The Treasure of Alpheus Winterborn

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[edit] Book Information

Author: John Bellairs

Year: 1978

[edit] Plot Summary

Anthony Monday's parents are in serious need of money due to his father's illness and Anthony is desperate to help. So when Ms. Eells, the elderly librarian of Hoosac Public Library, offers him a job, he takes it. Anthony is determined to find the hidden treasure of Alpheus Winterborn, a wealthy eccentric who lived in Hoosac many years previously, but finds nothing more than an antique gold coin in the library. He comes to the attention of Hugo Philpotts, Winterborn's nephew and president of the local bank branch, when he trades in the coin for its face value in paper currency. Mrs. Eels tries to take Anthony's mind off the treasure, by bringing him to an estate auction, but this backfires when Anthony sees a mirror that is identical to the one that is supposed to be a clue to the treasure, and the two get into a bidding war against Philpotts. Mrs. Eels, however, is the one to find an envelope on the back of the mirror, which has a strange clue in it.

Anthony tries to break into the Winterborn mansion that night, but is scared by a dog and breaks his arm as he flees. After a few days, Ms. Eells comes to visit Anthony with bad news: the new owners of the Winterborn mansion have already found what appears to be the treasure. Hugo Philpotts lures Anthony to the bank under the pretense of discussing the Mondays' family finances, but threatens him with foreclosing on the family business if Anthony doesn't hand over the mirror.

A little later, there are warnings of a serious flood in Hoosac. As Anthony packs, he realizes that the treasure is hidden in the library and calls Ms. Eells. Ms. Eells agrees to come to the library, but when she does not show up, Anthony goes to her house to make sure she's all right. She is dazed as a result of falling down her cellar stairs, and Anthony must carry her to the library, as it is the nearest building safe from the rising flood waters. They arrive at the library only to find that Hugo Philpotts has also worked out where the treasure is and beaten them to it...but he's too heavy to climb the ladder up to where the treasure is hidden in the weathervane. Philpotts forces Anthony to climb up in his place, but Anthony attracts the attention of rescue crews by using the weathervane as an impromptu gong. In the end, the town believes Mrs. Eels and Anthony. Anthony gets a $125,000 reward for finding the treasure, which is a Sumerian sculpture. Mr. Philpotts is disgraced, and can no longer threaten the Mondays.