprinkled their
faces—a familiar feeling to anyone who lived in the Scottish
Highlands. It took a brave and hardy person to embrace the
constantly changing and sometimes harsh weather of that
beautiful, wild land.
Chapter 1: Hurry! 9
In the dim early morning light, the children could barely

see their way down the path, which was lined by a stone
wall. However, they had been to the waterwheel at the iron
forge so many times that they probably could have found
their way with their eyes closed. All the while, painful
words rang in Heather’s ears. Stolen items. MacKinnons.
Stay hidden.
Hurrying down the path, the siblings stayed close to the
wall and moved farther and farther from the voices outside
their home.
As they approached the waterwheel, Heather knew
exactly where her mum wanted them to hide. A huge patch
of wild rose bushes spread across the hill just behind the
stone wall of the iron forge. Three or four years ago, Heather
had discovered a small tunnel-like opening in the stone
wall. Being a wee lassie, she had crawled into the opening
and found a network of these openings in the rose bushes.
On a few different occasions, she had seen little bunnies
in the tunnels. At first, they had been afraid of her, but
eventually, they had grown to trust her as she had never
caused them any harm.
Chapter 1: Hurry! 11
Now Heather tugged Archie’s hand and said, “We need to

crawl under here and wait. No time for questions.”
Archie crawled on his stomach to squeeze through
the gap in the wall first, and then Heather passed the bag
to him. Just as she got on her hands and knees to crawl
through behind him, the glow of a lantern caught her
attention. In its warm light, she saw two soldiers leading
her family’s beautiful Highland pony, Bonnie, down the
path. They were coming in her direction. Without another
thought, Heather scrambled through the hole as quickly as
she could, hoping her legs had not been seen by the soldiers.
Holding her breath, she listened as they passed.
“Why’d you even bring the old pony?” one soldier asked.
“It might be old, but it’s still strong and healthy,” the other
responded. “It’ll be worth a few pounds at the factory.”
Highland ponies are a tall and very strong breed that can
live for thirty years. Bonnie was around twenty, so she still
had many years left. More importantly, she was a gentle and
noble friend to Heather and her family.
Chapter 1: Hurry! 13
Heather’s distress was nearly too much to bear, and she

blinked back tears. I want to be brave for Archie, she thought,
and there’s nothing I can do for Bonnie just now. Heather laid her
head down near Archie. She tried to hang on to the hope that her
mum and da would come to collect them in the morning, help
get Bonnie back, and reassure them that everything was once
again normal.
Beside her, Archie sniffled and began to cry quietly.
“Here,” she said gently as she sat up and pulled his head into
her lap. With calming hands, she stroked his hair and sang softly.
Soon, he quieted and began to breathe slowly and deeply as he
fell asleep. Often, Heather felt irritated with her younger brother,
and they squabbled at times, but at this moment, she realized just
how important family was.
Wearily, Heather leaned against the bag and closed her eyes.
Events from that evening replayed through her mind, and
she couldn’t understand what had happened. Why were men
accusing her da of stealing things? He was an honest man, a
longtime blacksmith at the iron forge. Everyone in town knew he
was a skilled, diligent worker.
Then Heather’s thoughts turned to her mum. What had
she said? “If we’ve not arrived by sunrise . . .” A lump grew in
Heather’s throat as she tried to ignore the possibility of her
parents not showing up in the morning.
And what about Bonnie? Heather wondered as images of the
tall, stocky, noble pony whirled in her mind. Heather had always
thought Bonnie’s long white mane and tail flowed and glistened
like waterfalls. Soon, Heather’s thoughts turned into dreams of
sparkling waterfalls. All was quiet as the moon shone down on
the rosebush and stone wall that hid two sleeping children.
14
Parent/teacher note: Breaking words into syllables in order to

read them is complex (even for adults), and syllable division rules
are not consistent, even among experts. Thus, in this program,
children will learn how to decode longer, more challenging words
by looking for known phonograms and breaking the words into
smaller parts.
PHONICS
Decoding
Read to the child: Say the sound of each phonogram in the
green boxes. Hints are below each box if needed.
ph au oi or kn ur
phrase pause oil for knot turn
When reading, look for phonograms that you know. In the

purple boxes below, point to each phonogram with a circle
around it, say the sound of the phonogram, and then read
the whole word. If needed, sound out the parts of the word
as it is divided in each purple box.
claustrophobic u n a vo i d a b l e
clau st ro ph o bic u n a vo i d a b l e
autobiography knickknack
au to bi o g ra phy k n i ck kn a ck
authorization corporation
au thor i za t i o n c o r p o r a t io n
15
Chapter 2: X Marks the Spot
Caw, caw! Caw, caw!

The high-pitched calls of seagulls woke Heather from an
uncomfortable but deep sleep. The moment she regained
consciousness, an uneasy feeling settled over her. Through
the thick rose bushes surrounding her, she saw the
golden-orange light of early morning.
Mum and Da should’ve come for us by now, she thought,
and her stomach felt sick.
Archie was snoring lightly, curled up into a ball on the

ground, much like a kitten. Unsure of what to do, Heather
thought through the events of last night, which just made her feel
worse. Sucking in a deep breath, she decided it was best to face
the problem head-on, unsettling as it might be.
Remembering the bag her mum had given her, along with the
assurance that it would help, Heather felt a glimmer of hope.
She peered through the hole in the stone wall, and neither
seeing nor hearing anyone nearby, she crawled out, dragging the
bag behind her. Sunlight peeked out between a cluster of clouds,
cheering Heather’s mood. With her back leaned against the wall,
she sat on the path. From this vantage point, she could see the
iron furnace, including its massive waterwheel. The stream that
caused the wheel to turn meandered down the hill to the coast,
where the gulls that had woken her flocked over the water. The
smell of roses in full bloom drifted through the air.
Bursting with curiosity, Heather pulled open the cloth
drawstring bag. Inside were a bunch of small bundles
individually wrapped in cloths of different colors. She reached
in and pulled out the first bundle that she touched. Carefully
unwrapping the cloth, she found three small objects. One was
a black rock with rough edges. Another was a small, curved
piece of metal. The third was a tin container. Popping open the
container, she found what looked like a stack of charred pieces of
cloth.
What in the world are these things for, and how are they going
to help us? Heather thought.
Chapter 2: X Marks the Spot 17
As she reached in to pull out another item, Heather

wondered what all these items in the cloth bag could be.
Were they somehow valuable? Were they things her da was
accused of stealing? Was that why her parents were arrested
last night? Was it possible her parents did steal something
and got caught?
Heather immediately shook off the thought, sorry
for even thinking it. She knew her parents were honest,
hardworking people. Why were they being accused? Hadn’t
she heard Da say something about stolen items—items that
belonged to the MacKinnons—that were found in his barn?
Her uneasiness lingered.
The next item she pulled out was a rolled canvas tied with
a string. She pulled one end of the bow and unrolled it. A
detailed map of Scotland, which she recognized instantly,
was painted onto the canvas. Archie loved maps and had a
few hanging up on the walls of their small cottage. He would
like this.
But the map didn’t interest Heather much, and she
set it aside, pulling out another bundle. As soon as she
unwrapped it, she understood its usefulness, for it contained
a stack of oatcakes. Breakfast, she thought.
The next bundle was wrapped in a shiny, oiled cloth to keep it

waterproof. Inside, it held a few fillets of smoked fish, a regular
meal for families living in the Western Highlands of Scotland.
“Heather?” Archie whimpered from the rose bushes.
“I’m out here,” she answered in a loud whisper. Archie crawled
out and sat beside his sister, blinking his eyes several times while
they adjusted to the sunlight.
“What have you got there?” he asked.
When Heather patted the ground next to her, he moved over
to sit beside her. “Mum gave me this bag just before we left the
house. She said it would help us, but she didn’t tell me anything
about what was in it.”
Archie snatched up the map Heather had set aside.
“Is this where we’re supposed to go?” he asked, pointing to an
island at the top of the map.
“What do you mean?” Heather asked.

“X marks the spot,” he answered. “Maybe Mum and Da
need us to go get the treasure so we can get them out of
prison.”
Now Heather realized that Archie had heard just as much
as she had last night, and he seemed to be handling it better
than she was. She leaned in to look where he was pointing.
Indeed, an X was drawn over an island way up in the North
Sea.
“You think there’s a treasure?” Heather asked.

“Isn’t that what an X means?” Archie said with a shrug.
This entire situation made little sense to Heather. But maybe
Archie was right. Maybe Mum had marked this map with the
location of a treasure that she somehow knew about. Maybe her
mum had given them the map because she needed them to go
find the treasure and use it to help the family.
A small thrill welled up inside Heather, mixing with the
feeling of dread that had been gnawing at her insides.
“Well, we can’t just stay here,” Archie stated. And Heather
knew he was right about that.
“That’s a long way, Archie,” she said. She was sure it would
take weeks for an adult of average height to walk that far. How
long would it take two children—one with dwarfism? She didn’t
even know what they would find once they arrived.
Many thoughts and emotions mixed and tumbled inside

Heather. She was terribly worried about her parents. She
was confused and didn’t know what was happening or why.
The cloth bag of supplies sat next to her, but the items were
more of a mystery than a help. She had heard of a wealthy
MacKinnon family in the area, but she had never met them.
Did Da know them?
Remembering the oatcakes, Heather handed one to
Archie. “Let’s at least have some breakfast before we start.”
Clouds shifted in front of the sun, darkening the land. The

weather was constantly changing here—sunny, cloudy, rainy,
misty, then sunny again and cloudy again. This was a familiar
pattern to the children, but under the circumstances, losing the
bright sunlight only added to Heather’s gloom.
The children sat side by side, each lost in thought as they
ate their oatcakes, which seemed extra bland and dry. Heather
needed some water to help wash hers down.
Just as she stood to walk over to the stream, she heard a

noise. She paused and listened closely. Hoofbeats! A horse
was running somewhere, and . . . yes, it was coming closer!
Had the soldiers seen them?
“Archie!” Quickly, Heather grabbed her brother’s hand
and pulled him up. Together they jumped behind a boulder
on the other side of the path, for there wasn’t enough time
for both of them to climb back through the small hole in the
wall.
As the hoofbeats drew close, Heather realized that she
had left the cloth bag sitting out in the open, leaning against
the wall.
23
PHONICS
AIN Can Say /in/

Read to the child: AIN can say /in/. Read each word
below. Porcelain is a hard, white, shiny type of
pottery. The Chinese vase to the right is painted
porcelain.
mountain fountain porcelain

certain bargain certainty
AGE or IAGE Can Say /ij/

Read to the child: AGE or IAGE can say /ij/. Read each word
below.
cabbage manage storage

beverage drainage marriage
Challenging Words
Read the words repeatedly until you can read them all without help.
debt hallelujah nutritious message
choir peculiar aroma pierce
Read the following information to the child:

Unison means together at the same time.
The two girls laughed in unison.
24
Chapter 3: Escape
Hiding behind the rock, Heather tensed and squeezed

Archie’s hand as the hoofbeats slowed and stopped on the
path. Leaving the cloth bag against the wall had been a
terrible mistake. She felt certain that whoever was on the
horse had seen the cloth bag lying there and slowed down
to investigate. Now, not only would Heather and Archie lose
their supplies, but they might also get caught. To Heather,
Chapter 3: Escape 25
it felt like the hoofbeats that had been pounding down the
path were now pounding inside her chest.
“Please don’t let it be the same men who took our
parents,” Heather prayed under her breath.
They heard the horse on the path nicker and snort. A
rush of hope filled both children, and they looked at each
other, mouths open. With the same thought, they carefully
peered around their stone hiding place.
“Bonnie!” they cried in unison.
The Highland pony, standing on the path alone, was just
as happy to see the children as they were to see her. She
nickered softly and walked to them, head low so they could
hug it.
Bonnie’s muzzle was warm and soft, and the smell and feel of
her fuzzy coat comforted the children. Their tall old pony lived
up to her name: she was one of the most beautiful ponies in all
of Scotland, and she was also very smart, loyal, and well trained.
Heather remembered asking her mum one time where she had
learned to train horses so well, but her mum hadn’t wanted to
talk about it.
Noticing that the rope dangling from Bonnie’s halter was
frayed and broken, Heather figured that Bonnie must have been
tied up and had pulled back so hard that the rope snapped, and
she escaped!
“You came back to us,” Heather whispered, stroking

Bonnie gratefully. “Now we have a chance of making it all
the way up north and helping Mum and Da.”
A few minutes later, Archie retrieved the cloth bag
leaning against the wall. He fashioned a backpack from the
drawstrings by tying each one to the bottom corners of the
bag.
Next, the two of them studied the
canvas map thoughtfully, planning the best
path to their destination.
“Archie, I think we should head up to Fort William. From

there, we can follow the Caledonian Canal all the way up to Loch
Ness.”
“Ah, the home of the famous Loch Ness monster!” Archie
exclaimed.
“Da says he thinks the monster is just a myth and doesn’t
really exist. Who really knows, though?” Heather replied before
continuing. “From Loch Ness, we’ll need to work our way up to
the port at Thurso, where we can—” she hesitated “—hire a boat,
I guess, to take us up to the islands.”
*Fort William, Loch Ness, and Thurso are labeled on the map at the beginning of this
chapter in case you’d like to see the route Heather planned.
“How will we hire a boat at Thurso?” Archie asked

sensibly. “Won’t they expect us to pay for it?”
Heather shrugged. “We’ll have to figure that out. For
now we need to focus on getting to Fort William,” she said,
tapping the map.
“Do we have any more food?”
“I got the oatcakes from the bag,” Heather answered.
“And there’s some smoked fish, too. We can have that for our
supper.”
“Is there any haggis?” Archie asked hopefully. The
Scottish sausage was his favorite, especially the way Mum
made it, boiled in one big ball and then sliced into patties.
“I don’t know,” said Heather. “I haven’t finished going
through the items yet. But the sun is getting high. We ought
to be on our way. We can finish going through it later.”
Heather helped Archie put the bag on his back. Then
she breathed in deeply through her nose and let out a sigh.
So, we’re really going to do this, she thought with some
apprehension.
Bonnie was grazing on the grass and clover. “I’m climbing up,”
Archie told the pony. She kept her head low so he could lean on
her neck, and then Bonnie lifted him up onto her back, just as
their mum had trained her to do. Once Archie was on her back,
he scooted toward Bonnie’s rump to make room for his sister.
Bonnie lowered her head again to lift Heather. When Heather
reached Bonnie’s shoulders, she turned around to face forward,
keeping a tight fistful of Bonnie’s thick mane for stability.
Heather suddenly frowned. Something felt strange in her
hand. Upon closer inspection, she saw that several white strings
were braided right into a thick strand of Bonnie’s long white
mane.
Heather’s fingers followed the braid down and discovered a
small white pouch, probably made of sheepskin.
“That’s curious,” she said.
“What is it?” her brother asked, leaning over her shoulder to
look.
Before Heather could answer, Bonnie threw her head up quite
suddenly. The pony was staring attentively toward one of the
stone buildings at the mill. Her nostrils flared wide and quivered,
her breath coming out as small snorts. Both of her ears faced
forward in concentration.
Over the years that Heather and Archie had spent with
Bonnie, they had come to understand that a horse can sense
something long before humans can. They had learned to trust her
instincts.
“What is it, girl?” Heather asked softly. Bonnie continued to
stare.
A British soldier walked around the corner of the stone

building. The children hadn’t heard him coming, but Bonnie
had.
He approached them with a sly grin. “Well, well. If it isn’t
the wee lassie and laddie that got away last night. Come with
me.”
He stepped quickly toward them and reached for Bonnie’s
frayed rope. Bonnie squealed, her eyes flashing. Throwing
her head up high, she pranced back three or four steps. Her
movement was so sudden that the children lurched forward.
Heather grasped Bonnie’s thick mane so they did not fall.
“Get over here!” the man demanded loudly and
impatiently, taking another step toward Bonnie. Again,
Bonnie tossed her head and backed away.
“Hold on, Archie,” Heather said, and she felt Archie’s
arms tighten around her waist.
Heather leaned over Bonnie’s neck and used her feet to
nudge the pony’s sides. Bonnie didn’t hesitate. Taking off
like a bolt of lightning, she tore past the stunned soldier
and ran down the path. This was how their curious journey
began.
31
PHONICS
ATE Can Say /it/

Read to the child: ATE can say /it/. Read the words below.
desperate delicate certificate
a p p r o p r i a te desolate
ap pro pri ate des o late
I can say /ee/ O can say /uh/
pomegranate fo r t u n a t e
pom e gran ate fo r t u n a t e
E can say /uh/ TU can say /ch/
ANT Can Say /ent/

Read to the child: ANT can say /ent/. Read the words.
hesitant assistant applicant

elegant participant ignorant

Ignorant means lacking knowledge, education, or training.
I’m not ignorant about the dangers of rattlesnakes.
Desolate means without people; lonely and empty.

