The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

there’s anything I can . . . you know that I . . .”

Captain Noland’s expression softened. He put a hand on Cannonball’s shoulder. “It’s all right, Joe. We’ll just have to do what we can and hope for the best. Now, help me think. I’ll need you on the bridge soon, so who should I assign? Who can I possibly spare?”

Kate raised her hand. “Why not let me do it? I have good eyes and quick hands. I could make short work of it.”

“I could help, too,” Sticky offered. “We all could.”

Cannonball brightened. “Now, there’s an idea! What do you think, Captain? Set the young ones to sorting?”

“It’s very good of you, children,” said Captain Noland, “and I thank you, but Mr. Pressius would never stand for it. You know he wouldn’t, Joe. Now, please, we need to hurry. Who can I send?”

Cannonball’s face fell. “You’re right, of course. He wouldn’t hear of it. All right, then, what about Jenny Briggs? No, wait, you’ll need her on the . . . What about Matthew Tanner?”

The captain shook his head. “Tanner took on Pratt’s duties. What about Kavanaugh? Or is he —”

“Excuse me,” Reynie interrupted. “Captain Noland?”

The captain scratched at his beard, evidently straining to be patient. “Yes, what is it, Reynie?”

“You said the fake diamonds are plastic, right? If that’s true, then you ought to just pour everything into a tub of water — the fake ones and the real ones together. The plastic ones will float to the top.”

Captain Noland and Cannonball blinked. Then looked at each other. Then burst out laughing.

“Reynie Muldoon, you’ve just earned yourself a spot on my crew!” roared Captain Noland. “Put them in water and see what floats — now, why didn’t I think of that? My whole life depends on things that float! Joe, will you —?”

“Already on it, Captain!” said Cannonball, and pausing just long enough to tousle Reynie’s hair, he hurried out.

“I can’t thank you enough,” said Captain Noland. He started to refill Reynie’s coffee cup, then saw it was still nearly full. “Please, drink up! And help yourself to those treats, all of you. They’re entirely deserved. Reynie may well have saved me from a fate I can hardly stand to consider.”

Constance had begun stuffing gumdrops into her pockets to prevent the others from eating them. “What would that be?”

“Why, dismissal, of course,” said Captain Noland. “This maiden voyage is an important trip! The owners will make money only if the Shortcut proves it can deliver what they promise — a reliable transatlantic shipment in two days. If it fails, they’ll want to blame something other than the ship design, and it certainly isn’t going to be themselves. No, there’s no doubt about it. They’ll send me packing.”

“Surely you could find another ship,” said Kate. “Why do you want to work for these jerks, anyway?”

Captain Noland gave her a weary look. “It’s complicated, Kate. If I were dismissed from my command of the Shortcut — if the owners claim that I’ve surprised them with my incompetence — well, you can see it would be difficult for me to secure another position. Meanwhile, I’d be left high and dry. And that is something I cannot tolerate. No, I need to be at sea.” The captain’s sincerity on this point was unmistakable. Even as he’d spoken the words “high and dry,” his eyes had begun to dart back and forth, and his jaw quivered.

“Enough of that, however,” said Captain Noland, composing himself. “We have more pressing matters to consider. I should return to the bridge now, but I’ll bring you that envelope when I can. Shall I bring more coffee when I come? I’ll gladly brew a fresh pot.”

The children begged him not to trouble himself on their account. And so, with a promise to return as soon as possible, Captain Noland took his leave.

As the children rifled through the treat tins, they felt somewhat encouraged. If Mr. Benedict had called from Lisbon, they were on the right track, and with the captain’s help they might even figure out where to go next before they reached port. This was their great hope, for when they arrived in Lisbon they would have only two days left to find their friends.

The room had begun to sway again. The movement was less dramatic than that original lurch, but even so Reynie experienced an unpleasant rolling sensation, as if the ocean waves had found their way into his belly. Abandoning his half-nibbled mint cookie — eating seemed like a terrible idea all of a sudden — Reynie began to put away the tiny folding table, which was threatening to tip. Kate moved the treat tins to the floor, munching happily as she decided what to choose next. She seemed unfazed by the motion of the cabin.

“So are we going to talk about what Constance did?” asked Sticky (who like Reynie had sadly given up on the cookies). “You know, the way she knew Captain Noland was at the door before he knocked?”

Constance rolled her eyes. “Reynie was right. I was dreaming. Forget about it.”

“Even if you were dreaming,” said Sticky, “you predicted someone was coming.”

“I think it must have been a coincidence,” said Kate, getting up to help put the table away. Reynie was having trouble keeping his balance and kept banging his shins against the chest. “Wouldn’t you say so, Reynie?”

Reynie dropped heavily to the floor. He was feeling worse by the second. “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “Has anything like that ever happened before, Constance?”

Constance shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t know.”

“What does that mean?” Sticky said exasperatedly.

Constance made a face at him. “It means it’s happened before, but how can I possibly know whether it’s a coincidence or not? Unlike some people, I don’t happen to think I know everything.”

Sticky, stung by this comment, took out his polishing cloth and made no reply.