Knockdown by Brenda Beem Read Free Book Online Page B

sprawled. Another sea lion, smaller and dark brown, swam nearby.
    Makala, wearing her new pink and duct tape lifejacket, scrambled from the cockpit to the side. The boat rocked and she fell to the deck.
    “Makala!” Angelina screamed.
    Angelina and I grabbed her by the vest. When the boat st eadied, I took both the older and younger girls’ hands.
    “These are life lines.” I poi nted to the two rows of plastic-covered fence cords that went full-length down both sides of the boat. “When you walk around the deck, hold on to a line and pull up. It will keep you anchored.”
    Angelina grabbed a line. Makala searched the water for the sea lions.
    I helped Makala over to the boat’s edge and positioned her legs, one on each side of a chrome stanchion. I placed her hands on the life lines. If she fell forward, the chrome post would stop her.
    “Hold on tight ,” I told her.
    “Like this?” She grinned and leaned way back, a firm grip on the lines.
    “Perfect.” I smiled.
    The brown sea lion bumped i nto the buoy. The spotted-faced seal started to slide off, but the platform stabilized in time. He scrambled for a better perch. The brown one barked in protest.
    Makala laughed with excitement.
    The brown sea li on swam around and around. Spotted Face stretched out and basked in the sun.
    Jervis and Angelina came and sat beside Makala.
    Takumi scooted in next to me. Did it mean something, or was it a coincidence that he always seemed to be close by? I smiled. Don’t be silly , I told myself. It’s a small boat. Where would he be and not be close to me?
    Nick steered the sailboat near the buoy. The sea lions ignored us and continued their game.
    Makala pinched her nose. “They stink.”
    “Wait until you go past an island full of them.” I smiled. “But they’re fun to watch.”
    “Sissy, l ook!” Makala squealed.
    The wake from our boat tipped the buoy. Spotted Face skidded off the platform and splashed into the water. The brown seal waited for just the right moment and leapt.
    “He made it!” Makala clapped her hands.
    Spotted Face snorted. Water flew from his nose, the spray covering the victor. Spotted Face swam toward shore. The brown sea lion raised his head and barked in triumph.
    Makala laughed , then pointed down at the water. “What’s that?”
    Jervis followed her gaze. “That’s a peanut butter and jelly fish.”
    “No, it’s not.” Makala cinched her eyebrows.
    Jervis grinned. “Is too. See, there’s another one.”
    Makala asked me if that’s what they were really called. I smiled and shrugged. Jervis was good for Makala. His little sisters must really miss him.
    The afternoon passed slowly. Thoughts of home crept in between sightings of seals, puffins, and ‘peanut butter and jelly fish’.
    We were headed toward the lighthouse at the end of the Dungeness Spit. We were close to the end of the peninsula and nearing the open ocean. I leaned back and called to Nick. “Are you watching the depth? It gets shallow between here and the lighthouse.”
    He put his finger to his lips and mouthed that Dylan was asleep, then glanced down at the depth finder and quickly turned the wheel away from shore.
    “Are we okay?” I stood and saw the tops of sea weed. We were really shallow.
    Nick studied the instruments and nodded.
    All of a sudden Makala pointed behind me and cried, “Fire!”
    I raced to the stern. Billows of smoke wafted up from the water. “Smoke’s coming out of the engine.”
    Nic k shoved the gear into neutral.
    Dylan bolt ed awake and ran to the wheel. The boat slowed almost to a stop. Our wake caught us and we pitched from side to side. Dylan and I grabbed the rail. A large plume of smoke floated over us.
    The engine noise changed to a sputtering whirl and died.

Chapter Eight
     
    Seven Hours Before
     
    Cole sprang through the cabin opening. “Why are we stopped?”
    “The engine light is red.” Dylan tapped the gauge.
    I fanned the smoke. “There was a plume of smoke