No one lived in the desolate house that sat on the hill.
32
Chapter 4: Cranky Crofter
Sunlight filtered between big puffy clouds, casting a glow

across the rocky green hills climbing up both sides of the glen.
Instinctively, Bonnie had galloped straight back home after
escaping from the soldier. Upon arriving at the house, Archie
slid off her back, grabbed the bridle, and put it on Bonnie so they
could guide her where they needed to go.
Straightaway they left again, and now, after three or four
hours of riding, they were completely alone in this isolated but
majestically beautiful place. There were no buildings and no
people, only a few grazing sheep who lifted their heads and stared
as the children and pony passed by.
Chapter 4: Cranky Crofter 33
Heather recognized the desolate glen and recalled the

previous summer when Da had brought her along to Fort
William to deliver items he had forged over hot coals. Mum
had not wanted Da to take Heather because she knew some
ignorant people might be cruel to their daughter about her
condition. However, Da had reassured her that he would let
nobody harm their lassie.
“Besides, she needs to experience the beautiful world
around her just the same as any other child,” he had pleaded.
Agreeing that her daughter should experience all the joys
and beauties of life, Mum eventually agreed to let Heather
go.
The journey with Da was a good memory—mostly. With
a shiver, Heather remembered the cranky crofter who lived
near the old stone bridge. Heather remembered stopping
at that bridge, which Da said was built during medieval
times, to eat a supper of cheese and bread. Now, two or three
hundred years later, people were still crossing the bridge
instead of traveling where the river was shallow enough to
walk across. The bridge saved hours of travel time!
While Da explained all this, a man watched from his nearby

croft house. Noticing that Heather was different from any person
he had ever met, the crofter came out of his house, yelling at Da
to take his “creature” and leave.
“You’ll bring bad luck to my croft! You’re not welcome here!”
he had yelled. Heather clenched her jaw tightly at the harsh
memory. How could anyone be so cruel?
Realizing that she and Archie would approach that very bridge
and croft in the next mile or so, Heather suggested they stop and
have their supper in the peaceful glen next to the loch.
Archie’s young body ached from the many hours astride the
horse, and he longed for something to eat. He slid off Bonnie’s
back and then helped his sister slide down without falling.
Together they sat in the fluffy grass, overlooking the glistening
loch, which was long, narrow, and deep blue. Four swans—two
adults and two cygnets—glided across the water effortlessly.
After pulling out the two bundles containing the oatcakes and
smoked fish, Heather laid them out between herself and Archie.
Bonnie grazed close by.
The siblings had been talking for most of the ride, so they
sat quietly now and ate, feeling some warmth and comfort flow
through them as they filled their bellies.
“Can I have a look at what else is in the bag?” Archie asked
eventually. “It’s a bit heavy.”
“Aye, go ahead,” Heather answered. “So far I’ve found a rock, a
wee piece of metal, and a tin of charred cloth, which I haven’t got
a clue about. Let’s see what else we’ve got.”
Archie unwrapped a small red cloth, no bigger than a

napkin. Inside were a few safety pins and a long strand of
sturdy white thread. Heather was curious why her mum
thought these items would come in handy.
“Ah, good, we have some pins to hold our
clothes together,” Archie said with a laugh.
“These will come in handy if we have
to run through bramble bushes that rip
our overcoats to shreds!”
As he began to rummage for another item, they heard a

rumble of thunder. Almost immediately, the entire glen grew
dark, and the children watched as massive clouds, heavy with
rain, rolled in front of the sun. The children looked up at the
darkening sky and then at each other. Both knew this storm was
going to be a ferocious one.
Quickly, they put everything back in the cloth bag. Before they
could even reach Bonnie, the dark clouds dumped their loads like
buckets of water.
“We can’t stay out in the open! We’ll be drenched through and
never dry out!” Archie shouted over the pounding rain.
Heather glanced around for shelter, but there wasn’t even a
tree in sight. “I know where we can get shelter,” she answered.
She didn’t like the idea—not one bit—and shuddered at the
thought of seeking shelter at the croft house by the bridge.
But they were desperate. Heather knew what they needed

to do. Bonnie lowered her head to let Archie climb on, and
Heather followed quickly after. The downpour didn’t bother
Bonnie. Highland ponies are strong and hardy, well suited
for severe weather year round, whether rain, snow, wind,
or all three at once. Bonnie’s thick coat and mane protected
her.
As soon as her riders were situated, she started walking,
head down, through the heavy rain. Soon the wind picked
up and began blasting the rain at them from the side.
Before long, Heather could squint and see the dreaded
croft up ahead. As they drew closer, she could tell a lamp
was burning inside the house.
Archie saw it, too, and exclaimed, “Heather! There’s a
house up ahead! Whoever lives there can give us shelter!”
“Sorry, but we can’t ask for help from the person who
lives here,” Heather said regretfully. “He’s not a kind or
considerate man. We’ll need to slip into his barn unseen. I
don’t like to do it, but we don’t have any better options.”
Archie didn’t understand, but he trusted his sister.

Soon, Heather guided Bonnie off the path and onto the
crofter’s land. That alone made Heather’s stomach turn in
knots.
The lamplight flickered invitingly through the house’s
window, but the travelers continued past it, straight to the
barn out back.
Sliding off Bonnie’s back, Archie unlatched the barn door
and led the wet pony into the dark building and out of the
rain. Then he hurried to close the barn door behind them.
Before it closed all the way, Heather glanced back at the
lamplight gleaming through the crofter’s window. What will
happen if he discovers us in his barn? she wondered.
She shivered at the thought.
39
PHONICS
DU Can Say /jew/

Read to the child: DU can say /jew/. Read the words below.
individual schedule graduate
procedure gradually education

Read to the child: Read the green sentence.
I gradually got used to my busy schedule.

below.
advantage manage carriage

bandage percentage discourage
Read to the child: Read the green sentences.
The bandage managed to fall off.

What percentage of individuals are managers?
Challenging Words
nutritious
pierce
choir aroma debt
hallelujah message peculiar
40
Chapter 5: Silver Spoons
A slender beam of sunlight pierced through a gap in the

barn’s stone wall and landed on Heather’s face, causing her
to squint and stir from her dream.
The children had stayed in the barn much longer than
Heather intended because the rain had not let up all
afternoon or evening. When the storm continued even
after it grew dark outside, they reluctantly decided to stay
the night. Curled up on a fluffy pile of hay, they had been
grateful for shelter but anxious about being caught. Still, the
exhausted siblings had fallen fast asleep within minutes.
Now Heather sat up, looking around the barn. The dusty,
dim light fell on a neat row of wood crates lining the wall
behind Bonnie, who was sleeping standing up.
Heather stretched, then stood and walked over to
the crates. They were filled with all sorts of fruits and
vegetables—potatoes, carrots, apples, peas, turnips, and
more. Heather realized then how very hungry she was.
Chapter 5: Silver Spoons 41
She glanced over at her brother sleeping peacefully in the hay.

Then she looked at Bonnie—majestic, beautiful, loyal Bonnie.
Quite suddenly, Heather remembered the little pouch braided
into Bonnie’s thick mane. A feeling of urgency filled Heather.
Maybe she would find a clue or something that could help her
parents.
Spying an empty wood crate, Heather set it next to Bonnie,
flipped it upside down, and climbed up on it so she could reach
her pony’s mane. Bonnie woke from the movements beside
her, and she turned her head slightly to watch what the lass was
doing.
It took Heather no time at all to find the little pouch in
Bonnie’s mane, and she immediately began working to separate
the strings braided into the long white hairs.
After a few minutes, the pouch was free. Heather hopped off
the crate and gazed at the pouch in the dim light. Even Bonnie
leaned in for a closer look.
Heather’s eyes grew large when she

pulled out the contents—six silver
spoons. Each one had a magnificent
symbol carved into the handle
end—a lion standing on its back
feet with front claws facing forward,
mouth open, and teeth showing.
There was also a Scottish thistle and
a banner inscribed with the name
“MacKinnon.”
So many thoughts raced through Heather’s mind. First, the

MacKinnon family must be very wealthy to have spoons like
this. But why were their fancy spoons braided into her pony’s
mane? She had overheard that some items were stolen from the
MacKinnons, but while her da was being arrested, he said he
knew nothing about it. Did someone else steal the spoons and
hide them there? Was it possible that her mum and da really were
involved in stealing the MacKinnon items? Just the thought made
Heather sick, and she tried to dismiss it. Surely someone else
had tied the pouch to Bonnie. A random thief? Maybe one of the
soldiers who took Bonnie the other night had hidden the pouch
in her mane before she escaped.
Then there was the bigger question—what was she to do

with these fancy spoons? Should she take them back to the
rightful owner? Then she and Archie might be accused of
thievery. It might even get her parents in worse trouble.
Or, she thought, maybe it would help get her parents out
of prison. Perhaps she would even get a reward for returning
the spoons! If so, she could use the reward money to bail her
parents out.
Heather bit her lip as another idea crossed her mind. She
could sell the silver spoons. Surely they would be worth a
lot of money, and Heather could use that money to get her
parents out of jail.
She shook her head. That doesn’t seem honest. They’re not mine
to sell.
Heather sat down on the crate, and soon she felt Bonnie’s nose
nudge her back.
Smiling, she stroked her pony’s nose and said, “I don’t know
what to do, Bonnie. Do we try to find the MacKinnon family, or
do we go to the X on the map?”
She didn’t expect Bonnie to answer, of course, but it

wasn’t the first time she had talked out loud to her pony.
Somehow, Bonnie’s quiet presence was comforting.
Completely absorbed in her thoughts, Heather didn’t
notice that Archie was awake until he asked, “What’s that?”
Heather jumped in surprise and quickly tucked the
spoons into her dress pocket. She felt bad for hiding
something from her little brother, but she wasn’t sure it was
best to tell him about the spoons. At least not yet.
What a relief it was, then, when Archie changed the
subject himself. “Heather, look at all this fresh garden food!
I’m so hungry!”
“That’s not our food, Archie,” Heather said gently. “It
would be stealing to take it, especially since we have food of
our own.”
“All we have are oatcakes and a tiny bit of fish,” he
grumbled.
“And we can eat those oatcakes and fish with a clear
conscience. I’ll get some out for breakfast.”
“I can get it,” Archie said. He started back toward the hay pile
to get the bag but then stopped abruptly. What was that sound?
Bonnie heard it, too, and lifted her head.
Someone was whistling.
The children hurried to peek through the gaps in the walls.
There was the cranky crofter, working in his vegetable garden and
whistling the tune “The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond.”
Heather was surprised to hear such a beautiful tune coming
from such an unkind person.
“How will we leave without his seeing us?” Archie whispered.
“We’ll have to wait until he goes back in the house, and then
we’ll make a run for it.”
They watched for nearly an hour, but the man continued to
work in his garden, pulling weeds, digging around with a shovel,
and filling his little cart with vegetables. He continued to either
whistle or hum the whole time.
Heather began to feel like the crofter would never go back into
his house when, to her horror, he began to push the loaded cart
straight toward the barn. Heather and Archie gasped and rushed
quietly to the dark corner behind Bonnie.
A moment later, the barn door swung wide open.
46
Review from The Kingdom of Kind.

PHONICS
Y in the Middle of a Word

Read to the child: Y can make the short I sound (as in GYM)
in the middle of a word. Read the words on the chart. Tap
the word that is a living thing.
physical lyrical rhythm

gymnast mythology syrup
symbolic symphony symptom
Read to the child: Y can make the long I sound (as in STYLE)
in the middle of a word. Read the words on the chart. Tap
each word that is something alive.
rhyme recycle tyrant

hyphen typhoon python
GUE Can Say /g/

Read to the child: GUE can say /g/. The letter i in red says the
long E sound. Read the words.
intrigue fatigue dialogue
morgue plague tongue

47
Chapter 6: One
Mystery Solved
Heather and Archie gripped each other, trembling in a

corner of the barn. A thick beam of light flooded through
the open barn door. At first, there was silence, followed by
an exclamation of surprise from the crofter.
“Well, hello, pony. How’d you get in here?” The old man
spoke gently and held out his hand as he stepped into the
barn and slowly approached Bonnie. Now Heather and
Archie could see the old man, but he had not yet noticed
them. Bonnie stood calmly and allowed the crofter to reach
out and rub her forehead.
Heather, remembering the crofter’s angry and cruel
outburst last summer, was surprised to witness such a soft
voice and manner from him.
Naturally, he turned to look around the barn, and when
he saw the children huddled in a corner, he was so startled
that he quite literally jumped and gasped! His face then
clouded with anger.
“We’re very sorry!” Heather burst out. “We needed shelter
from the storm last night. We’ll be on our way.”
The old man’s eyes crinkled into a squint, and his mouth
tightened.
“I’ll not stand for this again, people coming and taking my
fruits and vegetables! Do you have any idea how hard I work to
raise these crops and harvest them? This is the third time this has
happened this year.”
“We didn’t take any of your fruits or vegetables!” Archie
protested. “I was hungry, but my sister said none of this belongs
to us, and we shouldn’t eat any, so we didn’t.”
With suspicious eyes, the crofter scanned the crates.
“Humph,” he finally grunted. “I don’t see even an apple
misplaced. This is unusual. Why are you even here?”
Summoning courage, Heather stood. “As my brother and I
told you, we didn’t take any of your food; we just needed a place
to shelter for the night.”
When the crofter saw Heather stand, he gasped and stared.
“What’s wrong with you, lass? Why are you so wee?”
Archie gritted his teeth and jumped up. “Don’t talk to my
sister like that!”
But Heather reached out to stop Archie and, looking him in
the eye, said, “I can handle this.”
Then turning to the crofter, she said firmly, “There’s absolutely
nothing wrong with me. People come in different sizes, colors,
and shapes.”
The crofter’s grouchy face visibly softened. He let out a
heavy sigh and looked like he wanted to say something, but he
stammered and couldn’t get the words out.
Finally, he simply said, “You children best be on your way.
You’ve surely got a long way to go. There’s not much around for
miles.”
Chapter 6: One Mystery Solved 49
Heather and Archie shared an uncomfortable glance.

“Thank you, yes, we’ll be on our way,” she answered. She
handed the cloth bag to Archie and prepared to put the
bridle on Bonnie.
“Wait,” the crofter interrupted. “Are . . . are you still
hungry? Would you like any of these apples or turnips? The
apples are an extra-crisp, very sweet variety.”
Archie looked to his sister for permission. She smiled and
nodded.
“We would love some!” Archie answered gratefully.
“Thank you, sir.”
“Listen,” the crofter said to Heather in the same gentle
voice he had used with Bonnie. “I remember you now from
last year. I was—I was unkind. I didn’t understand that a
person could be—well, I just mean that I’m sorry for any
hurt I caused. You’re a brave wee lassie, and an honest one,
too.”
Heather looked into his eyes and could see that his
apology was sincere. Much of the pain from last year melted
away, and she felt forgiveness in her heart.
“Some people are cruel when they don’t understand,” she
replied. “Thank you for being kind to us today.”
Heather’s kind response inspired the crofter to do more. After

setting out a pan of oats for Bonnie, he asked the children to
wait just a few minutes. He hurried away and came back a little
later with a warm meal of porridge, buttered toast, ham, fried
eggs, and tomatoes. The food and kindness of the crofter gave the
children a lovely, comforting feeling.
“Take some of these with you,” the crofter said after breakfast,
handing the children apples, carrots, and turnips from the crate.
Archie put as many as he could in the cloth bag and then filled
his pockets.
“Before you go, I wonder if there’s anything else I can do to
help. Do you have any way to start a fire?” the crofter asked.
When Heather and Archie shook their heads, he rummaged
through a drawer in the barn.
“Here we are!” he said as he held out a black rock and a curved
piece of metal in his hand.
“Wait!” Heather exclaimed. “We do have those! But what are
they?”
“This one’s flint,” he answered, holding out the black rock,
“and this other one is steel. It’s called a striker. When you strike
the steel against the flint rock, it creates sparks, like so.”
He swiped the piece of steel quickly down the length of flint
rock, creating a small shower of sparks.
“If the sparks land on some good kindling,” he explained,
“such as dry grass or char cloth, you get a fire.”
Excitement welled up in Heather. One mystery was now
solved. With the flint, steel, and char cloth that Mum sent with
them, they would be able to start a fire, which meant they could
stay warm and cook a hot meal.
Equally exciting to her was the realization that the other

seemingly random items in the cloth bag must truly be
useful.
“Thank you so much for showing us!” she said. “Now we
can use the set we have.”
Heather wished she could give her mum a huge hug
for being so clever and thoughtful. She determined to go
through the rest of the items in the bag when she found a
chance.
As soon as the children were ready, Bonnie lowered her
head to let them climb up on her.
The crofter, watching with an open mouth, scratched his
head and said, “Well, how about that? How does she know
to do that?”
“Our mum trained her,” Heather answered. “She’s quite
good with horses.”
Archie and Heather thanked the crofter for his hospitality
and clucked at Bonnie so she would walk out of the barn.
The midmorning sun shone happily in a bright-blue sky
with a few cotton-ball clouds. The whole glen was vibrant
green in the sunlight.
Bonnie was excited to get going again, and the fresh air was
invigorating. She walked energetically across the croft to the path
they had been traveling, crossed the stone bridge, and continued
down the dirt road in the direction of Fort William.
As the pony moved with long, smooth strides along the path,
Archie whistled a tune.
Heather wondered eagerly what other useful items might be in
the bag. However, when she remembered the one item not in the
bag—the pouch with the silver MacKinnon spoons—she got an
uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.
54
PHONICS
ATE Can Say /it/

Read to the child: ATE can say /it/. Read the words below.
considerate immediately accurate
appropriate desolate
pomegranate corporate
pom e gran ate cor por ate
E can say /uh/ OR can say /er/
ANT Can Say /ent/

Read to the child: ANT can say /ent/. Read the words on the
chart.
applicant significant tolerant
SS Can Say /sh/

Read to the child: SS can say /sh/. Read the words below.
session permission compassion

discussion pressure issue
55
Chapter 7: The Cave
“Look, Heather, a cave!” Archie pointed to a dark gap in the

rocky cliff. It was evening now, and they had been riding for most
of the day.
“That’s a good find, Archie,” she answered. “It should be a
great place to stay the night.”
They dismounted and, after tying Bonnie where she could
graze just outside, peered around in the cave. It was shallow, but
Heather preferred it that way—big enough to sleep in and build a
fire but small enough to see all the way to the back and not worry
about big animals or robbers hiding out.
Archie gathered wood while Heather selected some

potatoes and turnips for supper. She had been craving soup
since thick, dark clouds had rolled in and covered the sun
that afternoon, leaving a misty chill. Now that it was time to
make supper, she realized that without a pot or pan, she had
no way to make soup.
It was a disappointment, but Heather didn’t let it get her
down. One time when she was only five, she had picked
a bouquet of yellow flowers and tried to reach a vase on a
shelf. When she realized she couldn’t reach it because of her
small stature, she sat on the floor and cried in frustration.
Her da had come in and set young Heather on his lap with
compassion. Wiping her eyes with his handkerchief, he
told her, “My wee lassie, you were born with a significant
challenge. For five years now, you have found ways to adapt.
You will face many challenges and disappointments in your
life, but you will always find a way to adapt.”
Da’s wise words stuck with Heather. Over the years,
she had discovered all kinds of creative ways to adapt to
different issues. She had even learned to enjoy coming up
with creative solutions.
Chapter 7: The Cave 57
Now, several years after that conversation with Da, Heather

put his words into practice and adapted by finding two good
roasting sticks. She stripped off the extra branches and pierced a
potato with one stick and a turnip with the other.
Archie got the flint and steel and a piece of char cloth from
the bag. It took him only a few tries before the sparks smoked
and then sizzled on the cloth, and soon a small flame flickered.
He added tiny sticks and then bigger sticks, and soon they had
a warm, glowing fire over which they roasted the potato and
turnip. Their spirits were high this evening, and Heather realized
that, in a way, she was actually enjoying this adventure with her
brother!
“This is cozy,” Archie said, watching as the potato and turnip
softened and crinkled over the flames.
Heather looked at her brother and smiled. “It nearly feels
like home with this flickering firelight. I can almost see Mum
knitting on her chair in that corner,” she said, nodding to one
corner of the cave.
“Yes, and I can almost hear her singing,” Archie added
longingly.
“Aye,” Heather agreed. “I love Mum’s songs. There were some
other songs that she used to sing when I was younger. I wish I
could remember them. She stopped singing those a few years
ago. One time I requested one, and she shook her head and sang
something else instead.”
“Maybe she forgot it,” Archie suggested. But Heather didn’t
think so.
An owl hooted somewhere outside the cave. It had grown
completely dark outside, but Archie and Heather, now warm and
cozy inside the small cave, hadn’t even noticed.
Soon the potato and turnip were soft and ready to eat.
Heather broke them in half so that they both had half of
each to eat. Even without salt or butter, the warm vegetables
were comforting to the hungry children.
Once they had eaten, Heather felt eager to finally explore
the contents of the cloth bag. Near the firelight, she laid out
the bundles on the stone floor of the cave. She had already
pulled out the apples and garden vegetables and set them in
a pile.
One by one, Heather and Archie opened the bundles. In
two of them, they found more oatcakes. Archie immediately
groaned when he saw them.
“We’ll be glad to have these when the fresh fruits and
vegetables run out,” Heather assured him.
Archie laughed when they reopened the tiny bundle with
safety pins and thread, but Heather reminded him that they
may have a use that wasn’t clear yet, just like the flint and
steel and char cloth.
Yet another bundle had a small clay ball glazed in a rich
greenish blue. When Archie shook it, it rattled. Clearly
something was inside, but they had no idea what it could be.
Another cloth held a round compass about the size of a small

apple. It was no mystery what this item would be useful for.
“With this compass it will be
much easier to follow the map,”
Heather said. “Without it we’d get
turned around easily and head in the
wrong direction, especially in the
forest.”
Archie opened a small drawstring
pouch that contained tiny white
crystals. He touched a couple of the
crystals to his tongue, and they were
just what he suspected—salt.
“We should’ve looked in the bag before supper!” he exclaimed.
“Our potato and turnip would’ve tasted so much better!”
Heather chuckled. “Fortunately, we now know about it for our
next meal. It will be especially good on the carrots.”
Peering into the bag, she noticed that only three bundles
remained. She reached in and pulled one out. “This one’s soft,”
she said, squishing it in her hands. Then, holding it out to her
brother, she asked, “Would you like to unwrap it?”
“Yes, please!” he exclaimed. “It’s like opening gifts! I just wish
Mum and Da were here with us.”
A tear welled up in Heather’s eye, and a dull pain filled her
chest. “I wish they were, too,” she said softly.
The next item truly was a gift—two pairs of wool mittens the
children had seen their mum knitting by the fire.
“One for each of us!” Archie said, handing a pair to his sister.
Slipping them over her small hands, Heather felt warmed by her
mum’s thoughtfulness.
Archie didn’t put his mittens on just yet, for he was too
excited to finish unwrapping the bundles. The next one was
wrapped in plain white cloth. It contained a stack of small
but thick rectangular paper cards, each with a beautiful
watercolor painting on it. Holding the paintings near the
firelight to examine them, Heather noticed something they
all had in common.
“This is interesting,” she pointed out. “Each of the
paintings has a stone croft house by the sea. I think they are
all of the same house, just from different angles.”
Upon closer inspection, she found writing on the back
of each card. At first glance it looked like poems or perhaps
songs. But before she had a chance to read them, Archie
interrupted suddenly.
“Heather! You have to see this.”
Archie, eager to open the final bundle, had already pulled
it out of the bag. Before he unwrapped it, he saw a message
written in ink.
“Do not open. For Magnus only.”
62
PHONICS
DU Can Say /jew/ or /juh/

