The Rescue Princesses #2: Wishing Pearl Page 4

  “If the dolphin’s in trouble, then let’s go!” said Lulu.

  Dashing out of the palace, they arrived at the beach in record time. They battled strong winds that tried to whisk them off their feet as they crossed the sands. The storm swept closer, its black clouds looming.

  “The storm will reach Ampali Island really soon,” Jaminta shouted over the noise of the wind.

  “I know!” yelled Clarabel. “But I’m not going back until I’ve helped the dolphin.”

  She could still hear his sad calls coming through the pearl and it made her run even faster.

  As she climbed up the steep dunes, she noticed a pair of footprints already leading that way, and her worry deepened.

  Reaching the top of the dunes, she stared down at the lagoon below. Gone was the clear turquoise water. Instead, the lagoon was as gray as the sky, with the surface whipped up into sharp waves.

  By the edge stood a drenched Prince Samuel, with an enormous tangled mess of fishing net in his hands.

  Clarabel ran down the slope toward him. “What have you done? Where’s the dolphin?”

  She scanned the choppy water, but there was no silky gray shape poking its nose above the surface.

  “It pulled me in,” said Samuel sulkily. “Now I’m all wet.”

  “The dolphin pulled you in! That doesn’t sound right. What were you doing, anyway?” demanded Jaminta, looking at the tangled black net.

  “Nothing! Just fishing,” said Samuel quickly.

  “You were trying to get the treasure using the fishing net!” guessed Lulu. “That’s just silly!”

  Prince Samuel jumped and turned red, then purple. “I knew you princesses were too nosy. How did you find out about my treasure? I won’t let you have any of it!”

  “We’re not here for the treasure. We’re here to help an injured dolphin,” said Clarabel.

  Prince Samuel scowled. “Your dolphin spoiled everything, getting in the way of my net.” He gave the net a kick and muttered, “All those gold bars and coins must be down there somewhere.”

  “You mean the dolphin got tangled up in your net?” said Clarabel. “How could you be so mean? He must have been terrified.”

  Dark storm clouds swept over their heads, covering every bit of blue sky.

  Prince Samuel ignored Clarabel and stomped away up the sand dunes, trying to keep his balance in the driving wind.

  Clarabel ran after him. “What happened to the dolphin?”

  “It swam down there.” Prince Samuel glowered at her and pointed toward the mouth of the lagoon.

  “I’m not staying out here in a storm,” he shouted. Then he left without a backward glance.

  Clarabel stared at the tiny channel of water where the lagoon met the sea. Her dolphin was gone.

  Emily, Lulu, and Jaminta joined her. The wind howled around them and rain began to beat against their faces.

  “Why did he think he’d catch the treasure in a net?” Jaminta wondered aloud. “It’s much too heavy.”

  “He wasn’t thinking at all. The poor dolphin!” said Emily, shaking her head.

  “He must have gotten tangled up in Samuel’s net and been really scared,” said Clarabel. “Then he must have swum out of the lagoon into the sea to escape.”

  She chewed her lip. If only she’d run faster. If only she’d stopped Samuel in time.

  Lightning cut through the sky in a jagged flash and thunder boomed. Her dolphin had left the safe lagoon at a terrible time.

  The storm had pounced, and the dolphin was out there, somewhere, trying to stay alive.

  Clarabel stared out to sea, rainwater pouring down her face.

  The dolphin must be so scared, and with his injury he would be struggling to swim.

  He could easily be swept against the sharp rocks that surrounded parts of the island. He never should have left the lagoon.

  “I was too late,” she said sadly. “I heard him calling, but I didn’t get here fast enough.” Tears sprang to her eyes, and she wiped them away.

  Lulu put an arm around her shoulder. “Don’t worry. We’ll go out there and find him.”

  “We can’t take a sailboat out in this wind. We’ll get blown straight into rocks,” said Jaminta.

  “There’s a rowboat in the harbor that belongs to my family,” said Emily. “We could make that work.”

