“A coat of arms!” Hilary was so excited she jiggled her cup, and her coffee flooded the saucer. She pushed it away and looked at her husband. “I don’t feel very hungry. Why don’t we head back to the cabin?”

  “Good idea.” Joshua pushed back his chair. “See you later,” he said briefly to the children.

  “Those two are acting really suspicious lately,” Jessie said quietly to the others. “Ithink we should keep an eye on them.”

  Jessie nodded and swallowed a forkful of pancakes. “So do I. Right now, there are four suspects, and the Slades are at the top of the list.”

  CHAPTER 7

  A Trip to the Coral Reef

  “You’re going to see some beautiful coral out at the reef,” Melanie said, as they boarded a glass-bottom boat later that morning. They had driven into Key West after breakfast and were taking their seats on the upper deck of a large white boat called the Fury.

  “And fish, too?” Benny asked. He had already learned to identify several kinds of tropical fish, and wanted to see more.

  Melanie laughed. “Over six hundred varieties. That’s enough to satisfy any fish lover!”

  As soon as the boat got under way, Melanie asked the children what they knew about the coral reef.

  “I know it’s over a hundred miles long,” Violet said. “And it runs just offshore of the Florida Keys.”

  “That’s right,” Melanie agreed.

  “Why don’t we have any coral reefs up near Greenfield?” Benny asked.

  “Because the reef is made up of coral polyps, and they need warm water to survive. They die if you put them in water that’s cooler than seventy degrees.”

  An hour later, they dropped anchor over a large coral bed, and everyone went below to the observation deck. “Wow, now I see why they call this a glass-bottom boat!” Benny dashed along the narrow walkways dividing glass panels that revealed the ocean floor.

  “The fish are so close we could touch them,” Violet said, watching as a midnight-blue parrot fish glided by.

  “I think this fish had too much to eat,” Benny said, dropping to his knees to get a better look. He pointed to a large tan fish that looked almost round.

  “That’s a Southern puffer,” Melanie said. “He’s not really fat, Benny. He sucks in a bellyful of water and makes himself look three times as big. That way, he scares off other fish who might bother him.”

  Jessie admired some beautiful elkhorn, staghorn, and branch coral, and Melanie reminded her that they grow only two or three inches a year.

  “It seems funny that coral is actually alive,” Violet pointed out.

  “But it’s true. The coral reef is constantly growing new colonies of polyps on top of the skeletons of older ones. Coral can live for centuries. The reef is thousands of years old.”

  As Melanie talked about the reef, Henry’s mind went back to the coral theft on the island. Would the Coast Guard be able to catch the thief? he wondered. He went over the list of suspects that they had come up with, and felt confused. That was the whole problem, he decided. There were plenty of suspects, but no real clues. And worst of all, no proof!

  After lunch, the group headed to the Mel Fisher Museum to see the riches of the famous Spanish ship, the Atocha. Benny was thrilled to touch a genuine gold bar, and Jessie admired a beautiful belt studded with rubies and diamonds. “Do you know dolphins were trained to bring up some of the emeralds from the wreck?” a museum guide asked.

  “Emeralds? Why would dolphins be interested in emeralds?” Violet asked, puzzled.

  “Because we rewarded them with their favorite treat—mackerel!”

  That evening, at bedtime, Benny thought about his own treasure—the bent coin he had found at the dock. He had seen a picture of Mel Fisher wearing a gold coin on a chain around his neck. Benny wanted to do the same thing. “Henry, can you drill a hole in my coin tomorrow?”

  “Sure, Benny, I’ll be glad to.” Henry tucked the covers around his little brother, and within minutes, both boys fell fast asleep.

  It was nearly midnight when Benny awoke with a start. He heard a faint rustling noise, but he couldn’t pinpoint exactly where it was coming from. And he was too scared to open his eyes.

  “Henry, is that you?” he whispered. There was no answer. He strained to listen, as goosebumps rose on his arms. Should he scramble out of bed and wake his brother? He decided to wait a couple of more minutes.

