The next morning, the girls spotted Melanie in the cafeteria and told her about the mysterious boat they had heard during the night. “I’ll have to report this,” Melanie said. She looked very serious. “No one is allowed to take boats out at night — not even counselors.” She paused, stirring her coffee. “And you’re sure berth number six was vacant?”
Soo Lee nodded. “Yes.”
“Well, whoever took the boat out returned it,” Melanie said. “I was down at the docks half an hour ago, and all the berths were filled.”
Benny came racing into the cafeteria just then, followed by Henry. “We’re getting closer and closer to the thief,” Benny said.
“Maybe not,” Violet said doubtfully. “Maybe he got everything he wanted last night, and he won’t show up again.”
After breakfast, the Aldens decided to take a quick look at the docks. Maybe they could find a clue they had missed the night before. As they strolled along the docks, Benny stared hard at the powerboat docked in berth number six. It looked absolutely normal — white fiberglass finish, a wood-grain dashboard, blue vinyl seats. . . .
Suddenly he stopped dead in his tracks. There was something shiny lying on one of the seats. What was it? It was so small it would fit in the palm of his hand, and it glinted in the morning sun. He tugged urgently on Henry’s arm. “Look at the seat!” he said in a hushed voice. “What is it? Can you reach it?”
Henry used one hand to steady himself and quickly stepped inside the boat. He scooped up the bright object and was back on the dock in a flash.
“What is it?” Benny was nearly jumping up and down in excitement.
“A clue,” Henry said, opening his hand. Everyone crowded around to look at a small gold cigarette lighter. It was initialed with the letters NS. “Probably a very important clue.”
“NS,” Violet said thoughtfully. She and Jessie exchanged a look. “Nick Simon!” they said in unison.
“I think he’s just moved to the top of our list of suspects,” Benny said.
That evening, the counselors took some of the campers to Bird Island for a cookout. The Aldens rode in a large boat, and Melanie rowed across the bay in a rowboat.
“That looks like fun,” Benny said, watching as Melanie smoothly guided the rowboat through the water.
“You certainly did a good job on the wind-surfing simulator,” Jessie said. “Grandfather will be proud of you. We’ll be seeing him tomorrow, you know.”
“Tomorrow?”
“We’ve been here a whole week,” Violet reminded him. “The time went fast because we’ve been doing so much.”
“And learning so many new things,” Soo Lee added.
“I wish we could stay longer,” Benny said. “I never got to use the real wind-surfer. The kind that goes in the water.”
Violet put her arm around him. “Maybe next time, Benny.”
After dinner, everyone sang songs and toasted marshmallows around a campfire. Soo Lee had never tasted marshmallows before, and Benny showed her how to thread them on a stick and hold them over the flames.
“Mmmm!” she said when she’d tried her first toasted marshmallow. “This is great!” Violet felt a little sad because she knew she would miss the camp, and especially Melanie, who had become a good friend. And worst of all, they had never solved the mystery of the missing coral!
“Are you thinking the same thing I am?” Jessie said quietly. She had caught the look on her sister’s face as she stared into the fire.
Violet nodded. “Probably. I’ve been thinking about the coral thief — who he is, what he’s planning to do next. This is the first time we’ve come up against a mystery we couldn’t solve.”
Jessie sighed. “I know. All we can do is hope that the thief slips up somehow, and Melanie catches him after we leave.”
A little later, the counselors suggested a hike around the island, but the Aldens decided to stay at the campfire. The sun had already set in a blaze of fiery orange, and the night air was soft and balmy.
“It’s so peaceful here,” Jessie said. “I want to sit and watch the stars come out one by one.”
“I want to watch the moonlight,” Violet said. “It looks so pretty when it shines on the water.”
“And I want to watch the campfire,” Benny said. “We still have another whole package of marshmallows left!”
Everyone laughed, and the group began hiking along the shore, leaving the Aldens alone.
Darkness spread across the island very quickly, and half an hour later, Benny was startled to see a flashing light on the water. It was at the far end of the island, but he could see it clearly, twinkling in the distance. He stood up, curious, and then he heard a familiar sound. Putt-putt. Putt-putt.
“There’s that boat again,” Violet said in a hushed voice. “I know it!”
Henry and the girls scrambled to their feet. “How can you be so sure?” Henry asked.
“Because it’s the same boat we heard a couple of nights ago,” she insisted.
“Don’t all powerboats sound alike?” Henry asked.
“This one’s different,” Violet said, shaking her head. “It skips a putt every now and then. I know it’s the same one we heard before. Boat number six.”
“You’re right,” Henry agreed. “Melanie said that the boat has a bad transmission, and that’s why it skips every so often.”
“What can we do?” Jessie asked eagerly.
Suddenly the putt-putt sound stopped, and the Aldens stood motionless, straining to hear.
“Why has the noise stopped?” Benny whispered.
