The Secret of the Dark Waterfall

by Alexander McCall Smith

  The Captain glanced at Mr Rigger, who looked just as puzzled.

  But Miss Worsfold guessed what Ben was driving at. “I think there was somebody else there,” she said to Ben. “There was somebody else with Geoffrey Shark – somebody you want to protect.” She paused, and looked straight at Ben. “Is that right, Ben?” Then she added, “Your friend, Badger, perhaps?”

  Ben nodded. It had all come out now. Badger’s name had been mentioned.

  Captain Macbeth cleared his throat. “I see. Well, I must say I’m not surprised. That boy has been led badly astray by Hardtack and his friends, and it’s a great pity.” He looked kindly at Ben. “He was your good friend, wasn’t he?”

  Again, Ben nodded.

  The Captain continued, “You know, MacTavish,” he said to Ben, “friendship at sea is a very important thing. You have to be able to count on your friends because you may need them to keep you – and the ship – safe.”

  “That’s right,” said Mr Rigger. “When I was just starting at sea, my life was saved by one of the other sea cadets. I’ll never forget that. And years later, I was able to do something for him.”

  “And it hurts a lot when a friendship goes wrong,” said Miss Worsfold.

  The Captain had made up his mind. “I think I can give you the assurance you want,” he said. “I won’t do anything about Badger for the next few days. But eventually, I’m afraid, I’ll have to have a very serious talk with that young man, and with Geoffrey Shark too, of course.”

  Ben felt very grateful. “Thank you, sir,” he said. “I can’t believe that Badger is one hundred per cent bad, you know.”

  “Nobody’s one hundred per cent bad,” said the Captain. “Most of us are a bit of a mixture, aren’t we? We have a good side and a not-so-good side. We just have to hope that the good side outweighs the bad.”

  Now that Ben knew he could speak freely, he told the Captain exactly what had happened when he and Rory had paddled across to the Swordfish in their kayaks. The Captain listened carefully. “There’s nothing we can do about those people,” he said. “I’ve sent a message to the authorities about the wreck and I hope they’ll send somebody out to take a look at it, but until they come, we can’t stop others from diving there.”

  Poppy now joined in. “Ben and I were wondering about something,” she said. “We thought that if there was no treasure on the Viking boat, then it might be somewhere else. We thought it might have been hidden in a cave nearby.”

  The Captain looked interested. “And you’d like to take a look for it?” he asked.

  “Yes,” said Poppy. “We could go tomorrow. We probably won’t find anything, but at least we’ll have tried.”

  The Captain thought for a moment, then looked at Miss Worsfold. “Would you be willing to go with them, Miss Worsfold?” he asked. “Perhaps you and Matron could both go along?”

  Miss Worsfold was keen to do this.

  “Good,” said the Captain. “That’s settled, then.”

  As they made their way back down the passage, Poppy looked at Ben. “What next?” she said.

  “We get our team together for tomorrow,” said Ben. “Fee, Thomas and Tanya, if she wants to come.”

  “And Henry?” asked Poppy. “It could be useful to have a dog on a treasure hunt.”

  Ben laughed. “Yes, I suppose he’d be good at digging,” he said.

  Poppy agreed. Then she looked at Ben. “You still seem a bit worried.”

  “Yes,” he admitted. “I’ve got something really difficult to do, and I’m not going to put it off any longer.”

  A confession

  That evening there was hobby hour after dinner. This was a popular activity on board the Tobermory as it gave the young crew the opportunity to spend time on the different things they liked to do. Some people were in a band that practised in the mess hall, others liked to watch a movie, and others just liked to sit around and talk. It was left up to them to do as they pleased, and the members of the staff never interfered.

  Ben and Thomas were planning to work on a model pirate ship they had been building. It was a complicated affair, made to scale and with intricate sails and rigging connected to the main balsa-wood hull. It was slow work, but they were pleased with the results so far and planned to enter it in a national modelling competition.

