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  Wedge made Charlie and Siri do most of the paddling while he steered and got ready to take plenty of photos.

  ‘Nice camera!’ puffed Siri.

  ‘Here,’ panted Charlie. ‘Aren’t we going the wrong way? That man in the powerboat said the birds were over the other way.’

  ‘Well, he was wrong. There’s no protection for most birds to make nests down on the mudflats,’ said Wedge. ‘There are plenty of waders but not the birds we want to see. That bloke was just trying to get rid of us. Come on, we’ll just take the main channel in the same direction he was going. We’ll head for that tall tree, look …’ He pointed. ‘Then we’ll take a left and explore one or two side-creeks.’

  Everybody soon forgot about the strange man as they worked their way downstream. With a slack tide and very little breeze, they made good progress and soon they found themselves surrounded by rich vegetation.

  They learned to make quiet strokes and to keep their conversation to a whisper as they floated through narrower and narrower gaps between the reed beds. That way, they didn’t miss the water voles crossing in front of them, or the frogs that sat belching on lily pads or that leapt gracefully into the water.

  After a while, they came to a low island and beached the kayaks where the mud was not too slick.

  ‘I used to come here with my dad,’ whispered Wedge. ‘This is ideal for raptors.’

  The hairs on the back of Harry’s neck started to rise. Raptors.

  ‘Raptors meaning dinosaurs?’ Siri asked.

  ‘No!’ laughed Wedge. ‘Raptors meaning birds of prey.’

  Harry relaxed and laughed along with the rest of the GOGOs. Why couldn’t he keep dinosaurs out of his mind? His B.U.Ds key-ring was safely in his pocket, and there was no reason to call on their help today.

  ‘Let’s go ashore here,’ said Wedge. ‘It’s an island. You lot follow me. Keep to the path and bring your bins.’

  ‘He means binoculars,’ Charlie whispered to Siri.

  ‘I know!’ hissed Siri. ‘I didn’t think we were going to collect litter!’

  They dragged the kayaks ashore and left them in a safe place away from the water. The reeds grew tall on either side of the narrow, sandy track. Charlie was making a note on a little pad she carried and Wedge was snapping away with his camera every time he saw a bird.

  Suddenly Wedge stopped. He lifted his binoculars towards the tops of a group of willow trees on the other shore of the small island. ‘There!’ he said in a hushed voice. ‘Look at that! A pair of ’em! Definitely marsh harriers. See the black wing-tips? Must get a shot of them! There can’t be more than three or four hundred pairs in the whole country!’

  The GOGOs lifted their binoculars and watched the graceful creatures wheeling and diving.

  ‘They look like they’ve been disturbed,’ muttered Wedge. ‘The female is flying about but she should be keeping her eggs cosy and warm. I wonder what’s upset them?’

  At that moment, they were all startled by a sudden noise that cut through the quiet morning like a chainsaw. It was the growl of a powerful engine starting up, and it was coming from over near the willow trees.

  Chapter 7

  Wedge was worried. ‘Come on!’ he said. ‘Let’s get along by the shore and see what we can find. Hurry up!’

  They all took off towards the willows in double-quick time, towards the growling sound of the motorboat that was moving along the shore out of sight on the other side of the island. They knew that it would have to move slowly, especially with the narrowness of the creeks and the danger of going aground in the shallow water. Overhead the birds were still streaking around, making their nervous screaming cries.

  ‘What are we looking for?’ asked Harry.

  ‘We’re looking for a big nest among the reeds. If I remember rightly,’ said Wedge, ‘marsh harriers build their nests quite close to the shore. Normally the public can’t go near them at breeding-time. And fishing is definitely not allowed. So something tells me this is an emergency!’

  ‘Stop!’ came a loud voice. There were hurrying footsteps behind them. ‘What on earth do you think you’re up to?’ A young man, not much older than Wedge, was moving fast along the path towards them. He had wind-burnt cheeks and was wearing shower-proof trousers with a padded waistcoat and a wide-brimmed hat. Slung over one shoulder was a rucksack, and he carried a powerful-looking birdwatching telescope on a tripod.

  ‘This is a protected area,’ he panted. ‘You’re breaking the law!’ Suddenly he gave a cry and fell heavily. He tried to get up but couldn’t.

  Wedge pushed past the others to get back to him and saw that the young man’s face had gone very pale. ‘You all right, mate?’ he said gently.

  ‘I got my tripod caught on something and tripped over it. Blast! I think I might have busted my ankle. Arrgggh! That’s painful.’

