- Sir, that's not all...
Richie paused pointedly. Only when everyone had climbed out of the plane did he point his wand at the craft, and under the influence of a silent spell, it shrank to the size of a small toy.
Scott, Steve, and Harry stood frozen like pillars of salt, their eyes bulging as they watched Richard, a grin on his face, casually pick up the plane and toss it into his suitcase.
Scott dropped his backpack on the ground and, to calm his nerves, drank the rest of the cognac in large gulps from the mug he continued to hold in his right hand.
Here Stephen could not stand it any longer and exclaimed indignantly:
- Sir, you can't handle equipment like that! The plane is very fragile!
"Nonsense, Steve," Richard replied calmly. "This plane is so enchanted that even if it's in miniature form, it wouldn't be damaged even if it were run over by a steamroller. So, gentlemen, are we going or are we driving?"
"What are we going to travel in?" asked the slightly unsteady detective.
"There's a car and bicycles," Richard answered.
"Dude, tell me, does your car have British license plates or no license plates at all?" Scott asked.
- No numbers, sir. But she can also fly and become invisible.
- Then get out the bikes. We don't need any problems with the local cops.
- As you say, sir. You are more experienced in these matters than I am.
Two adults and two children pedaled briskly on off-road cyclocross bikes with front suspension forks and multiple gears. The ride was rough at first, but once the cyclists exited the field and onto the highway, things improved considerably. One-story houses began to appear on both sides of the road.
The adults stopped by a local resident and questioned him. It turned out that the British had arrived in the town of North Chatham.
After driving another fifteen minutes along quiet, leafy streets, the travelers arrived at the Old Harbor Inn, where they rented four rooms. Although each room was considered a double, it featured a king-size bed. Richard considered it inappropriate for several gentlemen to share a bed. Not one to skimp, he boldly paid for the rooms a week in advance using his platinum credit card.
Young Rich chose the most luxurious room, complete with a decorative fireplace and a small Jacuzzi. Otherwise, his room was no different from the others: one room with a large bed, a spacious bathroom with a shower, a nightstand, a TV, a telephone, air conditioning, and that's it. More precisely, his room had two additional armchairs, while the other rooms had ordinary chairs with backs instead of armchairs.
The time difference between London and Boston, the time the peninsula's inhabitants lived on, was five hours. The travelers, who set off at 10 a.m. and traveled a total of two hours, checked into their hotel at 7 a.m. local time.
Everyone rested for about an hour, after which they went down to breakfast. The food was simple but delicious, with a predominance of seafood.
Scott Potter was feeling pretty groggy, so they decided to leave him at the hotel. Harry, Richie, and Steve mounted their bikes, armed with a map of the peninsula provided free by the hotel, and headed to Harwich Port, less than six miles away.
Six miles on a flat asphalt road is just half an hour of leisurely cycling.
At the port, Steven arranged to rent a small motorboat for a week. The man turned out to be even more talented than Harry Potter had believed. During the rental, it was discovered that Steve's last name was White, and in addition to piloting small planes and driving cars, he also knew how to operate yachts and boats, and held the necessary documents. Without his license, the boat could only be rented with a sailor, and it was advisable to eliminate the need for an extra person in this adventurous undertaking.
The two young adventurers and their companions were only able to set sail the following morning, when Detective Potter was fully recovered. But the boys had plenty to occupy themselves, including exploring the peninsula.
Cape Cod is made up of numerous small towns, more like large villages in size. There are no high-rise buildings or huge crowds. People come here for a quiet and relaxing vacation. There are no town restrictions-you can easily bike through one town, then a sign appears and you're in another.
The main principle of the locals is that everything should look like it did two hundred years ago: houses covered with shingles, or made of wood or brick, discreet signs, no neon or lighting effects, flower pots even on the beaches - in short, simple village beauty.
Cape Cod's greatest asset is its beaches. There are about thirty of them, not counting the smaller ones. Naturally, Harry and Richie couldn't pass up the chance to take a dip. They spent most of their time on the beach.
Well past noon, Richard took everyone out for pizza. It might seem odd that the most delicious Italian pizza comes from Greeks in a remote American diner, but it's true. Richard, accustomed to chef-driven cooking, was pleasantly surprised. Harry and Steve also appreciated the pizza and planned to come back again.
Living by the sea has its perks: fresh seafood year-round. Fish restaurants exist all over the world, but local establishments had their own unique flavor. After visiting the local museum, the adventurers decided to dine at one of these restaurants, joined by a rumpled detective named Potter.
Cape Cod lacks fine dining and delicacies, with the exception of lobster, which is quite inexpensive. All seafood is prepared quite simply and heartily, but that makes it even more delicious. The main secret is that it only takes a few hours from sea to plate.
All four uninvited guests to the United States appreciated the famous seafood soup, clam chowder. The dish originated as a stew prepared by the poor using shellfish, fish, cream, and herbs. An entire chapter in the novel "Moby-Dick" is dedicated to this soup.
The night passed, and the next day dawned. Harry eagerly awaited the prospect of setting sail. Richard, with no less excitement, was eager to discover vast treasures.
The old fishing boat roared its engine and sailed out into the ocean.
- Richie, how are we going to look for the treasure?
- Harry, magic can do anything!
If you enjoyed this work, please consider supporting me on
Ko-fi: ko-ficom/tommytranslates (add dot before com) Even $1 helps a lot.