Science Fair Sabotage

by Anthony VanArsdale

  With that, Mr. Cho stepped out of his vehicle. The man wore sandals, cargo shorts, and a Lazy River Rentals polo shirt. He had long, dark hair under a blue baseball cap, and was stretching like he had just woken up from a nap. “Right on time,” he said. “You can set it next to the others, please.”

  Henry shared a confused look with Jessie. “Huh?” he asked.

  “On the rack,” said Mr. Cho, pointing to the trailer loaded high with kayaks and canoes.

  “Oh. Sure thing,” said Henry. He was surprised that Mr. Cho expected them to move the canoe all by themselves. But he didn’t want to be rude. “Everyone grab an edge. Jessie and Violet on one side. I’ll take the other side with Benny.”

  “Righto!” said Benny. “The faster we return the boat, the faster we…” He sniffed the air. “You know…” Benny’s belly rumbled.

  Henry rubbed Benny’s head. “You can call the march,” he said. “Like I did with the paddle strokes.”

  “I’m the boat-walking boss!” Benny cheered. He told his siblings, “Team Alden. Heave-ho.” He explained, “That means lift the boat.”

  Once the boat was off the ground, Benny said, “Team Alden. Left foot forward.” Then, “Right foot.” Then, “Left foot.”

  As Benny called out the march, Henry wondered if they should put the canoe anyplace in particular. But Mr. Cho did not seem to care. He was still yawning and stretching next to his pickup.

  “Team Alden. Stop-ho. Team Alden. Lower-ho!” Benny called. Then explained, “That means put down the boat.”

  The children placed the canoe onto the open space on the rack, then turned to Mr. Cho. “Thanks for the canoe,” said Henry. “We had a great time.”

  “Want to go back and start again?” Mr. Cho asked. “I could give you a little discount for a second trip.”

  “No, thank you,” Benny said. He’d already started up the path to the café. “My tummy’s leading us on a new adventure.”

  Mr. Cho shrugged. “Well, I had to ask. Business has been slow these days.” He pulled out a strap to secure the canoe. But instead of hooking it up himself, he handed it to Henry. Henry knew how to tie knots. Still, he was surprised Mr. Cho would trust him to secure the canoe to the trailer.

  “Why do you think business hasn’t been good lately?” Violet asked.

  “Is it because of the mutant fishes?” asked Benny.

  “I think what he means is, do you think the water has anything to do with it?” Jessie explained.

  “The water? Oh no. This river is perfectly clean!” said Mr. Cho. “After the Big Cleanup, I thought all kinds of people would want rides down the river. So I bought the old rental shack. But business has been awfully slow.”

  Henry finished putting the strap on the trailer. Mr. Cho gave it a pull to test its tightness and nodded. On his way back to his truck, he added, “Sometimes I wonder if I’m on the right river at all. But what can you do?” With that, he got in his truck and drove away.

  After Mr. Cho had gone, the Aldens headed down the path to the Lookout Café. The restaurant was the last stop for kayakers, fishers, and bird watchers visiting the river. Just beyond the old-fashioned wood and stone building, the river dropped into a small but fast-moving waterfall. The falls were very pretty, but impossible to float through.

  The children seated themselves on the crowded outdoor patio. “This is the perfect place to look out over the river,” said Jessie.

  “Just like the name says,” said Violet. From the railing, she took a photo of the rainbow from the mist of the falls.

  The restaurant owner, Mrs. Fernando, came by to tell them Grandfather had just stepped away. He needed to take Watch for a quick walk.

  Benny groaned.

  “The good news,” Mrs. Fernando added, “is he left you some money. And a little extra in case any of you are extra hungry.” Mrs. Fernando winked at Benny.

  Without looking at the menu, Benny blurted out his order, which included two sandwiches and a dessert. After everyone had placed their orders, the children relaxed from their paddle in the cool, refreshing breeze coming over the waterfall.

  Before long, Mrs. Fernando arrived with their food. Jessie thanked her and said, “Your business seems to be doing really well since the Big Cleanup.”