  They sprinted along the beach to the harbor while the rain hurled against them. The harbor was empty of people, and all the ships were safely anchored against the storm.

  The princesses clambered into the little red rowboat. They untied the rope that fastened it to the harbor wall and pulled the rope inside the boat.

  They sat down, two girls to each oar, dipping the oars into the water and pulling in time with one another.

  “If I’d known we’d be doing this” — Emily puffed — “I’d have suggested more rowing practice.”

  Once they passed the safety of the harbor walls, the storm hit them with terrifying force.

  The princesses rowed as hard as they could, but the waves were very high. The little boat climbed up each mountain of water and fell straight down the other side.

  Clarabel held the bracelet with the pearl close to her ear. “He’s still calling me. It’s this way.” She pointed across the stormy ocean.

  The dolphin’s call was faint behind the thundering of the waves, but she knew she couldn’t let him down.

  Rowing west along the coast, the girls fought the rising ocean. Their hair was plastered against their heads by the rain and salt spray.

  Clarabel’s heart fluttered as she spotted a small gray shape among the plunging waves. “Come here! Follow us!” she cried to him. But the dolphin was too weak to swim and drifted closer and closer to the rocks.

  “One of us has to go in and help him to the shore,” called Lulu over the rumble of thunder. “I’ll do it. I’m strong because of all the extra acrobatics I’ve been doing.”

  “Maybe I should do it,” said Clarabel. “The dolphin trusts me. He’ll follow me.”

  “Are you sure?” asked Emily. “The waves are so high. Won’t you be scared?”

  “Do you really want to?” asked Jaminta.

  Clarabel swallowed and nodded. “I want to do it. The dolphin needs me.”

  So Jaminta tied one end of the rope to the bottom of the boat, ready to throw the other end out into the water.

  Clarabel’s hands shook a little as she fastened her bracelet really tightly around her wrist. She pulled off her dress and stood ready in her bathing suit. With her face pale and her eyes fixed on the dolphin, she dived in.

  A mountain of gray water swallowed her up. She reached the surface spluttering and grabbed on to the rope.

  She swam right over to the dolphin’s side and stroked his silky skin. The dolphin gazed at her, his black eyes frightened.

  “Don’t worry, we’re going back. Stay with me and you’ll be safe,” said Clarabel softly.

  Jaminta, Lulu, and Emily rowed back toward Ampali. They pulled strongly through the water, and this time the power of the waves helped the rowboat along.

  Clarabel held on tightly to the rope and let the boat pull her through the ocean. The sea kept pushing her down and she came up several times gasping for breath.

  She tried to be brave, talking to her dolphin and urging him on.

  The dolphin managed to swim a little, gathering his strength from Clarabel beside him. He fought wave after towering wave.

  At last, the mouth of the lagoon came into view. The palm trees on either side were bent right over in the fierce wind.

  The dolphin flopped in the water, unable to swim any more. Clarabel put one arm around his body and held tight, shouting to the princesses to row harder.

  A dart of lightning ripped across the sky, followed by a crack of thunder. The clouds burst open, sending more sheets of rain pouring down.

  “You’ll never beat us!” Lulu shouted at the sky as she rowed.

  Clarabel whispered to the dolphin, telling him not to be scared. Even with the noise of the wind and rain, she knew he understood.

  As they rowed into the channel that led to the lagoon, the storm let out a great roar, as if it was angry that they’d escaped.

  Jaminta, Emily, and Lulu dropped to a slower rowing speed. They passed through the opening in the sandbank, and parrots squawked unseen among the bushes on each side.

  “Nearly there!” gasped Clarabel, still holding tightly to the rope.

  The dolphin cried softly.

  Inside the lagoon, the princesses rested on their oars, trying to get their breath back.

  With one final growl, the storm passed on and the rain grew lighter. The lagoon became calm and the water returned to a beautiful turquoise color once again.

  The girls slipped out of the boat to join Clarabel in the warm water. They formed a circle around the dolphin, but he lay very still, barely able to lift his nose.

