4 A Deadly Leak

Chapter 4 A Deadly Leak Max, Sofia, and Maisie climbed on board Wind Rider. Max walked over to the helm while Sofia and Maisie raised the sails. As soon as they were in the air, the boat veered left and out of the harbor, back toward where they had last seen Bonnie. "Whoa," said Maisie, her eyes wide. "Who's actually sailing this thing?" Max and Sofia shared a glance. "Erm," said Sofia. "The truth is..."

"It sails itself," said Max. Maisie looked puzzled. "It's a smart boat!" Max added, with a chuckle Sofia understood. Maisie frowned but let it go. Max stood near the helm while Maisie and Sofia headed to the bow, scanning the sea for the tiny yellow boat. It was far more pleasant to be sailing without the driving wind and rain, even though it was still very cold. "Look at all those black-and-white birds!" Max called, pointing overhead. Maisie shaded her eyes. "Guillemots," she said with a smile. "See their bright red feet?" Max nodded. As another black bird with white wings swooped past, it cooed a hello. Then it rejoined two others soaring toward the rocky cliffs along the shore. "What are those birds with yellowish heads?" asked Sofia. "They're so big!" She pointed at a bird with black-tipped wings and a long bill circling the boat.

Maisie followed her gaze. "That's a gannet," she said. "The largest seabirds here in the North Sea. With a bit of luck, you'll see—" Before she could finish, the bird dove, tucked its wings, and sailed straight toward the water. Moments later, it popped out and took flight again. Max sucked in his breath. "We'll see what now?" "You'll see a gannet dive for fish," said Maisie, chuckling. "Granddad says they reach nearly a hundred kilometers per hour!" Sofia's eyes were glued to the shoreline, where a cluster of black-and-white birds with bright orange beaks waddled across the rocks. "Are those what I think

they are?" she asked. "Puffins," said Maisie, her eyes sparkling. Sofia was so pleased she'd been right. She'd heard about puffins in stories of her grandparents' vacation, and the birds were one of the reasons she'd wanted to see Scotland. "They visit us only during summer. We call them clowns of the sea. They're so silly! See how they play and squabble?" As one waddled after another, joining the clown parade, Sofia laughed. "They're so cute!" "There's more," said Maisie. "Look." She pointed toward the water. Sofia gasped as a dolphin leaped out of the sea. Others playfully nudged one another as they raced through the waves. "There are so many!" She started counting the fins but lost track at nine. "Are they bottlenose dolphins?" asked Max, who had seen the gray dolphins with short snouts near Starry Bay. "I didn't know there were any in Scotland!" Maisie's cheeks turned pink with pride. "The only dolphins in the North Sea live in Scotland. Tourists flock here to Seal Bay to see the wildlife. We're very lucky. The selkies, the seals, are my favorite. Sometimes they swim alongside people who are swimming or kayaking."

"We saw the seals. And a seal pup!" said Sofia. Then her worries rushed back like water into a leaky boat. "I hope it survived the storm." Maisie squeezed Sofia's shoulder. "The pup will be all right. Its ma will look after it. But Bonnie might have been done in by the storm. My ma and dad will be devastated if that wee boat is lost..." She bit her lip. "We'll find it," Sofia promised. Moments later, as Wind Rider slid up alongside the rocks of Seal Bay, Maisie let out a small cry. A tiny yellow boat, no longer than two seals stretched out end to end, lay cockeyed across the rocks. Even from the deck of Wind Rider, Max could see the gaping hole in the side of the little boat. "Maybe we can fix it," he said quickly. "My grandpa fixes boats—I've helped him!" "I'm not so sure," Maisie said sadly. As Sofia leaned over to give Maisie a hug, she spotted something. A shimmering swirl of greasy color

stretched across the water between Bonnie and Wind Rider. "Bonnie is leaking oil!" Sofia cried in alarm. "I did a school project on oil spills. Oil can poison sea animals —or get in their fur or wings. They can get waterlogged and drown!" As she pictured the baby seal, her stomach tensed. Maisie pulled a phone from her pocket. "I'll call 999 for the coast guard." She dialed the number and stepped away from the rail. Sofia paced the deck. "They won't get here soon enough. Look how the oil is spreading!" The dark, metallic liquid cast a thick sheen over the waves. "What