  Mrs. Fernando sighed. “Yes, it has come a long way from those days. We have done a lot of advertising to help get people back here. We get our water from the city, just like everyone else. But people don’t like to look out over a river they think is dirty, especially when they’re eating.”

  “Well, it’s a good thing you have nothing to worry about,” said Violet. “Now that river is all cleaned up.”

  Mrs. Fernando nodded. “The rules the city put in place because of the Big Cleanup helped a lot,” she said. “They pushed farmers’ fields farther away from the river, so they didn’t pollute the water. And they made it so no new buildings could be built close to the riverbank.”

  Benny swallowed a big bite of sandwich and said, “I have a question! If there are no new buildings allowed, what about the construction fence we saw and the sounds we heard?” He imitated the sound of an engine. “It sounded like big trucks and metal.”

  “You know, I have wondered about that too. I was told that there’s going to be a nice pathway leading from downtown to the river.” She sighed. “A new path would be good for business.”

  “But?” Jessie asked. “You don’t seem happy about that.”

  “I’m worried about people trying to get around the rules.” Mrs. Fernando glanced toward the waterfall. “The last thing we need around here is another Big Cleanup.”

  Just then, someone called from the kitchen with another order.

  “I need to run,” she said. But before she did, she leaned over and said softly, so no one else could hear, “I know you Aldens like a mystery. I’ve noticed the water near here has been a little…stinky lately. The color seems murkier than normal too. Maybe you can figure out what’s going on.” With that, she dashed off to the kitchen.

  “Stinky, murky water?!” Benny exclaimed. He turned to Violet. “Check my toes. Do I have webbing like a frog?” He began to pull off his shoes.

  “Keep your sneakers on,” Violet told him. “There’s no reason to worry.” She looked to Henry. “Right? We’re not worried?”

  “My toes do feel a little funny,” Henry teased his little brother. “They tingle!”

  “Don’t joke.” Benny gave his brother a look. “Mutating is very serious.”

  “So is bad water,” Violet said. “Very, very serious. Right, Jessie?”

  Jessie nodded at her sister. “It is. And finding the solution could make a big difference.”

  At the next after-school Science Fair Club meeting, Jessie couldn’t wait to tell Claudia about her idea for their project. But when she walked into the classroom, Claudia wasn’t there.

  “Do you know where Claudia is?” Jessie asked Ms. Kennedy, the science teacher in charge of the club.

  “I haven’t seen her today,” Ms. Kennedy said, pushing up her glasses and looking at the sign-in sheet. “Have you two decided on a project yet?”

  “I have an idea,” Jessie told the teacher. “I was hoping to tell Claudia—”

  “I’m so sorry I’m late,” Claudia said, rushing into the room and over to Jessie’s lab table. She had on overalls and muddy work boots. “What were you hoping to tell me?”

  Jessie knew Claudia loved being outdoors and wondered where she’d been, but she was too excited to ask. “I think I have the perfect project for us,” she said.

  A big smile appeared on Claudia’s face. “Really? I want to hear all about it!”

  Jessie knew Claudia would be excited, so she jumped right in. “Well, like Ms. Kennedy always says, all good science projects start with a question. Last weekend I was canoeing with my brothers and sister, and we found the perfect question! Mrs. Fernando at the Lookout Café thinks the water smells funny. And Mr. Cho says people aren’t coming to do his ri
ver rides. So we want to figure out if the Greenfield River really is clean.”

  “That sounds like a wonderful project!” Ms. Kennedy said. “You know, before I was a science teacher, I studied the environment. Clean water is one of the most important things in the world. I would be happy to help advise you.” She added, “But this is a big project. Are you sure you two can handle it?”

  “Yes!” Jessie cheered.

  At the same time, Claudia shouted, “No!”

  “What?” Jessie turned to Claudia. “I thought you would like this project. It’s outdoors, and I think we have a chance to really make a difference.”

  “I did,” Claudia said. “I mean, I do…” She dug the toe of her boot against the tile floor. “I just—I don’t want to study the river.” Claudia had dark, curly hair. She looped a curl around a finger. “If the city said the water was clean after the Big Cleanup, I don’t think we need to test it.”

