EFLshorts

‘There are three palm trees in the forest,’ said Hooker. ‘When we find the three trees, we can find the treasure.’

‘Is it far?’ Evans asked. He looked at the beach.

Do you see the river?’ Hooker said and pointed* a finger. Evans said yes. ‘Somewhere near the river, deep in the forest, there are three palm trees,’ said Hooker. ‘They are next to some bushes* and the treasure is not far from there.’

Evans’s mouth was dry. He looked at the river. ‘Hurry,’ he said. ‘I am very thirsty.’

Hooker paddled* their boat quickly and soon they were at the river. They went under the trees and up the river. After a few minutes, Evans put his hand into the river and took a drink of cold, clean water. ‘Ahhh,’ he said and closed his eyes. ‘This is good water.’

Hooker smiled and drank too.

When they finished drinking, they lay inside their boat and rested.

‘I don’t want to go in the sun again,’ Hooker said. ‘I could lie here all day.’

‘We must go look for the treasure,’ said Evans.

Hooker filled a bottle with water and they started paddling down the river. Soon they arrived at the sea again. Both men got out the small boat and pulled it onto the beach.

Evans pointed at the thick trees and bushes. ‘We must go in there.’

Hooker put his hand inside the boat and lifted up a big knife. ‘We can use this knife to cut a path.’

The two men started cutting at the thick bushes. It was dark under the thousands of trees. ‘It feels cold in here after the hot sun,’ said Evans.

‘We must push through these bushes and find the river again,’ said Hooker. ‘The palm trees are near the river.’

So the men cut a path through the forest. They cut down bushes and they cut down big, white flowers in front of them. The men did not know their names. `Perhaps, we are the first people to find these flowers,’ said Hooker.

‘Perhaps,’ said Evans. ‘Let’s move on – the river can’t be far.’ He was not interested in the flowers. He only wanted the treasure.

It was hot thirsty work, but after a while they heard the noise of water.

‘The river!’ Hooker said.

‘At last,’ said Evans.

The men hurried towards the river, but Hooker stopped suddenly.

‘What is that?’ he said.

Evans looked.

There was someone or something behind the bushes.

Adaption by EFLshorts.com 

GLOSSARY

pointed – directed someone’s attention to a particular area, make sure someone looks at something

bushes – a plant, a little like a small tree perhaps

paddled – moved through water using a paddle