Shadows of Caesar's Creek by Sharon M. Draper Read Free Book Online

inches long.
    â€œWhat good is that going to do?” asked Rashawn. “It’s not raining.”
    â€œI know, mon. But look” Ziggy pushed a button on the handle and the tiny umbrella stretched out to a full three feet long. “We can use this as a second paddle As long as I don’t push this second button to open it up, we’ll be fine,” he explained.
    Ziggy dipped the umbrella into the water andsaid to Rico, who was holding the plank, “Let’s do this together, mon. Dip, push the water, up—dip, push the water, up—dip, push, up—dip, push, up.”
    Rico nodded in agreement, and for a few moments the sound of the two makeshift paddles splashing together in the water made them all feel better. But
the canoe still wasn’t moving toward the shore as
they wanted. In fact, it seemed to be going in circles.
    â€œIt’s not working, Ziggy,” Jerome complained.
    â€œI’ve got it, mon” Ziggy shouted. “The problem is that me and Rico should be sitting next to each other, not like this That way, we’d be rowing together and we could get this little boat back to camp. Let me just move over next to—”
    â€œNO, ZIGGY” they all shouted. “DON’T STAND UP”

    But it was too late. In his excitement to change places, he stood up, and the canoe started to rock. Ziggy lost his balance, fell forward, and accidentally pushed the button that made the umbrella open with a
whoosh
The open umbrella bumped Rashawn and knocked him overboard with a splash. Ziggy tumbled in after him, screaming. He grabbed the side of the canoe, pulled it too far, and Rico and Jerome joined them in the chilly water as the canoe tilted, filled with water, and sank with a gurgle and a thud.
    The four boys were good swimmers, but the darkness and the
sudden tumble into the water made everything really scary. Ziggy was screaming and splashing, trying to find the sunken canoe.
    â€œHelp I’m drowning It’s dark out here Where are you guys?”
    â€œWe’re right here, Ziggy Grab my hand,” Jerome shouted.
    â€œI can’t find you, mon The water is much too deep I can’t swim in the dark, mon. Help”
    Suddenly Rashawn yelled, “ZIGGY SHUT UP AND STAND UP We’re in three feet of water Look”
    Silence.
    Then Ziggy said softly, “I knew that, mon. I was just trying to see if you had noticed.” He stood up and sloshed through the shallow water to the shore.
    Rico, Rashawn, and Jerome laughed in spite of themselves and followed him. Wet and cold, but glad to be safe, they sat on the sand, trying to catch their breath. “We made it,” sighed Rico.
    â€œLet’s brush this sand off and head back to camp in a hurry,” said Jerome. “Maybe Noni hasn’t noticed that we’re gone yet.”
    â€œSand?” Rashawn said, sounding worried. He picked up handfuls of the soft white sand and let it spill through his fingers. Then he added fearfully,“There was no sand on the beach we left from. It was rocky, remember?”
    â€œOh, no” Rico exclaimed. “We’ve landed on another beach We must have drifted across the lake Now we’ll
never
find our way back”
    â€œWell, we can’t stay here. We’ve got to keep moving so we can dry off a little and try to keep warm,” declared Jerome. “Maybe our camp is not too far away.” But he didn’t sound very sure.
    â€œLet’s go this way,” suggested Rico.
    â€œThrough the woods?” asked Rashawn.
    â€œWhy not, mon Let’s move on” Ziggy led their way into the darkness.
    They walked slowly at first, stumbling into trees and each other, bushes scratching their arms and faces. Gradually, though, the moon came from behind the clouds and they were able to make out shapes and shadows in the forest as they walked. But they were wet, cold, scared, and very, very lost.
    â€œI wish I had a