“Rubidjad! Rubidjad!” cried Merielle. “Oh! Rubidjad! Please help us.”
“What is it, my dear? Calm down. What’s wrong? What’s bothering you?”
“Something has happened to Rémi!” exclaimed Merielle. “He did not come back.”
“Did not come back from where?” inquired Rubidjad in a calm voice. “Where did he go?”
“Rémi didn’t show up for Story Hour.”
“Yes, I noticed that. It’s unusual for him to miss it.”
Merielle continued: “But that’s not all. He told Max early this morning that he wanted to look for more treasure. I fear he must have gone back to the place we were yesterday. So, I, I... uh... went back there.”
“By yourself?” asked Rubidjad, alarmed.
“Yes, I thought I could search for him.”
Rubidjad shook his head. “You took great risks, Merielle. When will you all listen to me?”
Merielle had tears in her eyes. “I didn’t find him where we were yesterday, so I swam a little further, and then,... and then,... I saw a huge ship!”
“A ship near our island? Hmm, that’s not good.” Rubidjad took a deep breath. “But let’s not panic.”
“Can you tell us what’s going on?” asked Max. “Where did you both go yesterday?”
Merielle looked embarrassed. She sighed but remained silent.
“Well,” explained Rubidjad, “yesterday Rémi and Merielle had a race. By accident they reached the far side of the island where they found wood debris with markings on it and a box containing a map. I promised to research them.” Rubidjad shook his head. “I’ve warned you all many times to stay away from the far side.”
“I understand,” said Max. “Rémi is very curious and adventurous.”
“Let’s look at my crystal ball,” suggested Rubidjad. They all gathered around it. “Show me the far side of the Island!” he ordered. Immediately an image appeared. They could see the beach and a strange looking ship.
“Oh!” exclaimed Max and Lily together.
“That’s a pirate ship!” remarked Rubidjad. He looked intently into his crystal ball. “Show me the ship’s deck!” he ordered. Immediately the ship’s deck appeared. They saw a few pirates, but they couldn’t see Rémi.
Rubidjad looked at Max and Lily and said: “We must find him! I suggest you both look for him, but wait until tonight. Under the cover of darkness you’ll be able to look around without being seen. These pirates may be keeping him prisoner inside the ship. If need be, Lily can go aboard and make herself tiny to scout around.”
“What about me?” asked Merielle.
“You stay here with me,” ordered Rubidjad. He turned to Max and Lily. “You both be careful. As soon as you have some news, come back and let us know. Good luck!”
Using cushions, Merielle made herself a little bed in the corner of the library. Max and Lily waited patiently with a book until the library closed at sundown. From the door Rubidjad and Merielle waved goodbye.
The two rescuers were on a mission. They swam quickly to the far side of the island, determined to find Rémi. As they cautiously approached the ship, they heard a faint sound.
“What’s that noise?” whispered Lily.
“Shhh, I think it’s coming from the front of the ship,” murmured Max. “Let’s be very quiet.”
###
Chapter 5
Rémi Is Captured
On the back of the ship they read ALMO. As they approached, the noise became louder. Then, they saw Rémi tied up in chains partially submerged in front of the ship. He was crying. Next to him were two old dolphins.
“Oh, poor Rémi!” Lily lamented. “What did they do to you?”
“Tell us what happened, Rémi?” urged Max.
“I’m sorry,” whispered Rémi. “I came too close, and the pirates caught me and tied me up. My two companions are old and feeble. They can’t talk like us, but I’ve been communicating with them by sound. This is... (Rémi whistled three notes,) and his wife... (Rémi whistled three more notes.)”
Max and Lily looked baffled.
“Oh, I’m sorry! I need to translate,” said Rémi. “In human language, their names are Falado and Miréla.”
Max and Lily looked at the two dolphins, and greeted them by smiling and nodding.
Lily remarked: “Their names sound like notes from a musical scale.”
“That’s right,” replied Rémi. Dolphins communicate with each other by sound; that’s why our names are made up of a combination of notes. My name in dolphin language is made up of two notes: ré and mi, and it sounds like this: (Rémi whistled two notes.)”
