‘I’VE GOT AN idea,’ Nim said, the morning after the ship went through the elevator canal, because the Professor was whistling a cheerful whistle, and she needed him to be in a good mood so she could start putting their plan into action. ‘You know how you give a lecture about animals every day? When you do the sea lion lecture on Wednesday, it could be like a show – like a circus! And I could help.’

‘There’s not enough time. I know all there is to know about training animals – it takes months for them to learn to do tricks on command.’

‘But this sea lion is amazingly smart – and so is the iguana. I bet I could get them ready for you, especially if I could train them in a pool.’

‘That beast will go to the Sea Lion Pool,’ snarled the Professor, ‘when I’m sure she won’t bite anyone else.’

I wish she’d bitten you harder! Nim thought. ‘She was probably just scared,’ she said. ‘I’m positive she won’t do it again.’

‘She’d better not,’ said the Professor, glancing at his whip.

‘Everyone could see how intelligent, unique and interesting they both are.’

‘Well, maybe we can do a show on Wednesday morning. Then if she behaves, she can stay in the Sea Lion Pool till she’s sold … till she’s relocated.’

Relocated? thought Nim, feeling as if she’d just swallowed a bucket of cold water. How would I ever get her back then?

But we won’t let that happen! she reminded herself fiercely. We’ve still got three days to get our show ready – and then we’ll escape.

‘You can have a couple of hours in the afternoons to practise. And …’ the Professor paused and stared at her as if he knew exactly what she was thinking, ‘it had better be good.’

‘BUT HOW’S IT going to be good if we can’t use the big pool?’ Nim demanded, when she and Erin and Ben were in the Kids’ Klub carving watermelons into interesting sculptures. Kristie had demonstrated how to carve a Viking’s head and a sailboat, and now each kid had a watermelon and a blunt knife, and could carve whatever they liked.

Nim used her own sharp pocketknife to carve Selkie. Erin carved a cat, and Ben made a Viking’s head that was nearly as good as Kristie’s.

Fred ate the whole middle out of a watermelon and made an empty rowboat. Everyone clapped, and he scrambled back onto Nim’s shoulder, looking smug.

‘Do you think that could be a trick?’ Nim asked.

‘I don’t think so,’ said Erin. ‘But I have figured out how you can use the Waterslide pool for your show.’

JACK HAD BEEN on his raft for three days. He still had two coconuts and half a container of water, but he was a bit sore, very stiff, and very, very tired. It was not a big raft and it was not comfortable at all.

There was a line on the horizon that could have been cloud or … Sunshine Island? Jack hoped so.

The closer he sailed the clearer and less cloudlike the line became. By noon he was sure. It was definitely land. Jack tightened the sail and whistled for wind.

A speck of light caught his eye. A bottle was bobbing on the waves – with something inside it.

If Nim had been with him, they would have chased and grabbed it.

But they’d never ever found a message – and if Nim had been with him he wouldn’t be going to Sunshine Island on a raft made out of the wall of their hut. Jack let the bottle float by, and sailed on as fast as he could.

ALEX HAD SPENT three whole days alone in her cabin. She hadn’t spoken to anyone except Virginia the steward, when she brought her juice every morning, and came back a little later to clean. ‘What a shame you’re not feeling better!’ Virginia said. ‘You’d have so much fun if you could get out there and meet people.’ But Alex had left behind the only people she wanted to know.

She even kept her curtains closed, because all she could see was people walking by, and the lifeboat stands, which weren’t very interesting.

And, even though there were pens and writing paper in her cabin’s desk, she hadn’t written a word. For the first time in her life, there was no story in her head.

Worst of all, she didn’t care.

From: erin@kidmail.com

To: jack.rusoe@explorer.net

Date: Sunday 4 July, 5:30pm

Subject: Important!

Dear Jack

Selkie and Fred and I are going to put on a show, so we practised for two hours this afternoon. It’s horrible being with Selkie when the Professor’s watching because I have to pretend I don’t know her, and pretend I’m training her to do tricks, even though it’s just the games we play at home. But Selkie thinks it’s better than being in the cage so she doesn’t mind pretending. Fred hates the Professor so much he just glares at him all the time but the Professor never notices.

It’s very interesting being on the ship but I still like our island better. I hope you will stop being mad at me soon.

Love (as much as Jack loves the island)

Nim

‘No message yet,’ Erin said to Nim, when she came back from sending Nim’s email to Jack. She tried to sound as if it wasn’t important, as if she didn’t know that Nim was worrying whether Jack was too angry to answer or if there was another reason that was even worse.

‘Maybe he keeps forgetting to charge the battery,’ Nim said.

‘Probably,’ said Erin.

‘Or a virus!’ said Ben.

‘Maybe,’ said Nim.

‘We’ve got an hour before dinner,’ said Ben. ‘Let’s play Spy.’

‘Dolphin Deck?’ asked Erin.

‘Butterfly,’ said Nim, and started up the stairs. She always went first when they played Spy, because it was harder for someone with an iguana on their shoulder to blend into a crowd.

She chose the Butterfly Deck because the butterflies were the only animals on the ship that didn’t make her feel sad. They had plenty of space to fly around, and she loved it when they landed on her hair and arms. Nim wandered slowly through the butterfly cage, with Fred sitting so still, that her head and Fred’s spine were soon covered with brightly coloured butterflies. They both smiled so much that even the happy kissy people, who came in from the wedding room to have their pictures taken, didn’t notice that she didn’t belong in their party.