Boxcar Children Summer Special

by Charles Tang

  “Can you describe the coral bed?” he asked the children. “I already have Melanie’s statement, but you might have something to add.”

  “It was a very large bed, and really pretty,” Jessie began. “I know there was rose coral and finger coral, because Melanie pointed it out to us. . . . ”

  “Wait a minute!” Violet blurted out. “We can do more than describe it — we can show you a picture of it!” She turned to Melanie. “Remember, you showed me how to use that underwater camera.”

  “So I did,” Melanie said, looking relieved. “Now we’ll have an exact record of the bed.”

  “Where’s your camera?” Mr. Larson asked.

  “It’s in my cabin,” Melanie said. “I can get it for you.”

  “Did someone mention pictures?” Katherine Kelly asked. She had walked into the lodge so quietly no one had heard her. “Maybe I can help. I’m an underwater photographer.”

  “I don’t think so, Katherine,” Melanie said. She looked at Mr. Larson to see if he would volunteer any information, but he shook his head very slightly. Apparently he wasn’t ready to discuss the case with anyone else just yet.

  Katherine Kelly waited awkwardly for a moment, and then said brusquely, “Well, I’d better get going then. I’ve got a lot of work to do this afternoon.”

  As she turned to leave, Benny noticed a series of thin red scratches on Katherine Kelly’s calves. “What happened to your legs?” he blurted out.

  The photographer glanced down in embarrassment. “Oh, it’s nothing,” she said, touching the fiery red marks. “I was playing with Horace, and I guess he got carried away.” She managed a thin smile before hurrying from the room.

  “Horace?” Violet said in amazement. She had met the large orange tabby when they had first arrived at camp. “He’s the world’s friendliest cat. He never scratches anyone.”

  “Not even Bingo the dog,” Benny piped up.

  On her way back with the camera for Mr. Larson, Violet bumped into Joshua Slade.

  “Taking some pictures?” he asked.

  Violet nodded. “I have a roll ready to be developed.”

  “What did you photograph?” He seemed unusually talkative, and Violet wondered why he was so interested.

  “Some tropical fish, some pretty sea grass. . . . ” She thought it was better not to mention the coral or the ongoing investigation.

  “Oh, is that all . . . see you later!” Joshua walked abruptly away.

  What did he mean by that? Violet wondered. What had he thought she was going to say?

  After Violet handed over the film to Mr. Larson, she and Melanie strolled back to the beach to practice wind-surfing. The rest of the Aldens had decided to spend the afternoon learning about underwater shipwrecks. “I know you feel really sad about the coral bed,” Violet said.

  “I do,” Melanie admitted. “It was very special to me.” She bent down to adjust the wind-surfer. “I just hope they find the thief before any more coral is lost. It takes thousands of years to grow, and it can never be replaced.”

  She helped Violet position her feet on the small board, and showed her how to move the sails. “Do you remember what I taught you?”

  “I think so.” Violet kept her balance and tugged at the sails, just as if she were on the ocean. But her mind was elsewhere. Joshua Slade was friendly one minute, and unfriendly the next. Why? Katherine Kelly was covered with scratches and blamed it on the cat. But the cat was friendly and never scratched anyone. And Nick Simon didn’t seem to know a thing about marine biology. There were so many mysteries at Camp Coral.

  “Violet, hold the sails with more force. You’re letting them get too slack!” Melanie said.

  “Sorry,” Violet muttered and tightened her grip.

  “That’s much better,” Melanie said approvingly. “You’ll be out in the waves in no time.”

  “Thanks.” Violet smiled at the counselor, still thinking. None of the little mysteries could compare to the big mystery they were all facing. Who was stealing coral? Violet would have some free time after dinner that evening, and she knew exactly how she was going to spend it. It was time for an Alden family conference. Maybe all four of them — and Soo Lee, of course — could catch the thief and solve the mystery.

  CHAPTER 6

  Benny Finds an Unusual Coin

  The camp was quiet when the Aldens gathered at a picnic table down by the dock later that evening. Many of the campers used their free time to read and relax in their cabins, while others worked on their craft projects like painting, macrame, and pottery.