“Interesting!” exclaimed Lily.
Rémi continued: “Falado and Miréla told me how they were captured. They are old, so they can’t swim very fast any more. They fell behind their pod and the pirates captured Miréla. Falado stayed around the ship because he would not be separated from his wife, so the pirates captured him too.”
“That’s so sad!” lamented Lily.
“Love is a powerful thing!” remarked Max.
“Two pirates check on us from time to time,” explained Rémi. “Can you free us while they’re not around?”
“These are heavy chains, Rémi. We can’t break them, and there is a lock,” observed Max.
“I thought pirates did not exist any more,” Lily pointed out.
“That’s right. It’s a mystery!” said Max, shaking his head. “We need to think of a plan to get you all out of here. But, don’t worry, we’ll find a way, I promise.”
Suddenly, they heard two pirates coming. Max and Lily quickly found a hiding place under a folding platform fastened to the ship. From there, they could hear and see everything. The pirates came down a rope ladder and onto the platform, which allowed them to check and feed the dolphins. A tall skinny pirate carried three large wooden bowls with leather straps. The other, short and stout, carried a big pot with a ladle.
“Look, Feodor, this one looks young and strong,” said the tall pirate.
“I know, Leo,” replied the short pirate. “Captain Malo is very pleased with our latest catch. He said he’ll give us all a prize.”
With his ladle Feodor scooped food into the bowls. Then, Leo tied a bowl of food around each dolphin’s neck.
“Here’s some food. Eat!” shouted Feodor. “Our Captain wants you to stay strong.”
“Please, let us go!” begged Rémi.
The mouths of the two pirates dropped open in shock.
“What? A talking dolphin?” blurted Leo.
“Wait until we tell Captain Malo that we have a talking dolphin,” replied Feodor.
“Please, let us go!” pleaded Rémi.
“We can’t do that,” replied Leo. “We captured you for a reason.”
Rémi frowned. “Why?”
“Our Captain wants to raid ships and take their loot,” explained Feodor.
“Their loot? Are you crazy? Pirate ships don’t exist any more,” Rémi pointed out. “And in any case, what does that have to do with us?”
“It’s easy,” replied Leo. “We’ve attached you to the bow so that you can pull our ship. Imagine the speed! The wind in the sails, plus the pull of three dolphins... Wow!”
Feodor raised his voice: “That’s right. Our Captain will be very rich, and he’ll give us part of his treasure.”
“Shhh!” reminded Leo, “Captain Malo is sleeping now. We mustn’t wake him up. In the morning we’ll tell him that we’ve caught a talking dolphin! He’ll be astounded!”
“Enough talk! Come on. Eat!” ordered the second pirate. He turned to Falado and Miréla. “You too!” he said impatiently.
“I’m not hungry,” murmured Rémi. “You can see that my two companions are not hungry either. Please let us go.”
“Can’t do that!” exclaimed both pirates.
“If they don’t eat, they won’t be strong enough to pull the ship,” said Leo. “If they ge
t sick Captain Malo will be furious.”
“Come on. Eat!” ordered Feodor. Then, in a nice voice: “Pretty please, eat!... By the way, do you have a name?”
“Of course. My name is Rémi.”
Leo was getting really impatient. “Okay Rémi, eat!”
“I can’t!”
Leo sighed. “It’s no use, Feodor. Come on. Let’s go.”
As they left, Leo picked up the bowls, threw the food in the water, and both climbed back up on deck.
Max and Lily quietly returned to Rémi. “There is nothing we can do tonight,” said Max. “Tomorrow, we’ll go and ask Rubidjad for advice.”
All through the night Max and Lily kept Rémi company. They quickly hid under the platform when pirates came to check on the dolphins. From time to time Rémi, Falado, and Miréla talked softly with sounds that resembled lullabies.
###
Chapter 6
Captain Malo’s Plan
The next morning, Captain Malo got out of bed and slowly started to dress. He looked tired. As usual, he had a hard time sleeping because he kept thinking of ways to be more efficient at capturing ships for their treasure. He was tall, wore a wig, and had a small mustache and goatee. He never left his cabin without his large hat, fancy costume, and boots. He looked terribly odd. Pirate ships no longer existed in the twenty-first century, much less pirate Captains. But to Captain Malo, everything seemed normal. That morning he went up on deck and said to his crew: “Let’s go see our new dolphin.”