Read to the child: DU can say /jew/ or /juh/. Read the words
on the chart.
educate individual gradual

procedure gradually educator
Read to the child: Read each sentence about the photo below
of a lighthouse on the Shetland Islands—the place to which
Heather and Archie are trying to travel.
The lighthouse bulb is scheduled for maintenance.

The lighthouse gradually changed over the years.
I learned the procedure for cleaning the lighthouse.
Each individual sheep on the hillside has a name.
63
Chapter 8: Fort William
After a restful night in the cave and another full day of riding
Bonnie through green glens and past sparkling blue lochs,
Heather and Archie arrived at Fort William. The ocean bay was
filled with fishing boats and sailboats. A group of chubby seals
sunned themselves on a cluster of rocks near the shore.
Perched along the shoreline and looking out over the bay
was a long line of stone homes. Archie, who loved watching
boats, seals, and seabirds, admired the homes and imagined how
wonderful it would be to have a view like this from his home.
Heather was less aware of the beautiful surroundings. She was
nervous about how she would be treated in the city without her
father there. But so far, the children had ridden into the bustling
town unnoticed. People were busy with their tasks—fishing,
pushing carts, cooking, and trading.
At the center of the town was a cobblestone street lined

on both sides with shops and restaurants.
Heather noticed the steeples of at least three churches
rising high above the rest of the buildings. She steered
Bonnie to a grassy area beside one of the churches. It
seemed like a peaceful, quiet place to stop and eat some
supper.
The children munched on oatcakes and apples as they
sat on the grass near where Bonnie grazed. They would
give their apple cores to her, leaving a little extra fruit at the
center for their faithful pony.
A sudden chorus of laughter caught the children’s
attention. Following the sound, they crawled over to a
vine-covered iron gate and peered through to see a small
courtyard. Six soldiers stood in a semicircle, their backs to
the children, looking down at something on the ground.
“What’s the matter, wee pup? Can’t you reach it?” one
soldier said while the others laughed.
“Come on, little one, take the haggis!” another soldier
taunted.
Soon, the children realized that the soldiers were teasing
a scruffy little white dog at their feet.
Chapter 8: Fort William 65
Over and over again, the men held pieces of sausage just above
the dog’s head, snatching the meat out of reach every time the
dog tried to get it.
The children felt terrible for the poor animal, but they knew
that it wasn’t safe to draw the soldiers’ attention to themselves.
Fortunately, the awful game lasted only a few minutes before one
soldier said, “All right, our shift starts soon. Let’s be on our way.”
“Won’t you give it just a wee bite now?” one soldier asked.
“The thing looks like he’s starving.”
“Nae, we can’t give anything to the useless creature, or it’ll
follow us back to the fort,” the first soldier said as he led the
group away from the courtyard.
The soldier who seemed to have a conscience hesitated, but he
soon turned and followed the other soldiers as the hungry little
dog watched them go.
Once the soldiers were out of earshot, Archie stood and
unlatched the gate. “Here, pup,” he called out.
The scruffy little dog turned, and his tiny white tail wagged
a million miles an hour as he bounced quickly toward the iron
gate.
The children knelt, and the little animal greeted them as if he
had known them for years. His tail wagged so quickly that his
whole body squirmed in one child’s lap and then the other. He
licked at their faces and hands as if to tell them, “I’m so happy to
see you!”
Smiling from ear to ear, the children petted and hugged the
friendly little dog. In that happy moment, they forgot all their
worries.
“He’s so skinny,” Heather commented, feeling his ribs.
“I’ll give him some food,” Archie replied, jumping to his

feet to grab an oatcake from the bag. Heather felt a twinge of
worry that they would run out of food sooner by sharing it,
but she wanted to help the poor dog as much as Archie did,
so she didn’t stop him.
The little dog gratefully gobbled up each small piece of
oatcake Archie held out to him. “I know. It’s not as good as
haggis,” he said. At the word haggis, the dog’s ears perked
up, and he stared straight into Archie’s eyes, head cocked to
the side.
“Did you see that, Heather? He knows the word haggis!” Just
as Archie said “haggis” a second time, the dog cocked his head to
the other side. “That must be his name!” Archie exclaimed.
Heather laughed and said, “Or more likely, that’s his favorite
food, same as you! I think he’s one of those West Highland
Terriers, and they’re a smart breed. They can pick up on what
words mean, especially if it’s something important to them, like
their favorite food.”
Archie thought for a moment. Then he said, “Nae, I think his
name is Haggis.” He began petting the dog and speaking in a
baby voice. “Isn’t that your name, Haggis? Who’s a good boy? It’s
Haggis. Haggis is a good boy!”
“All right, Archie,” Heather chuckled, “the dog’s name can

be Haggis.”
Meeting the little dog and feeding it an oatcake brought
the children much-needed relief and laughter. They lost
track of time in the churchyard petting and playing with
him. When the sky darkened to a pink glow in the west,
Heather realized they needed to find a place to sleep very
soon.
She walked over to the door of the large church, reached
up, and pulled on it. Although it was heavy, it swung open
easily. The last bit of evening light filtered in through stained
glass windows at the front.
“Hello?” she called, half expecting a priest to appear at the

front. But the only answer she received was an echoing “hello,
hello, hello.”
Heather thought the quiet, empty church should be a safe
place to stay the night, so while Archie continued to play with
Haggis, she went to get Bonnie situated.
Behind the church was an overgrown, grassy area enclosed by
a tall hedgerow of shrubs, roses, and blackberries. Nobody from
the street would be able to see in, and Bonnie could not get out
unless someone opened the gate. There was even a pail filled with
rainwater, so Bonnie had everything she would need.
After rubbing Bonnie’s neck and bidding her good night,
Heather returned to Archie and told him it was time to get some
sleep.
“In there?” he asked as he watched his sister open the church
door. When Heather nodded he asked, “Can Haggis sleep in
there with us?”
Heather hesitated. “I don’t think it’s right to let him into the
church, Archie.”
“But what if he’s gone in the morning?”
“Leave that up to God,” Heather said. “If he’s gone by
morning, maybe it’s for the best. We have a long journey ahead
of us, and we’ll be out of food in a couple of days, even without
another mouth to feed.”
As she curled up on a bench to sleep, she heard Archie pray
that Haggis would be waiting for them in the morning. Heather
admitted to herself that she, too, hoped the little white dog would
still be waiting for them outside the church in the morning.
70
PHONICS
ATE Can Say /it/

Read to the child: ATE can say /it/. Read the words.
considerate immediately accurate
appropriate desolate
pomegranate fo r t u n a t e
pom e gran ate fo r t u n a t e
E can say /uh/ TU can say /ch/
ANT Can Say /ent/

consonant observant inhabitant
SS Can Say /sh/

Read to the child: SS can say /sh/. Read the words.
mission percussion compassion

assure expression tissue
71
Chapter 9: Mushrooms
Dazzling light streamed through the delicate stained

glass. Heather sat up, stretching her back after sleeping
on the hard bench. Her eyes scanned the elegant church
windows, but her thoughts were far away. It doesn’t seem
real. How could Mum and Da be imprisoned for stealing from
the MacKinnons? We didn’t even know them. I don’t even
think my parents have ever been to their estate.
Heather then caught sight of the bag beside her. Why
did Mum give us a map with a mysterious X on an island far
north of Scotland? Do they know about a treasure there that
can help us somehow?
A deep sigh escaped her lips, and she gently shook her head.
Nothing seems to make sense right now. I must have faith. Mum
taught me that things are always bound to get better if you just
keep holding on to hope.
Archie stirred on the bench beside her. At first, his eyelids
blinked heavily and slowly, clinging to sleep. Then he suddenly
shot up from his bench. “Haggis! I’ve got to see if he’s still there!”
As Archie dashed to the door and swung it open, Heather
picked up the bag and followed her brother outside. The
ground was saturated from a heavy rain during the night, and
Heather breathed in the earthy smell of wet dirt. Bright sunlight
glimmered off every blade of wet grass and every glistening
flower petal in the churchyard. Birds were praising the beauty of
the magnificent morning.
But Archie didn’t notice. His shoulders slumped the moment
he realized Haggis was not by the door.
“We should’ve brought him inside with us,” Archie said, his
gloom contrasting the bright morning.
Lovingly, Heather squeezed her brother’s hand. “Maybe he’s
around here somewhere. Haggis!”
With a spark of renewed hope, Archie began calling, too.
“Haggis! Come, boy! Haggis!”
His tail wagging wildly, the scruffy white dog came tearing
around the corner of the church. The dog’s claws scratched
against the cobblestones of the walkway in his hurry to greet the
children.
What a joyous reunion! Heather knew bringing a hungry
little dog with them didn’t make sense. But while she watched
Archie kneeling on the ground, snuggling with the squirmy little
fluffball, she knew that Haggis had already found a place in her
brother’s big heart.
Chapter 9: Mushrooms 73
For the next two days, Heather and Archie rode Bonnie
through the cool woodlands. Bonnie picked her way
carefully over the soft, mossy ground, and the children
watched red squirrels, spotted clumps of purple flowers,
and breathed in the fragrance of pine. Their journey also led
along the wide blue lochs stretching all the way from Fort
William to Loch Ness. Haggis stopped frequently to sniff
around and occasionally eat something he found.
“It’s unusual weather,” Heather observed. “It’s so warm,
and there has been no breeze or rain.”
At first the sunshine and stillness were welcome and
uplifting, but soon thousands of tiny midges filled the air.
The tiny flies swarmed around the travelers, biting their
faces and arms. Constantly, the children swatted at the
midges and brushed them from their faces.
Bonnie’s tail swished powerfully back and forth,
smacking the midges on her belly and sides. She snorted and
sneezed to keep the midges from buzzing into her nostrils.
But no amount of swatting, smacking, swishing, snorting, or
brushing kept the pony or children from becoming a feast
for the terrible little pests.
Chapter 9: Mushrooms 75
On the second day, when the children stopped to eat some

lunch and stretch their legs, Heather realized the only food they
had left was one oatcake and two small turnips. She had known
all along that their food wouldn’t last more than a few days, but
still, her heart dropped.
After uttering a little prayer, she looked up at the beautiful
woodlands around her. They reminded her of the times Da had
taken her foraging for edible food in the wild. Together, they had
gathered plants, berries, seaweed, clams, and more in the forest
and down the coast near their home, and then they had brought
it all home to share with Mum and Archie.
“The woodlands are providing supper today,” she said to
Archie assuringly. “See if you can find any wild brambleberries
or silverweed that we can eat.”
Archie was excited about the idea, and he started

scouring the area for any recognizable wild foods. Haggis
stayed right by his side.
In almost no time at all, Archie discovered a cluster of
white mushrooms. They immediately reminded him of the
delicious deer and mushroom stew his mum made. As he
reached down to pick the mushrooms, Haggis suddenly
jumped in his way, growled, and nipped at his hand.
“Haggis!” Archie exclaimed in dismay.
He tried to shoo the little dog out of the way, but Haggis
would not budge. Every time Archie reached for the mushrooms,
Haggis growled and nipped at him. Archie was becoming quite
upset at the little dog’s aggressive behavior.
“Archie? Haggis!” Heather called, surprised by the
commotion.
Haggis turned his attention to Heather for just a moment, and
Archie, determined to get the mushrooms, grabbed one. Then
Haggis did something unthinkable. With his mouth open, he
jumped and snatched the mushroom from Archie’s hand.
“He stole my food!” Archie wailed.

Heather hurried over and saw Haggis dropping the
crushed mushroom from his mouth. Eyes wide with
concern, she looked closer at the cluster of mushrooms.
“Archie, these are poisonous mushrooms! They look just
like the ones Mum uses except for those gills.”
Little Haggis began shivering and shaking. His legs
wobbled, and he began to stumble.
“Oh, Haggis,” Archie cried, pulling the dog onto his lap,
“you were protecting me from the poisonous mushrooms.
Will he be okay, Heather?”
Heather put her arm around Archie. “He did spit it out,
so there’s always hope.”
77
PHONICS
AIN Can Say /ain/

Read to the child: AIN can say /ain/ as in PLAIN. Read the
words. Read the definitions of unknown words.
entertain remainder chainsaw

sustain floodplain constraint
to strengthen or land that often floods a limit or restriction
support when a river rises
Read to the child: AIN can also say /in/. Read the words.
certainly bargain certainty

villain porcelain fountain
Decoding
Read to the child: Point to each box and say the sound of
the phonogram.
ai qu oi gn oa wr
rain quit oil gnat oat write
Read the words with different sounds of OU.
ou bountiful, lounge, bough, pronounce

group, souvenir, acoustic, routine
cousin, camouflage, generous, troubling
78
Chapter 10: Prowlers
For nearly two hours after grabbing the poisonous

mushroom, Haggis staggered and stumbled with a confused,
foggy look in his eyes. He didn’t seem to recognize Archie
anymore, and his furry little body trembled and shivered
nonstop. What a painful thing it was for Archie and Heather
to see him suffer so much and not know how to help. They
petted him, prayed for him, comforted each other, and
cried.
Eventually, the little terrier stopped trembling and fell
asleep in Archie’s arms.
Chapter 10: Prowlers 79
“Is Haggis going to be all right, Heather?” Archie asked,

wiping his sniffly nose and red eyes on his sleeve.
“I don’t know, Archie,” she replied gently but honestly. “All we
can do is keep him comfortable and pray for him.”
“I wish we never came!” Archie exclaimed passionately. “I just
want to go home. I want to be with Mum and Da. I want to eat
Mum’s stew and hand pies, not be so hungry that I accidentally
pick poisonous mushrooms that might kill my best little friend!”
Archie sobbed for a moment. “I want to sit in front of the fire and
listen to Da’s stories and then fall asleep on my own soft mat with
my own wool blanket. And when I wake up, I want to help Da
clean out the sheep pen and Bonnie’s stall and then go play on the
tree swing. I just want to go home and have everything be back to
normal.”
Heather wrapped her arms around her brother’s shaking
shoulders, silent tears rolling down her cheeks. She knew exactly
how he felt, and it was terrible.
On top of missing her parents, Heather also felt a heavy
weight of responsibility for them. It was an unusual feeling.
Throughout her childhood, she had been blessed with confidence
that her parents would take care of her and Archie—that if
anything went wrong, her parents would know exactly what to
do.
But the roles had reversed. Here she was, in a strange forest far
from home, holding her crying brother, who cradled a critically
ill little terrier dog. Their parents were imprisoned, accused of
stealing from a wealthy family, and it was up to Heather to make
things better.
I don’t know if I can do this, Heather thought.
As the afternoon dimmed into evening, Heather knew

they were in no shape to press forward. Poor Haggis
remained unconscious in Archie’s arms.
“We’re going to stay put for the night,” Heather told her
brother, and she broke the last oatcake in half to share with
him.
A nearly full moon rose above the distant mountain and
peeked around tree branches as it climbed the darkening
sky.
At least it’s not raining, Heather thought. Hopefully, it
stays that way throughout the night. Young Archie fell asleep
with puffy eyes, absolutely exhausted. Heather stayed by
his side. Should we turn around and go back home? she
wondered.
Hoo! cried an owl somewhere in the dark branches above.
Back at home, Heather loved to hear owls, but this night, in
the strange, dark forest, the sound felt spooky.
Heather shuddered. Though she was exhausted, sleep
evaded her as the hours dragged on. She was scared and
had so much on her mind. Just as she began to relax and
doze off, a sudden noise snapped her wide awake. It was an
unfamiliar whisper.
“The spoons aren’t here. I’ve checked and checked!”