  Violet told everyone her suspicions of Katherine Kelly, Joshua Slade, and Nick Simon. When she finished, no one said anything for a moment.

  “Does anyone have any ideas?” she asked, watching as Benny skimmed a flat rock over the water.

  Henry looked thoughtful. “I wonder if there could be a logical explanation for some of the things we’ve noticed.”

  “There’s something else funny about Joshua Slade,” Benny said. “Remember, I saw him stuff a fish in his shirt.”

  Jessie laughed. “We’re not sure it was a fish, Benny, but you’re right,” she said. “It sounds like he was hiding something that day we were all out collecting specimens together.”

  “That’s true,” Soo Lee agreed. “But what about Katherine Kelly? I can’t believe that Horace really scratched her legs.”

  “You’re right, that does seem strange,” Jessie offered. “But why would she lie about it?” Suddenly she remembered the first day they had visited Melanie’s island. They had wrapped beach towels around their legs to protect themselves from the dense underbrush. “The mangrove trees!” she exclaimed.

  “If Katherine Kelly scratched her legs when she was stealing coral on Melanie’s island, she wouldn’t want anyone to know about it. She had to explain the scratches somehow, so she blamed Horace.”

  “But how would she get to the island?” Henry asked. “Only counselors are allowed to use the boats.”

  “She could go out very quietly at night when everyone was asleep,” Soo Lee suggested.

  “I saw lights on the water one night!” Benny said, turning back to the group. “Do you think that’s a clue?”

  Jessie smiled. Benny always loved to solve a mystery. “There are probably a lot of boats on the water at night, Benny, and they all have lights.” When she saw the disappointed look on his face, she added, “That could be a good clue, though, Benny. We’ll have to remember that.”

  Henry was leaning against a palm tree, staring out at the darkening sky. “You know, I just thought of something else important. Remember that chisel I found the first day at the island? That could have been left there by the thief.”

  “That’s a good point,” Jessie said. “We need to mention that to Mr. Larson from the Coast Guard. I’m sure he’ll be back tomorrow — ”

  Suddenly a slim figure stepped out from the shadows. “A lovely evening, isn’t it?” Hilary Slade smiled at Benny and skimmed a stone across the water, just as he had done a few minutes earlier. “I used to love to do this, too, when I was a kid,” she said in a friendly way.

  Had she been standing there all the time? Violet wondered. Had she been eavesdropping on their conversation?

  Henry was puzzled too. Why was she making such an effort to be nice? She rarely bothered to talk to the children at dinner and had only spoken a few words to them during their whole time at camp.

  Hilary turned her attention to Soo Lee. “That’s beautiful,” she said, touching the bright yellow jute. “It’s macrame, isn’t it? How did you ever learn to do that?”

  “I’m taking a craft class,” Soo Lee explained. “It’s not very hard,” she added, holding up the bright yellow band. “I picked an easy pattern. It has only two different kinds of knots.”

  “Two kinds of knots?” Hilary looked impressed. “I could never do that. I’m all thumbs.”

  “No, it’s easy, really,” Soo Lee insisted. She handed her the strip of macrame. �
�All you have to know is a square knot and a half-hitch.” She pronounced these new words carefully.

  “Never heard of them,” Hilary said with a laugh. “I guess I’ll take your word for it, though.”

  Soo Lee looked surprised. “But my teacher said they are the same knots sailors use,” she said. “Don’t you use them on your boats?”

  “Oh, well . . . ” Hilary’s face was flushed and she looked embarrassed. “I leave all that up to my husband.” She quickly thrust the macrame into Soo Lee’s hands. “Well,” she said briskly, “look how dark the sky is getting. I must be getting back to the cabin. See you tomorrow!” Before anyone could say a word, she turned away and hurried down the path.

  “She certainly wanted to leave in a hurry,” Violet said.

  “I think she didn’t want us to know that she didn’t recognize those sailing knots,” Jessie added.

  “So now there are four people who are suspects,” Soo Lee said.

  “Four?” Benny asked. “I thought we had three — Joshua and Hilary Slade, and Katherine Kelly.”

