The House in the Cerulean Sea(57)

Arthur’s gaze was knowing, but he didn’t seem inclined to push. “I did. He was … inquisitive. Many things happened to him, but he still kept his head held high. I often think about the man he became.” Arthur smiled tightly, and Linus knew the conversation was over.

They continued through the woods.



* * *



They came to a beach on the far side of the island. It was small and made of white and brown rocks rather than sand. The waves rolled through them, and they clacked together enjoyably.

“Easy, men,” Lucy said, scanning the beach. “There’s something foul afoot.”

“We’re not all men,” Talia said with a scowl. “Girls can be explorers too. Like Gertrude Bell.”

“And Isabella Bird,” Phee said.

“And Mary Kingsley.”

“And Ida Laura Pfeiffer.”

“And Robyn—”

“Okay, okay,” Lucy grumbled. “I get it. Girls can do everything boys can. Jeez.” He looked back at Linus, the devilish smile on his face. “Do you like girls, Mr. Baker? Or boys? Or both?”

The children turned their heads slowly to stare at him.

“I like everyone,” Linus managed to say.

“Boring,” Talia muttered.

“I’m a boy!” Chauncey exclaimed. He frowned. “I think.”

“You are whoever you want to be,” Arthur told him, patting him between the eyes.

“Can we please get back to the task at hand?” Lucy pleaded. “You’re going to get us all viciously murdered if you keep talking.”

Sal looked around nervously, Theodore perched on his shoulder, tail wrapped around his neck loosely. “By who?”

“I don’t know,” Lucy said, turning back to the beach. “But as I was saying, there is something foul afoot! I can smell it.”

All the children sniffed the air. Even Theodore craned his neck, nostrils flaring.

“The only thing that smells foul here is Mr. Baker,” Phee said. “Because he’s sweating a lot.”

“I’m not used to so much exertion,” Linus snapped.

“Yeah,” Talia said. “It’s not his fault he’s round. Right, Mr. Baker? Us round people need to stick together.”

That didn’t make Linus feel any better. But he said, “Exactly.”

Talia preened.

Lucy rolled his eyes. “It’s not something you can smell. Only I can. Because I’m the leader. It’s coming from over there.” He pointed toward a copse of trees just off the beach. It looked dark and foreboding.

“What is it, Lucy?” Chauncey asked. “Is it the cannibals?” He didn’t sound very enthused at the prospect.

“Probably,” Lucy said. “They could be cooking someone as we speak. So we should definitely go over there and check it out. I’ve always wanted to see what a person looked like while being cooked.”

“Or maybe we can stay here,” Talia said, reaching up and taking Linus’s hand. He stared down at her, but didn’t try and pull away. “That might be for the best.”

Lucy shook his head. “Explorers don’t back down. Especially the lady explorers.”

“He’s right,” Phee said grimly. “Even if there are cannibals.”

Theodore whined and stuck his head under his wing. Sal reached up and stroked his tail.

“Bravery is a virtue,” Arthur said. “In the face of adversity, it separates the strong from the weak.”

“Or the stupid from the smart,” Talia muttered, squeezing Linus’s hand. “Boys are dumb.”

Linus couldn’t help but agree, though he kept it to himself.

Lucy puffed out his chest. “I’m brave! And since I’m the leader, my brave order will be that Arthur goes first to make sure it’s safe while the rest of us wait right here.”

Everyone nodded.

Including Linus.

Arthur arched an eyebrow at him.

“He has a point,” Linus said. “Bravery is a virtue, and all that.”

Arthur’s lips twitched. “If I must.”

“You must,” Lucy told him. “And if there are cannibals, yell back at us when they start to eat you so we know to run away.”

“What if they eat my mouth first?”

Lucy squinted up at him. “Um. Try not to let that happen?”

Arthur squared his shoulders. He pulled out his machete and hopped up onto a large boulder, waves crashing around him. He made for a dashing figure, like a hero of old. He pointed the machete toward the copse of trees. “For the expedition!” he cried.

“For the expedition!” the children shouted in response.

Arthur winked at Linus, jumped down from the boulder, and ran for the trees. The shadows swallowed him whole … and then he was gone.

They waited.

Nothing happened.

They waited a little longer.

Still nothing.

“Uh-oh,” Talia whispered. “I think they probably started with his mouth.”

“Should we go back?” Chauncey warbled, eyes bouncing.

“I don’t know,” Lucy said. He looked up at Linus. “I’m glad you’re here.”