Horrible Harry Goes to Sea (5 page)

“Yeah?” a weak voice called back.

“That you?” I asked.

“No ... it's ...
me.
”

When the door opened, we saw Dexter hobble out. His face looked sea green.

“I think... I feel... a little better,” Dexter said. “I barfed.”

As we took his arm and led him back to our class, we heard a voice come over the loudspeaker:
Will Sidney La Fleur please report to the snack shop immediately.

Dexter ignored the announcement. “I guess... I can't rock at sea... like I can rock with Elvis,” he mumbled.

“Speaking of music,” I said. “Do you hear that?”

We stopped in our tracks and listened.

“Sidney!”
we shouted. There he was, about five yards from the refreshment stand. A crowd of kids made a circle around him. You couldn't see Sid at all. You could just hear his sea chantey!

Mr. La Fleur, who was waiting by the refreshment stand, looked over at us immediately. When he saw us pointing to the circle of kids, he ran right through it. “Sidney! We've been looking all over for you. Didn't you hear the loudspeaker?” Then after he scolded him, he hugged him.

Sidney hugged him back. “I... didn't hear it.... I was singing.”

“You shouldn't wander off like that!” Mr. La Fleur said as we all walked him back to our class.

When we returned, Dexter quietly sat down next to Mrs. Burrell. Everyone else yelled,
“Sidney!”

Mary pointed to his ear.
“You stole Song Lee's earring!”

“No! No I didn't!” Sidney replied. “I found it under the bus seat. I was just going to borrow it. I was planning all along to return it. I was just checking it out... like a library book.”

Most of us rolled our eyes.

“So what do you say to Song Lee?” Mr. La Fleur asked.

“Sorry,” Sidney said taking off the earring and handing it to Song Lee.

Mary shook her head. “If you really were a pirate like your ancestor Rupert, you would be marooned! Pirates aren't supposed to steal from each other.”

Sidney wiped his eyes. “You're right. I should have asked first. Would you like a hot dog, Song Lee? I still have some allowance left.”

Song Lee took a moment to think about it. “Yes, please,” she said. “With mustard, relish, and ketchup.”

“Okey dokey,” Sid replied. Then he looked at the teacher. “Do you have an extra sailor's hat? I can't find mine.”

Miss Mackle and Sid's stepdad exchanged a long look.

The last ten minutes of our trip, Mrs. Burrell asked, “Anyone want to see the view from the top deck?”

“Yeah!”
Harry shouted.

Just as we were going up the winding stairwell, tons of people were coming down.

“It's raining!” they called.

Mary stopped in her tracks. “I'll stay downstairs. I don't want to get my new sailor's hat wet.”

Sidney didn't have a choice. He was grounded next to his stepdad.

Dexter was asleep.

Mrs. Burrell looked at Song Lee, Ida, Harry, and me. “Do you mind a little rain?”

“Nah,” Harry said. “Sailors like us are used to rain. Let's go!”

“My great-great-grandmother Persis sailed through icebergs and icy wind. Rain can't keep me from doing anything!” Ida exclaimed.

When we got to the top deck, we had the whole place to ourselves. What a view of the Connecticut River Valley!

“You know what, Harry?” I said. “I think we would have made it if we were on the
Titanic
or
Mayflower.
We're tough sailors.”

“Yeah, we
are
tough sailors.”

Ida handed her camera to her mother. “Please take a picture of Song Lee and me singing in the rain. I want to add it to Great-Great-Grandmother Persis's scrapbook.”

“Good idea,” Ida's mother replied.

While Mrs. Burrell snapped a picture of the girls, Harry and I looked over the railing. The raindrops hit the water like grains of sand.

“I love the sea,” Harry said, taking a deep whiff of fishy air.

“Me too,” I said, watching a bird flap its wings.

And then Harry yelled,
“Thanks Ida!”

I don't think she heard Harry. Ida was too busy singing and dancing on the deck with her mother and Song Lee.