Abby forgot all about her fight with Bella. “That’s Bogart!” she cried. “I thought he sounded scared—now I know why. That raccoon wants to eat him for dinner!”

“Come on.” Bella was already hurrying toward the woods. “Grab a stick or something. Maybe we can scare off the raccoon. But be careful—they can be mean!”

“Okay.” Abby grabbed the thickest stick she could find. Then she followed her friend into the woods.

It was much darker under the trees. Spooky shadows seemed to dart around the girls’ feet, though Abby told herself they were probably made by cute little lizards or frogs.

“Bogart!” she called. “Are you in here?”

A loud squawk rang out from just ahead. “This way!” Bella said. “There they are!”

Abby spotted them, too. Bogart was flapping along the ground, dragging one wing. “You’re right—he definitely looks injured!” she exclaimed. “Hey, you mean bully,” she called out to the raccoon. “Leave him alone!”

The raccoon stopped and spun around. That gave the macaw a chance to flap away out of sight. The raccoon chattered angrily at the girls, then darted off in the same direction.

“Oh no,” Bella said. “He’s still after the parrot! I think they went this way …”

Abby followed close behind her. Just ahead they both could hear the animals crashing through the underbrush.

“Now they’re turning that way, I think.” Abby pointed off to the right.

Bella nodded and changed directions. There was a big clump of thorny vines in the way, and it took them a few moments to carefully step around them. By that time, the sounds were fading a little. But then another squawk rang out.

Abby tilted her head, trying to figure out where it was coming from. Somehow, noises sounded different in the dark. “I think they’re heading toward the cove again,” she said.

“I think you’re right.” Bella was already changing directions. “Let’s go!”

Soon the girls burst back into the clearing. Abby gasped. The raccoon was there—and he was creeping toward Bogart! The macaw edged toward the water, still dragging his injured wing.

“Quit that!” Bella cried.

“Let’s go!” Abby brandished her stick and stepped forward. But Bella stopped her.

“Don’t get too close,” she warned. “If that raccoon hasn’t run away by now, he’s not scared of us. He might bite if we go over there.”

Abby knew Bella was right. But they couldn’t let him grab the poor macaw!

Bogart crept just out of reach. But he was running out of space. He hopped up onto the first of the line of rocks that jutted out into the water. The raccoon followed.

“Uh-oh,” Bella said. “Now he’s trapped on that little spit!”

She was right. The raccoon blocked the only path back to dry land. “Too bad Bogart can’t swim like the dolphins,” Abby said. Then her eyes widened as she got an idea.

She pursed her lips—and let out a loud whistle! The raccoon jumped and spun around again.

“That won’t stop him for long,” Bella said. Sure enough, the raccoon soon crawled out across one of the rocks, then another.

“I know.” Abby was watching the water. She smiled when Rascal’s head popped up. She whistled again, and the dolphin zoomed closer—sending a wave of water over the rocky spit!

Bella gasped as Bogart was washed into the cove. “Oh no!” she cried.

“Oh yes.” Abby kicked off her shoes. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the raccoon dashing off into the forest, looking wet and disgruntled. “Now we can rescue Bogart!”

She rushed into the shallows. But Bella grabbed her arm.

“You can’t go in there!” she cried. “It’s nighttime, and you don’t have a life jacket or anything! Anyway, I can’t see the bird anywhere.”

Abby couldn’t see Bogart, either. But the dolphins were gathering in one spot near the end of the spit, their gray heads bobbing in the dim light.

She fished her phone out of her pocket. “Here,” she said, turning it on and handing it to Bella. “If anything happens, use this to call someone.”

Without waiting for a response, she plunged into the dark water.

Swimming in the dark was scary, especially when Abby felt something brush past her leg. But she relaxed when a slender gray shape appeared beside her. It was Graygirl.

“Help me find Bogart, okay?” Abby whispered.

The dolphin swam closer, nudging her a little to the left. Abby went the way the dolphin was pushing her. A second later, she saw Rascal’s head pop up. He let out a whistle, then disappeared underwater again.

Now Abby saw the rest of the pod just ahead. She swam toward them. When she got closer, she saw Nana nosing at something—a limp blue form in the water.

It was Bogart! A second later, Neptune swam in and nosed at the bird, too. Bogart let out a weak squawk and flapped one waterlogged wing. Next, Domino nudged at him, turning him slightly so his head stayed above water.

Suddenly, Abby understood what was happening. They’re helping him! she thought in awe. The dolphins are working together to keep Bogart from sinking!