“I don’t know — ” Violet started to say, and then stopped. All at once she realized what was going on. “Oh, no!” she cried. “The thief has docked the boat. What if he’s going to steal more coral?”
“We have to get Melanie and the other counselors,” Henry said. “And we need to move fast.”
“They’ve been gone for a while,” Jessie said. “How will we find them?”
“We’ll have to split up,” Henry said. “Violet, you and I will take the rowboat to the other end of the island. At least we’ll know what’s going on, and we may even get a look at the thief.”
“Soo Lee and I can try to find the campers,” Jessie said.
“Don’t walk along the shoreline. It will take too long,” Henry pointed out.
“We’ll cut through the woods instead,” Soo Lee said quickly. She scrambled to her feet, glad that she had worn long pants and sturdy shoes.
“Hey,” Benny said. “How about me?”
“You’re coming with us,” Henry said, grabbing his hand.
“Good — there are three life jackets inside,” Violet said when they reached the rowboat a couple of minutes later. They quickly put them on, and Henry helped Violet and Benny into the rear seat. Then he lowered himself into the middle seat and took up the oars.
When they had almost reached the shore at the other end of the island, Benny heard a sharp sound. “What’s that?” he asked.
“I bet the thief is using a hammer on the coral bed,” Henry said in disgust. “We’ll have to hurry.”
They docked the rowboat as quietly as they could and crept cautiously along the hard-packed sand. The beach was very dark, but suddenly they saw a light dancing at the edge of the water, just a few yards away.
“That light’s moving all by itself!” Benny said in a shaky voice.
“No, there’s a person holding it,” Violet said. She grabbed Benny’s hand and held it tightly. “Someone’s coming out of the water and he’s all dressed in black. That’s why you can’t see him.”
“He’s wearing a wetsuit,” Henry whispered. They inched a little closer. Violet noticed that the person was slim, and carrying a big chunk of coral. A snorkel mask covered most of his face.
“Who is it?” Benny asked, edging close to Violet.
She shook her head. “I can’t tell yet. Let’s see what he does.”
They watched as the dark figure lifted the coral into a powerboat docked nearby and went back into the water.
“He’s after more coral!” Violet said angrily. “We have to stop him!”
“I know,” Henry said, “but we need help. Can you stay here and try to get a look at his face? I’m going to take the rowboat and find the others.”
“Be quick,” Benny said.
“Don’t worry, I will,” Henry assured them.
He darted back to the rowboat, just as the thief emerged from the water. After dropping another load of coral in the powerboat, the figure in the wet suit stopped to rest for a moment.
“What’s he doing now?” Benny whispered.
“I don’t know — ” Violet started to say, and then stopped. The figure had pulled off his snorkel mask, and Violet nearly gasped in surprise. It was Katherine Kelly!
She started to inch backward, still clutching Benny by the hand, when he gave a sharp yelp of pain.
“Oh, Benny,” Violet said. She didn’t want Katherine to see them.
“I’m sorry,” he said in a little voice. “I stepped on a shell.”
Katherine’s head swung around at the sound, but before she could spot them, Violet ran into the woods and pulled Benny behind a giant banyan tree.
Suddenly an arm appeared out of the darkness. It grabbed Violet by the shoulder and she almost screamed.
“It’s okay,” a calm voice said. “It’s only me.” When the man stepped closer, she recognized his face.
“Nick Simon?” she asked doubtfully.
What was he doing in the woods at night?
“There’s nothing to be afraid of,” Nick said. Violet wasn’t sure if she could believe him.
“What’s going on?” Henry’s voice boomed out.
“We’re over here!” Violet called out. Her brother was at her side in a second.
“I was just stepping into the boat when I heard Benny cry out,” Henry said. Then he looked at Nick. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here for the same reason you are. To catch the coral thief.”
Henry hesitated. Was Nick telling the truth? Up until now, he had been one of the main suspects.
“He’s not the thief!” Benny blurted out. “It’s Katherine Kelly. We saw her!”
“Where is she?” Nick asked.
“She’s down at the beach,” Violet said.
“That’s all I need to know,” Nick said. He took a walkie-talkie out of his pocket and spoke a few words. When he finished talking, he smiled at the children. “They’ll pick her up in a few minutes. We have officers all over the island.”
“Officers?” Jessie said in surprise. “You’re with the police?”
“Detective Nick Simon,” he answered, pulling out his badge. “I’ve been working undercover for months, trying to get a lead on the thief. But you’re the ones who really solved the crime,” he told them. “I knew it was someone at Camp Coral, but I couldn’t figure out who.”
“Neither could we,” Henry said. “We even suspected you.”
“Are you sure the police will get there in time?” Violet said worriedly. “All she has to do is jump in the powerboat and get away.”
“Not without this, she won’t.” Henry held up a thin wire. “She can’t get far with her spark plugs disconnected.”
Nick laughed. “You’d make good detectives.” |