  “But—” Jessie began. “What if something is changing?”

  “I’m sorry,” said Claudia. “I just don’t want to study the river.”

  “Well,” Ms. Kennedy stepped back from the girls. “Looks like you two have a lot to talk about. Teachers are not allowed to get very involved in the science fair. I can advise you, but only after you pick a project. Even then, I can’t help much.” She put a hand on Jessie’s arm. “When you figure out a plan, let me know.”

  Ms. Kennedy walked away.

  Jessie was confused. She thought for sure Claudia would be excited about their experiment. Still, it was important that she and Claudia were both happy. “Okay, we’ll think of something else then,” Jessie said. “Have you had a chance to come up with any ideas? I can keep thinking. My brothers and sister and I are great at finding questions that need to be answered.”

  At this, Claudia only seemed to get more upset. “I don’t think we should work together,” she said.

  Jessie’s heart sank. “I don’t understand,” she said. “I thought we were a team.”

  “Sorry. I think it’s better if I work on my own,” Claudia said. With that, she went to tell Ms. Kennedy her decision.

  Jessie stood at the back of the room, watching other students talk about their science fair projects. There was no way she could do the project all by herself.

  What was she going to do?

  CHAPTER

  Stink and Murk

  Jessie sat at her desk in the boxcar. It was the place where she did her best thinking. And she had a lot to think about.

  Benny was resting in the beanbag chair, waiting for Henry and Violet to come back from the kitchen. Mrs. McGregor, the family’s housekeeper, was on vacation, so the children had helped Grandfather cook supper and clean up. Now it was time for studying and snacks.

  “What are you reading, Jessie?” Benny asked, moving over to let Watch join him in his beanbag. “Are you and Claudia going to study mutant fish?” He squeezed his lips together and blew her a fishy kiss.

  Jessie sighed. “No. I’m looking for a different project.” Jessie hadn’t wanted to ruin supper with her bad news. Now, she told Benny, “Claudia wants to do a different project. I have to find one I can do on my own.”

  “Claudia didn’t want to study the river?” Violet asked. She carried a bag of sliced apples and some boxes of raisins into the clubhouse.

  Henry had a pitcher of juice and glasses. He set them down on an upside-down crate. “Why can’t you study the river on your own?”

  “Ms. Kennedy says it’s too big a project for one person.” Jessie gave another big, rumbling sigh. She was full of sighs.

  Benny took a handful of raisins and stuffed them into his mouth. Then he jumped up from the beanbag, causing Watch to jump to the floor. “Weeecanelp.”

  “Benny!” Violet pointed a finger at him. “Swallow first!”

  Benny made a big show of swallowing his snack. Then he said, “We can help!”

  “I wish.” Jessie turned her chair to look at her brother. “We don’t go to the same school, Benny.”

  “But we’re Team Alden. Remember?” Benny said, stepping between Henry and Violet. “We survived giant rocks and mutant fishes, so we can do anything!”

  “He’s right,” Henry said. “Well…mostly right. There’s got to be a way.”

  Jessie thought for a moment. “Maybe…” she began. “If I do the science fair part, like analyzing the data, we should be okay.”

  “I will take photos for your poster board!” said Violet.

  “I can help collect samples,” Henry said.

  “And I’ll bring sandwiches,” Benny added. “Can Watch help too?”

  “Of course,” said Jessie, feeling her mood lift. Watch came by her chair, and she scratched his neck. “We can use all the help we can get.”

  On Saturday, Team Alden gathered the supplies for their science fair experiment. Jessie had spoken with Ms. Kennedy about her family helping her, and Ms. Kennedy had said that as long as Jessie did all of the testing, analyzing, and presenting, her family was more than welcome to be involved. Ms. Kennedy had also given Jessie papers to read about planning the experiment.

  While Grandfather drove the children to the first testing spot, Violet looked at the supplies in the back seat. There were washbasins and chest waders and glass jars and what looked like a big butterfly net. “Why do we need a net?” Violet asked.

