‘You’re completely mad, Dad!’ Aesha called after him.
Joe reached the sand and found a large piece of seaweed. He hid it behind his back, adopted an innocent look and stood waiting for his father to catch up.
‘What took you so long?’ he said, grinning, when Peter arrived, out of breath. ‘Poor Dad. You look worn out.’
Before his father knew what was happening, Joe rushed towards him and shoved the seaweed down his shorts, much to the amusement of the Filipino children, who stared wide-eyed and then giggled uncontrollably.
‘Ha, ha, Dad,’ called Aesha. ‘You didn’t see that one coming!’
‘You wait,’ said Peter, putting on a sinister voice as he pulled the seaweed from his shorts. ‘I shall have my revenge, and you won’t know when it will hit you.’
‘There’s a boat full of seaweed over there,’ said Aesha.
‘Don’t give me ideas.’ Peter smirked.
‘What would anyone want with a boat full of seaweed?’ questioned Joe.
‘Some of it will be eaten. Apparently it’s delicious raw with vinegar, onions and chilli,’ Binti replied. ‘A lot will be sold. It’s used in all sorts of things, like make-up, toothpaste, ice cream –’
‘Seaweed ice cream?’ Joe interrupted. ‘Yuck!’
‘The ice cream isn’t seaweed flavoured.’ Binti laughed. ‘Seaweed extract is used in it as a thickening agent.’
They wandered over to the banca that was piled high with seaweed. Peter got out his camera and took a number of photographs from different angles, while the Filipino children did everything they could to appear in them. Joe was cross with himself that in his excitement to get out and explore he had left his camera behind again. He would have liked to take photographs of the children trying to get into his father’s shots.
‘What your name?’ one of the boys asked him out of the blue.
‘Joe,’ he replied, and began to fiddle shyly with a rope that was hanging out of the banca.
‘Me, Dario,’ said the boy, pointing to himself. ‘You play basketball with us?’
Joe blushed and looked to his mother to answer for him.
‘Joe would love to play basketball with you,’ Binti said, smiling. ‘Perhaps tomorrow?’
Dario nodded. ‘Tomorrow is good.’
Joe wasn’t at all sure he wanted to play basketball with strangers. He wasn’t particularly good at sport and Dario was taller and looked older than him. At the same time, he liked the idea of having a friend on the island, especially a friend he could share adventures with.
Chapter 6
By the time they had finished their walk along the beach, eaten and watched the sun go down, Joe could scarcely keep his eyes open.
‘What a perfect end to the day,’ Binti sighed, yawning herself. ‘That’s one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen.’
‘There’s definitely a lot to be said for going back to nature,’ said Peter. ‘We scarcely notice the sun setting at home.’
‘That’s because there are too many buildings in the way,’ Aesha said.
‘Ah, but would we take any notice if there weren’t?’ Peter commented. ‘We’re always too busy looking down.’
‘They’re never as spectacular as this anyway,’ said Aesha. ‘We’re spoilt now – no sunset will ever be able to match up to this.’
Joe saw a crab scuttle across the sand. If he hadn’t been so tired, he would have run after it. Instead, he lay back, his arms behind his head, and stared up at the sky. He was on an island far, far from home – the sort of place where adventures happened, or at least they did in books. In books, treasure was buried on islands and pirates moored their ships just off the shore. Strange people and animals lived on imaginary islands, and visitors often got lost in their hazardous landscapes or became ill with deadly fevers. Joe wondered about the people of Jandayan – about the fishermen and the seaweed farmers, about the women he saw sweeping outside their houses and others who stood washing clothes or cooking on open fires. They seemed friendly, but what were they really like?
And Dario. What was he like? Did he have some hidden reason for asking Joe to play basketball with him, or was he just being kind to a young boy who might appreciate some company from someone closer to his age?
Anyway, surely there can’t be a basketball court on the island? Joe considered. He was a little anxious about going with him, but he was curious too. With Dario he thought he would find out a lot more about real life on the island. With Dario, I’m far more likely to have an adventure.
Then he scolded himself because he decided that nothing could be more of an adventure than searching for seahorses and other marine creatures in the middle of the night. He had read books about children having secret midnight feasts, but night-time snorkelling would be far more exciting. As for basketball, he could play that anywhere.
‘Time for bed, sleepyhead.’ A voice broke through his thoughts.
Peter helped him to his feet. ‘You were muttering something about baskets,’ he said. ‘Those seaweed farmers have obviously made a big impression on you.’
Joe grinned sheepishly. ‘I don’t think I’d want it as a job,’ he said.
On the way back to the staff house, they came across a large wooden noticeboard with a map of the island painted on it. To Joe’s surprise, among the few places named on the map, which included the school and the church, was a basketball court, though it wasn’t clear exactly where it was on the island.
‘There you are, Joe,’ said Binti, pointing at the list. ‘This might be a tiny village, but it obviously takes its basketball very seriously.’
Joe groaned. ‘I’m going to be too busy taking photos to play,’ he said.
‘Even I won’t be taking photos all day every day,’ said Peter. ‘Especially if it keeps raining,’ he added, as the heavens opened again. ‘Race you home!’
If it keeps raining, I won’t be able to play basketball anyway, Joe thought, haring after his father.
It rained all night, but by