  He was completely awake now, and he knew he wasn’t imagining what he heard.Something was brushing against the lampshade on his night table. Something was jiggling the brush and comb on his dresser top. Something was bumping into his bed.

  “Henry?” Benny said softly, his voice trembling.

  Just then he heard the door creak open. Benny lay very still, listening. But the cabin was quiet now.

  Benny couldn’t stay still another minute. He jumped out of bed and raced across the room to flip on the light switch.

  “What’s going on?” Henry sat straight up in bed, rubbing his eyes.

  The cabin was flooded with light, and Benny pointed to the door. It was open!

  “Someone was in here,” Benny stammered. “Someone was here, in our cabin.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m positive.” He jumped back in bed and pulled his knees up to his chest. Even though the danger was over, he still felt scared, and his teeth were chattering.

  Henry crossed the floor and checked the solid pine door. “It could have been the wind,” he said hesitantly. “But this is a pretty heavy door.”

  “It’s not just the door!” Benny protested. “Something was moving all around the room. I heard it!” He looked around the room nervously. “Maybe it was a . . . ghost.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “Do you think that’s possible?”

  Henry peered around the open door and laughed. “Here’s your ghost.” Bingo darted into the room, barking happily.

  “Bingo?” Benny said doubtfully. “Do you think that’s what I heard?”

  “It must have been.” Henry reached down to pat the furry collie who immediately jumped onto the bed. “Maybe he was lonely and just wanted some company.”

  Benny wasn’t convinced. “But how did he get the door open? And what was he doing under my bed?”

  Henry watched as Benny scrambled under the bed and dragged out the cookie tin.The top was half off, but his coin was safe. “Why would he be sniffing around a metal box?”

  Henry shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe he remembered when it held cookies.” Bingo jumped down and began nosing the tin. “See? It probably still smells like food to him.”

  “If you say so,” Benny said, climbing back into bed.

  Henry ushered Bingo out of the cabin and closed the door firmly behind him. “Let’s get some sleep,” he said, returning to his own bed.

  “Okay, but I’m going to leave my light on,” Benny said in a little voice. “Just in case.”

  The next morning, Henry went to the craft room after breakfast to drill a hole in Benny’s coin. “How’s that?” Henry said, holding it up. Soo Lee had given Benny a piece of jute to use as a cord, and Benny fastened the coin around his neck. “Now I look like a real treasure hunter!” he said proudly.

  Meanwhile, Jessie, Violet, and Soo Lee were sitting in the darkroom, watching as Melanie explained how to develop black-and-white photographs.

  “After you put the prints in the final bath,” she said, “you carefully lift them out of the solution with tongs and hang them to dry.” She pointed to a long line that ran the length of the room. “You might want to take a look at the work that my advanced students have done. There’s some beautiful underwater photography there.”

  “Oh, look at this one,” Soo Lee said, pointing to a pretty sunset scene.

  “That one was done by a professional,” Melanie said. “Katherine Kelly took that photograph.”

  Violet walked over to the picture and stared at it for several seconds.

  “What’s the matter?” Jessie asked, noticing the serious expression on her face. “Don’t you like it?”

  “Oh, yes, it’s beautiful,” Violet said. “But . . .”

  “But what?” Soo Lee interrupted.

  Violet shrugged. “I don’t know. There’s something about that picture. It looks so familiar.”

  “Maybe you saw it on a postcard,” Jessie teased her. “You know, sunset, water, palm trees. Everywhere you look in Key West, you see the same scene.”

  Violet shook her head. “No, it’s something else. It’s more than that.” Everyone left to have lunch then, but Violet couldn’t resist taking a last look at the photograph. Why was the picture so disturbing? Where had she seen it before? She knew it was going to bother her until she remembered. She would just have to think.

  Jessie came back to drag her out of the darkroom. “Hey, we’re going to be last in the cafeteria line, if we don’t get a move on. And they’re having pizza today. They might run out!”

  “I’m coming,” Violet said reluctantly.

  Jessie looked at the picture and shrugged. She wondered why Violet was so troubled by it. Jessie nudged her sister playfully. “Come on, Violet. You worry too much. Let’s go eat!”

