Chapter 8

Chapter 8 "Dr. Skor, my husband told me you're studying coral, is that right?" the queen asked as the lunch dishes were being cleared. "Yes," Dr. Skor said. "Coral is dying and … wait, I have some photographs." Dr. Skor left the table and returned with a photo album. They flipped through the pages as Dr. Skor showed them pictures of healthy coral and sick or dead coral. "When coral dies, other sea life dies," the scientist said.

"Is this a picture of Sundown?" Ruth Rose asked him, pointing at another photograph. "Yes, I took this with my Polaroid camera when we arrived here a few days ago," Dr. Skor said. "Isn't she beautiful?" This snapshot showed Sundown with her sails up, puffed from a breeze. The yellow paint gleamed above the green stripe. In the background, Dink could see the stone pier and the castle. "Do you fish off the boat?" Josh asked. "I don't, but my men do," Dr. Skor said. "Do you like to fish, Josh?" the king asked. "Yes, sir, I love it," Josh answered. "Then maybe we can do some fishing before you leave," the king said. "This has been lovely," the queen told Dr. Skor. "Please come have dinner with us soon. Your food was delicious, but now I need a nap!" Dr. Skor smiled. "This is my nap time, too," he said. "And I'm afraid I can't accept your kind invitation. We sail this afternoon, as soon as the breeze picks up." "I'm sorry you're leaving," the king said, "but thank you for your suggestions on my project. Do

come back and see us when the aquarium is up and running." There was a pause, as if everyone was wondering if the aquarium would ever get finished. They said good-bye, and minutes later, Hugo's flat-bottomed boat pulled up. They all climbed aboard and headed back to the dock. Dink turned around and looked over Hugo's shoulder at Sundown. He could see Dr. Skor standing on the foredeck, watching them through binoculars. Watching the yacht get farther away, Dink didn't see the green stripe. He rubbed his eyes. How could the stripe just disappear? he wondered. While the queen napped and the king talked with the police, Sammi outfitted the kids with snorkel equipment. At three o'clock, they were waiting on the dock for Hugo. Hugo showed up a few minutes later. His boat left a small wake as it bumped gently up against the dock. "Climb in!" he said.

"Will we see any sharks?" Josh asked as the kids clambered down into the boat. "Not where we're going." Hugo pointed to the right, just outside the harbor entrance. "See that red buoy sticking up? It's marking the place where a boat sank a long time ago," he said. "The water is shallow and lots of fish hang out there. Perfect for snorkeling!" Hugo handed the four kids orange life vests and made sure they were fitted properly. He aimed the boat out into the harbor, and a few minutes later, he reached the buoy. He stopped the engine and dropped the anchor. Then he tossed a float with a small flag attached to it into the water. "This flag lets other boaters know there are people in the water here," Hugo explained. "When they see the flag, they stay away." Hugo helped the kids with their snorkels, masks, and flippers. He jumped into the water and showed them how to clamp the snorkel's mouthpiece in their teeth and breathe. When the kids were floating in the water, Hugo and Sammi showed them how to swim facedown, using just their flippers and no arms.

"If you need me, just tap the top of your head with your hand like this," Hugo said, demonstrating. "If I see that signal, I'll swim right over." With Hugo leading, the four kids flippered a few yards away from the flag. When Dink put his face underwater, he was amazed. The water was as clear as glass. Hundreds of fish darted every which way. He saw yellow, purple, blue, and red fish. Ten feet below the surface lay the sunken boat. It was partly rotted away. Seaweed and barnacles clung to the boat's broken hull. Several large rocks sat on the boat's bottom. The kids stayed near each other. Hugo pointed to a creature that looked like a lobster, but it didn't have big claws. When the creature saw the humans, it darted under the boat. After about ten minutes of exploring, Hugo signaled that they should meet him at his boat. The kids paddled over and held on to the side. They removed their masks and mouthpieces so they could talk.

"This is so amazing!" Josh said. "A purple fish came right up to my mask and looked at me!" "Hugo, why are there rocks in the sunken boat?" Dink asked. "The rocks are to weigh it down so it won't drift away," Hugo said. "The boat attracts fish." Suddenly Dink knew why Sundown's green stripe was missing. He felt his heart start to race. Goose bumps marched up his arms. "Guys, I think I know where the gold is," Dink said.