“Are you sure?” came another whispered voice.
Heather’s heart pounded as she listened. The whispers came
from two people—a woman and a man—standing beside Bonnie,
only twenty feet or so away from Heather and Archie’s resting
spot.
“I’m sure,” the woman whispered. “I tied the strings into the
pony’s mane right here.”
“Are you sure it was this pony?” whispered the man.
“Stop asking if I’m sure! Of course I’m sure. Someone must
have found the pouch and removed it.”
So these are the people who hid the MacKinnon spoons

in Bonnie’s mane! Heather thought. Mum and Da aren’t
the thieves—I knew it! But these people—what if they’re
dangerous?
“Maybe the children found the spoons,” the man
whispered.
“If they did, they probably think they’re just fancy soup
spoons, not valuable heirlooms. Now’s our chance to look
while the children are sound asleep.”
“Are you sure?”
“Stop saying that!”
They’re going to come over here! Heather thought, feeling
like her heart was now pounding in her throat. What do I
do?
“Find that cloth bag we saw the boy carrying,” whispered
the woman. “The spoons might be in there.”
Holding as still as possible, Heather glanced around
to locate the bag. It took only a moment to spot it tucked
under Archie’s head as a pillow.
At that moment her little brother’s safety was the only
thing that mattered. Knowing she needed to act quickly,
Heather came up with a plan.
Reaching into her pocket, she wrapped her fingers around the
pouch with the silver spoons. She swallowed a huge lump in her
throat and tried to work up the courage to throw the spoons to
the prowlers. Take the spoons and leave my brother and me alone!
she thought. Then she tried to yell it, but the words got stuck in
her throat. She swallowed again.
The two dark figures began to move toward the children.
Suddenly, they froze as a deep, guttural growl rumbled through
the trees.
“What was that?” whispered the man fearfully.
“Shhh!” answered the woman.
Another growl, this one more loud and fierce than the first,
caused the two prowlers to spin on their heels and take off at a
sprint! In a flash they had disappeared from view.
“Oh, Haggis,” Heather cried quietly, leaning in to hug him.
“You brave little dog! You’ve saved us again.”
Haggis, still too weak to stand, wagged his little white tail and
licked Heather’s chin.
“What is it?” Archie asked sleepily.
“I’ll talk to you about it in the morning,” Heather answered,
not wanting to scare her younger brother by telling him the
whole story. “For now, all you need to know is that even though
Haggis is sick and wee, he is brave and loyal. When he wants to,
he can sound as ferocious as the wolves from Da’s stories.”
The little terrier’s tail continued to wag as Heather petted and
thanked him. Archie fell back asleep before long, but Heather
never slept a wink that night.
In the morning, we’re turning back, she resolved. This journey is
just too much. I don’t think we can do it.
84
PHONICS
Decoding
Read to the child: Point to each box and say the sound of the
phonogram.
kn oa ai au ay aw
knot oat paid pause day paw
Read the words with different sounds of OW in the orange

box.
ow chowder, allowance, browse, coward

flow, fellow, arrowhead, hollow, shallow,
meadow, wheelbarrow, burrow, swallow
OUR Can Say /er/

Read to the child: OUR can say /er/. Read the words.
Remember that G is soft (says /j/) before E, I, and Y.
journey nourish scourge
courage courageous encourage
journal journalist courtesy

85
Chapter 11: Turning Back
The next morning, the Highland forest remained dim and

gloomy. Shortly after the prowlers had disappeared, thick
clouds had moved in. The dismal, dreary scenery matched
Heather’s mood.
She couldn’t shake the terrible fear and worry that had
overcome her in the night. After already feeling emotionally
and physically exhausted, what happened with the thieves
was terrifying.
The woman called the spoons valuable heirlooms, Heather
recalled. I don’t know who stole them or why, but I really
wish I didn’t have them. In fact, I wish none of this had ever
happened. I wish we were home with Mum and Da.
With tears welling up in her eyes and blurring her vision,
she looked over at Bonnie, who met her gaze. Heather was
grateful for this loyal, strong pony who willingly trekked any
place Heather pointed her nose.
I know you tried to give us everything we needed, Mum, she

thought, but it’s just so hard. At least we’ve had one huge blessing
on this journey—meeting Haggis.
Then another gloomy thought struck her as she reached out to
pet his soft fur. What if Haggis never fully recovers?
The gentle touch woke Haggis, who lifted his head to look at
Heather.
“Hey, boy. How are you feeling this morning?” she asked.
In response, Haggis licked her hand. He still wasn’t able to
stand, but he scooted closer to Archie’s face and started licking
the boy’s chin.
Archie stretched. “Haggis,” he said sleepily but gratefully,
“you’re okay.”
“He’s still very weak,” Heather explained, “but at least he
recognizes us again. If only we had some food for him, maybe he
could get his strength back. But we barely have enough food left
for us.”
Heather knew that all three of them were very hungry and
losing strength. On top of that, her back was stiff and sore from
sleeping on the ground night after night, her head ached from
lack of sleep, and her eyes stung from crying. She was cold,
worried, and miserable. She knew her younger brother suffered,
too, and that made her heart ache.
“Archie,” said Heather softly, “this journey has been too hard
on all of us. We miss so many things at home, especially Mum
and Da. The weather is terrible half the time, Haggis almost died,
and then last night—” She hesitated. Heather didn’t want to scare
her younger brother. But he needed to understand the whole
story, which she told him, starting with the pouch in Bonnie’s
mane and ending with Haggis’s scaring the thieves away with his
fierce growl.
Chapter 11: Turning Back 87
Archie listened attentively, his eyes wide with

astonishment.
“Heather, that’s so scary!” he said finally. “I’m so grateful
Haggis saved us—again.” He scooped the little dog up and
hugged him tightly.
“Archie, we need to turn back. I don’t have the strength or
the courage to continue. I don’t think any of us do. Let’s go
home.”
Though young, Archie was a smart and thoughtful boy.
“What will we do at home without Mum and Da there?” he
asked sadly.
“I don’t know what we’ll do,” Heather said, wiping away
a tear. “I don’t have any answers. Plus, the soldiers might be
looking for us. We might get in trouble, too. I don’t know
what will happen. I only know that this journey is too
difficult. We can’t keep going.”
The first few raindrops fell from the heavy clouds. They
were few and far between, but the children knew that it
could start pouring down at any moment.
Archie, looking dejected, silently tucked the little dog
inside his coat, so only his fluffy white face poked out.
After sharing the last turnip and a handful of silverweed, the

children climbed on Bonnie’s back.
“I’m still hungry, and I wish we had some food for Haggis,”
Archie said regretfully.
“I know, me too,” Heather said, and for the first time on the
journey, she steered Bonnie toward the south instead of the
north. Bonnie sensed the change and hesitated, turning her head
to look at Heather as if to ask, “Are you sure this is the right
way?”
“We’re giving up, Bonnie,” Heather said sadly, nudging
Bonnie’s sides. Bonnie obeyed and began walking.
Over the next several hours, the cold wind picked up, and a
misty rain sprayed the children’s faces. Holding the reins made
Heather’s hands cold, stiff, and red, and she slipped on the wool
mittens from her mum. Oh, Mum, she thought, why is this all
happening? I wish I could talk to you.
Chapter 11: Turning Back 89
The frigid rain blew in their faces for the next several
hours. Bonnie’s hooves sank in the mud and boggy moss
time and time again. She slipped over rocks. Heather and
Archie had to hold on tight to keep from falling each time
Bonnie slid or stumbled. The only good thing about the
miserable storm was that it blew away the pesky midges.
Once, a wind gust broke a huge tree branch only fifty feet or
so away from them, causing it to crash to the ground with a
bang.
“I’m frightened and cold,” Archie cried.
“I am, too, Archie,” Heather replied. She pulled Bonnie to
a stop in a small clearing.
How is this possible? she thought to herself. This is
so frustrating! We gave up! We decided to quit! Why is
everything still so terrible?
She laid her cheek on Bonnie’s wet mane and cried until
she was too worn out to cry anymore. Archie helplessly
patted his sister’s back.
Finally, Heather wiped her nose and opened her eyes.
In every direction they were surrounded by dark, stormy
clouds—that is, in every direction but one. She stared at the
one spot, and Archie, catching her gaze, looked, too.
A single patch of brilliant blue sky, radiant with sunlight,

broke through the clouds in the east.
Heather sat up and whispered, “. . . and dark clouds form
around you, Dear.”
“What are you whispering?” Archie asked, confused.
“A couple of years ago,” Heather explained, “when I was
having a really hard time making friends because of my size,
Mum taught me a poem. She had me repeat it over and over
until I had it memorized. She said the poem would help me keep
going even when things got difficult.”
“How does the poem go?” Archie asked.
After a brief, thoughtful pause, Heather recited:
When you’re filled with pain or fear
And dark clouds form around you, Dear,
Don’t give up; the clouds will clear—
That’s what it means to persevere.
The siblings reflected on the poem’s message as they gazed at
the brilliant blue patch in the sky.
“Archie, I think turning back is a mistake. Mum and Da are
relying on us to finish this journey, wherever it’s taking us. They
wouldn’t have given us a map with an X on it if they didn’t want
us to go there. Right now it’s dark and cloudy, but if we just
persevere—just keep pressing on a bit longer—the clouds won’t
last forever. They never do. There will be blue skies again.”
Always thoughtful, Archie responded, “And the poem isn’t
just talking about the weather, is it?”
“I think you’re right,” Heather agreed. “What do you say we
wait out this storm and then continue our journey toward the X?”
Archie touched his grumbling belly and then answered
bravely, “Let’s go find that treasure and help Mum and Da.”
91
PHONICS
AIN Can Say /in/ or /ain/

Read to the child: AIN can say /in/ or /ain/ as in STAIN.
Read each word. Only the last word says /ain/.
villain Great Britain porcelain

certain bargain restrain
AGE Can Say /ij/

Read to the child: AGE can say /ij/. Read the words.
bondage passage advantage

beverage shrinkage average
Challenging Words
hallelujah nutritious
debt peculiar message
choir aroma pierce

Suitable means appropriate for the purpose.
This climate is not suitable for growing apples; it’s too hot.
92
Chapter 12: Loch Ness
Although their bellies hurt from hunger, the children’s

spirits lifted when the sun came out that afternoon.
At one point a fluffy red squirrel zipped right in front
of Bonnie and up a huge Scots pine. From a low branch, it
chattered at them, scolding them for being in its territory.
Haggis barked and wagged his little tail inside Archie’s coat.
Archie asked Heather more about the MacKinnon
spoons. As Heather told him about this, his curiosity only
grew, so when they stopped for a break, Heather showed
them to him.
Chapter 12: Loch Ness 93
“They’re so ornate,” Archie said, admiring the details on each

one. “But I wouldn’t dare eat off them. They’re so fancy.”
“And valuable, too, apparently,” Heather added.
She decided that they should press on a bit farther while
they still had a couple of hours of daylight left. Archie climbed
on Bonnie’s back. Heather lifted Haggis to her brother before
climbing up last.
After riding for a few more hours, Heather pulled the reins
gently to stop Bonnie.
“Archie, can you get the map?” she asked.
Once he had retrieved the map from the bag, he handed it to
his sister. For a minute or two, she studied it carefully.
“I think this is the famous Loch Ness!” she said finally. “Look
here on the map, Archie. We’ve passed all those lochs, and now
we’re riding along a very long loch with steep hills on both sides.
Look how far we’ve come!”
Their journey had brought them at least halfway across the
Scottish Highlands. Based on the map, they should keep riding
north to Thurso. After that, they would need to take a boat or a
ship to the island with a big X drawn on it.
Heather’s thoughts swirled around the X on the map. A distant
memory from her early childhood came to mind—something
about that island.
Yes, she began to remember. Mum had sung her a lullaby
about a green island in the North Sea. Then she pulled out a map
and showed Heather where the island in the lullaby was. Had it
been this very map she pulled out? Was that the island she had
pointed to?
“I know Da says he doesn’t think there’s such a thing as a
Loch Ness monster,” Archie said, interrupting her thoughts, “but
wouldn’t it be grand if we saw it with our own eyes?”
Following her brother’s gaze over the narrow, deep loch,

she said, “That would certainly be an exciting story to tell
Mum and Da when we see them again.”
This made Archie smile. Both of the children knew that
hundreds of years earlier, someone had claimed to see a
large water monster living in the deep loch. A few other
people had claimed the same thing over the centuries,
but no real evidence of a water monster had ever been
discovered.
“Either way,” Heather concluded, “it’s just a fun mystery
that doesn’t really matter too much one way or another.”
There are some mysteries that matter a great deal, she
thought to herself, such as why Mum and Da are suspected
of stealing, why some fancy silver spoons that say MacKinnon
were braided into Bonnie’s mane, and what we will find on the
island that can possibly help.
As the sun dipped low over the hills, Heather saw a
cluster of stone ruins up ahead. She steered Bonnie toward
them.
“Most of the roofs are gone,” she said, “but it still has
some places we can shelter for the night.”
When they arrived at the ruins, Archie slid carefully off

Bonnie’s back. He set Haggis on the ground, and the little terrier
stood steadily.
“Look at you go, buddy!” Archie cheered.
As always, he helped his sister slide down Bonnie’s side.
Together, they walked over the grassy hill overlooking Loch
Ness. They passed a tall stone outer wall and faced a huge stone
building.
“Archie, I think this was a castle, and it must have been quite
the fortress at one time,” Heather said. “Look at those huge arches
and the windows way up high.”
They walked up some broken stone steps, Haggis at their
heels, and peered into a large, empty stone room. As grand as the
castle must have once been, Heather shivered at the thought of
living there, thinking how much cozier their little cottage was.
“I think this will do,” Heather said, walking back to

Bonnie to remove the bridle.
Archie gathered some broken branches from a nearby
tree to make a small fire.
Meanwhile, Heather opened the cloth bag and pulled
out the leftover silverweed. Feeling a little discouraged, she
knew it wouldn’t be enough to fill both of their bellies, and
unfortunately, it wasn’t something that Haggis could fill up
on.
At least Bonnie has plenty of grass and clover to eat
wherever we travel, she thought.
Determined to find more food, Heather walked around
the edge of the old castle grounds. She figured the loch must
be full of fish, but she had no way of catching them.
While she searched for wild food, the sun set. All she had
found were a few blackberries. Feeling defeated, she carried
them back to their camp spot.
Archie had built a nice little fire. As she suspected, the
silverweed and berries did not fill them up, but the warmth
and flickering glow of the campfire did offer some comfort.
“I’ll try to find more food in the morning,” she told Archie.
“But don’t pick mushrooms!” Archie said.
“Right,” Heather answered. “I know there are lots of safe
mushrooms, too. The problem is we don’t know which ones are
safe and which ones aren’t.”
“It looks like there’s a city not far from here,” Archie said,
looking at the map. “Inverness,” he read. “Maybe we can get some
food there tomorrow.”
“How would we buy it?” Heather asked gently.
Archie shrugged but didn’t answer.
As stars began to twinkle in the darkening sky, the children sat
quietly, staring at the small fire, each lost in thought. Haggis slept
curled in Archie’s lap, and Bonnie slept standing up, just a few
feet behind them.
A slight breeze finally picked up that evening, causing the

terrible midges to completely vanish. It was such a relief to
the children not to be constantly swatting at the tiny flies.
Quite suddenly, Bonnie threw her head high and pointed
her ears. Haggis jumped up and growled, but he did not
bark.
An old woman’s voice right behind Heather sent chills up
her spine.
“What are ya wee children doing here?”
98
PHONICS
Decoding
phonogram.
kn oa ai au ay aw
knot oat paid pause day paw
Read the words with different sounds of OW in the orange

box.
ow powdery, allowance, browse, coward

flow, fellow, windowsill, hollow, shallow,
tow, owner, borrow, burrow, sorrow
OUR Can Say /er/

journey nourish scourge
courage courageous encourage
journal journalist courtesy

99
Chapter 13: Foraging
The unexpected voice in the dark ruins of the castle had

certainly startled the children. Once they recovered from
the fright, however, they discovered that the old woman
who had spoken was not scary. With a gentle smile, she
apologized for startling them and introduced herself as Mrs.
Robertson.
“I’m the owner of the cottage tucked away in that hill
up there,” she explained. “Earlier in the evening, I saw you
children start a fire and eat a very small supper. As a mother
and grandmother myself, I wanted to help, so I brought you
two rolls and some smoked meat.”
The children chewed and swallowed the nourishing food
gratefully, both sharing with Haggis.
After they had finished eating, Mrs. Robertson hesitantly
said, “I don’t mean to pry, but may I ask you a question, wee
lassie?”
Heather had noticed the woman looking at her several
times while they ate, so she thought she knew what her
question would be.
“Are you wondering why I’m not the same size as other
people?” Heather replied courageously.
“Well, yes,” Mrs. Robertson answered, “if you don’t mind
explaining, that is.”
“I don’t mind since you’re very kind about it,” Heather said.
“Many people ask rudely or just yell mean things at me or point
and laugh at me because I’m different. But I’m really not that
different from other people. I have thoughts and feelings, hopes
and dreams, disappointments and joys, just like everyone. There
may be some things I can’t do, but there are many things I do
well, like bake delicious sourdough bread, tell stories to my
younger brother—”
“Wonderful, exciting stories!” Archie interrupted, making
Heather smile.
“Thanks, Archie. I’m a living, breathing person just like you
and Archie. Yet when some people see me, the only thing they
notice is my size. I was born this way, and Mum and Da tell me
there are other people in the world who stay little their whole
lives, too. I hope they don’t get yelled at or laughed at.”
Mrs. Robertson’s hand went over her heart. “I’m sorry you’ve
been treated unkindly. Nobody deserves that. You are a very
smart and kind lass with a brother who clearly loves you and
looks up to you. Tell me, where are you two going with your pony
and your dog?”
“We’re going to an island way up north,” Archie answered
eagerly. Heather gave him a look that meant “don’t say too much.”
“And you don’t have any more food at all?” Mrs. Robertson
asked.
The children shook their heads.
“Well, now that your bellies are full, you will sleep better. In
the morning I’ll be back to teach you how to gather all the food
you need from the wild Highlands.”
Chapter 13: Foraging 101
Heather and Archie were exhausted and slept very well

among the ruined castle walls. Early the following morning,
Mrs. Robertson returned as promised, this time with a small
pot of hot oat porridge with honey and milk. The children
(and Haggis) gratefully gobbled up the warm meal while
listening to a choir of songbirds welcome back the morning
sunlight. The warm meal brought Heather and Archie so
much strength, encouragement, and comfort.
“I’d like to share a few things with you children,” Mrs.
Robertson said, “before you continue on your way.”
She handed Heather a wrapped bundle and said, “Here
are two smoked trout for your lunch. My wee grandson
caught these last week simply using a safety pin, a string,
and a worm.”
A thought suddenly appeared in Archie’s mind. He
quickly shuffled through the items in the cloth bag until
he reached the smallest bundle. Unwrapping it quickly, he
showed Heather and Mrs. Robertson the collection of safety
pins and sturdy white string.
“Aye, that will do nicely,” Mrs. Robertson said.
Heather and Archie smiled, sharing a grateful understanding

that their mum had sent them with a means of catching fish
along their journey. All they had to do was dig up some worms,
which Archie found to be an easy and delightful task.
“Which wild foods do you already know how to gather?” Mrs.
Robertson asked.
“Well, blackberries, of course,” Heather answered, “and
silverweed, although we’re not terribly fond of it.”
“Aye,” Mrs. Robertson agreed, “it’s not particularly tasty, but
it will keep your stomach from growling at you. Have you come
across any bilberries, giant puffballs, or chicken of the woods?”
Heather and Archie looked at each other and shrugged.
“Come along with me for just a little bit, and I’ll show you.
Then you will hopefully never go to sleep hungry again, at least
not in the late summer, when Scotland’s natural harvest is at its
peak!”
Chapter 13: Foraging 103
Upon entering the edge of the woods, Mrs. Robertson

stopped at a bush. “Here we are. Bilberries—very
nourishing.” She plucked a few from the bush and passed
them to the children.
“Sweet and tangy,” Heather said as she chewed, “I like
them.” Archie’s face pinched from the tartness, but he
nodded in agreement.
They walked on, and soon Mrs. Robertson stooped down
by three large white balls on the ground. “These mushrooms
are giant puffballs!” she told them happily. “Many
mushrooms are poisonous,” Mrs. Robertson continued.
Archie and Heather shuddered, recalling their encounter
with poisonous mushrooms.
“The giant puffball is easy to identify, and you won’t ever
get it confused. One of these will fill you both right up. You
can eat it raw or cook it.” She broke the giant puffball from
its stem and pinched off some pieces to share. Both children
found that it lacked flavor, but at least it was something to
eat.
Suddenly, Mrs. Robertson pointed to a tree. “Up there—
chicken of the woods!”
Archie and Heather fully expected to see a wild, colorful

chicken perched in the tree, but they did not. Instead, large
clumps of peculiar orange fungus grew out the side of the tree.
Mrs. Robertson pulled off a clump. “It got its name because
it easily replaces chicken in a stew or soup. These are suitable to
eat,” she said, handing Heather a clump, “and I think you’ll find
the flavor quite pleasant.”
For the next two hours, Mrs. Robertson showed the children
more types of edible wild fruit and plants with edible roots,
pointing out details like the shape of the leaves or the peculiar
smell and warning them of plants to avoid.
By the time the sun climbed to its highest point in the

middle of the day, Mrs. Robertson had shared enough
knowledge with Heather and Archie that they felt hopeful of
finding enough food along their journey.
Finally, Heather announced that they really needed to
be on their way. As they rode Bonnie away from the castle
ruins, the children turned and waved goodbye to kind Mrs.
Robertson. Little Haggis, who was fully recovered now, ran
along beside Bonnie.
“If we keep traveling at the same pace, we should reach
Thurso after about four more days of riding,” Heather told
Archie. “There we’ll somehow need to find a boat that will
take us to the island.”
105
PHONICS
AIN Can Say /ain/ or /in/

