About
Barney, Simon and Jane find themselves beset by deadly dangers as they embark on a great quest. Having found a crumbling parchment map, they begin their search for ancient treasure linked to King Arthur. More precious than life itself, the treasure, found by the right people, would help keep at bay the ancient forces of evil that were once again powerful in the world. They turn for help to their Great-Uncle Merry, who draws on his vast knowledge of ancient lore to protect them.
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
List the characters and describe the setting of this story.
Page 1 — Barney, Jane, Mother, Father, Great-Uncle Merry, Simon, Rufus the dog; setting: train station, then a city called Cornwall
1
Describe Great-Uncle Merry.
Page 3 — Not really their mother’s uncle, but an old friend her father’s, tall and straight, thick wild white hair; deep set eyes, brown nose curved like a bow, no one knew how old he was, there was something ancient about him
3
List Barney’s passion and Simon’s passion.
King Arthur; boats p.4;5
What is so mysterious about the yacht?
Page 6 — Great-Uncle Merry seemed upset by it; Young Bill wouldn’t talk about the supplies he had gathered for it and was really upset after running into Jane; the old fisherman called Young Bill evil; the yacht appeared and disappeared silently and strangely
6
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
What did the children do for entertainment while stuck inside during the rain?
Page 14 — Pretended they were explorers and explored the house
14
Describe the adventure the children pretended they went on.
They were explorers in a jungle and made sure to take food for a picnic. They worked their way through each area of the house, then pretended they heard the natives coming after them.
What did they find that was curious while on their adventure?
Page 19 — A door behind the wardrobe
19
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
Sketch a picture of the scroll Barney found when searching for his thrown apple core.
Page 23 — Brownish parchment springy as steel, cracks through it, another sheet stuck down in it that was darker and older, covered with small writing in strange squashed-looking dark brown letters. Below the writing was singed
23
Why did Jane and Barney expect Simon to understand the manuscript?
They thought it was written in Latin and Simon has been taking Latin at school. 25
Who did Barney think the scroll was written about?
Page 26 — King Arthur and his King Mark
26
Why didn’t the children want to tell their parents about the manuscript?
Page 26 — They feared their parents would make them put it back where they found it
26
Who came to visit the Drew’s during their supper and why?
Page 29 — People from the yacht at sea; they invited to spend the day on the yacht out at sea
29
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
On page 36, the author used a word to describe how Jane felt about the Withers. What is it and what does it mean?
Page 36 — Sinister- evil or productive of evil
36
What did Jane find when coming down the stairs for lunch?
Page 38 — A small book in the treasure chest
38
What was her discovery of the book?
Page 39 — It had the name King Mark Head which was similar to the name on the map on the manuscript
39
Describe what a vicarage is and what this one looked like.
Page 41 — Home of the vicar or clergy of a village; Scruffy house with neglected overgrown plants; grass as high as hay; weeds in the gravel of the drive; inside was not taken care of and worn
41
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
What did Simon find the morning after Jane visited the vicar?
Page 48 — Their house had been broken into and books from all of the main floor had been gone through and thrown on the floor
48
What do the children think the burglars were after?
Page 53 — The manuscript with the map
53
Who do you think broke into the house?
Page 54 — the Withers or Mr. Hastings the vicar
54
Who do the children feel they can tell about the manuscript?
Page 55 — Great-Uncle Merry
55
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
What was Great-Uncle Merry’s response after seeing the manuscript?
Page 58 — Happy and Relieved
58
Explain the battle the children put themselves in the middle of by finding the manuscript.
Page 60 — Between King Arthur and the evil ones from the world long ago; people who are trying to remember the world at the time of King Arthur; good and evil that still lives on and is seeking the grail
60
What do you think over sea and under stone mean?
Page 62 — Listen to your child’s ideas
62
What was Great-Uncle Merry doing while the children were in the house finding the manuscript?
Page 65 — Leading the enemies on a detour and distracting them
65
Why can’t the children or their great-uncle go tell the police about the Withers?
Page 69 — They wouldn’t believe them
69
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
Why would the white yacht, named the Lady Mary, be following the children’s dad and uncle out to sea?
Page 72 — The Withers were on it and they were following Great-Uncle Merry to see if he’s lead them to something about the manuscript
72
Who did the children see as they were sitting on the grass halfway up the Kemare Head?
Page 74 — Mrs. Withers and Bill
74
Where was the clue the children were looking for as the sun was setting?
Page 79 — On a large rock on the opposite headland on Kemare Head
79
Who was the man Bill saw and spoke to while trying to find Simon?