  “He’s so weak from struggling against the waves,” said Clarabel, tears coming to her eyes. “What should we do? He can’t even swim.”

  “We have to try the pearl,” said Jaminta. “We haven’t had time to test it first. But we have to try it now. It’s our only hope for making him better.”

  Clarabel unfastened her bracelet.

  The blue sapphires glittered deeply, and the pearl, with its gleam of a rainbow, cast a bright reflection in the water.

  Holding them carefully, she made sure that they were right next to the terrible wound on the dolphin’s side. The sapphires and the pearl glowed together in the rhythm of a heartbeat.

  “Is it working?” asked Lulu.

  “I’m not sure,” replied Emily.

  “Let’s wait another minute,” said Jaminta.

  The dolphin lay silent. For a moment, nothing in the lagoon moved at all. And still nothing happened.

  Clarabel shut her eyes and held her breath. With her whole heart she said, “I wish he could be healthy again, I wish he could be healthy again …”

  The pearl’s rainbow shine grew brighter. A fine white mist floated from the pearl to the dolphin. Under the haze, the dolphin seemed to fill with light.

  Clarabel opened her eyes and stared.

  “It’s the pearl! It’s starting to work,” she whispered.

  The dolphin turned his beady black eyes toward the princesses and nuzzled each one of them with his nose.

  “You’re better!” cried Clarabel, touching his smooth skin. She could still see where the cut had been, but it was healed over and smooth.

  Jaminta looked amazed. “I’ve never seen a jewel work like this before. I think you made it happen, Clarabel.”

  “It was like the pearl knew what you were wishing for,” said Emily softly.

  The dolphin squeaked and thumped his tail. Then, with a wiggle and a splash, he dived away across the lagoon.

  “Come on!” called Lulu, and all the princesses dived under. They came to the surface and stood up in the shallow water, looking for the little dolphin.

  Suddenly, the water filled with splashes and chirps.

  “More dolphins!” said Emily. “The dolphin’s friends came back to find him!”

  The little dolphin tipped his nose into the air and went leaping and diving with his friends.

  Lulu held on to a dolphin’s fin and went for a ride. “This is so much fun!”

  “I know!” Emily laughed, holding on to another.

  “That was a great rescue, girls,” said Jaminta, splashing everybody.

  Clarabel’s heart felt full enough to burst as the dolphin swam back to her again.

  “It’s great to see you feeling so much better,” she said.

  The dolphin squeaked and flicked the water with his tail, leading her across the lagoon. Clarabel smiled, a little puzzled. Something told her he wasn’t playing anymore.

  Halfway across, the dolphin dived down under the water. Then he resurfaced, making his clicking sound again.

  “What is it?” Clarabel asked him.

  He dived again and she followed, swimming right down to the bottom.

  Half hidden in the sand lay a broken wooden chest with gold bars and coins spilling out of it. They filled the water all around with sparkling color. Clarabel’s eyes widened and she returned to the surface for a gulp of air.

  “You showed me the treasure!” she said. “You knew where it was the whole time.”

  A silky nose brushed her cheek before the dolphin squeaked and dived away across the lagoon.

  “Thank you,” said Clarabel. “Good luck, little one.”

  The following morning, the sun blazed down from a clear blue sky.

  Everyone hurried around the palace, making things perfect for the enormous banquet that would follow the Royal Regatta.

  Some of the flower garlands needed mending, but other than that the storm had caused very little damage.

  The princesses asked for Ally’s help to get the treasure out of the lagoon, as the chest was half full of sand and really heavy.

  “So that’s where the treasure’s been hiding all these years!” said Ally as she helped pull it to the shore.

  “Was this the most famous lost treasure of all?” asked Emily.

  Ally shook her head. “No. The most famous treasure is the Onica Heart Crystals. Those crystals are rarer than diamonds.”

  “I know about them,” said Jaminta, who came from the kingdom of Onica. “They belonged to my grandfather, but they disappeared before I was born.”

  “What happened to them, Ally?” asked Clarabel. “You must know all about it because of your old job.”

