2 Seals in a Storm

Chapter 2 Seals in a Storm Max felt a gentle thud as Wind Rider dropped anchor near the rocks. The flippered sea animals turned their curious, puppylike faces toward the boat and greeted it with a chorus of grunts and barks.

Max studied their faces and spotted fur. "They are seals! And do you see their short muzzles? I think they're harbor seals!" he said. "Really?" said Sofia. "I was hoping to see harbor seals in Starry Bay this summer!" Max grinned. "I guess they have them in Scotland, too." Six spotted seals rested on the rocks, watching the kids with their shiny black eyes. One sniffed the air while another settled lazily back down, rolling sideways

as if to say, No worries. They look friendly. Max pointed at a seal that lay on its belly, lifting its head and tail off the ground. "That one is shaped like a banana," he said, chuckling. The seal barked, as if in response. A gust of wind swept across the sea, and the kite bobbed upward—along with every seal head. "They like the kite!" Max said. He untied the string from the rail and let out more line, and the kite fluttered higher above the seals. They stared at it, scooching forward to get a closer look. "Maybe they think it's a bird."

Sofia laughed. "Maybe. Oh look, there's a baby!" She pointed as a seal—shorter and slightly less round than the others—nosed its way past its mother. Keeping its eyes on the kite, the pup lunged forward—and tumbled off the rock. Seconds later, its sleek head popped out of the waves. It splashed in a playful circle before its mother barked, calling it back out of the water. Sofia's heart leaped. "It's so cute. I could watch it for hours!" "Me too," said Max, but he shivered as he spoke. "At least until I turn into a Popsicle. It's cold here. Should we look for jackets belowdecks?" Sofia hesitated, but when the seals slid into the water—one by one—she sighed. "Yes, let's go see. Maybe we'll find clues down there about why Wind Rider brought us here!" Max strode toward the hatch, winding up the line of his kite as he walked. Like the deck above, the cabin of the sailboat looked shiny and new. The wooden shelf that held the turtle eggshell and macaw feathers gleamed in the light that poured through the portholes. Near the shelf, Sofia spotted a thick atlas resting on a table. The book flipped open and the pages flew, settling on a page showing a green mass of land surrounded on both sides and above

by blue sea. "Aha!" said Sofia, slapping the page. "We are in Scotland." Behind her, Max yelped. When Sofia turned, she saw him standing beside a huge wooden chest. It was decorated with carvings of animals and always seemed to hold just what they needed for each adventure. Max was tugging a woolen sweater over his head, but he appeared to be stuck. "Can I mumble, mumble, mumble?"

"Huh?" Sofia laughed as she pulled down gently on Max's sweater. Finally, his freckled face popped out the top. "I said, can I get a little help here?" said Max. "Whew! This sweater is snug, but it sure is warm." The sea-blue sweater felt sturdy, yet light and soft. "There's one for you, too." Max tossed Sofia a reddish-orange sweater. She pulled hers on. "So I guess Wind Rider knew we'd be cold," she said. "Yes, and I have a feeling we'll be getting wet," Max announced. He pulled two life jackets out of the trunk, along with rain jackets. "Very wet." Sofia laughed out loud. "It looks like it!" "But what's with this big orange backpack?" asked Max. He lugged it out of the trunk, and it seemed stuffed full. As he started to unzip it, Sofia stopped him. "It's not a backpack," she said. She pointed to the words printed on the front. "'Inflatable kayak,'" Max read. "Really? Cool!" "Look, paddles!" Sofia announced, pulling them from the trunk. "And wet suits, too." Max dug deeper and found some cozy cushions and extra-thick blankets. "Ooh, pool noodles! Are we going to be giving swimming lessons to someone?" He pulled