My cell rings one morning as I’m going into math class. I recognize Moira’s number, so I answer.
“Congratulations, Sam,” she says. “You and Annabel have been selected to go on our Northwest Passage cruise.”
“Awesome!” I say loudly. Several people, including Mr. MacKay, the teacher, look at me. “That’s great news,” I say quietly. “What’s next?”
“When you’re ready, Mr. Butler,” MacKay says, “we can begin the calculus lesson.”
“Sorry,” I mumble as I hurry to my seat.
“Sounds like you’re busy,” Moira says. “I just wanted to give you the good news. I will email with more details. Again, congratulations.”
“Thank you,” I say. I fight the urge to punch the air in triumph.
Anything MacKay says about calculus slides past me as if my brain is made of Teflon. When the bell goes, I head for the door like an Olympic sprinter.
“Mr. Butler.” I skid to a halt in front of MacKay’s desk. “You seem very excited. Is your life more interesting than the assignment that is due today?”
“What? Oh, I haven’t quite finished it,” I say. This isn’t entirely true. I’ve actually forgotten about it. “Can I have an extension, please?”
“I don’t normally give extensions.” MacKay seems to be talking incredibly slowly. “But since you haven’t been late all term, I will give you until the end of the day tomorrow.”
“Thank you.”
He isn’t finished. “I take it that you’ve had some good news.”
“Umm, yes, I’ve been selected to go on a cruise through the Northwest Passage.” I look toward the door and see Annabel standing in the hall.
“The Northwest Passage?”
That’s what I said. What else can he want to know?
“I believe, even with global warming, that route is only open in late August and early September.”
“Yes,” I say, fidgeting. “That’s when I’m going.”
“Hmm. I know you haven’t been here very long, Mr. Butler. But you do know that will be right in the middle of our second winter school term in Australia.”
I do know that. It had slipped my mind. “I’ll work something out,” I say.
“I hope so,” MacKay says. “Don’t forget that assignment tomorrow.”
“I won’t. Thank you,” I say as I head across the classroom.
“I’ve been accepted,” I say when I’m barely out the door.
“You mean we’ve been accepted,” Annabel says. “And hello.”
“Hello. I got a phone call just before class.”
Annabel doesn’t look as thrilled as I am. “You don’t still think it’s a scam, do you?” I ask.
Annabel shakes her head. “I don’t think it’s a scam. No one’s asked for any money. But I can’t shake the thought that it is suspicious.”
I struggle not to get annoyed. “When the contract comes, Dad will get his lawyer to look it over.”
“I’m sure it will be fine,” Annabel says. “I looked up the Crype Foundation on Wikipedia.”
“And?” I ask nervously.
“Oh, it seems genuine enough. It’s an umbrella organization for a number of companies, all of which are legal as far as I can tell.”
“So what’s the problem?”
“I googled Crype. It’s an unusual surname in the Midwest. Or it’s a slang term that means marketing and promotion for its own sake—advertising to no purpose. That seems an odd name to call a company.”
“So it must be someone’s surname or a made-up word. You’ve been suspicious all the way through, and each time everything’s worked like we were told. Not everyone has a mind as complex and devious as yours.”
“I suppose,” Annabel says. “It’s just that if something seems odd to me, I can’t help trying to work it out.”
“A modern-day Sherlock Holmes,” I say. But then something Mr. MacKay said sinks into my brain. “But we do have a real problem. The cruise is right in the middle of term.”
“I know,” Annabel says, suddenly grinning, “but I’m sure we can work it out. We can do assignments on Franklin, the Arctic and the Inuit. And if there’s as much publicity as Moira suggested, I’m sure the school won’t mind the attention. In fact, I was speaking to Ms. Fortune this morning. She thinks the assignments are a great idea, and she’s prepared to discuss it with the principal.”
“But you didn’t know I was going to be accepted.”
“I never doubted you,” Annabel says, linking arms with me.
“So you’re looking forward to coming on a cruise with me.”
“I’m only preparing for every eventuality.”
“You can’t control everything,” I say.
“But I can control one thing,” Annabel says, heading off down the hall. “There’s Pavlova cake for dessert in the cafeteria. Last one there buys the other a piece to celebrate.”