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1. Describe the setting found in the opening paragraphs.
2. Who are the parental units?
3. What were Dylan's parents doing that usually signaled trouble was brewing?
4. What news did Mr. Maples deliver to his son?
5. Where does Dylan's mother work?
6. Why were Dylan's parents arguing?
7. Who was waiting?

Design a bookmark and illustrate it.

1. According to John Maples, where did the real north begin?
2. Who was Tom Thomson?
3. Where and what is the "old growth" forest?
4. Who was John Maples' new client?
5. Who was Theobald T. Larocque?
6. Why did Edison Brown decide to hire John Maples as his lawyer?
7. Trace the route on a road map that Dylan's parents followed to their new home.

Debate the pros and cons of harvesting the "old growth" forest in Temagami.

1. Trace the route Yonge Street follows from its beginnings in Toronto to where it ends west of Thunder Bay in the state of Minnesota.
2. Describe the scene as the Maples' vehicle first enters Cobalt.
3. Who is telling the story?
4. What simile does Dylan use to describe the homes on the side of the hill?
5. Why could Dylan barely believe that he was in Canada?
6. How did John Maples compare the weather in Toronto to that in Cobalt?
7. Why does Dylan almost run back to his house?

Enrichment: Research the town of Cobalt and be sure to include its famous silver rush.

1. Where would Dylan be attending school?
2. Who was Charles Cobbold Farr?
3. What evidence did Dylan provide about the history of the town to suggest that its citizens had been very affluent?
4. Why was Dylan so impressed with the scenery in Haileybury?
5. What did Dylan mean when he said, "It's like you've landed on another planet?
6. Whom did Dylan see outside the school in Haileybury that he immediately recognized?

Enrichment: Research the town of Haileybury including its founder C.C. Farr.  Print up some information and photos from the internet and create a bulletin board for your classmates.

1. What story appeared in "The Temiskaming Speaker"?
2. Why did Dylan ask his father to park about five blocks from his new school?
3. Where had Dylan kayaked with his parents the previous summer?
4. Who blocked the outer doors as Dylan attempted to exit the school?
5. What did the note say that Wynona left on Dylan's desk?
6. What surprise did Dylan get when he shook hands with "The Bullet" at the end of the game?

Enrichment: Research the game of hockey. Where did it originate and were there actually professional hockey teams that played in Cobalt, Ontario, Canada?  Make a short presentation to the class.

1. Outline the problems that Dylan's parents faced when investigating Theobald Larocque?
2. Where were the Maples finally able to uncover some information about the Larocque case?
3. Why did Wynona insist on going to Theobald Larocque's house?
4. What happens when Wynona and Dylan attempt to enter the "haunted house" through the fruit cellar?
5. Explain why Wynona and Dylan are forced to go upstairs?
6. Describe the sounds emanating from the upper floor.

Choose another title for the book and then justify why your title is superior to the original one.

1. What were the first words that Theobald Larocque spoke to Dylan and Wynona?
2. Describe the scene as the two young people reached the second floor.
3. Why did Dylan refer to Wynona as a "dirty, low-down traitor"?
4. Why did Larocque instruct Dylan to go to the cellar?

Enrichment: Tell your classmates about the most interesting part of the book.

1. What does Dylan expect to find inside the coffin?
2. What does Dylan actually discover inside the coffin?
3. Where was Larocque born?
4. Why was Larocque placed in an orphanage?
5. How did Theobald get to Canada?
6. Why did he choose Cobalt as his final destination?
7. How did Theobald's despair turn into good fortune?

Enrichment: Host a party for the characters in your book.  Make sure that your classmates are willing to research and then assume the roles of the characters in the book.  Prepare invitations and food.  Turn it into a real party.  Don't forget a camera to record the event for posterity.

1. What did Dylan dream about that night?
2. What were Dylan's parents arguing about when he left home?
3. How did Lyon Brown convince Theo to sign over his silver find to Brown Industries.
4. According to Theobald Larocque, what two famous hockey teams traveled to the area to play in the Cobalt arena?
5. Who was Grey Owl?

Research the history of hockey in Cobalt and its environs including the town of Haileybury.  Make sure to include some of the former hockey teams as well as the famous hockey players.

1. What did Dylan dream about this time after his visit to the old man's house?
2. How did Dylan's parents know that he and Wynona hadn't been at the library?
3. What two Comet players were eventually named to the Hockey Hall of Fame?
4. Why did a goaltender once bring a washtub onto the arena ice?
5. What do we learn about Grey Owl in this chapter?
6. How does Larocque react when Dylan asks him if Lyon Brown had anything to do with the box?