Read to the child: AIN can say /ain/ as in STAIN. Read the
words. Read the definitions of unknown words.
strain maintain obtain
ordain plantain migraine
to make someone a a type of banana that a type of severe
priest or minister is usually cooked headache
Read to the child: AIN can also say /in/. Read the words.
captain bargain certain

villain curtain fountain
IE Can Make the Long I Sound
Read to the child: IE can make the long I sound. Read the
words on the chart.
dried magpie applied

spies allied tried
Challenging Words
debt hallelujah nutritious aroma

choir peculiar
pierce message
106
Chapter 14: Captain Angus
For four long days, Heather, Archie, Bonnie, and Haggis

journeyed from Loch Ness to the northernmost coast of
the Scottish Highlands. The scenery constantly changed.
Thick forests ringing with bird songs opened up into treeless
green hills covered in blooming heather—the tiny, lovely
purple flowers that Heather’s parents had named her after.
Similarly, the weather shifted from day to day, even hour to
hour. Foggy mornings brightened into sunny days, followed
quickly by a dark rainstorm—then the sun would pierce
through the clouds again.
Chapter 14: Captain Angus 107
One day, the siblings enjoyed their lunch sitting on a heath-

er-covered hill overlooking miles of dramatic coastal cliffs.
Their lunch consisted of items they had foraged and caught
along the way—blackberries, bilberries, raspberries, burdock,
dandelion roots, chicken of the woods, one giant puffball, and of
course, a few very tasty fish, which the siblings cooked over a fire
and seasoned with the salt from their bag. Heather breathed in
the aroma of roasted fish. It’s such a relief to have food to eat and
not worry about how we’ll get our next meal.
As they rode Bonnie into the port town of Thurso, where

boats came and went day after day, Heather kept her eyes and
ears on alert. She was eager to find a boat that could take them to
the island on their map, but she didn’t want anyone asking them
too many questions.
Thurso was a busy, noisy town. Markets were filled with

people trading, buying, selling, and eating. The delicious
aroma of smoked meats drifted to the children’s noses. Poor
Archie held his hand over his stomach longingly.
A few people in the town stared at Heather, which she
tried to ignore. She really didn’t like it when people stared
at her. But she set her jaw in determination and kept Bonnie
moving toward the other end of town, where three boats
were docked.
Heather pulled Bonnie to a halt at the dock. The
nearest boat must have just arrived because four men
were unloading goods from it and carrying them to a
horse-drawn wagon.
The second boat sat empty with no supplies or people
attending to it.
At the third boat, an older manwas giving orders to three
sailors.
“That one giving the orders must be the captain,” Heather
pointed out to Archie. “It looks like they’re preparing to
head out to sea. This may be perfect timing for us. I’ll go
talk to him.”
Archie slid off Bonnie’s back first and then helped his sister
down. Just as Heather landed on the ground, she heard the man
in charge say something that caused her skin to prickle and her
heart to race.
“Stack these crates carefully, men. Laird MacKinnon is very
fond of these candles and chandeliers.”
Without meaning to, Heather reached in her pocket and
touched the pouch that held the silver spoons. With all her heart,
she wanted to help her parents. Something inside told her that
they were getting very close to answers.
If this boat is going to the same island as we are, and if we can
get a ride, we might be able to pick up clues about the MacKinnon
family, she thought. Then she wondered, How do these people way
up here in Thurso know about the MacKinnon family?
“Archie, wait here with Bonnie and Haggis a moment.”
While Archie stood and held Bonnie’s reins, Heather squared
her shoulders and walked down the wooden dock.
Haggis began running after her, but Archie called
him back. The little terrier obeyed, but he sat at
Archie’s feet and whimpered.
Heather felt her palms sweat. Walking
up to strangers and asking for a ride across
the North Sea was an uncomfortable task.
However, she courageously walked straight
up to the man in charge and said, “Excuse me,
sir.”
Whipping around, the man looked down
at Heather. For several moments he stood
there staring down at her, making her shift
uncomfortably.
Possibly the very last thing Heather expected to hear next

was what came out of his mouth.
“Hello, lass. You came out of nowhere! I’m glad to meet
you.”
“You are?” she asked, puzzled.
“Aye. That I am. Only one other time in my life have I met
another person with smaller-than-average arms.”
Heather looked at him curiously. He was about the same
height as the other men. “What do you mean?”
The captain stretched his arms out for Heather to see.
Although his right arm and hand seemed normal in every
way, his left coat sleeve stuck out a few inches from his
shoulder and then dangled.
“I’ll show you.” He quickly removed his coat, revealing
a left arm that barely extended past a short sleeve. Heather
noticed with surprise that his left hand was tiny and had
only two small fingers instead of five.
“I was born with a very wee arm and a deformed hand.
I’m Captain Angus, and this is my boat, the Neesick. These
men are my crew.”
With his short arm, he pointed in the direction of his
boat and the sailors.
All three of his crew members had momentarily stopped

loading the Neesick to watch their captain’s conversation with
Heather.
“I’m very pleased to meet you, wee lass,” the first sailor said as
he pulled off his cap and bowed his head. “You can call me Jim.”
“It’s a pleasure,” said the second sailor, pulling off his cap as
well. “I’m Jamie.”
“And I’m James,” the third sailor said with a nod. “All three of
us happen to have been named James at birth. I guess all of our
mums liked the name! So that we don’t confuse each other and
Captain Angus here, I go by James, while these other two go by
Jamie and Jim.”
“What an interesting coincidence,” Heather said with a smile.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you all. My name is Heather, and that’s my
brother over there.” They all looked to where she pointed. Archie
waved, and Heather continued. “We’re on our way to an island.
Here, let me show you.”
Pulling the map from her pocket, she unrolled it and pointed
to the island, carefully covering the X with the tip of her finger,
for she didn’t want anyone knowing that there was possibly a
treasure to be found.
“Can you take us there?”
Captain Angus bent down at the waist to see the map. “Well,
what do you know? That’s where we’re going, too!”
Hope welled up inside Heather.
“You’re both wee,” the captain continued. “I’m sure we can
make room for the two of you. But what are you planning to do
with your animals?”
“Well, we’d like to bring them with us,” Heather said, worry
swelling inside her. From the corner of her eye, she saw the
sailors exchange glances.
Scratching his head, Captain Angus said, “If the dog

behaves, I suppose it can come. I wish I could offer to bring
your pony, too, but I’m already taking a hit by carrying the
rest of you for free. The pony would take up a whole lot of
cargo space. Can you pay for the cargo space? That would be
one and a half quid.”
Heather swallowed hard before answering. “I’m afraid we
don’t have any money at all.”
“I see. Well, why don’t you think about what you want to
do?” the captain answered kindly. “We set out for Shetland
in two hours. If you want a ride, be here.”
“Wait. Did you say Shetland?” Heather asked.
“Aye, that’s where we’re all going, right?”
Upon hearing the name Shetland, more memories that
had been tucked away for years came flooding back. For
the second time on this journey, Heather could faintly
remember her mum singing lullabies about a green island in
the North Sea. Shetland! That was the name of the island.
Heather looked up at Bonnie, who stood patiently beside
Archie. We must get to the Shetland Islands, she thought, we
must! But how can we leave Bonnie behind after all she’s done
for us?
113
PHONICS
Decoding
phonogram.
kn dge ar au ay aw
knot lodge star pause day paw
OUR Can Say /er/

journey nourishment scourge
courageous discourage encourage
flourish journalist courtesy
SS Can Say /sh/

depression c o n fe s s i o n
de pre ssion c o n fe s s i o n
ION can say /in/ ION can say /in/
114
Chapter 15: The Neesick
Heather and Archie sat on a wide, low stone wall with a

view of the boat docks to their left and the town of Thurso
to their right. Bonnie grazed beside them, and Haggis
napped in Archie’s lap. Earlier, Heather had explained their
problem to her brother. There was a way for them to get to
the Shetland Islands, but they couldn’t bring Bonnie with
them unless they paid for her passage.
Not willing to give up, Heather set out each item from
their bag, though she still kept the MacKinnon spoons
tucked secretly away in her dress pocket.
“Archie, is there something you see here that we could
sell for at least one and a half quid?”
“Well, we could sell our mittens, although I’d really rather
not,” he said. “They keep my hands warm at night and
remind me of Mum whenever I wear them.”
“Me, too,” Heather agreed. “What about this compass?”
When she held it up and examined it, she thought it didn’t
look like a particularly valuable compass, but it did work.
Chapter 15: The Neesick 115
Archie gazed at the other items. The flint and steel and
char cloth had been useful many times, allowing them to stay
warm and cook their food over a fire. The safety pins had made
excellent fish hooks, and the trout they ate had been a welcome
change from fungus, roots, and berries. The salt was nice to have
and wouldn’t sell for much money. Then Archie considered the
small stack of cards with paintings of Shetland.
“What about these?” he asked.
Heather picked them up. “I don’t know, Archie. Something
inside me says we should hang on to these. They might help us
figure out where exactly we’re supposed to go once we get to the
Shetland Islands.”
“I agree. And we can’t sell the bundle that says ‘For Magnus
Only,’” Archie said. Then he laughed and added, “Unless we find
this person, Magnus, and sell it to him!”
Heather laughed, too. As she had many times before, she
wondered who and where this person named Magnus was.
Archie picked up the final item—the ceramic ball with a
beautiful greenish-blue glaze.
“This is pretty. Maybe we can get some money for it. The
problem is, we don’t have any idea what it is. That makes it a little
harder to sell it.”
He shook the ball, and when it rattled, Haggis woke up.
There must have been a time in the little dog’s life that he played
with a ball, for the moment he saw his boy holding one in the
air, Haggis went from sleeping to pouncing in no time at all! In
one swift motion, he leaped at the ball, trying to snatch it from
Archie’s hand. Jerking his hand away, Archie lost control of the
ball, and it slipped out of his hand.
With a loud crack! it shattered into several pieces on the
cobblestones below.
The children’s mouths dropped open, but from

amazement, not discouragement. From the broken ceramic
ball had spilled at least a dozen coins.
Sliding quickly down off the wall, the siblings began
gathering the coins as quickly as possible. As they counted
out the money, Heather’s thoughts raced.
Why were these coins hidden inside a ceramic ball?
Shaking her head, she decided not to worry about the
details. What mattered was they had money, which Mum
and Da had provided. Now they had a chance of bringing
Bonnie with them to the Shetland Islands.
“Five quid!” Archie exclaimed once they had gathered the
coins. “Let’s go tell Captain Angus!”
Together, they hurried back to the dock, this time leading
Bonnie right down the boardwalk to the boat.
“We have money to pay for our pony’s passage,” Heather
told Captain Angus.
The captain wore a troubled expression. “I’m glad for you,
but I’m confused. Only an hour ago you told me you didn’t
have any money. Why did you tell me that?”
His tone of suspicion stung. But he did have a valid
reason to wonder, Heather realized.
Archie stepped up. “We didn’t know we had money until a few
minutes ago. It just barely showed up in our supplies.”
When Heather saw the captain’s face, she knew he was having
a hard time believing them. But he finally shrugged and said,
“All right, let’s get the pony aboard the Neesick then. It’s almost
time to sail. Men, move some of those crates in the hold to make
room, will you?”
All three sailors stood and climbed into the boat to shift some
of the cargo around. While they worked, Heather fretted over the
loss of the captain’s trust. Since she was very young, her parents
had taught her that honesty and trust were of utmost importance.
While she knew that she and Archie were telling the truth, it
wasn’t so obvious to the captain and the sailors.
Her thoughts were interrupted by her brother’s voice.

“May I ask, how did your boat get her name, Captain?
Neesick rhymes with seasick, and I’m hoping that doesn’t
mean we’ll all be sick the whole journey!”
A hearty laugh burst from Captain Angus and the sailors.
When the captain smiled, he had such a warm and gentle
look, Heather noticed.
“Nae, the name has nothing to do with seasickness,
although I can’t promise you won’t get ill. Many people
do, especially before they’re used to the constant rocking
motion of the sea. Neesicks are a type of porpoise, like a
dolphin. People from mainland Scotland have a different
name for them, but Shetlanders—those of us from the
Shetland Islands—call them neesicks. They’re small and so
beautiful.”
“They’re quite common along this route,” Jim said. “You’ll
no doubt see some neesicks along the way.”
Huge raindrops began to drip from the sky.
“It’s high time we get sailing,” the captain said.
Two sailors helped Archie lead Bonnie across a ramp and
onto the Neesick. The wobbling motion of the ship made the
pony snort nervously.
Scooping Haggis into her arms, Heather climbed aboard and

sat on a bench beside Archie at the rear of the boat.
Fascinated by the coordinated motions of the sailors, the
children sat quietly and observed. Soon, James unraveled two
ropes that connected the boat to the dock, and the Neesick began
to drift.
“Here we go!” Heather said to her brother, butterflies flitting
in her belly.
Up went a white sail, catching a breeze and propelling them
farther from the shore.
Glancing behind, Heather watched the town of Thurso grow
smaller. What a strange and sad feeling it was to drift away from
her homeland, especially without her parents.
Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she turned to
face forward. Something interesting caught her eye. The name
“MacKinnon” was stenciled onto a crate next to her. As Captain
Angus was within earshot, she summoned up the courage to ask
him, “Who are the MacKinnons?”
“Laird and Lady MacKinnon of Shetland hire us to haul their
things to and from the island. They ship a lot of things to and
from their relatives down in Oban.”
“That’s near where we live!” Archie blurted.
“Wait, have you children traveled all the way from Oban?” the
captain asked in amazement.
“Well, near there,” Heather answered, but she didn’t want
him asking any more questions. “Did you say there are more
MacKinnons in that area?”
“Aye, it’s a common Scottish family name,” he said. “I’m a
wee bit nervous, though. The last boat that carried stuff for the
MacKinnons ended up losing a bunch of their valuable family
heirlooms. Nobody knows what happened to the items.”
120
PHONICS
DU Can Say /jew/

Read to the child: DU can say /jew/. Read the words.
individually scheduling graduated

procedures gradually educate
An educator is someone who provides education.

below.
marriage carriage wreckage

shortage luggage orphanage
Review from Timothy of the 10th Floor.