His crew consisted of twelve young pirates. They each looked different because they came from different countries. Some had dark skin, others light skin. Some had short or long hair, dark or fair. They were tall, short, skinny, or fat. Some wore little caps, and one had a French béret. They were not mean. They just followed their Captain’s orders.
Leo announced proudly: “Captain, the new dolphin can speak!”
“Don’t be silly,” replied the Captain with a laugh. “Dolphins can’t speak!”
“This one does, Captain,” insisted Feodor.
They arrived at the bow. The Captain leaned over the rail. “Ah-ha, here is our new dolphin! Good morning, Dolphin; my crew says you can speak. So, speak!”
Rémi remained silent.
The Captain turned to his two crewmen. “You see? He can’t speak. You were hearing things! Are they eating well? I want them strong!”
“Y-y-yes Captain, they’re all eating,” Leo and Feodor replied quickly. They did not want to tell him the truth, because they were afraid he would get mad. The Captain did not notice their guilty look.
“Good!” said Captain Malo. “Look at them! Isn’t it a beautiful sight?” he mocked. “They look like horses pulling a wagon. With them we will catch many ships and take lots of treasure. I’m going to be the richest man in the world!” Then, he and his two crewmen left the bow.
Max and Lily swam over to Rémi. They heard the Captain giving orders to his crew: “Here are telescopes. Call me if you spot a ship!”
They heard him walk to his cabin and slam the door. Rémi jumped with fear.
“Don’t be afraid, Rémi; we’re here with you,” said Max firmly. “We will find a way to free you. Be patient my friend and have faith. Okay?”
“That’s easy for you to say,” replied Rémi. “You’re free.”
“Yes, we’re free,” replied Max, “but we can’t be happy when our friend is held prisoner. Remember what wizard Rubidjad taught us. He said: ‘Where there is a will, there is a way!’ So, we will find a way!”
“Good job, Rémi!” complimented Lily. “You did not speak to the Captain. You fooled everybody! Continue to talk to the pirates only when the Captain is not around. Okay? Maybe the pirates will have pity on you and release you.”
“Maybe,” replied Max, “but we can’t count on that. We have to put our heads together and think. How long have Falado and Miréla been tied up?”
“They told me they’ve been here a while,” replied Rémi, “They’re losing their strength and their spirit. They miss their children and grandchildren. Their home is a day’s journey from here.”
“Tell them to have faith, and you, too, Rémi. Be patient my friend!” said Max firmly. “We must go and ask Rubidjad for advice. We won’t be long.”
“Hurry back,” urged Rémi. “Hug Merielle for me.”
After his friends left, Rémi thought: I could sing a song to alert other sea creatures to come to our rescue, but I can’t do that, the pirates could catch them, too. We must be patient. He turned and saw Falado and Miréla with their eyes closed and their heads touching lovingly. They really love each other, he thought. He began humming a little song about hope and freedom.
###
Chapter 7
Gathering Clues
Max and Lily swam back to the Island and found Rubidjad and Merielle at the back of the library.
“Hello, Rubidjad,... may we come in?”
“Come on in. You’re both out of breath. Did you find Rémi?”
“Something terrible has happened,” said Max. “Pirates kidnapped Rémi to pull their ship!”
“Oh, no!” exclaimed Merielle. Lily jumped onto the table and into her arms, hoping to comfort her.
Max also gave her a hug and reassured her: “Don’t worry, Merielle. He is fine.”
Rubidjad frowned as he sat down. “Tell us what happened.”
Max explained everything. Lily added details.
Rubidjad listened attentively and said: “Let’s think about all the clues we have so far.”
“Rémi and two other dolphins are chained to the ship,” said Max. “Unless we have the keys, we can’t open the locks.”
“The pirates don’t seem mean,” noted Lily. “They’re just following their Captain’s orders.”
“Okay, what else?” prompted Rubidjad.
“Captain Malo is greedy and wants to steal treasure from other ships,” stated Max.
