CARLA .
âWhat do you suppose this means?â Jessie asked worriedly, handing the telegram to Henry.
After reading it, Henry frowned. âTwo more days of what?â
Violet took the telegram. âHow could two more days make them rich?â
Jessie was thoughtful. âIf Max makes it to Miami on time, heâll be rich. If not his cousin Carla will inherit Great-Aunt Edithâs estate. This telegram could be from cousin Carla.â
Henry picked up Jessieâs train of thought. âAnd Tom could have been hired by Carla to keep the West Wind from getting to Miami on time.â
âThen Tom has been the one all along,â Violet said, disbelief on her face.
âAnd he seemed so nice, too!â Benny exclaimed.
âLetâs find Max,â Henry said. âIâm sure heâll know what to do.â
They found Max and Grandfather playing cards in the library.
âHere, Max,â Jessie said, âI think you should read this.â
Max stared at the telegram, then his eyes lit up in understanding. âTom Bishop. Of course. He must be Thomas, the man Carlaâs going to marry. She talked about a âThomas.â Iâve never met him so I had no idea what he looked like.â
âHe did ask us questions,â Henry said, âand once he mentioned how upset you looked.â
âWhen Tom came aboard,â Benny said, âI remember he said that we kids knew all about the ship, and weâd have to show him around.â
âThatâs right,â Violet said.
âSo,â Max said, âTomâs doing Carlaâs dirty work! Carlaâs probably in Miami right now!â He shook his head. âIf I donât get to Miami by Sunday, sheâll inherit everything!â
Henry said, âWe need to warn the captain about Tom.â
âYes,â Jessie agreed. âAnd letâs also ask him if weâll be sailing into Nassau on time.â
âGood idea,â Grandfather said, rising to his feet.
They found the captain on the navigation deck, and when he heard their news, he was furious. â No one can tamper with my ship!â
Thoughtfully he added, âIâm not surprised, though. The crew has seen Tom outside the engine room a few times and wondered what he was up to.â
âHeâs deliberately trying to delay the ship,â Max said urgently. Then he explained to the captain why he had to get to Miami.
âWell,â the captain said, âTom Bishop wonât succeed. Weâre right on time. Weâre taking a shorter route to Nassau.â He smiled. âSo, Mr. Greene, youâll be at the reading of the will.â
Max breathed a sigh of relief.
âWeâre on time now,â Grandfather said, âbut what if . . .?â
âWhat if Tom does something else to sabotage the ship?â Jessie finished.
âExactly,â Grandfather said.
For a few minutes they were all silent. Then Jessie, her eyes shining, said, âI have a plan.â
âYou have?â Violet asked.
âYes, I have,â Jessie replied, smiling. And she whispered into the captainâs ear, and then into Maxâs.
The captain nodded. âIâll do it,â he said firmly.
A slow grin spread across Maxâs face. âGood idea, Jessie,â he said.
âWhat are they going to do?â Benny asked as they walked back to the cabin.
âYouâll see at dinner,â Jessie said with a secret smile.
The Aldens went to their cabins to change clothes, and met at their table for dinner. Tom was sitting at the next table, right behind Max.
âI canât wait to see what the captainâs going to do,â Benny whispered carefully to Jessie.
âHeâs going to say something to Max,â Jessie carefully whispered back. âListen closely.â
As they ate their lemon meringue pie, the captain walked slowly by the Aldensâ table.
âExcuse me,