  “Don’t forget about Nick Simon,” Henry said grimly. “Every time anyone asks him a question about fish, he seems to draw a blank.”

  “And he’s supposed to be a marine biologist!” Jessie exclaimed.

  “And there’s something else about him,” Henry said. “He seemed worried when we spotted him in Key West talking to that fisherman friend of his.”

  “Who might not be a fisherman at all.” Jessie stood up. “Remember how pale he was?”

  Henry nodded. “I don’t think he’s telling the truth about his friend, but I can’t imagine why he would lie.”

  Benny yawned, and Jessie took him by the hand. “I think we should all get a good night’s sleep, and maybe we can figure out some answers tomorrow.”

  When Benny started to get up, he noticed an old coin wedged between the wooden slats of the picnic table.

  “Look!” said Benny, showing the coin to Henry and Jessie. “I’m going to keep this!” The coin was dented and uneven around the edges, but Benny didn’t mind. He loved to collect things, and he stuck it in his pocket.

  The next morning at breakfast, the Aldens sat at a long table by the window, discussing the mystery. They stopped talking abruptly when Joshua and Hilary Slade joined them.

  “Good morning!” Hilary said cheerily to the Aldens.

  Everyone greeted her politely, but Henry was more suspicious than ever. Why was she being so friendly?

  “What are your plans for the day?” Joshua asked.

  “We’re going on a glass-bottom boat ride over the coral reef this morning,” Jessie told him. “And then we’re going back to Key West in the afternoon to visit a treasure museum.”

  “A treasure museum! That certainly sounds like fun,” Hilary said. “Wouldn’t it be just wonderful to find some real buried treasure?”

  “That’s what Mel Fisher did,” Henry told her. “He and his wife discovered a famous ship called the Atocha. It was a Spanish galleon that went down in a hurricane in the 1600s off the coast of Florida.”

  “I read about it,” Jessie said. “It had been lying on the ocean floor all that time, and was full of treasure — gold bars, coins, and jewels. People had been looking for it for years, but it was Mel Fisher who finally found it.”

  “Did he bring it up?” Benny asked excitedly. “Can we go see it?”

  “The Atocha is still on the ocean floor, but he brought up all the treasure. He has a lot of it on display in his museum,” Henry told his brother.

  “And that’s where we’re going today!” Benny said. “Yippee!”

  “You seem to be really interested in treasure,” Joshua said.

  “I am! I collect coins,” Benny said proudly. “I found a really interesting one last night.”

  “Really? What’s it like?” Joshua stopped eating, his fork in midair.

  “Well, it’s really old, and it’s hard to read what it says on it.” He paused, surprised at their interest.

  “Do you have it with you?” Hilary asked sharply.

  “No, it’s back in my room.” Benny looked a little uncertain. Hilary suddenly seemed irritated with him.

  “What else did you notice about the coin?” her husband persisted.

  Benny shrugged. “It’s uneven around the edges.” He grinned. “That’s what I like about it. That’s what makes it special.”

  “Does it have any markings on it?” Hilary leaned close to him, her eyes piercing. “Try to remember.”

  Benny scrunched his forehead in thought.

  “It has a coat of arms on it, doesn’t it?” Violet said.

  “A coat of arms!” Hilary was so excited she jiggled her cup, and her coffee flooded the saucer. She pushed it away and looked at her husband. “I don’t feel very hungry. Why don’t we head back to the cabin?”

  “Good idea.” Joshua pushed back his chair. “See you later,” he said briefly to the children.

  “Those two are acting really suspicious lately,” Jessie said quietly to the others. “I think we should keep an eye on them.”

  Jessie nodded and swallowed a forkful of pancakes. “So do I. Right now, there are four suspects, and the Slades are at the top of the list.”

  CHAPTER 7

  A Trip to the Coral Reef

  “You’re going to see some beautiful coral out at the reef,” Melanie said, as they boarded a glass-bottom boat later that morning. They had driven into Key West after breakfast and were taking their seats on the upper deck of a large white boat called the Fury.