“This guy is strange!” exclaimed Rubidjad. “Okay, what else?”
“Rémi is not eating,” remarked Max. “He is going to lose his strength. His companions are not eating either, and they look weak.”
“That’s not good,” declared Rubidjad. “They must stay healthy.”
“How can we free them?” inquired Max.
“With the clues we have, we can’t rescue them just yet,” advised Rubidjad. “Find out everything you can about the Captain and his crew - their strengths, but more importantly, their weaknesses, and then we’ll come up with a plan.”
“You mean we can’t do anything right now?” asked Lily.
“Oh, yes, you can,” answered Rubidjad. “First, we’re going to play a trick on them. I’ll give you some food everyday for Rémi, Falado, and Miréla, but give it to them when no one is around. Tell them to refuse the pirates’ food. The pirates will think that the dolphins are becoming weak and sick.”
“I’d like to go and see Rémi. Can I?” begged Merielle.
“All right, but you must be very careful,” warned Rubidjad.
Merielle was beaming. “Can you find someone to replace me at the typewriter?”
“Oh, sure, don’t worry about that,” he replied.
Rubidjad always kept a big pot of food on the stove. Everyone liked his cooking because of the spices he used. He invited the trio to have a bite to eat before they left. They ate quickly in silence. They knew they had a big task ahead. After they finished, Rubidjad filled three cans with food, placed lids on them, and handed the cans to Max. “Here, give these to them.”
“Thank you for everything,” said Max.
Rubidjad nodded: “You’re welcome!... Stay safe!”
“We’ll try to gather more clues,” promised Lily.
Rubidjad hugged them. “Tell Rémi to keep faith, and tell him we will find a way to free them!”
“I can’t wait to see Rémi,” said Merielle as they left the library.
###
; Chapter 8
Fooling The Captain
The three friends swam to the ship. To their surprise, they found Rémi and his two companions in tears.
Merielle gave Rémi a big hug. “Oh, poor Rémi!” she lamented. “Don’t cry!”
“Merielle, my friend,” sobbed Rémi, “will you forgive me? I’ve gotten everybody into a big mess because of my curiosity.”
“Don’t worry about it, Rémi,” replied Merielle. “You’re alive, that’s what’s important!”
Rémi tried to hold back his tears. “Let me introduce you to my two companions. This is Miréla and Falado.” Merielle went over and gave them a hug.
Max couldn’t understand why Rémi, Miréla and Falado looked so distressed. “What happened, Rémi? Why are you all crying?”
Rémi sighed. “Miréla and Falado told me something awful. They’ve witnessed mean fishermen capturing many dolphins and whales. They keep some prisoners in tanks to put on shows to amuse humans, and they kill the rest!”
“Oh, no! That’s terrible!” exclaimed Merielle.
Merielle, Max, and Lily looked horrified. Max frowned and asked: “But,... how do they know that?”
Rémi explained: “A couple of dolphins from their pod could read the minds of the captors, that’s how they learned the poor dolphins would be sent to aquariums. After that, their group decided to swim all over the oceans to tell other dolphins and whales to stay away from there. Unfortunately, some don’t listen.”
“But, why are humans keeping them prisoners?” asked Lily.
Rémi shook his head in disbelief. “That’s because humans don’t know that we have feelings like they do, that we have families and friends, and we want to be free. But wait, Miréla and Falado told me that there are some humans who are doing nice things for sea creatures.”
“What do they do?” asked Lily.
“Something quite ingenious, I must say,” replied Rémi. “Along the coasts of some countries, humans have set up buoys to pick up whales’ songs, then a signal is transmitted to nearby ships. This way, the ships slow down to make sure they don’t run into whales and hurt them.”
Merielle sighed with relief and smiled. “Wow! That’s very thoughtful of them. I’ve always known that most humans are really nice.”
Rémi turned to Max. “Tell me, what did Rubidjad say about us? How can we be freed?”
“He said we need to discover the strengths and weaknesses of your captors,” replied Max. “Then, we’ll find a way to get you out of here.”
Rémi took a deep breath. He had to trust Rubidjad and his friends. His two companions had stopped crying.