  Thomas could tell that Ben was unsettled. “Are you sure you want to work on the ship tonight?” he asked after they had laid out their modelling equipment in the Tobermory’s workshop.

  “Yes,” said Ben rather absently, before adding, “Well, no, actually.” And then, as an afterthought, “But I’ll try.”

  They settled down to work, but after a few minutes, Ben stood up. “I’m going up on deck,” he said to Thomas. “You carry on. I’ll come back later.”

  Thomas shrugged. Ben was clearly in a bit of a mood, and in his experience when people are in a mood it is best simply to allow them to get over it in their own way. So he got on with what he was doing while Ben left and began to make his way up to the deck.

  There were only a few people outside, even though it was a warm night and still quite light. Ben noticed Amanda Birtwhistle talking to Tanya up at the prow of the boat. They often giggled a lot when they chatted, and he could hear them now. He never found out what the joke was, though, as they always clammed up if he asked them what was so funny.

  But it was not the two girls he was looking for – he was hoping to find somebody else. And now he saw him: Badger, all by himself, leaning on the stern railing, looking down at the water.

  Ben approached the other boy quietly. He had become used to Badger’s odd behaviour over recent days and he knew that if he called out to him, Badger might simply turn and walk away.

  Badger did not see him come over, and now Ben was standing right behind him.

  “Hello, Badge,” Ben said.

  Badger spun round, clearly taken aback by Ben’s silent approach. He opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it. And then Ben noticed something he had not expected: Badger was crying.

  For a few moments, neither boy said anything. In his embarrassment, Badger reached up to wipe the tears from his eyes, but this only seemed to make matters worse. Now his body was wracked by sobs, and he turned away, hugging his arms to his sides, a picture of misery.

  Ben stepped forward. “Oh, Badge,” he said. “You mustn’t cry.”

  You mustn’t cry is what people often say to somebody they find crying, but it is not easy advice to follow. Sometimes you have to cry. Sometimes you can’t help yourself, and crying is the only thing to do.

  Ben reached out. He put an arm on Badger’s shoulder. He half expected the other boy to push him away, but he did not. So Ben put his other arm around his friend in an attempt to comfort him.

  “Do you want to talk to me about it?” murmured Ben. “It’s best to talk, you know. It really is.”

  At first there was no reply from Badger, but then, between sobs, he finally heard the words he had been longing to hear.

  “I’m sorry,” said Badger. “I’m so, so sorry.”

  “You don’t have to say sorry,” Ben said. “You really don’t.”

  Badger’s sobs were easing off now. “I do, you know,” he said. “I need to say sorry to everybody.”

  Ben waited. If there was something that Badger needed to say, then it would be best, he thought, to give him the time to say it. And over the next few minutes that is exactly what happened.

  “I have to tell you something,” said Badger.

  “Only if you want to,” said Ben.

  “I do. I have to tell you that although I hang out with Hardtack and the others, I don’t really like them.”

  Badger looked at Ben, meeting his gaze, and Ben knew that he was telling the truth.

  “I can understand that,” said Ben. “But why do you do it, Badge?”

  Badger hesitated. Then he confessed. “They’re forcing me to,” he said.

  Ben frowned. Why was Badger lettin
g them do this? Surely it would have been simple for him to go to the Captain and report what was happening? That was the policy on the Tobermory to deal with such behaviour. The Captain would not tolerate bullying, and bullies were dealt with firmly.

  But what Badger had to say next was much more complicated than that. Ben listened in complete silence, appalled at what Badger was telling him, but saying nothing to stop the flow of the story.

  “It started quite a while ago,” Badger began. “Hardtack and Shark came up to me at the end of last term, when we were all about to leave the ship for home. Shark did the talking. He said that they knew something about me and they would tell the Captain about it unless I did what they said.”

  Ben drew in his breath. “They threatened you?” he asked.

  “Yes,” said Badger. “It was a threat all right.”

  “But what were they talking about? What did they say they’d tell the Captain?”

  Badger looked down at the deck. He was clearly ashamed. “I did something terrible, Ben.”