  “And fish, too?” Benny asked. He had already learned to identify several kinds of tropical fish, and wanted to see more.

  Melanie laughed. “Over six hundred varieties. That’s enough to satisfy any fish lover!”

  As soon as the boat got under way, Melanie asked the children what they knew about the coral reef.

  “I know it’s over a hundred miles long,” Violet said. “And it runs just offshore of the Florida Keys.”

  “That’s right,” Melanie agreed.

  “Why don’t we have any coral reefs up near Greenfield?” Benny asked.

  “Because the reef is made up of coral polyps, and they need warm water to survive. They die if you put them in water that’s cooler than seventy degrees.”

  An hour later, they dropped anchor over a large coral bed, and everyone went below to the observation deck. “Wow, now I see why they call this a glass-bottom boat!” Benny dashed along the narrow walkways dividing glass panels that revealed the ocean floor.

  “The fish are so close we could touch them,” Violet said, watching as a midnight-blue parrot fish glided by.

  “I think this fish had too much to eat,” Benny said, dropping to his knees to get a better look. He pointed to a large tan fish that looked almost round.

  “That’s a Southern puffer,” Melanie said. “He’s not really fat, Benny. He sucks in a bellyfull of water and makes himself look three times as big. That way, he scares off other fish who might bother him.”

  Jessie admired some beautiful elkhorn, staghorn, and branch coral, and Melanie reminded her that they grow only two or three inches a year.

  “It’s seems funny that coral is actually alive,” Violet pointed out.

  “But it’s true. The coral reef is constantly growing new colonies of polyps on top of the skeletons of older ones. Coral can live for centuries. The reef is thousands of years old.”

  As Melanie talked about the reef, Henry’s mind went back to the coral theft on the island. Would the Coast Guard be able to catch the thief? he wondered. He went over the list of suspects that they had come up with, and felt confused. That was the whole problem, he decided. There were plenty of suspects, but no real clues. And worst of all, no proof!

  After lunch, the group headed to the Mel Fisher Museum to see the riches of the famous Spanish ship, the Atocha. Benny was thrilled to touch a genuine gold bar, and Jessie admired a beautiful belt studded with rubies and diamo
nds. “Do you know dolphins were trained to bring up some of the emeralds from the wreck?” a museum guide asked.

  “Emeralds? Why would dolphins be interested in emeralds?” Violet asked, puzzled.

  “Because we rewarded them with their favorite treat — mackerel!”

  That evening, at bedtime, Benny thought about his own treasure — the bent coin he had found at the dock. He had seen a picture of Mel Fisher wearing a gold coin on a chain around his neck. Benny wanted to do the same thing. “Henry, can you drill a hole in my coin tomorrow?”

  “Sure, Benny, I’ll be glad to.” Henry tucked the covers around his little brother, and within minutes, both boys fell fast asleep.

  It was nearly midnight when Benny awoke with a start. He heard a faint rustling noise, but he couldn’t pinpoint exactly where it was coming from. And he was too scared to open his eyes.

  “Henry, is that you?” he whispered. There was no answer. He strained to listen, as goosebumps rose on his arms. Should he scramble out of bed and wake his brother? He decided to wait a couple of more minutes.

  He was completely awake now, and he knew he wasn’t imagining what he heard.

  Something was brushing against the lampshade on his night table. Something was jiggling the brush and comb on his dresser top. Something was bumping into his bed.

  “Henry?” Benny said softly, his voice trembling.

  Just then he heard the door creak open. Benny lay very still, listening. But the cabin was quiet now.

  Benny couldn’t stay still another minute. He jumped out of bed and raced across the room to flip on the light switch.

  “What’s going on?” Henry sat straight up in bed, rubbing his eyes.

  The cabin was flooded with light, and Benny pointed to the door. It was open!

  “Someone was in here,” Benny stammered. “Someone was here, in our cabin.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m positive.” He jumped back in bed and pulled his knees up to his chest. Even though the danger was over, he still felt scared, and his teeth were chattering.

  Henry crossed the floor and checked the solid pine door. “It could have been the wind,” he said hesitantly. “But this is a pretty heavy door.”