The Haunted Lighthouse Read Online Free Page A

what did the message mean?
    The ferry picked up speed, and the wind swept through Cody’s clothes. Her cheeks grew numb from the icy chill. A spray of water suddenly loomed up from the bay, catching Matt directly in the face.
    The Code Busters stifled their laughter, knowing it would only make Matt mad. The sight of theisland emerging from the fog distracted Cody from Matt, the spray of water, and the freezing temperature. The place looked depressing, even a little dangerous, sitting in the middle of what seemed like nowhere. As they got closer, she spotted the lighthouse—she had a picture of it in her collection—and wondered if they would be allowed to go up inside. Next she recognized the three-story cell block from the pictures Ms. Stad had shown in class. Before she knew it, the ferry docked.
    “Welcome to Alcatraz!” said a small Asian woman wearing an olive-green uniform and a wide Stetson hat, using a bullhorn. “My name is Jodie Huynh and I’m a ranger here on the Rock.” Her name was spelled HUYNH on her name tag, but she pronounced it “Win.” “You are about to enter Alcatraz Federal Prison exactly the same way the prisoners did many years ago, via the gangplank. After you arrive on the dock, please meet your teachers and the rest of your classin the designated areas.”
    Cody found Ms. Stadelhofer waving her arms in an area off to the side. She headed over with M.E., while Quinn and Luke met their class and Mr. de Lannoy in another area. Mr. Jones was one of the last to lumber down the gangplank a few moments later; he waved to her. Cody acknowledged him with a small smile.
    So far, so good
, she thought.
    “Hello, students from Berkeley Cooperative Middle School,” Ranger Huynh said through the bullhorn. Everyone quieted down. “As I mentioned, I’m a park ranger here on Alcatraz, and I’ll also be your tour guide today. Before we begin the tour, I want to tell you a few things about the prison. After the tour, which will take about an hour, you’ll be free to explore the island, except for the restricted areas, so watch for signs. Some of the buildings are very old, and some of the walls could come crumbling down at any time. That’spart of the reason the prison was finally closed. But we’ll talk more about that on the tour.”
    Cody looked at M.E., her eyes wide. “Cool! We get to look around on our own,” she whispered. “Maybe we’ll find out what that note is about.”
    M.E. nodded. “I’ll bet this place is full of hidden passageways and secret messages left behind by the prisoners.”
    The ranger continued. “For nearly thirty years, from 1934 to 1963, Alcatraz Island was the most notorious federal prison in the United States. We had many famous prisoners here—Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, and the Birdman, Robert Stroud. The prisoners are gone, but we get about a million visitors a year—and lots of birds. This is both a park and a bird sanctuary. The island may look small, but there are more than twenty-five acres here, home to salamanders, cormorants, deer mice, pigeons, gulls, harbor seals, and herons. It may also appear far away from the city, but it’s onlyone and a half miles from Fisherman’s Wharf.”
    I’m a good swimmer
, Cody thought.
I wonder if I could swim that far?
    Ranger Huynh seemed to read her mind. “But don’t be tempted to dive in and swim for shore. You’d probably die of hypothermia within minutes.”
    Cody shivered.
    “In a few moments we’ll walk up the hill to Cell Block B, the main cell house. It’s a steep climb, so be prepared. The fog is lifting, so be sure to check out the views of San Francisco, Marin, Berkeley, and Oakland. Everyone ready? All right then, follow me. And watch your step. Remember what I said about the birds.”
    Matt chanted, “Bird poop! Bird poop! Cody stepped in bird poop!”
    “I did not!” Cody said. Just then Matt accidentally stepped in a big pile of bird droppings.
    “Yuck! Gross!” he yelled, lifting his