AT KEYHOLE COVE, the reef met the rocks in a huge ring. On one side were the worn grey rocks where the sea lions sat, and on the other the harsh black rocks of the wild east coast.
Inside the ring, the water was calm and a light, clear blue. The sea shushed in and out through a hole in the reef, but only the biggest waves could break over the top.
It was a perfect place for swimming. You could float on your back because if you started to daydream you’d bump your head on the reef before you floated out to sea. When you rolled over you could watch seahorses and shells and the open jaws of the giant clams with polka-dot fish racing through them.
It was the perfect place to do a Coconut Experiment and find out how to make a raft for Alex Rover.
So early next morning, Nim loaded up her wagon with coconuts. Fred climbed on top and she towed them across the grasslands (because it was easier than towing a wagon across sand and rocks) to Keyhole Cove.
Selkie swam around to Sea Lion Point, and sat and barked for Nim to hurry up.
But Nim got another load and then another, till she had twenty fat coconuts heaped on the rocks, and then she hurled them into the water one by one.
The coconuts bombed in and bobbed up. Selkie barked louder and louder. Fred got so excited he dived in with the last one.
Nim and Selkie jumped in too. There was still lots of room in the cove, even with twenty floating coconuts. Lots of room for Nim to float and somersault and stand on her hands, and for Fred to dash and dive and Selkie to swish splash the water through the Keyhole Rock.
When Selkie was bored with splashing she grabbed Fred by the tail. It was Selkie’s favourite game, but she was so big and Fred was so little that it really wasn’t fair. Fred’s legs whirred; he paddled faster and faster, harder and harder – but he couldn’t get anywhere.
‘Leave him alone, Selkie!’ Nim shouted, but it was hard not to laugh, and Fred sulked at the bottom of the cove when Selkie finally let him go.
JUST BEFORE SUNSET, Nim tried to phone Jack again – just in case he’d forgotten; just in case his phone had been broken and now it was fixed – but there was no answer.
It was two days since he’d phoned. If he didn’t come home tomorrow she could send an SOS: Go and Find Jack! But Jack wouldn’t want help and she didn’t want to send it.
She walked up to the pool to fill her water bottle and pick more peas for dinner. He’ll be home in the morning, she thought. Something will happen!
A frigate bird dived to scoop a drink from the pool. Sticking out from his leg-band was a rolled-up piece of paper.
It was easy to call Galileo if you had a fish, but Nim didn’t. ‘Come here,’ she coaxed. ‘Come to me.’
The big bird teased and soared, turned and dived. He swooped over Nim, so low that his wings brushed her hair, and so slowly that she could pull the letter out of the band.
Dear Nim
I figure if I offer Galileo a fish he’ll let me post this letter to you.
Had a fight with a freak storm. Storm won. Took my satellite dish, a bit of my rudder and a chunk of my forehead.
Can’t figure out if I’ve slept for one day or two. Don’t send an SOS – it’ll take more than a broken rudder to stop me from getting home!
Love (as much as a frigate bird loves fish),
Jack
Nim ran all the way down the hill, waving the letter in one hand and the water bottle in the other. ‘Jack’s okay!’ she sang, and swung Fred in a crazy jig around Selkie. ‘He’ll be home soon!’
Then she wrote two letters.
Dear Jack
I was SO HAPPY when Galileo gave me your letter. I didn’t really think you’d forget to come home but I liked that better than some of the other ideas.
I’ve been very busy doing an Experiment but I’ll tell you about it when you get home because I have to write an email now.
Love (as much as Fred loves coconut),
Nim
From: jack.rusoe@explorer.net
To: aka@incognito.net
Date: Thursday 1 April, 18:30
Dear Alex Rover
Today I started an Experiment to find out how you could build your raft.
I dropped twenty coconuts into Keyhole Cove to see how long they’ll float. They won’t escape unless there’s a bad storm with really big waves.
I hope there won’t be.
From Nim
She peeled a banana, dropped it onto a piece of bread and sprinkled it with fresh seaweed.
‘1 message,’ said the email box on the screen.
From: aka@incognito.net
To: jack.rusoe@explorer.net
Date: Thursday 1 April, 13:37
Dear Nim
My Hero would be devastated, annihilated, depressed and soggy if his raft didn’t float!
What does Keyhole Cove look like?
I picture a ring of black rocks jutting out from the shore, stark against the blue sea – and bobbing ridiculously around in this idyllic pool, twenty coconuts waiting to be a raft.
The Coconuts of Keyhole Cove – sounds like a title! Hmm …
With a thousand thanks, Alex
Nim read the letter three times. It made her feel warm and smiley, like finishing Mountain Madness – and when Alex Rover described Keyhole Cove, it was as if he knew the island, and Nim too.