  CHAPTER 8

  The Thief Returns!

  At lunch that day, Joshua Slade hurried to catch up with the children as they started to move through the cafeteria line.

  “How are you doing today, Benny?” he asked cheerfully. “Did you have fun in Key West?”

  “We saw some treasure from a shipwreck, and I got to hold a real gold bar,” Benny told him. His eyes were fixed on the goodies in front of him. Should he have a hot dog or a grilled cheese sandwich?

  Again, Henry wondered why the man was being so friendly. And something else made him suspicious. Joshua was leaning forward, craning his neck to get a view of Benny’s neck. Why?

  A moment later, the mystery was solved. “That’s an interesting coin you’re wearing, Benny. Is that the one you found down by the dock?”

  Benny nodded, helping himself to a big bowl of chopped mangoes and papayas.

  “Think I could look at it?” Joshua added. “I’ve always been interested in coins.”

  “Sure,” Benny said absently. He held the coin away from his neck so Joshua could see it. “Henry drilled a hole in it for me. See, it’s got a really nice design on it, and you can still read a few letters on the top—”

  Joshua’s eyes narrowed as he inspected the coin, and then he turned away, irritated. “Yeah, it’s a great coin, kid.” His voice was harsh. “See you later.” He dropped his empty tray back in the rack and left the cafeteria abruptly.

  Violet nudged Jessie. “What was that all about?”

  “I don’t know.” Jessie glanced at Benny, who was reaching for a glass of milk. At least he didn’t seem bothered by Joshua’s rudeness.

  “Joshua Slade acts very strange, don’t you think?” Violet asked.

  Jessie nodded. “Very strange. One minute he’s friendly, and the next minute, he acts as if he doesn’t like us.”

  As they ate lunch, Benny said he wanted to practice on the wind-surfing simulator that day.

  “He’s done a good job,” Henry said to the girls. “Melanie said that we’ll be able to go into the water soon.”

  “Shallow water,” Melanie said, slipping into a seat beside him. “With life preservers.”

  Jessie nodded. At Camp Coral, safety always came first. “Have you heard anything new from the Coast Guard?” she asked Melanie.

  “They don’t have any leads yet,” Melanie said regretfully. “I told Mr. Larson we’d all be on the look-out, but there’s not much else we can do.” She paused, and her eyes skimmed the crowded cafeteria. “Until the thief strikes again, of course.”

  “You think the thief will come back?” Benny’s eyes were as big as saucers. He really wanted to catch the coral thief before they left camp. What a story this would be to tell Grandfather! They had solved dozens of mysteries in the past, and this might be the most exciting one of all.

  “I’m sure he will,” Melanie said grimly. “I just saw a new report on how much money people are getting for a boatload of coral. I bet the thief is greedy enough to try again.”

  “You think it’s someone at camp, don’t you?” Soo Lee asked. She had noticed the way Melanie had looked around the room moments earlier.

  Melanie nodded. “It seems impossible, but yes, I do.” She waved to a shy-looking young girl with a ponytail. “Excuse me,” she said, pushing her chair back. “That’s a new camper and she’s feeling a little homesick.”

  Everyone turned in early that night after a long, busy day out in the sun. Around midnight, Jessie awoke with a start. She heard a strange noise outside and sat straight up in bed, listening intently. Putt-putt. Putt-putt. “Someone’s starting up a boat out there,” she said softly. She knew it was against the camp’s rules to take boats out at night.

  She quickly woke her sister and Soo Lee. “Do you hear that noise?” she said, pointing to the open window. The noise had grown a little fainter, but could still be recognized.

  “It’s a boat,” Soo Lee said sleepily.

  “It sounds strange,” Violet added. “It seems to skip a beat sometimes.”

  “Why is somebody out on the water at this time of night?” Jessie asked, pulling on her shorts.

  “What are you doing?” Violet turned on the lamp next to her.

  “Well, we can’t just sit here listening,” Jessie said impatiently. “It could be the coral thief. He could be out there stealing coral right this minute.”

