The next morning, Benny raced through the cafeteria line so he could be the first one to try the wind-surfing simulator. It was a wide flat board, mounted on a giant spring. If you stepped on the board and shifted your weight, you felt just like you were bouncing back and forth over the waves. “It seems funny surfing on dry land,” he said, as he hopped on the machine.

  “You won’t think it’s so funny if you land on your bottom,” Melanie told him. “The beach sand is nice and cushiony. It will break your fall.”

  “I won’t fall,” Benny said.

  “Maybe not.” Melanie positioned his feet on the board. “But nine out of ten people do. It’s a lot harder than it looks.”

  For the next ten minutes, Benny practiced balancing on the board and working the sails. “Wow, this is hard,” he said, tugging the sail in one direction, then another. “But it must be lots of fun when you finally try it in the ocean.”

  “It’s a lot of fun,” Melanie promised. “But we have to make sure you do it safely on land first. And once you’re on the water, you’ll be wearing a life jacket. That’s in case you tumble into the water,” she said. “Not that I think you will.”

  Each of the Aldens took turns, and Jessie caught the hang of it right away. “When can we try the real thing?” she asked, her face flushed with excitement.

  “I know you think you’re ready to go right now, but you still need some more practice,” Melanie said firmly. “I want everybody out here for half an hour every day, because you can’t try it in the ocean until you master it on land.”

  “Oh no!” Benny groaned.

  “It’s not easy,” Melanie pointed out. “But if you practice hard, we’ll try to get you on the water, Benny.”

  CHAPTER 5

  Someone’s Stealing Coral!

  The following afternoon, Melanie invited the Aldens back to her favorite beach for a delicious picnic lunch. They had spent the morning learning all about dolphins.

  “I asked the cook to pack some special lunches for us,” she said, pointing to a large cooler. “Sandwiches, fruit, and fresh lemonade.” She looked at Benny. “Plus a dozen homemade brownies,” she said, knowing his eyes would light up.

  “Let’s go!” Benny said, racing down to the dock.

  “What did you learn about dolphins this morning?” Melanie asked half an hour later. They were sprawled on beach towels, enjoying their lunch.

  “Our teacher said they’re really smart,” Benny said. “They talk to each other with special sounds, and they like to play.” He paused, munching on his sandwich. “And they love to eat. They eat about twenty pounds of fish a day!”

  Violet laughed. “I guess you’ve finally met your match, Benny.”

  “Dolphins always look happy,” Soo Lee added. “It looks like they are smiling.”

  “But they only look that way because their mouths turn up at the corners,” Henry said. “The instructor told us that they get bored and unhappy sometimes, just like people. That’s why it’s not fair to keep them caged up in little pools to do tricks. They enjoy living with other dolphins in the ocean.”

  After lunch, Melanie and Henry wandered down to the water’s edge. Melanie scuffed her toe on a seashell and looked down in surprise. “That’s funny. It looks like someone else has been here.” She stared at a set of footprints in the hard-packed sand along the shoreline.

  Soo Lee ran across the beach to join them. “Can I wade out and look at the coral?” she asked.

  “Sure,” Melanie said good-naturedly. She looked worried, though, and Henry knew she was upset that someone had been on her island.

  Henry and Melanie were ambling along the shore when a sudden shout from Soo Lee made them turn in alarm.

  “What’s wrong?” Henry shaded his eyes from the bright sun.

  “It’s gone!” Soo Lee said, peering into the water. “The coral!”

  “Oh no,” Melanie said, dropping to her knees in the shallow water. “It looks like someone’s taken a sledge hammer to it!”

  Benny, Jessie, and Violet raced down to the water to see the damage. The coral bed had truly been destroyed. The beautiful branches had been hacked off, and all that remained was a jagged base on the ocean floor.

  Melanie turned to them with tears in her eyes. “We need to go back to camp right away and report this.”

  “Of course,” Jessie said. The children helped Melanie gather up the picnic things. They hurried back to the powerboat and Melanie quickly started the engine. As they skimmed over the water, everyone was silent except Benny.

  “I don’t understand,” he said. “Why would anyone want to ruin anything so beautiful?”

  “For money.” Melanie’s voice was tight as she steered the boat skillfully over the gentle, lapping waves. “Coral is worth a fortune, and there’s not much of it left.”

  “But how did anyone even know about that particular coral bed?” Henry asked.“You said you’ve been coming to the island for years, and it’s always been deserted.”

  “I don’t know,” Melanie admitted. “But that’s something I need to tell the Coast Guard.”

  “The Coast Guard?” Benny’s eyes were wide.

  “Stealing coral is a serious crime,” Melanie told him. “We’ll call the authorities as soon as we hit camp. I bet they’ll start an investigation right away.”

  An hour later, the Aldens found themselves being interviewed by Mr. Larson, a friendly man from the local Coast Guard Station.

  “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 amoment, 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 flushedand 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 1600’s off the coast of Florida.”

  “I read about it,” Jessie said. “It had been lying on the ocean floor all that time, andwas 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.