  Wedge told him to lie still and had a look at his ankle. ‘That’s nasty,’ he said. ‘We’ll have to get you to hospital. Are you a warden on the reserve here?’

  The man nodded, holding his breath. ‘Mike Lines, deputy warden. Didn’t you see Brian, my boss?’ he asked through gritted teeth. ‘He’s on patrol, too. He must have told you to keep well away from here, surely?’

  ‘Sorry, we haven’t seen anybody around here,’ said Harry. Including you until now, he thought. But then he realized that a warden would have to know the river and creeks very well, and he’d be taking short-cuts.

  ‘But we did hear someone. Listen,’ added Charlie, putting her finger to her lips. The engine-sound was growing faint but it was still there.

  ‘That’s a worry,’ said the man, wincing with pain. ‘Brian’s only got a rowing boat so he doesn’t disturb the birds. So that’s not him.’

  ‘Was Brian in a grey boat with green trim?’ asked Jack. And when the warden nodded, Jack told him that they’d last seen it heading for the mudflats.

  ‘Well spotted!’ said Charlie.

  ‘And I bet I recognize that motor, too,’ said Wedge. ‘Sorry, mate. Looks like your boss, Brian, has been tricked. And we know who by – because a bloke in a powerboat tried to do the same to us!’ He patted Mike on the shoulder. ‘Before we shift you, you’d better let us know where that harrier nest is. And quick!’

  Mike explained as best he could and then he and Wedge worked out a complete plan of action. First, Wedge and Harry would go and check the nest and the others would stay with Mike and keep him warm and comfortable. Wedge and the GOGOs had all left their mobiles locked in the truck, not wanting to risk getting them wet, so Mike would have to use his phone to call an ambulance and ask for it to meet them at the truck. Then he’d have to call up Brian and let him know what was happening.

  Harry bustled along the path after Wedge. When they reached the willows, not far from where the harriers were gliding, they approached boggier ground where the reeds grew thicker. They had to stoop as they walked, gently spreading apart bunches of reeds with their hands. They were lucky.

  ‘Here!’ Harry said, and Wedge was at his side in a few seconds, looking down at the tangled, shallow structure of the bird’s nest. It was empty.

  Wedge put the flat of his hand on it. ‘Still warm,’ he said. ‘I bet there were eggs in there till just a few minutes ago.’

  ‘Well, we’ve got a pretty good idea who’s got them, haven’t we?’ said Harry angrily. ‘Mister Misery in the orange powerboat.’

  ‘Well, he’s got away with it,’ said Wedge with a sigh. ‘We ain’t got a hope of catching him. He could easily be back at his van by now – and we’ve got to get Mike out of here.’

  Without thinking, Harry’s hand went to his pocket and felt for the plastic cards on his key-ring. One of them was as warm as toast!

  I might just have a plan, he thought to himself. A Back-Up plan!

  Chapter 8

  There was more bad news when they got back to the others. Mike hadn’t been able to contact Brian. Either his phone was off or there was no signal wherever he was. But at least
they’d managed to get through to the ambulance by calling 999.

  ‘Listen up, guys,’ said Wedge, and he got things organized. Everyone would help carry Mike back to the boats. It was too awkward for the warden to wriggle into his one-man kayak, so Harry would have to paddle it. Meanwhile, Mike could stretch out in one of Wedge’s inflatables and paddle as much as he could, with Siri on board to steer; and Wedge, Charlie and Jack would tow them from the other three-seater.

  ‘I’d better go ahead,’ said Harry. ‘You lot will have to paddle pretty slowly and somebody should be around to meet the ambulance. And maybe I can find Brian and let him know what’s happening.’

  ‘Be careful, Harry,’ said Wedge. ‘I’m only letting you go alone because it’s an emergency.’

  ‘I’ll be safe,’ he promised, thinking about the key-ring that was warming his pocket.

  While Harry put on his safety gear, Mike told him the quickest route back to the main channel. ‘It’ll be a while before the tide turns, so it’ll be hard going – but it shouldn’t be too bad,’ he said.

  Harry was soon sliding into Mike’s kayak and adjusting everything to fit him. Then he carefully pulled his key-ring out of his pocket and slipped it on to his finger so he could grip it and paddle at the same time. The others gave him the thumbs-up and Wedge pushed him into the water.