  “Are we going to go fishing for mutant fishes?” Benny asked.

  “That would be a big problem,” Henry said. “I think we’re looking for smaller changes. Right, Jessie?”

  “Right,” said Jessie. She told the others what Ms. Kennedy had told her. “The tricky thing about testing water is that the river is always flowing. That means the water is always changing.”

  Violet scrunched up her eyebrows. “If the water keeps moving, there might be bad stuff in the river we miss,” she said. “So how will we know if the water is good?”

  “Do we have to stay all day long?” asked Benny. He looked at his tote bag full of snacks. “I don’t think we packed enough for that.”

  Jessie smiled. “No, Benny. We don’t need to stay all day. But the way to find out if the water is good is to test the things that do stay in the river all day.”

  Grandfather turned onto the road that led to the Lookout Café. Jessie had decided to take the first samples at the café because it was where Mrs. Fernando had noticed the changes. She planned to take samples from three spots, then check the same locations later to see if things had changed.

  “The project is not just about fish,” Jessie continued. “There are all kinds of critters that live in the river.”

  “Critters?” Violet asked. “Are they dangerous?” She didn’t like the idea of creatures she didn’t know about in the water.

  “They’re harmless,” said Jessie. “They are things like snails and worms and crabs. The more there are, the cleaner the water is. If there are no critters, or just a few, it’s a sign that something bad is happening. Nothing wants to live in bad water.”

  Benny shoved his tote bag toward Violet. “All this talk about critters is making my stomach feel yucky.” He sat for a long minute then took his lunch back and peeked in at his snacks. “Okay, I feel better now.”

  Grandfather pulled into the parking lot of the Lookout Café. The children collected their supplies and walked toward the patio, where stairs led down to the river.

  Mrs. Fernando waved and smiled from the patio. But when the children turned to go down the steps to the river instead of to the restaurant, she looked confused. Others on the patio looked curiously at the Aldens’ supplies.

  “We must look strange with all this stuff,” said Henry.

  “It’s okay,” said Jessie. “We look weird for science!”

  On the bank of the river, Jessie and Henry each put on a pair of Grandfather’s chest waders. They were much too big. But both Henry and Jessie were able to pull the straps so they could walk without tripping.

  “Move slowly,” Jessi
e told her brother. “It’s slippery in the river.”

  The two entered the water in a calm area just past the patio deck. The falls were to their left, but they kept far enough away to stay out of the spray.

  Violet and Benny stood on the shore. “It does smell a little strange,” she said, taking a big sniff. “Not too bad. Just kind of funny.”

  From the riverbank, Watch gave a snort.

  “Watch agrees,” said Benny. “I’m a good sniffer, but dogs are experts.”

  “Does it look like the color is different?” Violet asked.

  “I can’t tell,” Jessie said. “It’s not crystal clear blue, but it’s not muddy brown either.”

  Jessie took a glass jar and filled it with water. “We need to take a closer look. We’ll take a sample of the water each time so we can know if the water is changing.”

  Jessie handed the jar to Benny, who took out a piece of masking tape and a marker. He paused.

  “How do you spell ‘Lookout’?” he asked Violet. But by the time Violet was done spelling, Benny had just gotten the cap off of the marker. “I’ll just put a letter L for Lookout and 1 for number one.” He wrote the label on the tape and stuck it to the jar.

  “Now we need to take our other sample. Right, Jessie?” Henry said, holding the big net.

  Jessie nodded and picked up a washbasin. Together they waded into the stream. When they were far enough in, Jessie made a note of the location in her notebook. Then they both started shaking their hips and marching in place.

  “Are you doing a fish dance?” said Benny. “Is that part of the test?” Benny shook his hips and wiggled his head like a fish would.

  Jessie laughed. “No, Benny. For the experiment to work, we need to loosen up the soil with our feet. That way we can scoop out a good sample.”

  Benny shrugged. He kept doing his own dance.

  Henry dumped a net full of muck into the washbasin Jessie was carrying. Then they came ashore. Jessie handed her notebook to Violet and looked down into the washbasin.