wait where she was for Spirit. Thankfully he came quickly and, feeling his vibrations in the water, Antonia clicked his name.
“Spirit?”
“Nearly there, Silver Dolphin.”
“Take care, the boat owners have returned.”
“I can see them,” Spirit clicked. “They’re loading dive bags on to the bigger boat.”
A heavy feeling lodged in Antonia’s stomach. They were too late! Mr and Mrs Jones had already completed their raid. When Spirit reached her and greeted her by rubbing noses, Antonia sadly rubbed back.
“Well done, Silver Dolphin,” Spirit clicked. “You did well to call me.”
“But we’re too late,” said Antonia.
Just then the speedboat engine roared to life. Antonia and Spirit froze, but the boat raced off in the opposite direction.
“They’re going back for more!”
Antonia was outraged. “Can you swim and distract them? I’ll go and find out what they’ve been collecting, then I’ll swim back to shore and tell the coastguard.”
“Careful, Silver Dolphin, warned Spirit.
“Remember, we work in secret. Don’t get caught.”
“I won’t,” said Antonia. “And you take care too. Mr and Mrs Jones might net you next.”
Spirit clicked a laugh. “They would have a hard job.”
He started to swim away, then quickly circled back. “I’ll call for the other Silver Dolphin too. You might need help.”
Spirit opened his mouth and began to whistle. A shiver of excitement tingled down Antonia’s spine. Her fingers strayed to her own silver dolphin charm and she clasped hold of it. The charm felt alive, its tiny body throbbing in her hand. Inside her head, Antonia heard a faint sound. Was it Cai answering Spirit’s call? She closed her eyesand listened, but the noise slipped away like soft sand in an hourglass. Spirit nudged her gently in the side. Antonia’s eyes flew open in surprise. For a moment, she’d forgotten where she was.
“The Silver Dolphin is on his way. Wait for him. I’m going after the boat,” said Spirit.
Antonia didn’t want to wait. She wanted to go aboard the
Georgie Girl
and see what Emily’s parents had been collecting, but she didn’t dare argue with Spirit. Impatiently, she trod water while she waited for Cai.
Chapter Thirteen
C ai arrived faster than Antonia thought he would and wasn’t even out of breath. His face fell when he saw Antonia, but he recovered quickly, exclaiming, “You beat me! I was sure I’d be first this time. Where’s Spirit?”
Quickly, Antonia explained everything andwhen she’d finished Cai said, “So you were right about Emily’s parents. I’m sorry I laughed at you.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
It wasn’t Cai’s fault that he didn’t have Antonia’s sixth sense, but she was glad that he knew now that she hadn’t imagined it all.
Quickly they swam to the
Georgie Girl
and climbed up the ladder. Antonia went first and when she reached the top she gasped in disbelief at the horror on board. The deck was covered with shallow trays, each filled to the brim with sea creatures. Writhing starfish, baby crabs frantically waving little claws, sea horses, sea urchins, there were even a few small fish with their mouths open, gasping for breath as they fried in the early morning sun.
“Quick. Help me get them back to the sea before they die,” cried Antonia.
She picked up the tray nearest to her and staggering under the weight of it, tipped it over the side of the boat. Animals spun through the air, tangled together like jewellery, then slowly sunk in the bright blue water. Antonia picked up a second tray and Cai grabbed one too.
“I never thought Emily’s parents would be bad enough to kill animals. It’s so cruel leaving them in the sun to dry out,” cried Cai.
“I knew they were bad,” muttered Antonia, emptying the tray overboard and going back for another. “These are stolen treasures. The animals belong to the sea.”
She stooped for another tray, then jumpedback as a small fish flipped itself on to
“Spirit?”
“Nearly there, Silver Dolphin.”
“Take care, the boat owners have returned.”
“I can see them,” Spirit clicked. “They’re loading dive bags on to the bigger boat.”
A heavy feeling lodged in Antonia’s stomach. They were too late! Mr and Mrs Jones had already completed their raid. When Spirit reached her and greeted her by rubbing noses, Antonia sadly rubbed back.
“Well done, Silver Dolphin,” Spirit clicked. “You did well to call me.”
“But we’re too late,” said Antonia.
Just then the speedboat engine roared to life. Antonia and Spirit froze, but the boat raced off in the opposite direction.
“They’re going back for more!”
Antonia was outraged. “Can you swim and distract them? I’ll go and find out what they’ve been collecting, then I’ll swim back to shore and tell the coastguard.”
“Careful, Silver Dolphin, warned Spirit.
“Remember, we work in secret. Don’t get caught.”
“I won’t,” said Antonia. “And you take care too. Mr and Mrs Jones might net you next.”
Spirit clicked a laugh. “They would have a hard job.”
He started to swim away, then quickly circled back. “I’ll call for the other Silver Dolphin too. You might need help.”
Spirit opened his mouth and began to whistle. A shiver of excitement tingled down Antonia’s spine. Her fingers strayed to her own silver dolphin charm and she clasped hold of it. The charm felt alive, its tiny body throbbing in her hand. Inside her head, Antonia heard a faint sound. Was it Cai answering Spirit’s call? She closed her eyesand listened, but the noise slipped away like soft sand in an hourglass. Spirit nudged her gently in the side. Antonia’s eyes flew open in surprise. For a moment, she’d forgotten where she was.
“The Silver Dolphin is on his way. Wait for him. I’m going after the boat,” said Spirit.
Antonia didn’t want to wait. She wanted to go aboard the
Georgie Girl
and see what Emily’s parents had been collecting, but she didn’t dare argue with Spirit. Impatiently, she trod water while she waited for Cai.
Chapter Thirteen
C ai arrived faster than Antonia thought he would and wasn’t even out of breath. His face fell when he saw Antonia, but he recovered quickly, exclaiming, “You beat me! I was sure I’d be first this time. Where’s Spirit?”
Quickly, Antonia explained everything andwhen she’d finished Cai said, “So you were right about Emily’s parents. I’m sorry I laughed at you.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
It wasn’t Cai’s fault that he didn’t have Antonia’s sixth sense, but she was glad that he knew now that she hadn’t imagined it all.
Quickly they swam to the
Georgie Girl
and climbed up the ladder. Antonia went first and when she reached the top she gasped in disbelief at the horror on board. The deck was covered with shallow trays, each filled to the brim with sea creatures. Writhing starfish, baby crabs frantically waving little claws, sea horses, sea urchins, there were even a few small fish with their mouths open, gasping for breath as they fried in the early morning sun.
“Quick. Help me get them back to the sea before they die,” cried Antonia.
She picked up the tray nearest to her and staggering under the weight of it, tipped it over the side of the boat. Animals spun through the air, tangled together like jewellery, then slowly sunk in the bright blue water. Antonia picked up a second tray and Cai grabbed one too.
“I never thought Emily’s parents would be bad enough to kill animals. It’s so cruel leaving them in the sun to dry out,” cried Cai.
“I knew they were bad,” muttered Antonia, emptying the tray overboard and going back for another. “These are stolen treasures. The animals belong to the sea.”
She stooped for another tray, then jumpedback as a small fish flipped itself on to
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