Page 84 — Mr. Hastings
84
How did Simon get away from Bill and the man?
Page 86 — Great-Uncle Merry came driving up, Simon got in the car and drove away
86
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
What type of figurative language did the author use on page 89 in the phrase, “He would have given his ears to be the hero of the chase.”?
Page 89 — An idiom
89
What did Jane realize the blodge mark was on the map?
Page 92 — The moon
92
When the children’s parents left for the night, what did that mean the children could do?
Page 95 — To go wander out at night to see if the clue worked with the moon
95
What did Simon and Jane find using the moon as a guide?
Page 100 — That the rocks on the end of the headland is where the grail is buried
100
What was the threat on the hill that night?
Page 103 — There were people there trying to get to Jane and Simon
103
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
What is your conclusion about Mrs. Palk sneaking around Barney’s room?
Page 107 — That she was looking for the map
107
Why didn’t Barney want to talk about the grail or map around Mrs. Palk?
Page 108 — He was suspicious of her being a part of the evil
108
Where did Mrs. Palk tell Gumerry where the children went?
Page 112 — To St. Austell Why? To get rid of Gumerry so the evil ones could get to the children
112
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
Why were the rocks at the end of the headland called the Gravestones?
Page 115 — The children figured the Knight Bedwin was buried there as well as the grail
115
What did Rufus find?
Page 119 — An area to dig in the ground next to a rock; the children found a large hole in the ground under that area
119
What could Jane hear in the gaping hole?
Page 122 — The sea
122
What was Simon’s conclusion as he realized the Withers hadn’t seen a cave while scoping out the area?
Page 124 — The cave might be under water
124
Chapter 11
Comprehension questions
Explain the connection between Bill and Mrs. Palk.
Page 130 — She is Bill’s auntie
130
How had the children missed seeing Barney as he came down the hill?
Page 131 — The procession was in the way and the other children were on a stone wall at the corner of the front quay instead of being in inner quay
131
Chapter 12
Comprehension questions
What happened to Barney when he couldn’t find Simon and Jane?
Page 136 — He was kidnapped
136
Who had kidnapped Barney and where did they take him?
Page 138 — The Withers; to a big deserted looking house
138
Describe the interaction between Barney and Mr. Hastings.
Page 142 — Mr. Hastings asked Barney where the grail was hiding and Barney said he didn’t know what he was talking about. Mr. Hastings was shocked when Barney asked for another sandwich and excused Mr. Withers. Mr. Hastings tried to convince Barney that he wasn’t bad, but that Gumerry was bad instead and hoping to get information about the grail
142
What did Barney say in his conversation with Mr. Hastings?
Page 147 — He questioned him and said that Gumerry was doing it in the name of King Arthur and the old world before the dark came
147
Chapter 13
Comprehension questions
Why did Barney relax and heed his new master, Mr. Hastings?
Page 150 — Mr. Hastings hypnotized him
150
What snapped him out of his trance?
Page 151 — Rufus’ howl
151
How did the children get away from the men chasing them?
Page 154 — They hid in a field
154
Why were the children nervous when they heard the owl hooting?
Page 160 — Jane realized it was the enemy and not an owl and they feared the enemy had seen them
160
What did the children do to take extra precautions at the cave?
Page 165 — Tie fishing line around Barney; had matches to light; figured out signals to communicate to each other
165
Chapter 14
Comprehension questions
Choose a word that describes Barney as he’s finding his way through the cave.
Page 168 — Brave, courageous, determined,
168
What did Barney find in the cavern with the natural cupboard?
Page 173 — The grail
173
Sketch the grail and describe it.
P.173
Summarize what Jane experienced while waiting outside for her brothers while they were in the cave.
Page 176 — She felt a significant amount of responsibility holding the manuscript; anxious and worried as she let the string out; worried about the enemies; worried about the tide
176
What did the boys find with the grail?
Page 178 — Another manuscript
178
Summarize the battle in the last chapter.
Page 179 — The children were starting to head back to the beach and saw the yacht. As they hurried, they saw another dinghy at the shore blocking them off. They were intercepted by the two enemy groups. Mr. Hastings and Mr. Withers were on the rocks with the children and Barney threatened to throw both artifacts into the water. Gumerry came to their rescue in a speed boat with Mr. Penhallow driving. Simon grabbed the artifacts and tried to throw them to Gumerry. Gumerry caught the Grail, but an oar intercepted the telescope case and broke it, sending its contents into the sea. The children all got into the boat and the enemies retreated and left the bay
179
Epilogue
Comprehension questions
Who do the children think Great-Uncle Merry is?
Page 193 — Merlin
193
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