3 Man Overboard

CHAPTER 3

Man Overboard Lucas and Clara sat on the raft and paddled away from Mermaid's Cove. They passed a line of pelicans fishing in the water. Playful waves splashed against the sides of the raft. Lucas yanked a clump of seaweed from between the logs and tossed it into the water. Then he continued paddling. This raft sure feels nice and sturdy, he thought. And these driftwood paddles are perfect too. He looked out to sea and smiled proudly. He hadn't discovered a new land or anything, but at least he and his best friend were out having a fun adventure anyway. They paddled over a coral reef. Schools of colorful fish swam beneath them. A seal playfully poked his

head above the water and quickly disappeared back under. Lucas and Clara giggled. Beyond the reef, the waves began to get bigger. Seawater sloshed over the sides of the raft and soaked their clothes. The farther out they went, the bigger the waves got. The little raft bobbed up and down. The salt water splashed their faces.

"I think we should turn around!" Clara shouted over the wind and waves. But Lucas didn't hear his friend's cry. Something else had caught his attention. "Look up ahead!" he shouted, pointing with his paddle. "A pod of dolphins!"

Clara stopped paddling, and together, they watched the dolphins leap high into the air and dive back into the water. Splish! Splash! The dolphin show lasted several minutes. Neither of the children noticed as the wind blew the raft farther out to sea. Clara looked back at the beach. It had gotten very far away. "Lucas, we need to turn back NOW!" Clara cried. "We've gone too far out, and the waves are getting rough."

This time Lucas paid attention to his friend. "You're right!" he called back. "If we paddle on the same side, we'll be able to turn around." Lucas and Clara paddled as hard as they could, but the raft barely turned at all. "It's not working!" cried Clara.