“Thank you, Ben,” the teacher said. Then she
nodded toward Mia. “Girls, it’s your turn.”
The friends gathered in front of the classroom.
Stephanie spoke for the group. “Our idea is called
Dolphin Alert. Special underwater speakers are
hung from the fishing boats. When the fishermen
begin to trawl with their nets, they turn on the
speakers and the dolphins hear this.”
She nodded toward Andrea, who pressed a
button on her music player. Music streamed from
the speaker.
Best friends forever,
Forever and ever . . .
“Oops! Wrong track!” Andrea said quickly.
She pressed another button, and this time, the
sound of whales came through the speakers.
“Those are orcas—they are a natural enemy of
dolphins,” explained Olivia.
“The dolphins will swim away from the
sound,” said Mia.
“And they won’t get caught in the nets,” Emma
added.
The class applauded politely as Ms. Stevens
said, “Thank you, girls.”
The friends walked back to their desks. Andrea
rested her chin in her hand and sighed.
“And now . . . we wait to find out who the
winner is.”
When the final bell rang, they left school and
headed to Andrea’s house.
Up in her bedroom, Andrea flopped into her
desk chair dramatically. “Ugh! A whole day to wait
until we learn who won the contest!”
“Hold it together, Andrea,” Mia teased.
“I don’t know if I can wait until tomorrow,
either!” Emma said.
“Girls, we need to find something to take our
minds off the contest,” Stephanie suggested.
Andrea glanced at her laptop. “I guess I could
write a post on my music blog.”
“And I can organize Andrea’s closet!” said
Stephanie, flinging open the doors.
A mountain of clothes and beach gear started
to fall out, and she quickly shut the doors closed.
Andrea shot her an annoyed look.
“Not that it needs organizing,” Stephanie said,
trying to smile.
Emma picked up a hairbrush from Andrea’s
dresser. “I could do someone’s hair. Mia, how
about you?”
Olivia grabbed her music player. “I’ll play some
music.”
A bouncy tune started to play, and Andrea
stood up.
“Ooh, I love this song!”
“Me, too,” Emma agreed, pretending to sing
into the hairbrush like it was a microphone.
I’ve never had a friend like you before.
You’ve got my back and I-I-I’ve got yours . . .
The girls started dancing around the room. For
a while, they forgot all about the contest.
But the next morning, they each jumped out
of bed, excited to find out who had won.
Mia and Olivia got to school first. They met
up by the bulletin board in the main lobby where
announcements were posted.
“I would love to win that dolphin trip,” Mia
said, scanning the board.
“Me, too!” said Olivia. But there was no sign
announcing the contest winner.
Stephanie ran up to them. “Is the winner
posted yet?”
Olivia shook her head. “No, not yet.”
Emma ran up next. “Is the winner posted yet?”
“No,” replied Mia. “And it’s driving us crazy.”
Andrea ran up. “Is the winner posted yet?”
“No!” the other girls said all at once.
Andrea pulled back, startled. “Whoa, what’s
gotten into you guys?”
Emma sighed. “Sorry, Andrea. We’re just all so
nervous to find out who won.”
Stephanie took a deep breath. “Okay,” she said.
“Let’s stay calm. Keep it in check. We know we
did our best. If we win, great! If not, there’s always
next time.”
Just then, Mia pointed down the hall. “Look!
Ms. Stevens is coming!”
have the contest results?
Chapter 5:
Getting Ready
Ms. Stevens walked up to the bulletin board,
smiling. She tacked up a copy of the girls’ Dolphin
Alert poster . . . and then she stuck a first place
ribbon on it!
“Congratulations, girls!” she told them.
“We won? We really won? Did you hear? We
won!” Stephanie cheered ecstatically. She hugged
her friends, and the other girls jumped up and
down with excitement, too.
Ms. Stevens nodded. “Your Dolphin Alert
idea was outstanding, and there are several fishing
companies interested in taking a look at it.
”
“Thanks, Ms. Stevens!” Mia and the others said,
grinning from ear to ear. They were still so excited
about winning!
“I’ll see you girls on the dock tomorrow, bright
and early, for the sightseeing boat trip,” Ms. Stevens
said. “And remember—we’ll be gone all day!”
“This is going to be so much fun!” exclaimed
Andrea after Ms. Stevens had left.
But Mia suddenly frowned. “Wait . . . did she
say we’d be gone all day tomorrow? Who’s going
to look after my animals? Aunt Sophie won’t be
there!”
Emma put an arm around Mia. “Don’t worry,
Mia. I’m sure we can find someone at the clinic
who can fill in. We’ll check after school.”
Mia nodded. But she looked a little doubtful.
