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After one look at where the paint cans had been, Jessie hurried up the hill to get Kay.

Rolf, who was working at the house that morning, and Kay ran down to the motel, followed by Aunt Jane and Jessie.

Grimly, Kay surveyed the circles in the grass. “Six new cans of paint gone,” she groaned¹, brushing back a strand² of hair from her forehead. “What am I going to do?”

Aunt Jane stopped, too upset to move. Sympathetically, she touched Kay’s hand.

“The painters won’t be here until nine,” Rolf said calmly, but he was also upset. He looked at Kay. “Do you want me to go into Lyndale and buy six more cans?”

Kay nodded. “I guess so.” But she seemed uncertain.

As Rolf left, Kay, a worried look on her face, turned to the four children. “I don’t understand. Why would anyone steal paint?”

Henry shrugged³ his shoulders. “We didn’t hear a sound,” he said.

“It’s a good thing,” Aunt Jane said. “Whoever did this wouldn’t want to be caught. Who knows how they might have reacted.”

Kay sighed and turned away. “Nothing can be done about the stolen paint.” But suddenly she smiled. “Come up to the house, children. Aunt Jane and I were just about to have a cup of tea.”

“Tea?” Benny asked.

Kay laughed. “For everyone else there’s a pitcher⁴ of freshly squeezed orange juice.”

“Oh, boy,” Benny shouted. “I’m thirsty.”

Violet laughed. “Then let’s go up the hill”

The Aldens followed Kay and Aunt Jane.

As they climbed the slope Benny asked, “Will Rolf fill the pool today?”

“Maybe,” Violet answered. “But if he does it will be after he’s bought the paint in town.”

In the dining room, Aunt Jane poured a glass of orange juice for each of the Aldens while Kay stared out the window. Every once in a while she took a sip⁵ of tea. “Why?” she murmured, glancing at Jane.

Aunt Jane sighed. “I wish we knew.”

“Don’t worry,” Henry said to Kay. “We’ll help you.”

“Yes,” Jessie said. “The stolen paint will soon be forgotten.”

“I hope you’re right,” Kay said.

Aunt Jane changed the subject by reaching for a catalog from a large department store in Miami, and opened its pages to bedspreads. “Kay is going to order this style of bedspread for each unit. We decided⁶ last night.”

“How lovely!” Jessie exclaimed, admiring the dust ruffle⁷ and quilted cover.

“Yes,” Kay said. “Each unit will have a different color bedspread with matching drapes. The order should only take a day or two.”

“What colors will you get?” Jessie asked, her voice rising with enthusiasm.

“Lots of colors,” Kay replied, catching⁸ Jessie’s good spirits. “Your unit will be lavender.”

“Oh, good,” Violet said. “My favorite color.”

“I know,” Kay said, the old sparkle appearing in her eyes.

“Does every unit have a little kitchen, Kay?” Benny asked.

“No,” Kay replied. She stroked Willie. “Why do you ask, Benny?”

“I was thinking,” Benny said. “Everybody likes to eat! You could serve breakfast in lunch boxes. Each box would be painted the color of the room.”

“What an excellent idea,” Kay said.

“And,” Henry added, “each box could have a thermos⁹ of hot coffee.”

“And muffins,” Violet said.

“And orange juice,” Jessie continued.

“Children, what marvelous ideas you’ve given me,” Kay said, her eyes sparkling.

“Then you’ll definitely go ahead with painting the motel?” Aunt Jane questioned.

“Yes, I will!” Kay stood up so quickly that Willie leapt down with an annoyed meow. “I’m excited again about my Cypress¹⁰ Motel.”

“So are we!” Henry said, a big grin creasing¹¹ his face.

“You’ve been so helpful,” Kay said. “Maybe when Rolf comes back he’ll take you on the Everglades tour. He’ll fill the pool after that and you can have a swim. Would you like to see the Everglades?”

“Yes!” Benny shouted. “I want to see an alligator¹².”

“I’ll bet you will, too,” Henry said.

“Have fun,” Kay said, opening the door. “I have work to do here but, Jane, wouldn’t you like to go along?”

“I’d love to,” Aunt Jane answered.

When Rolf pulled up in his red Jeep, he agreed a tour would be fine. A half hour later he drove them to the dock where his boat was tied. It was like a big rowboat with sides that had benches all around. Overhead was a canvas top striped like a circus tent.

Everyone scrambled¹³ aboard. Aunt Jane sat in front and the children sat in back. Jessie wore her camera around her neck, and Henry carried a pair of binoculars¹⁴.

“I’m ready for a little relaxation¹⁵ myself,” Rolf said as he steered¹⁶ the big boat out of the narrow channel and into open water. “Yesterday I put in a new sink at my own house and had a new refrigerator delivered.”

“I’m glad this tour isn’t a burden for you,” Aunt Jane said.

Gulls¹⁷ dipped and soared above them. On either side of the boat were islands of trees. Long-legged blue herons walked along the shore. The birds moved carefully, as if they were on stilts¹⁸.

“See that dark bird diving into the water?” Rolf asked, pointing to a bird just vanishing beneath the water.

“Yes, yes,” Jessie said. “Now the bird is coming up. He’s speared a fish with his sharp beak¹⁹.”