AR Can Say /air/
Read to the child: AR can make the sound /air/ as in CARRY.
Read the words on the chart.
characteristic paramedic
char ac ter is tic par a med ic
revolutionary guarantee
rev o lu tion ar y gu ar an tee
121
Chapter 16: Orkney
As Heather awoke, it took a moment to remember where she

was and why. Swells in the ocean carried the boat gently up and
down in a rocking motion. The white sail above her looked full
and majestic as it propelled the boat and all of its passengers
farther out to sea. Throughout the short summer night, the
Neesick had sailed steadily northward. A hint of morning light
allowed Heather to see a dark cliff looming in the distance ahead.
Are we almost there already? she wondered.
Glancing around, she saw Archie sleeping next to her with a
little white fur ball curled on his chest. She smiled, grateful that
Haggis had joined them on their journey. Bonnie stood calmly
in the belly of the boat. With a little shiver, Heather realized she
and her brother were sharing a heavy wool blanket—one she had
never seen before.
Looking up again, Heather observed all three sailors busy

working on some kind of procedure with ropes. Captain
Angus sat on a bench a few feet in front of her, writing in a
journal. He must have sensed Heather’s gaze, for he stopped
and looked up at her.
“Captain, did you share this blanket with my brother and
me?”
“Aye, it was no problem. I wasn’t about to let you both
shiver all night. Did you sleep all right?”
“I did, thanks,” Heather answered. “I felt a bit sick to my
stomach last evening, but ever since I managed to
Chapter 16: Orkney 123
fall asleep, I’ve been just fine.” Then, pointing toward the
dark cliffs ahead, she asked, “Is that Shetland?”
Captain Angus didn’t even turn to look. He just shook his
head and answered, “Nae. That island up ahead is Orkney.
We have another full day yet before we arrive at Shetland—
right on schedule.”
Just then, the captain stood and pointed off to the side of
the boat. “Look there, lass! Neesicks!”
Swiveling her head, Heather spotted a pod of gray
dolphin-like animals leaping from the water alongside the
boat. Never before had she seen anything like them.
Not wanting her brother to miss the excitement, she shook

him awake. Perhaps he thought at first that he was still dreaming,
for Archie rubbed his eyes, not just once but twice.
“Unbelievable!” he finally exclaimed in excitement.
Bonnie, on the other hand, was not so pleased with the
newcomers. The pony stamped her foot nervously and snorted.
Leaning over to rub her neck, Heather cooed gently into her
pony’s ear. “Easy, girl, it’s okay. They’re just saying hello.”
Haggis was also on edge, growling in his throat at the strange
animals.
“Seven, eight, nine,” Archie counted as the neesicks
playfully launched their sleek bodies up out of the water before
disappearing into the waves again and again. “There are at least
nine of them! And they’re keeping up with us!”
Pink and orange streaks filled the sky as the sun prepared to
rise. The morning glow reflected off the neesicks’ shiny bodies as
they cut effortlessly through the water.
One neesick suddenly appeared so close to the boat that
Archie reached out and tried to touch its dorsal fin. Haggis
was not impressed and snapped into guard dog mode, barking
fiercely at the creature that got too close to his boy.
Archie laughed and scooped up his little terrier, hugging him
and reassuring him that the neesicks were not a threat.
After several more minutes, the neesicks gradually moved
farther and farther away from the boat.
“I guess they’ve had their fun,” Archie said to his sister. “I’m
going to go see what the sailors are doing at the front of the boat.”
With Haggis cradled under one arm, he moved with wobbly legs
toward the front of the rocking boat.
Heather took another look at the island. Now that it was light
out and they were quite close to it, she saw that it was almost
completely covered in a gorgeous carpet of green.
Captain Angus, catching her gaze, said, “There’s a lot of

amazing history on the Orkney Islands.”
“I’d love to learn more,” Heather encouraged him.
For the next hour, as they sailed past the beautiful green
island, the captain told her the history of Orkney. He talked
about tall flat stones standing in a circle, set there by people
four or five thousand years ago.
“We don’t know why the stones were placed like that, or how
they’re still standing, but they are,” he said. Then he described
ancient stone homes, called brochs, built by other people around
two thousand years ago along the coasts. Later came a group of
Vikings who built longhouses and raised sheep. This sparked
Heather’s interest, for she remembered hearing Da tell stories
about Vikings who sailed from the far north lands. What a thrill
it was to think she was sailing with her brother in the same place
as the people in Da’s stories.
Captain Angus continued. “Orkney was never even
considered part of Scotland until the year 1472, when—”
A sudden splash and shout at the front of the boat stole their
attention. The sailors leaned clear over the side of the boat,
talking frantically. Archie stood behind them, watching with an
embarrassed and worried look on his face.
“What is going on here?” the captain demanded, moving

skillfully to the front of the boat.
One of the sailors stood up straight and faced the captain.
“I’m afraid one of the oars has been lost,” he said. “We tried,
but we can’t reach it.”
Anger clouded the captain’s face. “How will we be able to
dock in Shetland with just one oar? Who did this?”
Heather saw the look of fear on Archie’s face and knew he
must have been involved. But nobody answered.
“Can’t we just keep using the sail?” Heather asked
hopefully. “Why do we need oars?”
James explained, “The sail will get us to Shetland just fine
as long as the wind keeps up, which it usually does. But once
we get near the harbor, the oars are necessary. They’ll help
us glide gently to the dock.”
“So, who lost the oar?” Captain Angus demanded again.
He looked like he had no patience left.
It was a complete surprise to Heather when the sailor
called Jamie declared, “I’m responsible, sir.”
Even Archie looked up at Jamie in surprise, Heather
noticed, but Jamie just looked straight ahead.
Captain Angus threw up his hands. “We will have to speak

about restitution for your carelessness later, Jamie. We don’t have
time for this nonsense. We’re almost past the Orkney Islands,
about to enter The Roost—the choppiest water in the North Sea.
It will be all hands on deck to get through it safely.”
As the sailors got to work, Archie moved to the back of the
boat again. He slumped down beside Heather, looking pale. Little
Haggis whimpered with concern.
“Tell me the truth, Archie. What happened back there?”
Archie swallowed. “I was just checking things out on the boat,
and when I pulled on this random leather strap, one of the oars
fell into the water. I didn’t mean to do it!”
“Why did one of the sailors take the blame for you?”
“I’m not sure. I wasn’t expecting that. Maybe he didn’t want
the captain to throw me overboard.”
“Archie, you need to tell the truth. You can’t let someone else
take the blame for something he didn’t do.”
“But the captain’s very angry, Heather! What if he does throw
me overboard?”
“He’s not going to throw you overboard, Archie.”
“Well, what if he feeds Haggis to the neesicks? What if he
makes me work for him for five years to pay off the oar? What if
he ties me up and—”
“Archie,” Heather said kindly, placing her hand on his
shoulder and looking into his eyes. “I know you’re scared to tell
the truth, but he’s not going to harm you. There probably will be
a consequence, yes. But no matter what, you need to be an honest
person, someone people can trust. That’s what Mum and Da have
always taught us.”
“Heather,” he began to protest. Then he stopped and sighed.
“You’re right.” Shoulders drooping, he stood, set Haggis down,
and worked his way toward Captain Angus.
128
PHONICS
ATE Can Say /it/

Read to the child: ATE can say /it/. Read the words. ATE does
not say /it/ in the last word in purple.
certificate desperate appropriate
u n fo r t u n a t e desolate
u n fo r t u n a t e des o late
c ompassiona te literate
com pa ssion ate lit er ate
SS can say /sh/ means “can read and write”
pomegranate conc e n t ra te
pom e gran ate con cen trate
E can say /uh/ C is soft before E, I, or Y
ANT Can Say /ent/

reluctant triumphant applicant
arrogant tolerant tyrant

129
Chapter 17: Mum’s Poems
“Excuse me, sir,” Archie said with a trembling voice.

Captain Angus stopped what he was doing and looked at
Archie. “Do you need something, lad?”
“Aye, I’ve got something to confess,” Archie said
repentantly. “I was the one who dropped the oar back there.
I got careless while checking things out on your boat. Don’t
punish Jamie. It’s my fault.”
Concerned about her brother, Heather watched the
conversation closely. She saw the captain stare at the boat
deck and chew his lip for a moment. Finally, he looked at
Archie.
“Lad, it takes a lot of courage to tell the truth, even when

you might get in trouble for it,” he said. “I won’t hold Jamie
responsible for losing the oar. As for you, I’m pleased as punch
that you were brave enough to tell the truth. For that reason, your
consequence won’t be severe.”
Heather saw Archie let out his breath. “You’re not going to
throw me overboard?” he asked.
With this, Captain Angus burst out laughing. “Throw you
overboard? Of course not, lad! But if you were worried about
that, I guess it shows how truly brave you must have been to
tell the truth. As a consequence for losing the oar, I’ll need you
to help us guide the Neesick in once we get to the harbor in
Shetland. How does that sound?”
“Help you? Me? Really?” Archie was clearly thrilled.
Captain Angus laughed again. “I love your enthusiasm. Now,
I’ve got to get to work. This boat ride is about to get wild.”
Sailing through the area the sailors called The Roost was
rough for Archie and Heather. For one thing, it was terrifying
to feel the boat continuously pitch up and down for hours upon
hours, sometimes leaning far to one side before tilting clear
to the other side. More than that, though, they were very sick.
Something about the constant motion unsettled their stomachs.
Captain Angus reassured them that they would be past the worst
of it in a few hours, but that felt like a very long time to the
miserable children.
Poor Bonnie was also struggling, but not with sickness. She
had a difficult time maintaining her balance on the tilting, wet
planks. Normally, Heather would find ways to help both her
brother and pony, but she was too ill and weak to even try.
Chapter 17: Mum’s Poems 131
After several hours of constant pitching and rocking, the

North Sea finally calmed. Now that the Neesick was gliding
smoothly across the water, the children started feeling much
better.
“Your faces are no longer green, I see,” Captain Angus
said with a wink.
“That was awful,” Archie replied. “I wouldn’t ever want to
do it again. How do you manage to sail across the sea over
and over again?”
“Your body gets used to the sea. The motion even
becomes quite comforting, almost like a mum rocking her
baby. Sometimes when a sailor has been out to sea for a long
time, and then he gets back to shore, the steadiness of the
land feels strange and uncomfortable for a few days until he
gets used to it again.”
Archie’s eyebrows lifted. “That’s very interesting and hard
to imagine. I guess that explains why you and your crew
didn’t look sick.”
Changing the subject, Captain Angus said, “My best
estimate is that we’ll get to Shetland in a couple of hours. If
you look close enough,” he pointed straight ahead, “you can
just make it out in the distance.”
Suddenly, Heather felt an urgent need to make a plan for once

they reached Shetland. She still didn’t know how or where to find
the treasure or if there even was one. Unsure of where to begin,
she decided to look through the items in the bag again.
Besides the mysterious package labeled “For Magnus Only,”
there wasn’t a lot left. Only Heather’s mittens (Archie was
wearing his), a little bit of salt, flint and steel and char cloth,
safety pins, a compass, and the paintings remained. Hoping that
the paintings could offer some sort of guidance, Heather pulled
them out and observed them.
There were four paintings, all of the same location from
different angles. It seemed to Heather that this place must be
significant.
Then Heather remembered a very important detail.

When she looked at the paintings the first time, she had
noticed writing on the backs of some of the cards. She had
gotten distracted and never inspected further.
Flipping the cards over, she realized two of the four cards
had poems written on them.
“Archie, doesn’t this look like Mum’s handwriting?”
“Aye, it does! What does it say?”
Heather read aloud:
In the croft house at Gladness Bay,
On a dark and stormy day,
While the peat fire burns away,
Magnus and Ella happily play.
“Magnus!” Archie exclaimed. “That’s who the mysterious
package is for. Do you think this poem will help us find
him? Will he help us find the treasure?”
Worried that the sailors could hear, Heather glanced
around. Seeing that the captain and crew were all busy with
other things, she sighed with relief.
“Let’s keep this between the two of us, just to be safe,” she
whispered to her brother. “But I agree, these must be clues.
Oh, Archie, do you know what I’ve heard Da call Mum a
few times?”
Archie thought for a second. “I always just think of her as

Mum or Mummy, but I know her name is Elizabeth. What have
you heard Da call her?”
“Ella,” Heather whispered breathlessly. “I think it’s short for
Elizabeth.”
“Oh! Wait, ‘Magnus and Ella happily play’? This poem is
confusing.”
“I agree,” Heather said, “but it sounds to me like Mum wrote
about two children playing in a croft house by Gladness Bay—
maybe Mum and someone named Magnus. I don’t know if it’s
a real place or if it’s just supposed to represent something. Let’s
read the other poem.”
Under the single tall oak tree
Stand the ponies, stout but wee.
Part of my heart will always be
There in Gladness by the sea.
Together, the children read the poems again and again, trying
to understand. Quietly, they discussed each line. They both had
many questions, but neither of them had answers.
“Why did Mum write poems about Shetland?”
“How does she know so much about it?”
“Is Magnus someone she knew as a child?”
“Is Gladness Bay a real place, or does it just represent a place
where people are happy?”
Dizzy with all the questions, the siblings talked quietly until
they heard the captain’s voice ring out.
“Look up at the cliffs, children!”
Lifting their eyes, the children realized that while they had
been talking with their heads down, the Neesick had approached
a tall, looming cliff. It was covered in black-and-white birds with
bright-orange bills and feet.
“In Shetland we call these delightful little birds tammie

norries,” the captain explained. “Where you’re from, you
may have heard them called puffins. They’re amazing little
creatures because they can fly, of course, but they’re also
very proficient swimmers!”
As if to demonstrate, two puffins immediately lifted their
wings and flew off the cliff, diving into the sea.
“They’re off to catch some fish for their young ones!”
Captain Angus said. “And speaking of young ones, we’ll
arrive at the harbor in an hour. Where will you two young
ones be going once we get there?”
After glancing at her brother, Heather decided to take a
chance. “Is there a place called Gladness Bay?”
136
PHONICS
Decoding
Read to the child: Read the words with sounds of EW.
ew renew, steward, jewel, phew, sewer

few, nephew, curfew, interview
Say the sound of each phonogram in the green boxes. Hints

are below each box if needed.
ph er dge wr gn oa
phrase her edge write gnat soap
Point to each phonogram with a circle around it, say the

sound of the phonogram, and then read the whole word.
See if you can guess which word means “a writer who is paid
to write but someone else gets credit for the work.”
sledgehammer s ta g e c o a c h
sledge ham mer stage coach
ghostwriter assignment
ghost writer a ssign ment
hodgepodge calligraphy
hodge podge call ig ra phy
137
Chapter 18: Gladness Bay
“Gladness Bay, you say?” the captain asked. “I think you mean
Gletness Bay. Aye, I know where that is. There are a couple of nice
crofts there with dandy wee ponies. Is that where you’re off to
next?”
Heather wasn’t sure how to answer. She nodded, but her
thoughts were far away.
Mum wrote about Gladness Bay in both of her poems. Did
she mean the place called Gletness Bay? Did her poems simply
represent a happy place? Are we even going the right way?
“Once we dock in the port at Lerwick,” continued Captain
Angus, unaware of Heather’s thoughts, “I can point you toward
Gletness Bay.”
The Neesick now sailed between the main island of Shetland
on the left and a small island on the right, which the captain told
them was called the island of Bressay.
“Off to the right, you’ll see the new Bressay lighthouse,”

explained Captain Angus. “Ever since it started lighting the
way, there have been far fewer shipwrecks through this part
of the sea.”
Archie raised his eyebrows. “Phew! I’m glad you waited
until the end of the journey before you started talking about
shipwrecks.”
The Neesick sailed on between the two islands—mainland
Shetland and Bressay. Soon, a small city of stone buildings
appeared on the shores of the main island to their left.
Chapter 18: Gladness Bay 139
“That’s the city of Lerwick, our destination!” said the captain.

Shortly after they passed the buildings, a harbor with boat
docks came into view. With only one oar, it was a little tricky
to maneuver the boat into place, but between all the men—and
Archie, of course—they managed it.
Jim, James, and Jamie unloaded Bonnie first. She pranced
around for several minutes, glad for solid ground beneath her
hooves. Heather and Archie felt like their legs wobbled strangely
when they stepped onto shore.
“That feeling will wear off soon,” Captain Angus reassured
them. “Can I have a word with you both before you go?”
Curious, the children stopped their preparations so they could
listen to the captain.
“Do you remember before we left Thurso,” he began, “how you
didn’t have money to pay for your pony’s fare, and then just a wee
bit later you had a whole handful of coins? Archie, you said it had
just shown up in your supplies. Was that the truth?”
“Aye, Captain, I know it sounds strange, but that’s truly what
happened.”
Captain Angus nodded. “You know what? I believe you, lad.
And the reason I believe you is because you were honest about
losing my oar.”
Archie squirmed. “I’d like to pay you for the oar,” he said. “It’s
the least I can do.”
“Nae, it’s all right. I was upset about the oar, but you made the
difficult decision to own up and tell me the truth about it, even
when you knew there might be a hard consequence. Besides, you
might need that money on your journey.”
Clapping a hand on Archie’s shoulder and looking him

in the eyes, the captain added, “You’ve earned my trust, and
that’s a big matter. It takes effort to earn trust. Make sure
you always keep it. Once trust is lost, it’s often gone forever,
like that oar.”
Then the captain explained which road to follow north
and where to turn east to get to Gletness Bay. Heather made
a mental note that his instructions did, in fact, line up with
where the X lay on their map.
With his “wee arm,” as he called it, the captain waved
goodbye to the children, telling them he hoped to see them
again one day. The sailors all waved goodbye, too.
After riding a while, Archie exclaimed, “We’re getting
close to the treasure and to rescuing Mum and Da!”
“I hope you’re right, Archie. We’ll find out soon.”
For the next two or three hours, Bonnie carried the
children northward on a well-established dirt road. Haggis
ran along in front.
Even though she had so much on her mind, Heather
could not help but wonder at the magnificent beauty of the
Shetland Islands.
As far as the children could see, green hills rolled away into
the distance. There wasn’t a single tree in sight to block the
incredible views. Some of the hills were carpeted in dainty little
purple flowers, making the whole hillside purple.
“I see why Mum and Da wanted to name you after those
beautiful flowers!” Archie said sweetly.
Heather smiled and thanked him. She had always been close
with her younger brother, but this challenging journey had
brought them closer than ever.
“What do you think we’ll find at Gletness Bay, Heather? Do
you think there will be a big X in the sand or something? If there
were, somebody would’ve already dug up the treasure.”
“I’m not sure, Archie. Remind me what the poems say.”
In a sing-song voice, Archie began to recite Mum’s poems,
which he had memorized.
In the croft house at Gladness Bay,
On a dark and stormy day,
While the peat fire burns away,
Magnus and Ella happily play.
Under the single tall oak tree
Stand the ponies, stout but wee.
Part of my heart will always be
There in Gladness by the sea.
As the children talked about the poems some more, the sun
began to set behind the green hills in the west. At the same time,
they approached a road that turned east with a sign that said
GLETNESS. Heather steered Bonnie away from the setting sun
and toward Gletness Bay.
After another forty-five minutes, Archie pointed out that

even though the sun had set, it was not getting dark.
“It’s because we’re so far north now,” Heather explained.
“In the summer they have very short nights and long days.
In the winter, though, it’s the opposite, with very long nights
and short days.”
The children rode over one more green hill and looked
down to see a beautiful, calm bay with several tiny islands
just off the shore. Three stone croft houses stood just below
them along the bay. Only one had a single tall oak tree near
it.
“That must be the one!” Heather said. She could hardly
believe her eyes, for it looked just like the watercolor
paintings. “I really think Mum has been here,” she told
Archie. “In fact, I think she knows this place very, very well.”
Small animals dotted the hillside surrounding the croft
house.
“Are those sheep?” Archie asked. “They don’t look quite
right.”
Bonnie carried them steadily toward the croft house.
As they rode closer and got a better look, Heather exclaimed,

“Those aren’t sheep! They’re ponies! Archie, they look just like
Bonnie, except they’re so wee!”
“Stout but wee,” Archie agreed, repeating the phrase from
Mum’s poem. “And they come in all different colors. Aw, there are
even mums with foals,” he said admiringly.
Heather reined Bonnie to a stop so that she could pause and
fully take in the scene. Nobody in the world except Heather
herself understood how significant that moment was. A tear
sprang to her eye as she saw these beautiful, perfect, wonderful,
strong, and very little ponies dotting the hillside. The words her
mum and da had told her many times before came flooding back.
Wide or thin, wee or tall, size doesn’t matter at all.
Just then a man with dark curly hair walked out of the
croft house and waved to the children.
“Hiya! Are you children lost?” he called out to them.
Heather guided Bonnie closer to the man. He seemed to
be around Mum and Da’s age. His pleasant smile seemed
familiar somehow. Now that they had arrived, she was
completely speechless, not knowing what to say or do.
“You both look tired,” the man said warmly. “Come on
into the house. My wife will warm up some milk for you and
give you a place to sleep. My name is Magnus.”
146
PHONICS
Decoding
Read to the child: Read the words with sounds of OW.
ow brow, drowsy, allowance, browse

crow, borrow, burrow, sorrow, stow
Say the sound of each phonogram in the green boxes. Hints
are below each box if needed.
ph er ay wr gn igh
phrase her say write gnat high
Point to each phonogram with a circle around it, say the

sound of the phonogram, and then read the whole word.
reassignment w retc h e d
re a ssign ment wretch ed
sophistica te d c a u l i f l owe r
so phis ti ca ted cau li flow er
philosophy playwright
phil o so phy play wright
147
Chapter 19: Magnus
When the man introduced himself as Magnus, neither

Heather nor Archie knew how to respond. Thoughts and
emotions whirled around like wild windstorms inside their
hearts and minds.
Many miles away, the siblings had left their home in a frantic
hurry without even getting to say goodbye to Mum and Da or
knowing whether or not they were okay. Between that terrible
night and now, the children had encountered homesickness,
loneliness, worry, harsh weather, gnawing hunger, biting midges,
and mysteries. Together they had faced and overcome countless
challenges to reach a destination marked on a map from their
parents. And now—
“Are you children all right?” Magnus asked with concern.
“I think so,” Heather finally answered. “We’re very tired.”
Then Archie added, “And we haven’t had a proper warm meal
in a while.”
“It seems you’ve traveled a very long way and that you’re
far from home,” Magnus answered, “perhaps the Scottish
Highlands?”
Archie gasped.
Magnus smiled and continued, “No worries! My wife is inside
preparing some warm milk and biscuits. We have an extra room
that we like to offer to travelers passing through. Please make
yourselves at home with us. Can I help take care of your pony?
My, but she’s bonnie.”
Archie gasped again and said, “How do you know all that
about us?”
“All what?” Magnus asked.