After school, Mia and Emma headed straight for
the Heartlake Vet Clinic. When they arrived, they
found an assistant named Ashley at the front desk.
Ashley worked full-time for Olivia’s Aunt Sophie.
“Hi, Ashley,” Mia said. “I need a favor . . .”
Mia explained how she had promised to work
on Saturday, but that was before she knew she and
her friends had won the contest.
“Sorry, Mia. I’m going away this weekend, too,”
Ashley said. “But Sasha might be free. Why don’t
you ask her?” She nodded toward a dark-haired
woman across the room.
As Ashley walked away, Mia turned to Emma
and groaned. “Now I really can’t go!”
Emma was confused. “What about Sasha? We
haven’t checked with her yet.”
Mia frowned. “Sasha’s nice and everything, but
she just started here, and—”
The sound of a yapping puppy interrupted her.
Sasha was about to put a kitten in the same cage as
the dog, and both animals were frightened!
“Oops, wrong cage!” Sasha laughed nervously,
quickly removing the kitten.
“See what I mean?” Mia said quietly to Emma.
“You want me to trust her?”
“Sophie does,” Emma reminded her. “And
maybe you can show Sasha how you like things
done.”
Mia sighed. “Okay. Let’s go ask her.”
Mia walked over to Sasha, who was about to
change the bandage on Molly, the brown
puppy.
“Hi, Sasha,” Mia said.
Sasha looked up and smiled. “Hi, Mia.”
“So, I was wondering if you could work for me
tomorrow?” Mia asked tentatively. “I promised
Sophie I’d be here, but my friends and I won this
contest, and we’re supposed to go on a dolphin
sightseeing trip tomorrow.”
“That sounds amazing!” said Sasha. “No
problem. I’m happy to fill in.”
“Thanks,” Mia said. But she still sounded
doubtful. She watched as Sasha picked up Molly
and wrapped a new bandage around her paw.
“She likes the bandage looser than that!” Mia
insisted.
“Oh, sorry, girl!” Sasha told Molly. She
unwound the bandage and started again.
“Slower!” Mia instructed.
Emma tapped Mia on the shoulder. “Mia,
would you come here a sec?” she asked, gently
leading her away. “I think you’re making Sasha
nervous hovering over her like that.”
“Me, making her nervous?” Mia asked.
“Sasha isn’t you,” Emma pointed out. “She’s
going to have her own way of doing things.”
“You mean the wrong way,” Mia said. “I don’t
know, Emma. Maybe it’s best if I just skip the
sightseeing trip.”
At that moment, Mia heard Molly give a happy
bark. She turned around. The puppy’s bandage
was wrapped perfectly! She cuddled in Sasha’s
arms, happily nuzzling her face.
“Wow, Sasha!” Mia said, walking over. “You
did a great job. Molly looks so happy!”
Sasha smiled appreciatively. “Thanks, Mia.
That means a lot. I think I’m getting the hang
of things here.”
Mia looked at Emma and grinned. “I think
you’re right. My little guys will be in good hands
with Sasha. I’m going on the trip!”
Early the next morning, Stephanie, Andrea,
Mia, Emma, and Olivia got to the dock. Each
wore a long yellow rain slicker and rubber boots.
“Oh, that must be our boat,” Stephanie
guessed, pointing to a small green fishing boat.
Chapter 6:
All Aboard
“Morning, girls!”
The friends turned around at the sound of
their science teacher’s cheerful voice. When they
saw her, they were surprised. Ms. Stevens looked
super fashionable, with a purple tank top, white
wraparound skirt, and sunglasses.
Emma grinned. “Looks like Ms. Stevens is
going to be the best dressed on the boat.”
“Oh, that’s not our boat, girls,” said Ms.
Stevens. “That’s our boat.”
She pointed to a gleaming white yacht docked
a little farther down. The three-story yacht had a
colorful party deck and a slide that went from the
second floor to the main level.
“A yacht?” Stephanie asked in disbelief.
“No way!” Olivia cried.
“Seriously?” asked Mia.
“I—I don’t even have words for how cool this is!”
Andrea swooned.
“I do,” said Emma. “Sweet ride!”
Ms. Stevens grinned. “Did I forget to mention
this part?”
The girls nodded.
“Uh, yeah!” said Mia.
Just then, a boy walked off the yacht to meet
them. He had blond hair, blue eyes, and wore a light
blue shirt with a sailboat on the pocket.
Ms. Stevens waved at him. “Hi, Andrew!”
Andrew waved back. “Hi!”
The girls looked up at the fancy yacht. Then they
looked down at their raincoats and boots.
“Ms. Stevens, this is just not right!” Andrea
protested.
