The broken pipe had been repaired, and the school’s water system had been checked by a team of plumbers. Every last bit of water had been vacuumed, squeegeed, soaked up, and removed. And now huge industrial fans were all over the school, evaporating the last of the moisture from the floors and walls and ceilings.
Jill said, “I’m not including it in the report, of course, but what did you tell your mom and dad about the race and everything?”
Robert butted in. “I can answer that—Ben told his mommy and daddy that he realized there was no way he was ever going to beat me in a sailing race, so he used this emergency as a way to disqualify himself and save face! Classic move, Pratt!”
“Very funny,” said Ben. “Remember, you’re the idiot who said that the recording I made was useless.” Ben paused a moment, then looked Jill in the eye. “What I told my mom and dad? I told them the truth.”
Jill scrunched up her nose. “You mean . . . ?”
“I mean I told them everything,” Ben said. “I couldn’t keep lying to them about this stuff. I know I didn’t get anyone’s approval, and I’m sorry about that. But I figured, if your dad can be trusted, then my mom and dad can be part of the team too. And I especially had to tell my mom. She had to know about the real estate thing, how Glennley was trying to use her. You should have seen my dad get mad about that—it was great!”
Ben’s face reddened at his own burst of emotion there, but Jill covered for him.
“So . . . her feelings weren’t hurt about it?”
“A little, but she totally got it. And when I told my dad everything about the man who owns the yacht he toured on Friday night? It blew his mind! So anyway, we should tell the others that there are two more Keepers.”
“Um . . . three more Keepers,” said Jill “My dad and I decided that we had to tell my mom—it was his idea. And it took twenty minutes and a lot of photos to convince her we weren’t making it all up just to tease her.”
“Well, isn’t this cozy,” Robert snapped. “A real family affair. All I have to do now is tell Gram, and then we can all have a big Keepers of the School family picnic!”
The icy sarcasm chilled the air.
“It’s . . . it’s not like that, Robert—” Ben began.
Robert cut him off.
“Easy for you to say!”
Another deep freeze.
But Jill wasn’t having it.
“Your mom and dad died, Robert—we get it, and we’re sorry, but it’s not our fault. Or your fault either.”
Ben barely breathed, amazed at Jill’s bravery . . . or was she just going for the throat—a killer?
She wasn’t done.
“And you should tell your grandmother, Robert—that’s my vote. Because it is a family thing, all of this is—the school, the harbor, the town, everything we’re trying to protect. And the three of us, too. It’s a family thing, so stop acting like you don’t have one. Because it’s not true.”
It took a moment, but the universe unfroze and then stayed that way.
Robert found it hard to look into their faces.
But he did, and even smiled a little.
“Sorry. And you’re right about the family stuff, all of it. And . . . I want to say something else. No matter how all this turns out in the next week or so, it’s still gonna be one of the best times of my whole life. I’ve never had so much fun . . . and I’ve never had guys like you around either.”
“Like family,” Jill said.
“Exactly,” said Ben, “like family . . . only a lot goofier!”
That didn’t get a big laugh, but it was enough to ease the tension.
Ben said, “Look, we should get back inside and help finish the cleanup. After all, we don’t want our wonderful janitors to get overworked—they’ve got a big week coming up!”
“Hey, look!” said Robert, pointing past the marina piers.
Ben saw a tall sail and immediately recognized the sleek hull of the Jeanneau 57. The yacht was making for Cape Lee, sailing south.
Could Lyman have . . . ?
Turning quickly, Ben scanned the front of the school, and up on the third floor he spotted Lyman and Wally. They stood at the windows of Mrs. Hinman’s room, looking southward.
Then Lyman lowered his gaze and saw Ben staring up at him.
They locked eyes, but just for a moment. Then Lyman did an odd thing. He raised a hand to his forehead and gave Ben a quick salute, navy style.
Almost involuntarily, Ben saluted him back, and Lyman turned and vanished.
“What was that about?” said Robert. He’d seen the whole thing.
“Not sure,” said Ben.
That’s what he told Gerritt.
But Ben knew exactly what those salutes meant.
It was like they were the captains of different ships, complimenting each other after a well-fought battle, recognizing a worthy opponent, a dangerous enemy.
The salutes meant something else as well.
Each of them knew that there would be another battle.
Soon.
Also by Andrew Clements
Benjamin Pratt & the Keepers of the School
We the Children
Fear Itself
The Whites of Their Eyes
Big Al
Big Al and Shrimpy
Dogku
The Handiest Things in the World
A Million Dots
About Average
Extra Credit
Frindle
The Jacket
Jake Drake, Bully Buster
Jake Drake, Class Clown
Jake Drake, Know-It-All
Jake Drake, Teacher’s Pet
The Janitor’s Boy
The Landry News
The Last Holiday Concert
Lost and Found
Lunch Money
No Talking
The Report Card
Room One
The School Story
Troublemaker
A Week in the Woods
ATHENEUM BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS
An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Text copyright © 2013 by Andrew Clements
Illustrations copyright © 2013 by Adam Stower
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Book design by Sonia Chaghatzbanian
The text for this book is set in ITC Garamond Std.
The illustrations for this book are rendered in pen and ink.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Clements, Andrew, 1949–
In harm’s way / Andrew Clements ; illustrated by Adam Stower. —First edition.
p cm. —(Benjamin Pratt & the Keepers of the School ; book 4)
Summary: As Benjamin Pratt and his friends Jill and Robert continue their efforts to save their school, they find themselves dodging two evil janitors, Lyman and Wally, but their team has also grown and now has a secret fund of millions of dollars.
ISBN 978-1-4169-3889-7
ISBN 978-1-4424-8145-9 (eBook)
[1. Mystery and detective stories. 2. Schools—Fiction. 3. Janitors—Fiction. 4. Sailing—Fiction. 5. Family life—Massachus
etts—Fiction. 6. Massachusetts—Fiction.] I. Stower, Adam, illustrator. II. Title.
PZ7.C59118In 2013
[Fic]—dc23
2013001904
Andrew Clements, In Harm's Way
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