“How did you know that we’re from the Scottish
Highlands and that our pony is named Bonnie?”
“Why, I can tell from your accents that you’re not from
Shetland. I know a few people who travel to and from the
Scottish Highlands, and they speak the same as you both. I
simply followed the clues and made a guess.” He reached out
and stroked Bonnie’s nose before continuing. “And I didn’t
have any idea that your pony’s name is Bonnie; I just called
her that because she is so beautiful. It is perfectly fitting for
such a fine mare.”
Heather noticed that both Bonnie and Haggis seemed
very comfortable and friendly with Magnus, even though he
was unfamiliar.
He seems like a kind man, she thought as she watched
him gently stroking Bonnie’s cheek. And too many pieces of
the puzzle have come together for this to be coincidence. His
name is Magnus, just like in Mum’s poem and on the bundle.
Also, he lives at the place shown in Mum’s paintings, in her
poems, and on the map. I believe this is the person Mum sent
us to find!
Chapter 19: Magnus 149
A lovely woman with hazelnut hair and rich brown eyes

stepped out of the croft house door.
“Hello,” she said warmly. “I’m Flora. Please, won’t you children
come warm up by the peat fire?”
“I’m Heather, and this is my younger brother, Archie. Thank
you very much! We’d love to come in.”
As Archie dismounted and helped his sister down, a small
collie-looking dog zipped out of the croft house door and raced
over to meet Haggis. The two dogs sniffed each other and, within
a minute, became fast friends.
“That’s Lady, our Shetland Sheepdog,” Magnus explained.
“I think Haggis likes her!” Archie said as he watched the two
dogs run around and play together.
Now that Heather stood beside her younger but taller

brother, she wondered if Magnus or Flora would say
anything about her height, as many people did when they
met her. But neither of them seemed to react to her obvious
size difference. Instead, they continued to treat both her and
Archie with kindness and warmth, which Heather greatly
appreciated.
Flora brought the children and the dogs into the croft
house while Magnus tended to Bonnie. He fed her a small
panful of oats, brushed her down, and put her in a pasture
with two friendly, pregnant mares.
Inside the cozy little house, Flora seated the children at
a small table near an open fire. Archie watched the smoke
disappear up a small chimney.
“Magnus added that chimney,” Flora told them as she set
two mugs of warm milk and a plate of biscuits in front of
them. “Before that, the smoke just filtered up through the
thatching in the roof.”
“I’m confused about something,” Archie said. “It looks
like you’re burning clumps of dirt, not logs. How is that
possible? I didn’t think dirt burned.”
“I’m sure you’ve noticed we don’t have many trees in

Shetland,” Flora began.
Since the children’s mouths were full, they simply nodded.
“So instead of firewood, we burn peat. It’s a type of soil that’s
loaded with dead plant matter. We have a lot of it on our island.
You can cut a chunk of peat out of the ground, set it out to dry,
and then bring it home and burn it, just like a log! In fact, that’s
part of the reason people value our Shetland ponies so much.
They’re wee and surefooted, and they’re incredibly strong. They
carry heavy loads of peat to pretty much every house on this
island. People from all over the island and surrounding countries
come here to buy ponies from us. That’s how we make a living.”
“What a wonderful way to live—raising wee ponies!” Heather
said in awe.
What Flora did next meant so much to Heather that she
would remember it for the rest of her life.
Looking deeply into Heather’s eyes, she said, “The ponies you
saw out there are strong, gentle, intelligent, clever, and all-around
amazing. They are also very small when you measure them with
other ponies and horses. But their small size is a positive thing,
never a negative thing. Nobody considers them less than any
other pony.”
Archie saw tears well up in his sister’s eyes, and he reached his
arm around her shoulders and squeezed.
Just then, Magnus walked in through the door. “Your pony,
Bonnie, is well trained and well mannered. I like her a lot.”
“Mum trained her,” Archie responded. “Da says Mum’s got a
natural gift with ponies.”
“Aye, so it seems,” Magnus said as he set his cap on a shelf next
to some books.
Something else on the shelf

caught Heather’s eye—a blue
ceramic ball. It looked much like
the one she and Archie had found
the money in, although it was
bigger and had a ring at the top.
She was considering asking
about the ball when Magnus spoke up.
“It’s very late. The only reason it’s still somewhat light out
is because it’s midsummer. You children must be exhausted.
Can we show you to the guest room? Flora placed some
blankets in there for you.”
But Heather didn’t want to sleep. She wanted to find
answers. She wanted to find out why their parents had sent
them all the way up to the Shetland Islands to this very croft
house. She wanted to understand how that was supposed to
help.
Taking in a deep breath to steady her nerves, she said,
“Before we go, may I ask you a question?”
Sensing her seriousness, Magnus said, “Of course,” and
sat down across from Heather and Archie at the table.
“Is this place sometimes called Gladness Bay?”

Magnus looked down at the table thoughtfully. He took a
minute before answering quietly, “I haven’t heard it called that
in many, many years. When my sister was just a wee toddler,
she called it Gladness Bay instead of Gletness Bay, and the name
stuck. We had so much fun together as children, she and I, that it
really did feel like Gladness Bay.”
Then Heather asked, “May I ask what your younger sister’s
name is?”
Magnus looked up quizzically and then nodded. “Elizabeth.
But I always called her Ella.”
Heather looked at Archie, whose mouth was open, then back
to Magnus. “That’s what I thought you’d say. We’re her children—
your niece and nephew. Your sister sent something for you.”
Heather pulled out the bundle at the bottom of the bag and set
it on the table in front of Magnus.
154
PHONICS
Challenging Words Review

Read to the child: To review challenging words from
Timothy of the 10th Floor, first read all the orange words
aloud. Then read the purple words aloud. Repeat as many
times as needed.
licorice stomach ballet
acre canoe leopard
ancient surgeon bough
machinery anxious bouquet
llama tortilla geyser
ANT Can Say /ent/

abundant habitant reluctant
merchant disinfectant arrogant

155
Chapter 20: The Bundle
Magnus looked back and forth between the bundle on the

table and the children sitting across from him.
“You’re Ella’s children?” he finally asked in disbelief.
When they nodded, he stood abruptly and went to the
children. He wrapped his arms around them, pulling them in for
an embrace. Flora leaned in to hug them as well, and for several
minutes the four of them cried together.
“Half of me is crying because I’m so happy,” Magnus said
tearfully, “and the other half is crying because I never should
have let Ella go. I’ve missed her so much, and now I’ve missed out
on your lives, too. I have so many questions for you, but I’m sure
you have questions for me, too.”
Releasing Heather and Archie from his tight hug, he sat back
down but kept hold of their hands on top of the table.
“Why did she leave, and why haven’t you kept in touch, Uncle
Magnus?” Heather asked. Then she added, “Is it okay if I call you
that?”
“Of course! Wow, ‘Uncle Magnus.’ Where to begin? Ella is
only two years younger than I am, and we had such fun playing
together as children. Really, we looked after each other and took
care of each other.”
“Mum told me once that she never knew her mother,” Heather
said.
“Aye,” Magnus answered sadly, “our mother died when Ella—
your mum—was just a wee baby. So our father raised us on his
own. He wasn’t a very nurturing man, but he did teach us to work
hard, which I appreciate now. He taught us how to take care of
the sheep and the ponies.”
“That sounds like fun,” Heather said.

“It was! We trained the ponies to pull carts, to haul loads
of peat, and to carry a rider safely and reliably across the
island.”
“So, that’s how Mum knew how to train Bonnie so well,”
Archie interjected.
“Aye, she always was good with the ponies,” Magnus
agreed. “Well, about fifteen years ago, our father passed
away, too. According to the law, the land and house went to
me, being the eldest son, and nothing went to Ella—I mean,
your mum. It’s a long story, but I was headstrong, and we
ended up getting into a significant argument, and she said
she was going to move away and make her own life.”
A painful expression of regret filled his face. “So, she left.
I never knew where she went, so I never could send her a
letter or go find her. Oh, how I’ve missed her.”
“I think you should open the bundle she sent you,
Uncle Magnus,” Archie encouraged, nudging it toward him
expectantly.
Magnus took up the bundle, rubbed his thumb tenderly
across the handwritten message, and unwrapped it.
Chapter 20: The Bundle 157
Inside, he found a pair of knitted mittens and a long

handwritten letter.
“She made these with green and gray yarn,” he said softly. “She
still remembers my favorite colors.” Then he added, “If you’ll
excuse me, I’m going to step into the other room to read the
letter.”
While he was away, the children and Flora waited patiently
but eagerly. Archie knelt on the kitchen floor to pet Haggis and
Lady, who both snuggled into his lap affectionately.
Heather took this opportunity to look around the room.
This is the first time Archie and I have been inside a home
since we left our own, she thought. It’s so cozy and somehow feels
familiar. I guess that makes sense since it’s Mum’s childhood home.
Wow, I can’t believe Mum lived here as a child.
As her eyes scanned the walls, they suddenly stopped at the

bookshelf.
“Aunt Flora, what is that blue ceramic ball on the shelf?”
“Oh, that’s a buoy [BOO–ee]—it floats on top of the water.
Magnus ties them to his lobster and crab baskets so that when he
drops the basket into the water, the buoys mark exactly where the
baskets are. I’m pretty sure he told me once that his sister—your
mum—was quite good at making these ceramic buoys and made
quite a few of them. She even made small ones that she put little
items in for fun.”
Archie must have been listening, for he shared an
understanding look with Heather.
So that explains the ceramic ball with coins in it, she thought.
Just then, Magnus walked back into the room with the letter
in his hand. His eyes were red and his face resolute.
“The letter explains that when she left, she was determined
to make it on her own. She said she misses me, that she misses
Gletness Bay and the ponies, and that she regrets staying away for
so long and not keeping in touch. She said her husband did not
enjoy working at the iron forge and that she had recently started
talking with him about looking here for a place to live. She said
something strange has been happening for the past few weeks.
She said your da started finding items in the barn. At first, he
didn’t know what to do, but after he noticed a third item, he went
to the authorities and told them. They came and searched the
barn and found more.”
Heather was at the edge of her seat. “Go on,” she said eagerly.
Chapter 20: The Bundle 159
“When the soldiers questioned him aggressively at work

and made accusations, she started to worry, and she made a
plan. She put together a bag of items for you children with
a map to get you here. She wrote this letter, and she said
if—” he swallowed and paused. “Here, I’ll just read it. ‘If you
received this letter, it means we need you to take care of our
precious children for us. Please tell them how much we love
them. Please care for them. They need family. It’s like we
used to say:
‘The greatest treasures are found within
The warm embrace of your own kin.’”
“That’s really sweet,” Flora said, placing her hand over her
heart.
“No. It’s not sweet!” Heather stood and cried. “It’s
frustrating!”
Her sudden outburst took the others by surprise.
Overcome by deep sorrow and feeling the need to be
alone, Heather ran out the front door. She raced down to the
pony field where Bonnie grazed, fell at her pony’s feet, and
sobbed. Sweet, gentle Bonnie quietly held her head next to
Heather.
After several minutes, Heather heard a gentle voice next to her.

“What is it, lass? What’s going through your mind?”
“Oh, Uncle Magnus,” she cried, “we’ve come all this way to
find a treasure! We needed it so that we could go and free Mum
and Da—so we could have them with us again!”
“Keep going,” Magnus encouraged.
“It’s wonderful that we have our aunt and uncle now, and
I don’t mean to sound ungrateful.” She wiped tears from her
face. “It’s just that we need Mum and Da! I thought they sent us
to collect a buried treasure that would help us get them back.
I also thought the bundle for you would have something that
would help free them. We’ve traveled so far and through so many
challenges with hopes that we would be reunited with them. It’s
just too much to bear thinking that we’re not getting them back. I
miss them so much.”
Magnus kindly patted her back and let her cry for a couple
more minutes. When her sobs quieted, he spoke tenderly.
“I want to help them, too, Heather. I have an idea, but I’m
going to need your help. I need you to think hard. What clues do
you have that can help us? Any clues will do. Like a jigsaw puzzle,
once we see enough of the picture, we’ll know what to do.”
Heather focused on steadying her breathing. She wiped her
face and stared out across the beautiful moonlit bay. It was
magnificent, peaceful, and lonely.
“I do have a clue,” she said finally, and she pulled the pouch
from her pocket.
161
PHONICS
Decoding
Read to the child: Point to each box and say the sound of
the phonogram.
ur dge ar au wr ph
turn lodge star pause write phone
OUR Can Say /er/

journey nourishment courageous
flourish discourage encourage
scourge journalist courtesy
SS Can Say /sh/

impression assuring
im pre ssion a ssur ing
ION can say /in/ A can say /uh/
162
Chapter 21: The Plan
“MacKinnon,” whispered Magnus as he examined the

elaborate silver spoons. “Is this one of the items your da found in
the barn?”
Heather shook her head. “No, I’m sure he turned everything
over. I found these spoons on the way here. The strings of this
pouch were tied into Bonnie’s mane. But I believe the items found
in the barn also belonged to the MacKinnon family because
I heard the soldiers and my da arguing about it the night my
parents got taken away.”
“Interesting. There is a Laird and Lady MacKinnon who live
in a castle here in Shetland. But I don’t see yet how your parents
could have anything to do with them.”
“I heard about Laird and Lady MacKinnon,” Heather said.
Archie appeared and asked, “Can I sit with you?”
“Of course!” Heather said, patting the grass beside her. “I was
just about to explain that Captain Angus—that’s the ship captain
who gave us a ride across the North Sea—was transporting
wooden crates with the name MacKinnon stenciled on them. He
said that he and his crew have been shipping some things to and
from the laird’s relatives down in Oban, which is near our home.”
“And,” Archie added, “Captain Angus said that some of the
family heirlooms being carried by a different boat had gone
missing.”
Magnus stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“These are all great puzzle pieces. You’re both doing so well.
What else can you remember?”
Chapter 21: The Plan 163
“Well, one night on our journey to Shetland,” Heather

continued, “somewhere between Fort William and Loch
Ness, some people showed up at our camp in the middle of
the night—a man and a woman. They were searching for the
pouch in Bonnie’s mane!”
“That must have been frightening!” Magnus said with a
worried expression.
“Aye, it was terrifying!” she agreed. “But Haggis scared
them off, and we haven’t seen them since.”
“You were courageous to continue.”
“We almost didn’t,” Heather voiced.
Flora came out and sat down on the other side of
Magnus. All four of them watched the clouds float past the
yellow moon, which reflected spectacularly in the still water
of the bay.
Archie spoke up. “I remember something else interesting.
One time, maybe about a month before Mum and Da
were arrested, I couldn’t fall asleep. I was looking up at
the thatched roof and listening to Mum and Da talk in the
other room. I heard Da say he just couldn’t understand why
Bonnie was so tired in the mornings lately.”
“What do you mean?” Heather asked.

“He said every morning when he went out, she had sweat
marks as if she had been working all night. He also said that her
hooves were worn down, as if she had been ridden or used a
lot, but we weren’t riding or using her much. He said something
seemed off. Could that be another puzzle piece?”
Magnus clapped a hand on his knee. “I’m starting to see a
picture come together! I, too, have another piece to add to the
puzzle.”
“Tell us!” Heather exclaimed hopefully.
“The man who runs the post office shares news with me from
the island and other places. He told me there is talk of Laird
MacKinnon not getting along well with his younger brother, who
lives in the Highlands, I’m guessing near your home. He suspects
they’re quarreling because Laird MacKinnon promised to send
half of the family heirlooms to his younger brother. The younger
MacKinnon brother claims that the heirlooms have not arrived
and accuses his older brother of not ever sending the items to
him. These claims have made Laird MacKinnon very angry.”
The children were quiet, processing all the new information.
“So maybe,” Flora said, “someone else has been stealing the
MacKinnon heirlooms, either for the riches or to create a feud—a
quarrel—between the two brothers.”
“That’s what I think, too,” Magnus agreed, and then, turning
to Heather, he added, “and I also suspect that whoever has been
stealing the items has been borrowing your pony, Bonnie, at
night to help transport them.”
“That would explain why her hooves were worn down and
why she had sweat marks in the morning.”
“Spot on. And then they used your da’s barn as a den—a
place to hide the stolen items. They didn’t think anyone
would look in a random old barn, of course, but your da
noticed the items and reported them.”
For a few minutes, the group let all the new ideas and
information sink in.
Finally, Magnus said, “I have a simple plan. First thing in
the morning, I’ll visit Laird and Lady MacKinnon at their
castle and explain everything that has happened. We’ll get
this cleared up. Then he can be friends with his brother
again, and he can set your parents free.”
With encouragement in their hearts, the four of them
finally went to bed.
“It was nice to be tucked in tonight,” Heather told Archie
in their shared, cozy little bedroom.
“Aye, and it’s lovely to sleep on a mat under a solid roof
again,” he said.
And just like that, the siblings fell fast asleep.
Neither of them intended to sleep in, but the sun was
already high when they awoke. Hurrying into the kitchen,
they were met with the wonderful aroma of a home-cooked
breakfast.
“I can smell my favorite sausage! Did you make us some

haggis, Aunt Flora?” Archie asked hopefully.
“Aye, and I even saved you some! Your wee terrier ate quite his
fill of it this morning. I made sure to cook it without onions, so
it doesn’t hurt his tummy. It’s clear he’s quite fond of the sausage
he’s named after.”
Heather and Archie laughed, and Flora seated them at the
table with plates full of haggis, eggs, beans, and toast.
As they hungrily dove into the fabulous meal, Magnus walked
in. By his posture, Flora and the children could tell he didn’t bear
the excellent news they hoped for.
“The guard wouldn’t let me through,” he explained, “because I
wouldn’t tell him my reason for needing to speak with the laird.”
“Why didn’t you just tell him?” Flora asked gently.
In a low voice, as if somebody might be listening, Magnus
said, “I think he’s involved in the disappearance of the heirlooms.”
He sat down at the table with the children. Alarmed, Flora sat
down, too.
He continued. “I had left the ponies and the cart down the
road where the ponies could graze. From there I walked to the
castle gate. But just before I came around the corner to the gate, I
heard something that froze me in my tracks. A woman said, ‘We
have everything except for the spoons.’ I peeked carefully around
the corner and saw the guard at the gate talking with the woman
and a man. The guard told them, ‘I wish we had the spoons, but
as long as we have everything else, our plan will still work.’ Then
the man said, ‘Are you sure?’ and the woman got really mad at
him. Anyway, after they were gone, I asked to speak with the
laird, but the guard wouldn’t let me through unless I stated my
reason.”
Heather’s mouth dropped. “That’s the woman and man

who came looking for the spoons at night! We must speak
with the laird!”
“Agreed! Which is why, while I was there, I took a very
good look at the castle and the grounds. I have a new plan.”
Instinctively, he quieted his voice. Flora and the children
leaned in. “We must speak with Laird MacKinnon. Since
we won’t be allowed through the front gate, and because the
castle is completely surrounded by water, the only other way
to get in is by boat. I have a wee fishing boat, and I think
nobody will notice if we paddle in at night. We’ll wait until
dark, and then we’ll go.”
“We?” Flora asked. “That’s too scary for the children.”
“We want to go!” Heather insisted. “We’ve traveled alone,
just Archie and me, for days and days. We’ve faced countless
challenges, and together we’ve overcome them. We can do
this.”
“Please let us,” Archie agreed.
“I know it’s a risk,” Magnus told his wife, “but it has to be
done. I haven’t wanted to involve the children, but I do think
they need to be there.”
168
Flora looked into the children’s faces.

