The girls set up the lemonade stand in a cool spot in the shade of a big tree. They sold six cups of lemonade right away. But after that, nothing.
“How’s business?” Tyler asked, crossing the street from Pat’s Garage. The parking lot bustled with tourists waiting to rent mopeds and bikes.
“Terrible,” Cricket moaned. “Nobody even sees us over here. There’s no way we’ll make enough money to buy the cement today.”
“Hmm. I’ll be right back,” Tyler said, turning around and going back across the street. “Just don’t go anywhere. The stand is perfect right where it is.”
Shilo looked at Cricket and shrugged.
“Come back with some money for lemonade!” Cricket yelled.
“I’ll come back with something even better!” Tyler said as he disappeared into Pat’s Garage.
A half hour passed, and the girls still hadn’t sold any more lemonade. Then Tyler and Will came out of Pat’s. They were grinning and carrying big posters.
“This should help you make some money,” said Tyler, turning his poster so the girls could see it.
SAVE OUR SALAMANDERS was painted in big green letters. Underneath that was a goofy-looking salamander with a yellow stripe down his back. He was drinking a cup of lemonade.
“Look at mine,” Will said. His poster was decorated with two long-toed salamanders juggling bright-yellow lemons. Underneath them it said LEMONADE 25¢ A GLASS.
“That’s great, you guys,” Shilo said.
“And my dad said you could borrow this.” Will handed Cricket a giant bear-bell.
She shook it, and it made a loud, musical sound. A few of the tourists across the street turned and looked at the kids.
“It works!” Cricket said, ringing the bell loudly while the boys put up their signs.
Immediately a group of tourists walked across the street to see what was going on. Soon the table was surrounded by hot and thirsty customers who were all curious about the salamanders.
“I didn’t know Waterton had salamanders. What kind of salamanders are they?”
“What are you going to use the money for?”
“Why do the salamanders need saving?”
“Do the salamanders really have long toes?”
Cricket and Shilo tried to remember everything they had learned from Dr. Kate as they answered questions and served lemonade. Tyler looked after the money. Will refilled the jugs and got more cups.
Even local people stopped to see what the fuss was all about. Everyone was interested, and everyone wanted to help.