“The bird is an anhinga,” Rolf said. “The other birds that you see in the distance with the wide bills are pelicans²⁰. Beyond the pelicans are pink birds called flamingos²¹.

“Mangrove trees are edged along the islands,” Rolf continued, indicating trees with thick trunks and leaves. “Mangroves are the only trees whose roots will grow in salt water.”

Jessie peered through her camera lens, and when it was focused just right, she clicked the shutter²². “I just shot a bald eagle circling his nest.”

“He’s a beauty,” Henry said, his binoculars fastened to his eyes.

“That’s a Southern bald eagle,” Rolf explained. “It’s fairly rare. See how large his nest is on top of that cypress tree?”

“Wow,” Benny exclaimed. “I’ve never seen a nest as big as my bathtub!” He paused, looking in every direction. “But where are the alligators²³?”

“If we’re lucky we’ll see one,” Rolf said.

“The Everglades are beautiful,” Violet said, breathing in the warm August air.

“Yes,” Rolf said, “and the many inlets are beautiful, too. But you have to know these narrow fingers of water or you could easily become lost.”

Rolf knew everything, Violet thought, trailing her hand in the water. He probably knew everything about Kay’s motel, too, as he came to work for her so often.

Suddenly a strange creature poked²⁴ its head above water.

“Look! It’s a dinosaur²⁵!” Benny shouted.

Rolf threw back his head and laughed. “No, Benny, that’s a manatee²⁶ or sea cow. It sort of looks like a walrus²⁷.”

“Are manatees²⁸ mean?” Benny asked, leaning forward to catch a closer look at the misshapen wrinkled head.

“No, they are clumsy and ugly, but they are gentle,” Rolf said, putting on his sunglasses.

Suddenly, he asked, “Do you children have any idea who stole the paint?”

“No, we don’t,” Henry said, speaking for all of them.

“I wonder why Kay is working so hard. Do you think her motel is worth saving?” Rolf looked at the Alden children.

“I think it’s charming,” Jessie said. “It can be made beautiful.”

“Yes, I agree,” Henry stated positively²⁹.

“Sometimes I think she should sell,” Rolf said. “It’s too much for her.” Abruptly³⁰ he turned the boat around. “We’ve been out over three hours, time to get back.”

“No alligator,” Benny said with a disappointed scowl³¹.

“Maybe we’ll see one on the way back,” Jessie said.

“No sooner said than done,” Rolf said cheerfully. “Look over there!”

Violet shaded her eyes. “I see it! It’s a huge alligator.”

“Where?” Benny asked in an excited voice, squinting³². “Where?”

“I see it, too,” Henry said. “Look, Benny, do you see that gray log moving into the water?”

“Yes!” Benny said in a thrilled voice. “The log is a long alligator. It looks like its back is tree bark.”

With a splash the alligator disappeared below the surface.

Benny smiled all the way back and was still smiling when Rolf pulled up to the dock. The tour had been a success for everyone. The whole mysterious world of the Everglades had opened up to them.

“Thanks, Rolf,” Violet said, as she jumped nimbly from the boat to the dock.

“Yes, thanks,” the others echoed, piling out of the boat. Aunt Jane was last. She grabbed Rolf’s hand, and he pulled her firmly up to the dock. Smiling, she shook his hand. “I’ll never forget our wonderful Everglades tour,” she said.

“Good,” Rolf said.

They sped along the winding³³ road to Kay’s.

“And now,” Rolf said, pulling up before Kay’s house, “I’ll fill the swimming pool.”

“Great,” Henry said. “There’s nothing I’d like better than a good swim to cool off.” He jumped out of the Jeep and helped Benny down.

“I wonder how much the painters have done,” Jessie said as she followed Henry, Violet, and Aunt Jane.

Standing³⁴ before Kay’s house, they looked down at the motel to see how much was finished. However, the painters weren’t in sight.

Kay came around the house to meet them. She didn’t look happy.

“What’s wrong?” Rolf asked, striding toward her.

“The painters walked off the job shortly after you left.” Upset, Kay bit her underlip.

“Why?” Rolf asked, concern showing in his dark eyes.

“No water,” Kay answered crisply. “Someone cut off the water, and it can’t be turned back on because there’s a part missing. The painters refused to work in this heat without water.” Wearily, she pushed back a strand of hair. “The plumber³⁵ promised to come later today.”

Violet glanced at Rolf. Again she thought how much Rolf knew about Kay’s motel. Could Rolf have turned off the water? He did want her to sell it.

When they returned to the motel, Henry put out cheese and bread. Violet set out fruit and cookies. Jessie set the table, and Benny poured the milk.

“Who could have shut off the water and stolen the paint?” Jessie wondered as they ate.

“Do you think it’s the same person?” Violet asked.

“I do,” Henry responded. “It’s too much of a coincidence that two things should happen to stop work on Kay’s motel.”

“I hope it isn’t Rolf,” Violet said. “He’s always so helpful.” She took a deep breath. “But if you can put in a sink you need to know how to turn off water, don’t you?”

“You sure do,” Henry answered.

Oh, Violet thought, she shouldn’t think such mean things about Rolf. It did seem, however, that someone was trying to stop Kay. She felt sorry for Kay, who was trying to save her motel. Now the pool couldn’t be filled, and no painting had been done. What was going on?