  Ben drew in his breath. A part of him did not want to hear any more. Sometimes it is easier not to know certain things about our friends.

  But Badger looked up now and began to explain. “Do you remember what happened last term? Do you remember how we lost one of the rowing boats?”

  Ben nodded. He remembered the incident very clearly – everybody on board did, because losing a rowing boat is a serious matter.

  “Well,” Badger continued, “you’ll remember that the boat was tied up at the side of the ship one night but was not there the next morning.”

  “Yes,” said Ben. “I remember that.” And everyone said that it can’t have been properly tied up.”

  “That’s right,” said Badger. “And they thought that the tide had carried it off.”

  “And it was never found,” Ben added.

  “No, it was never found.” Badger hesitated. “Well, I was the one who tied that knot – the knot that failed. I was careless, and when the tide started to run it took the boat with it.”

  Ben said nothing. He had not expected this, and it was taking some time for it to sink in.

  Badger continued. “Captain Macbeth asked whoever had tied up the boat to own up. I should have done that, but I was too scared. I thought I’d get into real trouble for having been so irresponsible. I just knew what my dad would say if he was asked to pay to replace it.”

  Ben could imagine how Badger felt. “I’d probably have felt the same,” he said quietly.

  “I don’t think so,” said Badger. “I’m a coward, you see, Ben.”

  Ben shook his head vigorously. “No you aren’t, Badge. You’re not a coward. It’s only natural to feel scared of getting into trouble.”

  “Well, whatever it is, it was the wrong thing to do,” Badger went on. “It was the wrong thing to do because by the time Hardtack and Shark came along and said they had seen me tying the knot, it was too late for me to go to the Captain. I would only have got into far worse trouble for not owning up when I should have.”

  “So you decided to join up with them rather than be reported to the Captain?”

  “Yes,” said Badger. “I did. And once I had done that, life became terrible. They like to order me about and be part of all their horrible schemes. To show how much they could control me, they told me I had to break off my friendship with you, and even hurt you.”

  So that explained Badger’s behaviour on the rope ladder when he had trodden on his hand, Ben thought to himself.

  Badger sighed, and for a moment Ben thought he would burst into tears once again. “There’s no escape, Ben. I’m trapped.”

  Ben felt a sudden surge of anger. This anger, though, was not directed against Badger, but against Hardtack and Shark, and even against the unfortunate Flubber, who was well known as being the weakest of the trio.

  There is something you can do, Badge,” he blurted out. “You can go to Captain Macbeth right now and tell him the truth. It’s never too late to tell the truth – never.”

  Badger did not seem convinced, but Ben could see that he was thinking about it. All that was required, he felt, was a push – just a little push to ensure that his friend escaped from the terrible mess he had got himself into.

  “I mean it, Badge,” he pressed. “If you go and confess everything, that will mean Hardtack and his bunch will have nothing on you. You’ll be free.”

  “But I’ll get into trouble,” said Badger.

  “You’re in trouble already,” argued Ben. “And if you don’t get away from that crowd, you’ll be in even deeper trouble, sure as anything.”

  Badger thought about it. Then, after a few minutes of silence, he said, “Will you come with me, Ben? I can’t do it on my own.”

  Ben did not hesitate. “Of course, I will,” he said.

  “Come in!” called Captain Macbeth.

  As they stood outside the door of the Great Cabin, Badger looked nervously at Ben. “I’m not sure …” he began.

  Ben gripped his arm and gave it a squeeze. “Don’t change your mind,” he said. “Not now.”

  “But …”

  Ben gave Badger’s arm another squeeze. “Come on, Badge,” he urged. “You’re not a coward.”

  “Come in!” Captain Macbeth called again, slightly impatiently now.

  Badger took a deep breath and opened the door. Once inside, the two boys saw the Captain seated at his desk. Mr Rigger, who was holding a chart, was standing beside him. They both looked as if they were in the middle of some complicated navigational planning.

  “Yes?” asked the Captain abruptly. “Is this important? Mr Rigger and I are extremely busy, I’m afraid.”