  “Yes, tell us! Were they lost or stolen?” asked Emily.

  “I did work on that case for a while, but it was all very secret,” said Ally mysteriously.

  “Please tell us!” the princesses pleaded. But Ally shook her head and wouldn’t say any more.

  Jaminta rigged up a small wooden cart with wheels and a rope so that they could get the treasure up to the palace. They got stuck on some of the sand dunes, but finally, after a lot of tugging and heaving, they made it into the palace garden.

  They arrived just as the empress began to speak to a crowd of all the kings, queens, princes, and princesses who had gathered together on the lawn.

  “It gives me great pleasure to declare that this Royal Regatta has begun,” announced the empress. “Now, let’s walk down to the harbor, where the boat race will start, and —”

  She stopped as she took in the strange sight of the princesses wheeling a treasure chest up the sloping lawn.

  The empress walked through the crowd to meet them.

  “The lost treasure of the Rising Gull! My dears, I’ve been waiting years for someone to uncover it. I should have known it would be you four princesses!”

  Her wise eyes moved from one princess to another. “How did you find it?”

  “We found it by accident — well, a dolphin helped us, really,” Clarabel blurted out.

  “How strange!” said the empress. “But, I have always thought that they’re very clever creatures. So what do you plan to do with all this gold?”

  Clarabel curtsied. “Your Majesty, we would like to give the treasure to you, because we truly believe it belongs to Ampali Island now.”

  Prince Samuel burst through the crowd with a loud cry but was yanked back by Queen Trudy.

  “We think it should be used to support the wildlife zone and all the creatures in it,” added Clarabel. “Especially the dolphins.”

  The crowd broke into cheers and applause, making Clarabel blush. Her parents, the king and queen of Winteria, came to the front.

  “What a lovely idea, Clarabel,” said her mom, smiling. “We’re so proud of you.”

  “Wow! So that’s why you were so busy,” said Prince Olaf, looking at the chest full of coins and gold bars.

  “Very busy! And you still managed to make the flower garlands, too!” said the empress.

  The four princesses curtsied and the empress smiled. “You must take something from the chest to remember your great achievement,” she added.

  “But … but … that’s not fair!” whined Samuel, not noticing the sudden silence. “I was looking for it first, so it should be my gold.”

  The empress frowned. “So was it you who took the map from my private bookcase two days ago?”

  Prince Samuel flushed. “I haven’t got a map. Maybe they took it.” He pointed at the princesses.

  All the kings and queens turned to stare at Clarabel, Emily, Lulu, and Jaminta.

  “Squawk!” went a little blue parrot landing on Samuel’s shoulder. Samuel gave a screech and stumbled backward. As he fell over onto the lawn, the old map fell out of his pocket and lay there on the grass.

  “It was you, Prince Samuel,” said the empress sternly. “You took the map without asking and then lied about it. We will have to find you a suitable punishment. I know! You will feed and clean up after all the palace pets for the rest of the week.”

  Samuel pouted and slunk back toward the palace. Queen Trudy followed him, scolding in a whisper.

  The empress turned back to Clarabel. “You must take something. I insist!”

  Clarabel leaned over the treasure chest. She didn’t want any gold — that should be used for the wildlife zone. But there, in one corner, was a gleam of purple. She picked out a shimmering stone and turned it over in her fingers.

  “A purple amethyst!” whispered Jaminta. “Good choice, Clarabel.”

  “And now, Your Royal Highnesses,” said the empress, “we will have a short break while the treasure is taken inside. Everyone will meet at the harbor in one hour, and then the boat races will begin!”

  The princesses rushed inside to get ready for the Royal Regatta. Clarabel asked if they were allowed to take a rowboat out on the ocean to watch the race close-up.

  “As long as you’re very careful,” said the queen of Winteria, her blue eyes serious. “It’s really hard work rowing those little boats, even on a calm sea. I don’t think you realize how tricky it can be.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty. We’ll be careful,” said the princesses, trying not to giggle.

  -->