  “Oh, no, you must be right,” Violet said, scrambling out of bed. She struggled into a pair of jeans and reached for a flashlight. “Get dressed fast, Soo Lee. We need to do some investigating!”

  “Let’s get Henry and Benny,” Soo Lee suggested.

  “We’ll have to hurry,” Jessie said.

  “I’m ready.” Soo Lee had pulled on a pair of khaki shorts and a T-shirt.

  They woke up the boys, and everyone hurried down the pathway to the dock. It was a balmy night, and a full moon made the bay look silvery. Even though it was warm, Jessie shivered a little.

  “I think we’re too late,” Violet said when they reached the dock. The children stood silently, peering into the darkness. A bird called softly, but otherwise everything was still. The boat was nowhere in sight, and the engine noise had disappeared.

  “Do you suppose he’s sitting out there in the dark, and he cut the motor?” Henry asked. “Maybe he can see us standing here, and he’s waiting for us to go back inside.”

  Jessie stared as hard as she could. There was absolutely no movement, no sign of anyone. “No,” she said, disappointed. “I’m afraid there’s nothing out there. He’s just . . . gone.”

  “If only we had been quicker,” Violet said.

  “Maybe we can find some clues, just by looking around,” Jessie suggested.

  “Looking around here?” Benny asked doubtfully.

  “You never know what may turn up. Let’s walk along the dock before we give up,” Jessie insisted.

  They walked along the row of boats, each lost in thought.

  “Look at that!” Soo Lee said suddenly. She pointed to an empty berth.

  “Number six.” Jessie grabbed Soo Lee’s arm in excitement. “That’s where that little white powerboat is always docked.”

  “So whoever is out on the water took it,” Violet said.

  “Unless they had permission to be out at night,” Jessie said.

  “I don’t think so,” Henry said. “Only the counselors have keys to the boats, and they don’t go out at nighttime.”

  “Well, at least we learned something important tonight,” Jessie said, as they headed back to their cabins. “We know someone was out on the water, and we know which boat they used. Tomorrow, we’ll tell Melanie and decide what to do next.”

  CHAPTER 9

  To Catch a Thief!

  The next morning, the girls spotted Melanie in the cafeteria and told her about the mysterious boat they had heard during the night. “I’ll have to report this,” Melanie said. She looked very serious. “No one is allowed to take boats out at night—not even counselors.” She paused, stirring her coffee. “And you’re sure berth number six was vacant?”

  Soo Lee nodded. “Yes.”

  “Well, whoever took the boat out returned it,” Melanie said. “I was down at the docks half an hour ago, and all the berths were filled.”

  Benny came racing into the cafeteria just then, followed by Henry. “We’re getting closer and closer to the thief,” Benny said.

  “Maybe not,” Violet said doubtfully. “Maybe he got everything he wanted last night, and he won’t show up again.”

  After breakfast, the Aldens decided to take a quick look at the docks. Maybe they could find a clue they had missed the night before. As they strolled along the docks, Benny stared hard at the powerboat docked in berth number six. It looked absolutely normal—white fiberglass finish, a wood-grain dashboard, blue vinyl seats. . . .

  Suddenly he stopped dead in his tracks. There was something shiny lying on one of the seats. What was it? It was so small it would fit in the palm of his hand, and it glinted in the morning sun. He tugged urgently on Henry’s arm. “Look at the seat!”he said in a hushed voice. “What is it? Can you reach it?”

  Henry used one hand to steady himself and quickly stepped inside the boat. He scooped up the bright object and was back on the dock in a flash.

  “What is it?” Benny was nearly jumping up and down in excitement.

  “A clue,” Henry said, opening his hand. Everyone crowded around to look at a small gold cigarette lighter. It was initialed with the letters NS. “Probably a very important clue.”

  “NS,” Violet said thoughtfully. She and Jessie exchanged a look. “Nick Simon!” they said in unison.

  “I think he’s just moved to the top of our list of suspects,” Benny said.

  That evening, the counselors took some of the campers to Bird Island for a cookout. The Aldens rode in a large boat, and Melanie rowed across the bay in a rowboat.