Ms. Stevens raised an eyebrow, surprised. “What
do you mean?”
“We can’t take a yacht looking like this!” Andrea
and the girls pointed to their wet-weather gear.
“Please, Ms. Stevens,” Stephanie begged. “Can
we go home quickly and change? We’ll be back in
fifteen minutes, promise!”
“All right, girls, but hurry,” the teacher said.
The girls raced off the dock. Fifteen minutes
later, they came back just like they had promised.
But this time, they were definitely dressedfor a yacht
cruise! Emma, Andrea, and Mia all wore bright
beach shorts while Olivia and Stephanie sported
pretty waist wraps. Each had a colorful bathing suit
top and matching sunglasses.
“Now,
this
is what I’m talking about!” said
Stephanie.
“Come on aboard!” Andrew called out. “Watch
your step.”
As the girls boarded, Emma looked through her
bag. “I forgot my camera in the car. Be right back!”
She dashed off.
Her friends began to explore the yacht. On the
first floor they found a cute little bedroom tucked
away. Next to it was a full kitchen. There was even a
living room with a huge, comfy couch.
“Look at the seating!” Andrea said, flopping onto
the couch.
Next, they made their way to the top deck,
where Andrew was steering the yacht. From there
they could see the ocean stretch out before them. It
sparkled in the morning sunlight.
“Amazing view!” Mia said.
Then they went back down to the first level.
At the end of the boat was a sun deck with lounge
chairs. The girls put on sunscreen and relaxed.
“I could spend some serious time here,” Andrea
remarked.
“It’s official: This yacht is kickin,” said Stephanie.
“Totally,” agreed Mia. “Emma, you’re awfully
quiet. What do you think?”
There was no answer.
“Emma?” Mia asked again. By now all the girls
were looking around the deck. Where was Emma?
Suddenly, Mia’s phone buzzed, and she picked
it up. “It’s Emma, you guys,” she said. “Hello?”
“You left me on the dock!” Emma’s voice
shouted through the phone speaker.
The girls looked at one another in shock. They
couldn’t believe they’d left their friend!
Mia and Olivia raced below deck and found
Ms. Stevens in the living room.
“We forgot Emma!” Mia cried.
“She’s still on the dock!” added Olivia.
“Oh, dear,” said Ms. Stevens. “What should
we do?”
Stephanie and Andrea joined them.
“We’re not that far out,” said Stephanie. “We
could turn around.”
“Yeah, turn around,” repeated Andrea.
“Right, like I just said,” Stephanie replied.
“No,” said Andrea. “I mean, turn around!”
She pointed off the deck of the boat behind
them to a Wet-Ski attached to the yacht.
“A Wet-Ski! One of us could get Emma!”
Mia said.
“I will!” Olivia raced to the edge of the deck.
But Mia, Andrea, and Stephanie jumped in
front of her.
“No, I will!” said Mia.
“No, me!” said Stephanie.
; “I saw it first!” Andrea pointed out.
While the girls bantered, Olivia tiptoed
behind them. She slipped on a life jacket. Then
she climbed up to the top of the slide. She slid
down—and landed right on the Wet-Ski!
“Be back soon!” Olivia called out with a wave.
Mia shook her head. “She’s fast.”
“And sneaky,” Andrea added.
Olivia zipped across the water and quickly got
back to the dock. She stopped the Wet-Ski right
next to Emma.
“Sorry!” she called.
“It’s okay,” Emma said.
“Let’s go!”
When they got back to the yacht, the girls spent
the rest of the morning enjoying being out on the
ocean. They played music, relaxed on deck, and ate
a delicious lunch. It was perfect—except they hadn’t
seen any dolphins yet.
Emma stretched out on a lounge chair to catch
some sun. “This is so great!” she said.
“I just hope we see some dolphins before the day
is over,” Stephanie said.
As if on cue, Mia called down from the upper
deck. “Look, you guys! Dolphins!”
Everyone got up and ran to the rails to look.
Not too far away, a pod of dolphins was leaping over
the waves. The smooth, gray creatures made happy
noises as they swam.
“Wow,” said Olivia. “I’ve never been this close to
dolphins before.”
“Me neither,” said Andrea. “They’re beautiful!”
Olivia smiled as she watched the happy creatures
playing in the waves. She looked left . . . and
suddenly, her face fell. “Oh, no. Fishing boats!”
She pointed into the distance where two fishing
boats were lowering nets into the water.
“And their trawling nets are out!” Mia realized.
“This is terrible. The fishermen must not see the
dolphins. If we don’t do something, the dolphins
will get trapped!”
The friends all looked at one another. What
could they do to protect the dolphins from the