  Badger lowered his eyes. “It’s very important, Captain.”

  “Well then,” said Captain Macbeth. “What is it, Tomkins?”

  Badger’s voice was unsteady. “I’ve come to tell you that I’ve done something stupid.”

  The Captain raised an eyebrow. “Something stupid? What precisely have you done?”

  “I didn’t tell you that I was the one who caused that rowing boat to be lost last term. I didn’t pay attention when I was tying the knot. I was careless.”

  The Captain tensed. “Go on,” he said quietly.

  Badger swallowed hard and began to tell the full story. When he had finished, both the Captain and Mr Rigger were silent. Ben closed his eyes and wondered whether he had done the right thing in persuading Badger to speak up. If Badger were expelled and sent home for good, it would be his fault.

  The Captain broke the silence. “Why didn’t you tell me at the time?” he asked.

  Badger looked miserable. “Because I’m a coward,” he said. “I didn’t have the courage.”

  The Captain looked at Mr Rigger, and Mr Rigger looked at the Captain.

  “You’re not a coward,” Captain Macbeth said suddenly. “If you were a coward, you wouldn’t be standing in front of me right now.”

  Ben felt a surge of relief. He had hoped that the Captain would be understanding. “Any of us can make a mistake,” he continued. He turned to Mr Rigger. “Isn’t that true, Mr Rigger?”

  “Of course it is,” agreed Mr Rigger. “There’s nobody – not one single person – who hasn’t done something stupid at some time or other.”

  “That’s right,” said the Captain. “I can’t pretend I’m not annoyed with you for not coming to me earlier, but the important thing is that you’ve come, and better late than never is what I always say.”

  “Yes,” said Mr Rigger. “That’s true.”

  “I can’t say that I approve of Hardtack and his friends,” said the Captain. “He and Shark at least will certainly be punished for this.”

  Badger winced. “Do you have to, sir?”

  The Captain, Mr Rigger and Ben looked surprised.

  “I’d prefer it if you didn’t punish them. I’d just like to tell them myself that I’ve had enough of them and won’t take any more of their bullying. I’ll feel better if I w
alk away from them like that.”

  Ben thought this was a good idea. “If you let Badger do this, Captain,” he said, “then it will show them that they can’t go round threatening people whenever they like. They’ll learn that people can stand up to them.”

  The Captain mulled this over. Then he said, “Well, on this occasion I agree – if you’re sure this is what you want.”

  Badger nodded and it was all settled. Ben, though, had a request to make. “Do you think that now this is over, Badger and I could share a cabin again?”

  The Captain thought about this for a moment. “What about Quinn?” he asked. “Will he mind?”

  Rory was a popular boy and had made many friends during the short time he had been aboard the Tobermory, so Ben thought he would be perfectly happy to have another cabin-mate. In fact, Rory had mentioned that he got on very well with another new recruit, James, who had already asked if Rory would like to share with him.

  “In that case,” said the Captain, “I see no problem with this.”

  As they left the Captain’s cabin, Badger turned to Ben and said, “Thank you, Ben. Thank you for everything.”

  “You don’t have to thank me,” said Ben. “I’m your friend. You don’t have to thank your friends.”

  But Badger knew he had much to be thankful for.

  As they walked away from the Captain’s cabin, both boys were happier than they had been for a very long time. They were friends again, and that counted for so much – more than he could ever say, thought Ben. And Badger thought exactly the same thing.

  Treasure hunt

  At breakfast the following morning Badger had to endure the hostile stares of Hardtack and Co. They had been surprised to see him sitting at his old table once more rather than with them. Ben noticed them huddled in conference before Hardtack sent Shark over to have a word with Badger.

  “Hey, Badger,” said Shark coldly. “Aren’t you sitting in the wrong place?”

  Badger looked up from his plate of scrambled eggs. “Wrong place, Geoff? No, this is where I belong, I think. Sorry. No offence.”

  Shark stood quite still. “Here?” he said after a while. “You think you belong here?”