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before. “Why aren’t the sails on it?”
    â€œBecause no one’s sailed it in years and they’d rot left out in all weather that long. Mr. I should have her hauled out,” Frank said. “But then again, a boat that large is hard to find a place for in any of the local yards. And he’s kind of sentimental about it, I think.”
    â€œWhy?” Maria asked.
    Frank shrugged. “It’s a half-size replica of some old pirate ship from a movie he made.”
    â€œA pirate ship. Wow.” Maria tried to balance on the bike. “I’ve never even been on a regular sailboat.”
    â€œYeah, well, have you ever been on a bicycle?” Frank eyed her skeptically. “It looks like you haven’t.”
    â€œNo, not really. I couldn’t have one where we lived. Nowhere to ride it.”
    â€œOh, well, smart girl like you should be able to figure it out. Turn the handlebars in the direction you want to go, stomp backward on the pedal to brake. You’ll have to practice, of course.”
    â€œOf course,” Maria said.
    â€œSo that’s your bike,” Frank said. “I’ll have to clean it up a bit.”
    Frank went again into the shed. Maria waited for him. He came out a few minutes later with a bucket, an oilcan, and a rag.
    â€œYou don’t have to wait,” Frank said. “I have to soak the chain in a little gasoline to knock the gunk off.” He pointed to the bucket. “And then I’ll have to get you some new tires and tubes in town.”
    â€œOh, no, I just had another question,” Maria said. “About the boat, I mean.”
    He looked at her.
    â€œIt looks pretty okay,” Maria continued. “Like someone’s been taking care of it. I mean, it doesn’t look like it might sink or anything. Like, from the outside. From standing on the beach.”
    She stopped talking. Maybe she was asking too many questions. Maybe he’d know she was up to something. Snooping about. Hattie probably told him, too, that she’d been caught in the movie room. She didn’t want him to think she was sneaking around the property, getting into things she shouldn’t. Even though she was.
    Frank looked toward the beach. “My dad used to keep her fixed up for Mr. Ironwall, even after Mr. I stopped sailing. Pops said Mr. I could at least sell her if he couldn’t sail her.”
    He flipped the bike over on its seat. Using a screwdriver from his pocket, he searched the chain until he found the link he wanted. With a quick movement, he removed the chain and laid it in the bucket. “Pops fell off a ladder a few years back—cracked a few vertebrae—and hasn’t done anything with her since. I should probably check her out sometime. Shame to let her go.”
    â€œYes,” Maria said uncertainly.
    Frank squinted at her. “Why all the questions about that old boat?”
    â€œIt would be nice to go for a sail. Get out on the water and see things.”
    â€œYeah, well, no one’s sailed that boat in years.” Frank put down his oily rag. “You’re pretty stuck here, aren’t you? Hattie said you two don’t have a car. You think you’d like a ride into town sometime? I could take you and your mom around the Island, show you the sights—help your mom get groceries.”
    â€œI don’t know. You’d have to ask my mother.” Suddenly Maria felt embarrassed, but she wasn’t sure why. “I have to go.”
    â€œWell, I’ll have this bike ready for you in a day or two. And ask your mom,” Frank called after her.
    â€œSure.” Maria hurried away. She wondered if her mother would be mad at her, bothering Frank like that. Maybe if she didn’t say anything, he would forget he’d even offered.

 
    12
    O VER THE R AIL
    It wasn’t just the mystery about Captain Murdefer’s map that bothered Maria. Every morning she walked