Read Online Alaska Adventure by Cynthia Baxter - Free Book Online Page B

tightly fastened, the buttons done up all the way. Her feet were covered with rubber shoes that laced up her ankles. She wore a pair of cotton gardening gloves on her hands and a floppy canvas fisherman’s hat on her head. Around her neck was a bright red bandanna. As if all that weren’t enough, her nose and cheeks were white, smeared with a thick coating of zinc oxide.
    “Exactly what are you anticipating out there today, Cassie?” Laurel asked as gently as she could.
    “Everything! Mosquitoes, sunburn—”
    “Cassie’s right to be cautious,” Dr. Wells interrupted. “Sunburn can be a real problem—especially on the water, where the sun’s rays are reflected off the surface of the lake.” From his knapsack he pulled out two bottles. The first was a large plastic bottle of sunblock, the second Cutter’s mosquito repellent. “The mosquitoes are no fun, either. Pass both of these around—and be generous. The first day out is always the worst.”
    “I’ll pass, thanks,” Trip called over his shoulder. He was bent over one of the canoes, loading equipment.
    “I highly recommend a good dose of each,” said Dr. Wells. “That includes you, Trip. Your coloring is pretty fair. I know people don’t generally think of Alaska as the sunburn capital of the world, but—”
    “If you don’t mind, I’ll take my chances.”
    Dr. Wells hesitated a moment, then shrugged. “I guess some lessons simply have to be learned the hard way.” He handed both bottles to Mariah. “Okay, let’s pair off, two per canoe.”
    “Laurel and I are going together,” Cassie piped up.
    “You do know your way around a canoe, don’t you?” Dr. Wells asked Laurel.
    When she nodded, he turned his attention to the others. “It makes sense to have at least one person in each boat who knows what he or she is doing. Mariah, do you have any experience with canoes?”
    “Yeah, right,” Trip said under his breath. “Riding the rapids is the second most popular pastime in Beverly Hills—after shopping for designer toothbrushes on Rodeo Drive, that is.”
    “That’s enough, Trip,” Dr. Wells said sternly. “Mariah, you pair up with Russ. That’ll put Trip and me in the last canoe.”
    As Laurel pulled on her orange flotation jacket, standing next to the boat that had been designated as the one she and Cassie were to share, she said, “I’ll take the front. That’ll make it easier to steer. Besides, it’ll help you learn—Cassie, what is all that?”
    She watched in amazement as Cassie hauled a huge plastic shopping bag into the canoe, doing her best to tuck it between her feet.
    Cassie froze. “Nothing, really. Just some stuff I thought I might need.”
    “What kind of stuff? Dr. Wells brought along enough supplies and equipment for the entire day.”
    “Just some ... extra provisions.”
    “You mean food?”
    In response to her nod, Laurel said, “But Cassie, we’re already dragging along enough food for a small army.”
    Cassie pushed her bag back further, meanwhile keeping her eyes down. “I’m afraid I might get hungry. These are just some cookies and things I brought from home.”
    Laurel resisted the temptation to engage in an argument she suspected she could never win. Instead, she turned her attention to the lake that stretched ahead, waiting to be explored.
    The day couldn’t have been more delightful nor the mood more upbeat as the group set out in the three canoes. The six paddles sent out waves of ripples, intermingling in kaleidoscopic patterns on the glassy surface of the lake as the canoes skimmed smoothly across the water. To her left, Laurel could see Dr. Wells and Trip, their boat already far ahead. Off to the right, Russ was paddling with ease, his canoe close to hers. Marian, sitting behind him, struggled with her paddle, her face twisted into a grimace as she wrestled with the water.
    Laurel slowed down so that she and Cassie were bringing up the rear. She wanted a chance to enjoy her