the sea, don’t touch it. Call the Silver Dolphins to deal with it.”
“Thanks, Dad.” Lulu splashed her delight. “Come on, Silver Dolphins – let’s go!”
Antonia, Cai and Hannah dived down to the seabed where they spread out and began searching for the object that had injured the seal. The water was murky and for a long while no one spoke as they concentrated on the task. Cai found a length of fishing twine which he coiled up and put in his pocket. Hannah rescued a small crab from inside a discarded crisp packet and Antonia found a wad of newspaper that disintegrated as she picked it up.
“None of this injured the seal.” Feeling frustrated, Antonia stuffed the bits of newspaper inside the crisp packet then shoved it into her pocket.
“We’ve been looking for ages and there’s nothing here. Can we play now?” asked Lulu.
Antonia had one last look around. “OK, let’s play Sprat.”
“Bubbly!” clicked Lulu. “I’ll be it. I’ll give you a three waves’ head start.”
“I’m gone!” With a flick of his tail, Rolly swam away quickly, followed by Cai and Hannah. Antonia hesitated. If only she could find what had injured the seal, she would feel much happier. But she wanted to play Sprat with Lulu and Rolly too and they had searched the seabed for ages.
“Coming to get you,” clicked Lulu.
Promising herself she’d have another look around before she went home, Antonia ducked behind a rock, then changing direction, swam away. Lulu wasn’t that easily fooled. She hared after Antonia, tagging her with a flipper.
“Sprat, you’re it,” she whistled then darted away before Antonia could tag her back.
Antonia cruised in the water. She couldn’t see anyone, but she could sense vibrations to her left. Quietly she swam towards the movement, startling Rolly, who was hiding in a bed of seaweed.
“Tag,” clicked Antonia, stretching out her hand, but Rolly was too quick for her and swam away before she could touch him. Antonia gave chase, churning up the sea as she went after him.
The gap was closing when Rolly turned a somersault and veered off to the right. It was a neat move and it was a few seconds before Antonia realised what had happened. By the time she’d changed direction again, Rolly had disappeared. The water was even cloudier here and Antonia slowed as she navigated her way along the seabed. Something large loomed before her. Cautiously Antonia swam towards it until she was close enough to see a large metal shape.
“Truce!” she clicked excitedly. “I’ve found what injured the seal.”
Immediately Cai and Lulu swam up from behind a rock. Hannah appeared from the other direction. “
What is it?” asked Lulu curiously.
“It’s a metal sign,” said Hannah. “People stand these outside shops to show what’s inside. This one’s advertising coffee. No wonder the seal was hurt. It looks like she got her flipper caught in the bit that swings.”
“How did it get here?” Antonia wondered aloud.
“Someone probably threw it into the sea for a joke. The big question is – how are we going to get it out?” asked Cai, running a hand through his dark curly hair.
“With great care,” said Antonia, gingerly holding the sign’s metal middle so that it couldn’t swing shut and trap her fingers. “Keep back, Lulu and Rolly.”
Lulu had been edging closer, but moved away as the Silver Dolphins closed in and prepared to move the sign.
“Ready?” asked Cai. “Lift.”
Grunting with effort, Antonia, Cai and Hannah swam, lifting the sign up to the surface. It was heavy and awkward to hold. They swam slowly to avoid injuring themselves. Once they surfaced, they laid the sign flat then trod water to get their breath back.
“Phew! It’s heavy,” Antonia panted.
Hannah was scanning the coastline with her piercing grey eyes. At last she said, “We’re near the café we went to last night. If you look up, you can see where the trees have been cut down. And to the right is the beach with the seal colony. I think this sign came from that café. There used to be one exactly the same outside it.”
“You’re right,” said Cai excitedly. “I can see the back of the café from here.”
“I wonder…Do you think the sign might have fallen off the cliff? Only the ground wasn’t very safe up there,” suggested Antonia.
“It might have,” said Hannah. “I don’t suppose we’ll ever know. The important thing is not to leave it here to hurt anyone else.”
“Does that mean you have to go home now? That’s the shortest game of Sprat ever,” grumbled Lulu.
“We’ll have a longer game next time,” Hannah promised her.
It was a slow swim back to the beach. Antonia’s fingers ached from keeping them clamped round the sign’s metal middle. Once she let go and nearly trapped her fingers. Lulu and Rolly swam alongside, clicking encouragement. When the beach came in sight, they said goodbye, but without the usual rubbing of noses.
“We won’t come any closer,” said Lulu warily. “See you soon, Silver Dolphins. Dad’s going to be very pleased when we tell him you’ve made the sea safe for us again.”
“Bye, Lulu, bye, Rolly,” everyone clicked back.
They trod water, watching the two dolphins swim away, their bodies a silver blur as they raced back to their pod.
“Better get this ashore,” said Antonia when the dolphins were tiny specks on the horizon.
As the water grew shallower, the sign became heavier and more cumbersome to move. They paddled through the surf and up the sand, water pouring from their clothes until they were totally dry with only their hair feeling slightly damp.
“We left our shoes over there,” said Antonia, changing direction.
Panting with effort, Antonia, Cai and Hannah carried the coffee sign up the beach and stood it upright in the sand.
“What do we do with it now?” asked Cai. “We can’t leave it here.”
“I know,” said Hannah. She smiled mischievously. “Let’s take it to Kathleen – her place isn’t so far from here. It’ll be our first gift from the sea to Ocean Watch.”
Antonia and Cai chuckled. “That’s a great idea,” they agreed.
Hurriedly they pulled on their socks and shoes then, turning the sign on its side to carry it, they set out to Kathleen’s. The day was getting lighter and a few early risers were out walking their dogs on the beach. A friendly Labrador ran up and sniffed at the sign until his owner called him away. She stared suspiciously at Antonia,