Taking his wife’s hand in his, Magnus explained, “Once Laird
MacKinnon understands why I’m there and hears my message,
he will probably wish to meet the children right away and hear
their entire story. They are the best hope of convincing him and
freeing their parents.”
Long after sunset that night, as the whole island began
to darken, Heather and Archie walked out to the shore with
Magnus. A small fishing boat that held two paddles sat askew on
the rocks. Magnus pulled several lobster baskets out and set them
on the rocks. Then, enlisting Archie’s help, they carried the boat
to the water’s edge. Magnus helped Heather in first; then Archie
climbed in second. Magnus waded through the water until it was
up to his knees, pushing the boat free from the rocks.
Heather peered down into the dark water, which she noticed
was particularly calm in the bay.
I wish I felt that calm, she thought.
169

PHONICS
CH Can Say /k/

Read to the child: CH can say /k/. Read the words on the
chart.
technical technique chemical

character orchestra mechanical
chrome chord scholar
technology architect ache
Read to the child: Read the following words, which are

challenging words you need to sound out. CH says /k/ in
these words.
hydrochloride technological
hy dro chlor ide tech no lo gi cal
Y in the middle of the word G is soft (says /j/) before E,
can make the long I sound I, or Y
Silent E makes the vowel
before it long
INE Can Say /een/

Read to the child: INE can say /een/. Read the words.
submarine tangerine wolverine

170
Chapter 22: In the Castle
In such a small boat, and with only paddles to propel them, it

took a considerable amount of time to travel to the MacKinnon
Castle. But there it stood in the moonlight, just ahead.
“We’re almost there,” Archie said.
“Aye,” agreed Magnus, “look how it’s built on a small, natural
island. We’ll need to keep our voices low now as we get near.”
It was still a bit dark, but the early morning light was just
beginning to color the sky with streaks of pink and orange.
Magnus steered the boat expertly alongside some large rocks.
From where they docked, they were able to look up and see one
side of the castle towering above them.
Chapter 22: In the Castle 171
“Just above these rocks, there’s a gap in the wall

surrounding the castle. You two wait here and hold the
ropes to keep the boat from drifting. I’ll go in through the
gap and ask the guard at the door to let me speak with Laird
MacKinnon. It will be a different guard at the door than at
the gate. If the MacKinnons wish to talk with you, I’ll come
fetch you.”
The children nodded and prepared for a long wait as
Magnus scrambled up the rocks toward the castle wall. They
were quite surprised when he returned quickly.
“I can’t fit through the gap in the wall,” he explained
regretfully. “I’m afraid I misjudged the size of it.”
Heather’s heart pounded. This is my chance, she thought.
“Let me try. I’ve crawled through a small hole in a stone
wall back home for years, just to explore.”
“Ah, I don’t know,” Magnus muttered uncomfortably. “It
doesn’t seem right to let—”
“She can do this, Uncle Magnus,” Archie interrupted.
“Heather and I have been on a long, difficult journey, and
she has led the way so bravely. I believe in her. You should
believe in her, too.”
Heather looked at her brother with gratitude and love.

“Please be careful,” Magnus finally said, placing his hand on
her shoulder.
Heather nodded and, with the pouch in her pocket, climbed
the boulders up to the castle wall. Finding the opening, she
wriggled her way into the hole. It was a tight squeeze, but she
worked her way through without trouble.
On the other side of the wall, she saw a guard leaning up
against a door, his chin resting on his chest.
“Excuse me, sir.” Heather tried to sound confident.
He jumped and snorted. “Ah, I’ve been caught dozing again!
The lady will have my hide,” he said in alarm. Then looking down
at Heather, he added, “My, but you’re a wee little lassie! You best
be scooting on back to the village now. However did you get in
here?”
Hoping this was indeed a different guard, Heather said, “I
need to speak with Laird and Lady MacKinnon, and I won’t be
leaving until I’ve spoken with them in person.”
“My, but you’re a determined dolly,” he said with a laugh. “All
right, I’ll show you to the sitting room, but you’ll have to wait
until the laird and lady have had their breakfasts. You won’t want
to be speaking to them while they’re still cranky.”
He took Heather inside the castle and showed her to a room
with bare walls and no windows. The only furniture consisted of
two armchairs and a table between them. On the table sat a stack
of books.
“Please, make yourself comfortable and enjoy the books while
you wait,” he said before leaving and closing the door behind
him.
I made it in, Heather thought. That’s a good start. For a while,
she kept herself busy pacing the room and thinking about what
she was going say to the laird and lady.
Laughing to herself, she recalled the Heather from a few

days ago who was terrified to speak to a ship captain. Here
she was about to speak to a laird and lady—in their castle!
As the time dragged on, Heather eventually decided to
calm her nerves by sitting and looking at the books as the
guard had suggested.
What a surprise it was when she opened the first book to
a bookmark that looked like an official document of some
sort.
Five Pound Banknote, she read to herself. This is paper
money! Why is this in here?
She continued to flip the pages and found another
banknote. Out of curiosity, she flipped through two more
books on the table, discovering three more banknotes in
those as well. One read “One Pound,” another said “Five
Pounds,” and the last one said “Ten Pounds.”
Wow, Heather thought, the MacKinnons must have a
considerable lot of wealth. A pound or even ten may not be
much to a laird and lady, who can use them as everyday
bookmarks, but this would be an absolute fortune to a crofter
or blacksmith!
Finally, around midmorning, the guard returned and led

Heather to a large chamber with a long green rug, a high ceiling,
beautiful tapestries, and arched windows.
“Well, you’re a wee lass,” said Laird MacKinnon coldly.
Heather lifted her chin and said bravely, “Wide or thin, wee or
tall, size doesn’t matter at all.”
Laird MacKinnon squinted his eyes, deciding what to think.
“Who sent you here?”
“Nobody sent me. I came to return an heirloom that I believe
belongs to you and also to explain an unfortunate situation.”
As she presented the pouch of spoons, she watched his
face change from one of boredom to one of surprise and then
annoyance.
“I sent those to my very frustrating younger brother,” he
thundered, “along with the chandeliers and paintings he wanted.
He claims I never sent them! Preposterous!”
“I know you did send them,” Heather continued calmly, “but I
believe he did not receive them.”
Heather carefully explained how her parents found the

MacKinnon heirlooms in the barn and reported them,
which led to their arrest and imprisonment. She described
the journey with her brother through the Highlands and
across the sea and told them about the woman and man
who came looking for the silver spoons, as well as the guard
at the castle gate.
The laird and lady listened to the entire narrative with
fascination and wonder.
“If I may be so bold,” she continued, “I think you should
reconcile with your brother. I know a brother and sister
who haven’t spoken in fifteen years, and they both regret it
deeply. It is a very precious thing to have a close relationship
with a sibling. My brother is my best friend and greatest
support. You could have that, too, if you’re both willing to
set aside your frustrations and hurt.”
Laird MacKinnon looked thoughtfully at the floor. His
wife placed her hand over his.
Feeling encouraged, Heather continued. “I also suggest
you work together with your brother to find the real thieves
of your heirlooms. My parents are innocent and should be
released.”
Having spoken her mind with all the courage she could
muster, she waited for a response.
The laird and lady whispered together for a moment. Then the
lady called, “Guard!”
“My lady?” said the guard, appearing at the door.
“Surely you’ve checked all the books in the sitting room by
now. Are any of the banknotes missing?”
“Every last banknote is just where I left it, my lady.”
“I see,” said Lady MacKinnon, and then turning back to
Heather, she added, “I do hope you’ll forgive us for testing you,
but with how many dishonest people there are, it’s hard to know
who is trustworthy. We use this test to know if a guest is a thief
or trickster. By not taking the banknotes, which you could
very easily have done, you have shown that you have integrity.
Therefore, we believe your story. We thank you for bringing
us the spoons and explaining everything you know about the
missing heirlooms. We’re very sorry indeed that your family has
been mixed up in this matter, and we will see to it right away that
your parents are released.”
Heather’s immense hope, relief, and gratitude were so dizzying
that she felt like she might faint. She thanked the MacKinnons
sincerely, gave them the names of her parents, and started to
leave with the guard.
“Wait, one last thing,” Laird MacKinnon called.
Heather paused at the door and turned to look at him.
“I didn’t know it was possible,” he said, “that someone so
small could teach such big lessons. I’ve learned a lot today about
integrity and relationships and courage. In some ways I believe
you’re a bigger person than I am. Thank you for returning the
spoons and for speaking with us.”
177
PHONICS
DU Can Say /jew/

Read to the child: DU can say /jew/. Read the words.
individual scheduling graduate

procedure gradually educational
Individual educators should follow the procedures.

Read to the child: AGE or IAGE can say /ij/. Read the
words. In two of the words, AGE says /age/.
marriage carriage cartilage
pilgrimage teenage rummage
sewage luggage engage
Challenging Words
peculiar message debt

nutritious pierce aroma
hallelujah choir
178
Chapter 23: A Promise
A veil of mist moved slowly over the green hills, which

were rich pasturage for the white sheep dotted here and there.
Heather sighed in delight as she brushed Bonnie and gazed at
the beautiful landscape around her.
The sound of hooves on the gravel road caused Heather
to spin around. She gasped when she saw a royal-looking
messenger galloping toward her. It had been a long week of
waiting since she had gone to the castle.
Am I finally going to hear some news? she wondered.
Indeed, it was news from the MacKinnons. Heather
accepted the message and flew into her uncle’s cottage to
share it with Archie, Magnus, and Flora. The message was
only two sentences long, but it changed everything:
We are in your debt for helping us locate the thieves and
retrieve our heirlooms. Your parents were released from
prison, as promised, and we have arranged for their voyage
to Shetland to collect you in seven days.
While they eagerly awaited their parents’ return, Heather
and Archie had no shortage of things to do.
They gladly helped Flora with her cooking and cleaning

chores, but as soon as they had finished, she sent them off to play.
Outside, they saw Magnus working on a run-down croft house
just a little way from his own. When they went to see what he was
doing, he explained, “This old house needs a new roof, and it also
needs the door fixed to keep the wee beasties out—you know, the
mice and spiders and such.”
“Can we help you, Uncle Magnus?” Heather offered.
“Normally I’d let you, but you children have been through
a lot this summer, and you’ve earned a good, long break. You
should go and play. In fact,” he added, “you know what would
help me the most is if you ride and handle the wee ponies. The
more they’re handled, the more friendly and tame they become.”
This was certainly not a chore for the children. They spent
many hours riding the ponies all around the beautiful Gletness
Bay. Everywhere they explored was a delight.
Of course, Haggis and Lady ran along with them. Up in the
rolling green hills, they felt the fresh breeze and could often see
for miles over the island in one direction and for miles over the
ocean in the other.
Down along the shore, they dismounted and searched for
rocks and shells. Heather had noticed back at the house that Aunt
Flora had a small collection of heart-shaped rocks. Knowing that
was something Flora liked, Heather really wanted to find one to
give her. It was exciting, then, when she found three lovely little
heart-shaped rocks on the shore that she could bring back as a
gift for her aunt.
Chapter 23: A Promise 181
Archie particularly loved to sit and watch the seals in the

bay. Sometimes they slept on the rocks, and other times they
played, climbing up on the rocks and splashing down into
the water over and over again. One time, he spotted a small,
peculiar animal swimming in the water.
For a moment he thought it
was a young seal, but upon closer
inspection, it looked very different,
with an adorable face, furry coat,
and long, slender tail. Archie asked
about it that night at supper, and
Magnus told him he had spotted a
river otter.
“They hunt for their food in
the ocean,” he explained, “but they aren’t actually very well
adapted to ocean life. The salt water is terrible for their
coats, so they have to go wash off in the freshwater streams
or rivers regularly.”
Sometimes, Magnus took the children out on his boat
and taught them the procedure for pulling in the lobster and
crab baskets, called creels. Archie especially enjoyed pulling
up the creels to see the size of the catch.
He learned quickly how to recognize which of the crabs and

lobsters were too small to keep and drop those back in the water
without getting pinched.
Even though the children had endless things to explore and
do, Heather spent time every day brushing Bonnie, talking to her,
and giving her oats, which Magnus provided. On his advice, she
was giving Bonnie several weeks’ rest to completely recover from
everything she had been through. As delightful and fun as the
wee Shetland ponies were, Heather cherished the quiet time she
spent alone with Bonnie.
On the morning they expected the children’s parents to arrive
on Shetland, Magnus and Flora got to work early hitching two of
their ponies to a wooden cart. The children climbed in the back,
and together the four of them drove to the port at Lerwick with
great anticipation.
Heather and Archie carefully scanned each ship that arrived in
the port that morning, but the first three ships did not carry the
passengers they eagerly awaited.
Suddenly, Archie began waving.
“The Neesick! It’s the Neesick!” Sure enough, Heather
recognized the ship in the distance, too. As it sailed closer to
shore, the children could clearly see Captain Angus, Jamie, James,
and Jim, and, of course—
“Mum! Da!”
The children jumped up and down and waved until the
moment their parents could step off the ship. Magnus kept
wiping tears from his eyes.
The reunion was immensely beautiful, with countless hugs,
kisses, tears, stories, and expressions of gratitude. Mum and Da
could hardly stop embracing their children.
Chapter 23: A Promise 183
Back at Gletness Bay, Mum’s heart was pierced with

more joy. “Oh, how I’ve missed this wonderful place! I’m so
happy. I don’t know how I’ll ever leave it again.”
“Then don’t,” Magnus said gently. “I’ve been fixing up the
empty croft house next to us,” he explained. “Flora and I
would be honored if you would make it your home.”
“Besides,” Flora added, “the business of raising ponies
has been very successful. It has gotten bigger than we can
handle on our own, and we could sure use the help.”
“Hallelujah! Oh, what a blessing!” Mum exclaimed after
Da squeezed her hand and smiled.
One morning late that autumn, while Heather and Archie

were out on a ride together, they stopped their ponies to watch
the sun rise over the ocean. Archie’s black-and-white pony was
young, and he pranced impatiently. But Archie got him settled
down before long.
After several peaceful minutes, Heather said, “Archie, promise
me we’ll always stay friends, no matter what.”
“I promise, Heather,” Archie said sincerely. Then, a sly smile
crossed his face. “I’ll race you home!”
He nudged his wee Shetland pony into a lope across the green
hill.
Wanting to give him a head start, Heather kept pressure on
the reins. Joy filled her heart as she watched her brother and felt
the cool ocean-scented breeze across her face.
The journey to get here was difficult, but I’m so glad we didn’t
give up, she thought.
Then she smiled and said aloud, “All right, I think he’s had a
big enough head start. Let’s catch him, Bonnie!”
By Maggie Felsch
SKU 359.6

Heather and The Highland Pony 1.0

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By Maggie Felsch

Cover design by Phillip Colhouer

Illustrations by Cory Walker

© 2023 The Good and the Beautiful, LLC

Reading this book together increases your enjoyment of

Before reading each chapter, we will complete a practice

Most words from the Challenging Words List break English

Captain Angus Bonnie Heather Archie Haggis

• DU can say /jew/ or /juh/

DU Can Say /jew/ or /juh/

educate individual gradual

Read to the child: Read each sentence. Then point to the

I’ll write my schedule on the calendar.

Installing a car battery is a simple procedure.

We put each pie in an individual box.

After the sun set, the sky gradually grew dark.

The story you’re about to read takes place in the Highlands

A few new words were introduced on the previous page.

It’s normal to feel unsure of how to treat people who are

ou grouch, bounty, lounge, bough

Read the vocabulary section to the child. The vocabulary

“Wake up, my wee lassie!” came a fierce whisper.

Heather’s heart pounded. How she wished she had said,

In the dim early morning light, the children could barely

Now Heather tugged Archie’s hand and said, “We need to

Heather’s distress was nearly too much to bear, and she

Parent/teacher note: Breaking words into syllables in order to

When reading, look for phonograms that you know. In the

Chapter 2: X Marks the Spot

Caw, caw! Caw, caw!

Archie was snoring lightly, curled up into a ball on the

As she reached in to pull out another item, Heather

The next bundle was wrapped in a shiny, oiled cloth to keep it

“What do you mean?” Heather asked.

“You think there’s a treasure?” Heather asked.

Many thoughts and emotions mixed and tumbled inside

Clouds shifted in front of the sun, darkening the land. The

Just as she stood to walk over to the stream, she heard a

AIN Can Say /in/

mountain fountain porcelain

AGE or IAGE Can Say /ij/

cabbage manage storage

debt hallelujah nutritious message

choir peculiar aroma pierce

Read the following information to the child:

Hiding behind the rock, Heather tensed and squeezed

“You came back to us,” Heather whispered, stroking

“Archie, I think we should head up to Fort William. From

“How will we hire a boat at Thurso?” Archie asked

A British soldier walked around the corner of the stone

ATE Can Say /it/

desperate delicate certificate

ANT Can Say /ent/

hesitant assistant applicant

Read the following information to the child:

Desolate means without people; lonely and empty.

Chapter 4: Cranky Crofter

Sunlight filtered between big puffy clouds, casting a glow

Heather recognized the desolate glen and recalled the

While Da explained all this, a man watched from his nearby

Archie unwrapped a small red cloth, no bigger than a

As he began to rummage for another item, they heard a

But they were desperate. Heather knew what they needed