Pixie was having a lovely time staying with grandma and grandpa in the quaint little cottage. But as we all know, good things are short lived – it was Pixie’s last afternoon with the old darlings and she needed to start packing to go home to mummy and daddy the next morning. She told grandpa that she needed some time on her own.

“Honey, don’t you want to find the hidden treasure?” grandpa asked. Pixie stopped packing and stared at him. Grandma joined grandpa and they smiled at each other.

“Like a pirate’s treasure as in the story books?” asked Pixie, her face lit up with excitement.

“Right you are my dear,” grandma said. “There is something very precious and it’s hidden in a chest somewhere in the house or the garden. Would you like to try and find it or would you prefer to pack?”

“I’d like to find the treasure!” cried Pixie.

“Well, you’ll have to be quick,” grandpa said. “It’s half past two now. You can only be allowed until four o’clock to find the treasure and then you’ll have to give up.” Grandma added, “The treasure hunt starts now.”

Pixie raced off to try and find the hidden treasure.

She started with the garden where she looked in the storage shed, under the apple tree and in and around the shrubs and flowerbeds. Alas! there was no sign of the treasure anywhere in the garden.

Then she came indoors and looked downstairs first, searching behind curtains and underneath tables and chairs. But there was no sign of the treasure. She did the same upstairs, also looking under all the beds. There was still no success.

“I think I’ll try the attic,” said Pixie. She got hold of a torch and climbed the ladder to the attic. She had a good look round in there but could find no sign of any treasure. Dejected, she climbed down the ladder and made her way downstairs.

“I’ve tried everywhere. It’s not there. I don’t think I’ll ever find the treasure.”

But just at that moment Pixie’s sharp eyes caught sight of something metal gleaming inside the partly open cupboard that was under the stairs.

She scrambled into the cupboard and lo! there was a chest. She heaved out the chest. It was locked but when Pixie went back into the cupboard she found a key. She tried it and it worked.

“I’ve found it! Grandpa, grandma, I have found it!” Pixie cried out.

Grandpa and grandma appeared beside her. “You found the hidden treasure just in time,” they said.

Pixie rummaged through the contents of the chest and found lots of precious stuff – necklaces, broaches and bracelets; and a couple of old watches and dolls (ragged ones though). She also found a little purse with coins in it; and an old book about a little girl like her, called Alice In Wonderland.

Pixie had a lovely time playing with the things. She tried on some of the jewellery and the watch, which ticked when she wound it up. She played happily with the dolls and decided to gift the cars to her friend Ron.

That evening, grandma sat down with Pixie and read Alice In Wonderland for Pixie as both of them enjoyed their cold coffee.

After that it really was time for Pixie to pack. Grandpa said that as a prize for finding the hidden treasure, she could take it all with her to keep and to show mummy and daddy.

Snuggled up in bed that night, Pixie hugged her newly-found ragged doll and said to herself that the treasure hunt had been the most amazing thing and the prizes had come as a wonderful surprise. She soon drifted off to sleep and dreamed of dwarfs and rabbits and cars and ticking watches and, of course, hidden treasure!