set to the Coast Guard channel. You hit this button and then start talking into the receiver.”
“I understand,” Juan Carlo said.
“You tell them the name of the boat, ‘ Explorer’ , three times,” Noah continued. “Give them your location. I’ve written it down for you.” He handed Juan Carlo a piece of paper. “Then tell them what’s going on.”
“If we don’t come back by noon, or if Isaiah Wright’s boats come after you, go for help. Use the radio, or here’s my cell phone,” Anthony handed it to Juan Carlo. “You won’t get reception out here, but once closer to Key West, you can speed dial 21. That’s Chief Burton’s number.”
Juan Carlo threw him a puzzled look. “Speed dial?”
“Just press 21 and hit the call button,” Anthony showed him. “If he doesn’t answer, dial 911.”
“Sí,” Juan Carlo said.
They went aft, where the diving gear was laid out. Noah and Anthony donned the gear in silence.
“Be careful,” Juan Carlo said. He held a fishing rod and would pretend to fish while Noah and Anthony were exploring the cave.
Noah adjusted his mask, bit down on the regulator, and signaled he was ready to go.
“If we see any sharks, you go where I go,” Anthony instructed Noah.
Noah hopped off the boat platform and into the water. Anthony jumped in and swam up beside him. Noah gave Anthony a thumbs-up, then started kicking. He shot through the water. The only sound was his breathing through the regulator.
Ten minutes after leaving the Explorer , they approached the shore. Noah kicked hard against a strong current. It buffeted him toward a reef and Noah stuck out his hand to keep from slamming against it. He swam hard, and he and Anthony soon found a place where they could climb out of the water.
They had brought flashlights with them, so Noah set his on a rock, then tugged the fins off his feet. He set them on the rock with the flashlight, then pushed his mask up on his forehead. He found an underwater toehold for his feet, pushed up with his legs, and grabbed the rocks. He then hefted himself out of the water, pulling himself forward until he could get up on his knees. He worked out of the tanks, setting them and his fins in a crack behind a large rock.
Behind him, Anthony struggled to get out. His upper body was halfway out of the water when he slipped. Splash!
“How did you get up there so easily?” he muttered.
“Use your toes to grip the rock,” Noah said. “Like a monkey would.”
“Like a monkey,” Anthony growled. “I still can’t find a foothold.” Noah reached over to give him a hand, and Anthony managed to lift himself out of the water.
Anthony hid his dive gear with Noah’s and they checked out their surroundings. Some of the rocks were smooth from the pounding waves spraying them, but others were rough and jagged. Farther down, they could see the cave opening near the cliff face. The opening was not much bigger around than a car tire.
“I’m not sure if I can fit through that,” Anthony said.
Noah didn’t reply. One of them had to get in the cave and find the hidden box, if it was there. He stepped forward. “Ouch! The rocks hurt my feet.”
“Careful,” Anthony chided him. They worked their way across the rocks, treading lightly. After what seemed like years, but was only minutes, they arrived at the cave. Noah bent down and looked inside.
“I can’t see a thing.”
He was about to shine the flashlight into the cave when Anthony yanked his arm.
“A boat’s coming!” Anthony hissed. He jerked his head around, looking for a place to hide. “Behind that rock!”
Noah scooted after Anthony. They scrunched down and waited. A powerboat zoomed by, its high-pitched engine loudly announcing its presence. The noise faded, then came back.
Anthony leaned over Noah, putting his mouth right by Noah’s ear. “They’re taking a second pass,” he murmured. “Stay down.”
Noah held his breath as the sound of the engine
“I understand,” Juan Carlo said.
“You tell them the name of the boat, ‘ Explorer’ , three times,” Noah continued. “Give them your location. I’ve written it down for you.” He handed Juan Carlo a piece of paper. “Then tell them what’s going on.”
“If we don’t come back by noon, or if Isaiah Wright’s boats come after you, go for help. Use the radio, or here’s my cell phone,” Anthony handed it to Juan Carlo. “You won’t get reception out here, but once closer to Key West, you can speed dial 21. That’s Chief Burton’s number.”
Juan Carlo threw him a puzzled look. “Speed dial?”
“Just press 21 and hit the call button,” Anthony showed him. “If he doesn’t answer, dial 911.”
“Sí,” Juan Carlo said.
They went aft, where the diving gear was laid out. Noah and Anthony donned the gear in silence.
“Be careful,” Juan Carlo said. He held a fishing rod and would pretend to fish while Noah and Anthony were exploring the cave.
Noah adjusted his mask, bit down on the regulator, and signaled he was ready to go.
“If we see any sharks, you go where I go,” Anthony instructed Noah.
Noah hopped off the boat platform and into the water. Anthony jumped in and swam up beside him. Noah gave Anthony a thumbs-up, then started kicking. He shot through the water. The only sound was his breathing through the regulator.
Ten minutes after leaving the Explorer , they approached the shore. Noah kicked hard against a strong current. It buffeted him toward a reef and Noah stuck out his hand to keep from slamming against it. He swam hard, and he and Anthony soon found a place where they could climb out of the water.
They had brought flashlights with them, so Noah set his on a rock, then tugged the fins off his feet. He set them on the rock with the flashlight, then pushed his mask up on his forehead. He found an underwater toehold for his feet, pushed up with his legs, and grabbed the rocks. He then hefted himself out of the water, pulling himself forward until he could get up on his knees. He worked out of the tanks, setting them and his fins in a crack behind a large rock.
Behind him, Anthony struggled to get out. His upper body was halfway out of the water when he slipped. Splash!
“How did you get up there so easily?” he muttered.
“Use your toes to grip the rock,” Noah said. “Like a monkey would.”
“Like a monkey,” Anthony growled. “I still can’t find a foothold.” Noah reached over to give him a hand, and Anthony managed to lift himself out of the water.
Anthony hid his dive gear with Noah’s and they checked out their surroundings. Some of the rocks were smooth from the pounding waves spraying them, but others were rough and jagged. Farther down, they could see the cave opening near the cliff face. The opening was not much bigger around than a car tire.
“I’m not sure if I can fit through that,” Anthony said.
Noah didn’t reply. One of them had to get in the cave and find the hidden box, if it was there. He stepped forward. “Ouch! The rocks hurt my feet.”
“Careful,” Anthony chided him. They worked their way across the rocks, treading lightly. After what seemed like years, but was only minutes, they arrived at the cave. Noah bent down and looked inside.
“I can’t see a thing.”
He was about to shine the flashlight into the cave when Anthony yanked his arm.
“A boat’s coming!” Anthony hissed. He jerked his head around, looking for a place to hide. “Behind that rock!”
Noah scooted after Anthony. They scrunched down and waited. A powerboat zoomed by, its high-pitched engine loudly announcing its presence. The noise faded, then came back.
Anthony leaned over Noah, putting his mouth right by Noah’s ear. “They’re taking a second pass,” he murmured. “Stay down.”
Noah held his breath as the sound of the engine
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