2. Rubber Ducky Rescue

2 Rubber Ducky Rescue Beacon Jill started the boat again, and asked for a volunteer driver. Zoey jumped up and drove for a few minutes, and then came back to her seat with a rubber ducky souvenir. She was all smiles as Beacon Jill started speaking. "If you look right there," she said, pointing to something in the distance, "you can see the very top of the Old

North Church. When British soldiers arrived in Boston in 1775, Paul Revere put signals there to warn the colonists. The very next day, the Revolutionary War broke out!" Mr. Lambchop's eyes lit up. He raised his hand to ask a question. "Is the Old North Church a part of the Freedom Trail?"

Beacon Jill nodded. "The Freedom Trail is a pathway that connects all of Boston's important historic sites," she explained. "You can walk easily from one to the other." "Sounds like the perfect way to start exploring Boston's history," Mr. Lambchop said. Arthur didn't look very happy. "What about the science museum?" he complained. "When can we do what I want to do?" Mr. Lambchop sighed, too. "Everyone will get to do what they want to do in Boston, Arthur," he said. "You just need to be patient." "The Freedom Trail is wonderful," Beacon Jill told Arthur. "You'll learn how the colonists fought for freedom. They wanted to be able to make the rules for themselves!" "I know just how they felt," Arthur grumbled. "I would like to be in charge for once!" Before anyone could reply, Zoey shrieked. "No! My ducky!" One minute, the rubber ducky was in Zoey's hands. The next minute, he was floating in the Charles River.

Zoey started to cry. "I just came up with a name for him," she said through her tears. "I was going to call him Lucky." He bounced along on the little waves made by a passing sailboat. A man in a blue kayak called up to her. "Is that your duck?" he said. Zoey's dad yelled back, "Yes! Can you get him?" The kayaker stuck the paddle way out of his boat. But when he tried to scoop up the ducky, he only dropped him back into the water. Lucky got up a little burst of speed, and it looked like he was swimming away.

Zoey covered her eyes with her hands. Her shoulders were shaking, even when her mom put her arm around her. "It's okay," she said. "We'll find a way to get him." "What if I try to get a little closer?" Beacon Jill said, helpfully. "Yes, please. Whatever you can do to bring back Lucky," Zoey cried. "Zoey has such nice manners," whispered Mrs. Lambchop. "I hope she can get Lucky back." But moving the tour duck only made the rubber duck float off in the other direction. And even if they got right next to the ducky, nobody could reach into the river. Well, nobody except Flat Stanley. He didn't know anything about giving a speech at a medical conference. But he did know how to help out in an emergency. All he had to do was look at his brother. They had a whole conversation with their eyes. "We can do it!" Arthur's look said. "I think we can help," Stanley told Beacon Jill. "We can be the lifeguards for Lucky!"

"I can't let you dive in," said Beacon Jill. "I'm sorry, but swimming is not allowed on the duck tour." Zoey let out another sob. "I don't need to go swimming," Stanley explained. "All you need to do is lower me into the water." "Sorry. There is a rule against that, too," said Beacon Jill. "We can't use the life preservers for any reason other than saving lives." "We will be saving Lucky's life," Arthur pointed out.