Fervently hoping you're not making a huge mistake, you kneel down and slowly reach inside the hollow tree trunk. At first, you encounter nothing but air, but as you lean further in, your fingertips brush against something soft. With a sharp cry, you jerk back.
It takes several deep breaths and a quickly muttered prayer for you to build enough courage to try again. You extend your arm and after a heart-stopping moment, you find yourself pulling a black leather bag out toward you. You move back fully onto the path, setting the satchel down. Dead leaves and a cobweb cling to the bag and you quickly brush everything away. The zipper is old and stuck. It takes several tries to get it open, but when you do, you see the satchel is stuffed with stacks of hundred dollar bills. |
You've done it! You've found the missing money! Go on.