3 Little Boat Lost

Chapter 3 Little Boat Lost Max gripped the wooden helm, trying to turn the wheel and force Wind Rider back toward the yellow boat. But the helm had a mind of its own. It slid beneath Max's fingers, turning in the other direction. "Help me, it won't turn!" he called to Sofia. He could barely see her through the sheets of rain.

In seconds, she was beside him, tugging at the helm, too. "Why is Wind Rider taking us away from the boat?" she cried, her words quickly swallowed up in the storm. "I don't know," said Max. He gritted his teeth. "But it's no use." He let go of the helm and let it spin. As he stood helplessly watching the yellow boat grow smaller and smaller, his stomach twisted. Would the people on board be okay? "Maybe Wind Rider is taking us to get help," Sofia said hopefully. She carefully walked along the slippery deck toward the bow. The sailboat was on course for the village they had seen. The blue flag whipped wildly from the cliffs above the harbor, which Wind Rider was quickly approaching. As the boat slid alongside the dock, an older girl with wavy brown hair rushed out the front door of a red-roofed shop. She hurried onto the pier, all the way down it, then cupped her hand to her mouth. "Need help tying up?" she called in a thick accent. "Thanks!" said Max. Rain lashed at his face as he threw a rope to her. Sofia and the girl worked to secure the rocking sailboat to the dock. Max lowered Wind Rider's sails, then carefully stepped onto the wet pier to join them.

The girl beckoned them to follow her to a nearby small open hut at the end of the dock. When they reached her, she held out her hand. "Hi, my name is Maisie." "Hi." Max shook her hand. "I'm Max, and this is Sofia." As Sofia shook Maisie's hand, she could see that the girl was only a year or two older than them. "The water's too rough to be out there," Maisie called over the noise of the rain. "Are you out by yourselves? Isn't that dangerous?" Sofia and Max exchanged a glance. "Er...," Max

said. "It's kind of a long story." Sofia hurriedly changed the subject by saying, "There's another boat out there. It's yellow. And it's getting thrown about by the waves. We're really worried about the people on board!" Maisie sighed and shook her head. "No one was on board," she said. "That's my family's boat. It broke loose during the storm." Max blew out a breath of relief, but then noticed that Maisie looked upset. "It's all my fault," she said. "I'm the one who tied up the boat. It's named Bonnie for my granny—she passed away when I was nine, but she spent her whole life sailing and taught me how. Ma will be so upset when she gets back from town and finds out!" "I'm sorry," said Sofia. "Maybe we can help you look for it—I mean, after the storm passes." She shivered as water seeped through her socks and shoes.

Maisie grabbed her hand. "Maybe. But let's get you inside now." As she led them toward the red-roofed shop, Sofia took in the other waterfront buildings: a small fishing museum, a restaurant advertising fish and chips, and a large white building labeled Animal Rescue. She stopped walking and pointed. "Oh! Do they see a lot of sick animals in there?" Maisie turned. "Yes. The rescue center takes in injured birds and wildlife," she said. "But you'll see plenty of wildlife in Granddad's shop. Come on!" Her eyes twinkled as she led Max and Sofia into the shop. Sofia sucked in her breath as she entered. The shop

was filled floor to ceiling with wooden carvings of birds and animals. A seabird took flight on a shelf overhead. A giant bear loomed from a corner. And beside it, a baby bear carved of pale white pine stared sweetly at Sofia. "Aw," she murmured, stroking its smooth nose. "Yikes, more like," said Max, nervously eyeing the bear's huge mother. He slid onto a polished oak bench and ran his fingers across the tiny leaves carved into its surface. "These are amazing!" he said. "Who makes them?" Maisie flushed with pride. "My granddad. He's working now." Cheerful whistling trailed out of the back room, down the hall, and into the shop, making Sofia and Max grin. But Maisie's face fell. "He'll be so upset that Bonnie has gone. And it's all my fault." Max and Sofia felt bad for Maisie. She obviously hadn't done it on purpose. Then Sofia spotted a sliver of sunshine behind the curtain of clouds. "The storm is passing!" she said. "We can look for Bonnie now."