Enrichment: Research Grey Owl and locate some of his books in your library.  Do you believe any good came from his charade?  Explain.

1. How does Wynona suggest that she and Dylan visit her great-grandfather?
2. Provide proof that Dylan is very nervous during supper.
3. Why does Dylan look like a baby whale?
4. Describe what happened as Dylan and Wynona were grabbing the cellar door handles at Larocque's house.
5. What caused Mrs. Maples to shriek?

Pretend you are a publisher designing a poster to promote your newest release, "The Secret of the Silver Mines".

1. Why was Dylan grounded?
2. According to Dylan what is the driving force behind his continuing interest in the case?
3. Who paid Dylan and Wynona a surprise visit by the lake?
4. What was in the small box that Dylan had removed earlier from the coffin?
5. What did Lyon Brown insist that Theobald Larocque do with his land claim many years before in the hotel room.
6. Explain the significance of the title of this chapter.
7. How did the old man react when Wynona suggested that he relate his story to Dylan's father?

Enrichment: Write an imaginary dialogue between Dylan's mother and father as they discuss Dylan's recent misbehaviour and how they intend to deal with it.  Present the scene to your classmates.

1. How were Dylan and Wynona able to leave their class without being detected?
2. Who drove them to Cobalt?
3. Why was Larocque known as "the Mole"?
4. How did Lyon Brown convince Larocque that it would be unwise for him to press his claims to the silver mine?
5. What did Larocque want done with the missing silver once it was found?

Enrichment: Make a timeline of all the important events that have occurred in the story. Continue adding to the timeline as you finish reading the story.

1. Why did Dylan and Wynona have to put their investigation plans on hold?
2. Why was the old man unable to cash in on his one percent entitlement to the proceeds from the mine?
3. Why were Wynona and Dylan happy about returning to school?
4. What famous children's books had Leslie McFarlane written?
5. Why did Wynona and Dylan race up the hill to the haunted house?
6. Describe Dylan's dream that night.

Enrichment: Pretend you are a reporter for the Temiskaming Speaker, the local weekly newspaper, and conduct an interview with John Maples about how the case is progressing.  You may wish to prepare a set of questions first and then actually interview one of your classmates who is willing to assume the role of John Maples.

1. What two pieces of news did Dylan relate to Wyn in the lunchroom?
2. What did everyone in Haileybury brag about?
3. How did Wyn and Dylan enter Edison Brown's home?
4. What surprising revelation did they uncover in an old file marked Evidence of Misconduct of the Parents of Theobald T. Larocque?
5. What had Lyon Brown asked his grandson to do with the confidential file?
6. What valuable piece of paper had Wyn taken from the haunted house before the police had searched the home.
7. According to Wynona what was the significance of Larocque repeating the word nine?

Enrichment: Ask your teacher if you can give a book talk to another class in your school about the novel.  Make sure not to give away the ending yet arouse the interest of the students so that they will be interested in reading the book themselves.

1. Who had overheard Dylan and Wyn's conversation in the hospital reception room?
2. How did Wyn and Dylan make their way to Cobalt?
3. Describe the wording on the big sign which was hanging by a single nail.
4. Whose initials did Dylan and Wynona spot scratched onto a large rock?
5. What did Dylan and Wynona do just after the man burst through the door?
6. With what phobia was Dylan afflicted?
7. What caused Wynona to shriek in terror?
8. Why did the sign over the smaller tunnel attract the attention of Dylan and Wynona?
9. What is the gist of the letter that Wynona and Dylan found at the mine?
10. What noises from above made their blood run cold?

Enrichment: Prepare a ten question multiple choice mini quiz for your classmates on the novel.  Administer the test and see who receives the highest score.

1. Who was the man that had been chasing Dylan Maples and Wynona Dixon?
2. Why were the Maples still concerned even after Darragh and McKinley had arrived on the scene to assist with the digging?
3. How was John Maples planning to help the Larocque family?
4. Describe how Dylan's feelings had changed about Cobalt since his arrival in the small town.
5. What did Wynona give Dylan as a departing gift?
6. Describe Theobald Larocque's final moments.

Read another book by Shane Peacock such as The Great Farini or The Mystery of Ireland's Eye.

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Created by Brian Thornton, Capo Creations, Box 1411, Haileybury, Ontario, CANADA. POJ 1KO