OUTRIDERS by ED DECTER

Author:ED DECTER
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ALADDIN PAPERBACKS
Published: 2007-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

Mr. Mora put all the chemical stuff in a cylindrical beaker with the periphyton. Then he stretched a clear balloon filled with nitrogen gas across the top of the beaker. We all watched as the clear balloon turned ORANGE.

A few of us said, “OOOOH,” like Mr. Mora had done some type of magic trick.

“That orange color in the balloon means there is mercury in Spider Bay.”

Then we all felt kind of foolish for ooohing.

Shelby raised her hand. Even though we were in the middle of a vast wilderness, old habits die hard. Mr. Mora nodded toward her.

“I don’t get one thing. If you know there is less biomass here in Willow Key, and you know the mercury is causing it, why are we even here? You already have solved the big question.”

“I haven’t even come close to solving the big question.”

“But you discovered the mercury!” Din said.

“But where is the mercury coming from?” Mr. Mora asked. “There isn’t any heavy industry near Willow Key. So why is there mercury in the water? Until I solve that mystery, my research means very little.”

“But you’ll figure it out, right?” Wyatt said.

“I hope so.”

Bettina said, “But even if you don’t figure it out, you’ll still get your PhD?”

“It’s my job to worry about you guys, not the other way around.”

Mr. Mora had said the same thing after the disaster of the Mega-Wash. This time it made me feel even sadder.

“We’ll help you figure it out,” Wyatt said.

I tried to smile and nod in agreement, but I felt like a phony. How were a bunch of middle school biology students supposed to unlock a huge chemical/biological mystery that our own teacher couldn’t figure out?

I didn’t have much time to ponder the issue because at that moment, Ty started yelling.

TY’S WALLET

You have to understand, I’ve never heard Ty yell. Not even once. I play on the basketball team with Ty, and we’ve been in some really close games (regional quarterfinals), and he hasn’t even yelled when he’s been called for a really ticky-tack foul that cost us a game. But now Ty was yelling stuff in his own language and looking all over the campsite for something.

“What’s up with the sad kid?” Jolene asked me.

“I have no idea,” I said as I rushed to Ty’s side.

“Wallet gone!” Ty yelled as he frantically pushed aside each and every tent searching for it.

“Ty, relax. Maybe it’s in your backpack,” Shelby said as she rushed over to her friend.

“Not in backpack!” Ty almost looked like he might cry.

“We should check the boat,” Nar said. He brought Howie with him on the premise that the mastiff would be able to sniff out the missing wallet.

Jolene followed after Nar and the 243-pound dog; they all climbed into the Chris Craft.

Ty was now about to push aside the scientific equipment. Mr. Mora put a hand on his shoulder, as if to calm Ty down. This had the opposite effect and Ty got even more upset.

“Wallet gone!”

Mr. Mora spoke very calmly and evenly.

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