1 The Ice Cream Thief

WIND RIDERS RESCUE ON TURTLE BEACH WIND RIDER WRITTEN BY JEN MARLIN ILLUSTRATED BY IZZY BURTON

Chapter 1 The Ice Cream Thief "Ready?" called Grandpa as he picked up the cooler from the back of the truck. Max gazed at the ocean waves, which sparkled in the afternoon sun. He felt a shiver of excitement. "I'm always ready!" he called, rolling up his hoodie sleeves

as he followed Grandpa toward the boats lined up along the dock. The marina was bustling. It seemed as if everyone in Starry Bay was out and about this sunny afternoon. Kids crowded around the ice cream stand, and families dotted the beach, their bright towels and umbrellas everywhere. Max spotted a dark-haired girl licking an ice cream cone. He thought of the ice cream sandwiches he and Grandpa had in the cooler, and his mouth watered. The girl was shading her eyes, studying something in the water. But what? Max glanced at the waves but didn't see anything. As he followed his grandfather onto the dock, he felt the familiar wobble of the boards beneath his feet. The smell of seawater brought a smile to his face. Grandpa led the way toward his fishing boat, which gleamed in the golden sunlight.

"Hello, old girl," he said. As a retired fisher, Grandpa had spent more of his life on that boat than on dry land. He patted the hull as he stepped aboard. Max was about to step on board, too, when he heard a yelp. He and Grandpa turned around just in time to see the girl with the ice cream cone dodging a seagull. The bird swooped low, darted toward the cone, and snatched it right out of the girl's hand.

"Hey!" she hollered. "That's mine!" Grandpa shook his head. "Pesky seagulls."

When the girl's shoulders slumped, Max eyed Grandpa's cooler. "Can I share an ice cream sandwich with her, Grandpa?" he asked. Grandpa's eyes crinkled up. "Good idea," he said. "I need to wipe the boat down anyway. But don't be too long. When the tide starts rolling..."