yelled.
The feeling of being dragged through the air abruptly fell away - along with the rope that splashed down into the blue water below.
The parachute started to drift downward, but the stiff trade winds were much stronger out in the open water, giving them a little extra lift and pushing them right where Joe wanted to go.
The speedboat circled underneath, like a hungry shark, waiting to see where the parachute would come down.
***
Frank had seen the speedboat pull up next to the Hawaiians' boat, but he was too far away to see what was going on. He didn't know anything was wrong until he saw Joe lunge at the parachute harness just as it lifted Jade into the air.
He ran down to the water, but the boat was already far out to sea. He watched the brightly colored parachute grow smaller in the distance. Just like that, Joe was gone as the rumble of the big diesel engine faded away. All Frank could hear then was the high-pitched whine of jet-skis, droning along the shoreline.
The two Hawaiians in the small motorboat watched in silence as the speedboat raced away. Frank waded out into the ocean, waving frantically to get their attention, but they didn't notice.
Frank swam out to the boat, grabbed hold of the gunwale, and hauled himself out of the water.
That got their attention. "What do you think you're doing?" the man clutching the wheel asked sharply, twisting to face him.
The other man moved toward Frank, fists clenched. "Crazy haoles. First you steal our para-sail ride. Now you think you can steal our boat, too?"
Frank held out his hands. Both men were stocky and muscular. Although Frank was taller than they were, he doubted that he had a weight advantage over either of them. Even if he could take them out, he didn't want to start a fight.
"You've got it all wrong, guys," Frank quickly said. "When they stole your parachute, they kidnapped my brother and a friend of ours. So crank up the engine and let's get going."
"Go where?" the skipper replied. His anger had subsided, and now he looked at Frank with mild curiosity. "You can't take a boat like this into the interisland channel. It's too rough out there."
"Yeah," the other man agreed. "Besides, what would we do even if we could catch up with them? They had guns, man. Big guns."
"You can't just sit here and do nothing!" Frank yelled. "How about the coast guard - or the navy?"
"Good luck," the skipper said. "By the time you get to a phone and cut through all the red tape, that boat will be long gone."
"Terrific," Frank muttered.
He spun around to dive back in the water and saw something lashed to the side of the boat. He had climbed in from the other side, so he hadn't noticed it before. It looked like a cross between a motorcycle and a snowmobile - except it didn't have any wheels or treads.
Frank turned back to the two Hawaiians. He pulled a soggy wallet out of his soaking wet pants. "How much do you want for the jet-ski?' he asked.
"You'll never make it on that thing," the skipper said. "We just have it in case the engine breaks down and we have to ferry people back to shore. You can't take it out in the channel."
"That's my problem," Frank snapped. "How much do you want?"
The man shrugged. "Take it. Who knows? Maybe you'll get lucky and catch those jerks. If you do, just remember to bring back our parachute."
"I'll bring it back," Frank promised. "But how will I find you?"
"We'll be here," came the reply. "If we're not, just ask around for Freddie or Mike Ahina. All the locals know us."
Frank bent over the side and untied the lines that secured the jet-ski. He climbed down onto it, holding the side of the boat with one hand to keep steady. He pressed the starter and twisted the throttle on the end of the handlebar. The small engine sounded like an angry swarm of bees.
"Oh, well," Frank told himself. "It sure beats swimming in wet clothes."
Even though the engine wasn't very big, Frank discovered the jet-ski was pretty quick. It was made of
The feeling of being dragged through the air abruptly fell away - along with the rope that splashed down into the blue water below.
The parachute started to drift downward, but the stiff trade winds were much stronger out in the open water, giving them a little extra lift and pushing them right where Joe wanted to go.
The speedboat circled underneath, like a hungry shark, waiting to see where the parachute would come down.
***
Frank had seen the speedboat pull up next to the Hawaiians' boat, but he was too far away to see what was going on. He didn't know anything was wrong until he saw Joe lunge at the parachute harness just as it lifted Jade into the air.
He ran down to the water, but the boat was already far out to sea. He watched the brightly colored parachute grow smaller in the distance. Just like that, Joe was gone as the rumble of the big diesel engine faded away. All Frank could hear then was the high-pitched whine of jet-skis, droning along the shoreline.
The two Hawaiians in the small motorboat watched in silence as the speedboat raced away. Frank waded out into the ocean, waving frantically to get their attention, but they didn't notice.
Frank swam out to the boat, grabbed hold of the gunwale, and hauled himself out of the water.
That got their attention. "What do you think you're doing?" the man clutching the wheel asked sharply, twisting to face him.
The other man moved toward Frank, fists clenched. "Crazy haoles. First you steal our para-sail ride. Now you think you can steal our boat, too?"
Frank held out his hands. Both men were stocky and muscular. Although Frank was taller than they were, he doubted that he had a weight advantage over either of them. Even if he could take them out, he didn't want to start a fight.
"You've got it all wrong, guys," Frank quickly said. "When they stole your parachute, they kidnapped my brother and a friend of ours. So crank up the engine and let's get going."
"Go where?" the skipper replied. His anger had subsided, and now he looked at Frank with mild curiosity. "You can't take a boat like this into the interisland channel. It's too rough out there."
"Yeah," the other man agreed. "Besides, what would we do even if we could catch up with them? They had guns, man. Big guns."
"You can't just sit here and do nothing!" Frank yelled. "How about the coast guard - or the navy?"
"Good luck," the skipper said. "By the time you get to a phone and cut through all the red tape, that boat will be long gone."
"Terrific," Frank muttered.
He spun around to dive back in the water and saw something lashed to the side of the boat. He had climbed in from the other side, so he hadn't noticed it before. It looked like a cross between a motorcycle and a snowmobile - except it didn't have any wheels or treads.
Frank turned back to the two Hawaiians. He pulled a soggy wallet out of his soaking wet pants. "How much do you want for the jet-ski?' he asked.
"You'll never make it on that thing," the skipper said. "We just have it in case the engine breaks down and we have to ferry people back to shore. You can't take it out in the channel."
"That's my problem," Frank snapped. "How much do you want?"
The man shrugged. "Take it. Who knows? Maybe you'll get lucky and catch those jerks. If you do, just remember to bring back our parachute."
"I'll bring it back," Frank promised. "But how will I find you?"
"We'll be here," came the reply. "If we're not, just ask around for Freddie or Mike Ahina. All the locals know us."
Frank bent over the side and untied the lines that secured the jet-ski. He climbed down onto it, holding the side of the boat with one hand to keep steady. He pressed the starter and twisted the throttle on the end of the handlebar. The small engine sounded like an angry swarm of bees.
"Oh, well," Frank told himself. "It sure beats swimming in wet clothes."
Even though the engine wasn't very big, Frank discovered the jet-ski was pretty quick. It was made of
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