  Off Harry went along the narrow ribbon of water; his steering was a bit zig-zaggy at first. Once or twice he jammed the front of the kayak into the reeds and had to back up but soon he learned how to stay in a straight line. It wasn’t long before he was out of sight of the others and had reached the edge of the reed beds. The nose of the kayak was in the main channel and he could feel the current tugging him towards the sea. He reached out with one hand and grabbed a handful of rushes to hold the kayak still.

  Then he laid the paddle across his lap and felt through the tiny collection of plastic cards dangling from the key-ring. The third one felt warm enough to be on stand-by. The shape was getting brighter but there was no time to work out which dinosaur it was. The first time a life-sized spinosaurus had appeared in his bedroom, it had explained that the cards would only work if Harry rubbed them in the right direction. Now, he carefully ran his finger along the edge of the card, making sure that he stroked the creature nose-to-tail.

  Chapter 9

  Harry found himself face to face with the flat greenish snout and wide-open jaws of a beast with a very scary set of teeth! They were razor-sharp, like cone-shaped spears, overlapping top and bottom. Harry gulped.

  ‘Y-you must be …’ stammered Harry.

  ‘Plesiosaurus dolichodeirus, at your service,’ said the creature, but not in the sort of voice that sounded at all keen to serve Harry. ‘Oh. Wait!’ It suddenly dipped its surprisingly short, slender head into the water and came up with enough dangling weed to build a small green haystack. No sooner had the head re-emerged than it rose up from the water on a neck longer than the kayak. The creature’s neck looked a bit like a palm tree, bending slightly and with dark hoops round it every twenty-five centimetres or so. With a violent flick that sent Harry rocking like mad in the kayak, the beast tossed the weed aside and at the same time flipped a couple of large fish into the air. They dropped into the dark cave of its mouth with a slop and a gloop.

  ‘Now, listen,’ said Plesiosaurus. He sounded as if he was used to getting his own way. ‘You’re in a hurry, right? OK. I need a rope around my tail. How are your knots? Can you manage a clove hitch?’

  ‘A c-clove hitch … um … I think so,’ said Harry, not quite sure if this was really happening. With a big effort, he gathered the tow-rope that Mike had neatly stowed and twisted the end into two loose overlapping loops, ready to be attached.

  Plesiosaurus rolled his smooth body in the water like an otter and two pairs of huge flippers appeared. He clapped them together with cracks like double pistol-shots! The dinosaur was at least five metres long – about the length of Mister Misery’s van and trailer from nose to tail. When he rolled upright, Harry could see that his body was as bulky as an elephant’s, only longer. He also noticed that as Plesiosaurus moved out into the centre of the channel, where the water was brown, the colour of the dinosaur’s skin was changing.

  ‘How do you do that?’ asked Harry with a gasp.

  ‘What, change colour? I’m adaptable – that’s it, end of story.’

  ‘I can see that,’ said Harry. ‘Now, could we … ?’

  ‘Hurry up with that tow-rope!’ interrupted Plesiosaurus in a bad-tempered voice.

  Harry dropped the hitch over the tail that was aimed towards him and pulled the knot tight as quickly as he could.

  ‘Right!’ said the dinosaur. ‘Let’s crunch arms and legs!’ With that he started to paddle downstream.

  Harry decided things were getting a little out of hand.

  ‘Hey, look here,’ he said, trying to sound firm. ‘I haven’t even told you where we’re going yet! First, I’d like to catch up with a man in an orange inflatable dinghy with a motor. He’s heading for a ramp about two miles upstream. He’s got a van with a trailer parked there.’

  ‘Listen, do you think I can’t read your mind?’ said the bad-tempered creature. ‘I know exactly who you’re after. And I’m telling you he’s heading towards the coast. Right, do you want to catch up with him or not? I can rip off his head, if you want …’

  Harry took a deep breath. ‘Now, you listen to me!’ he said, in his most serious voice. ‘You are supposed to be at my service; you said so yourself.’

  ‘Yeah, well …’

  ‘So we do things my way. I’m in charge,’ snapped Harry.

  Plesiosaurus whacked the water with a front flipper and let out a bellowing roar that thundered over the marshes and sent hundreds of water birds flapping and splashing away in a panic.

  Harry had to struggle to settle the kayak that was rocking again like a wild horse. That’s why it took him a moment to realize that he had just heard the sound of a marine dinosaur laughing.

  Chapter 10

  At first, Harry was unsure what to do. Plesiosaurus was whining and straining at the rope like a pack of huskies. Should he command the creature to take him back upstream to meet the ambulance? Or should he go after the powerboat that the dinosaur said had gone the other way? Finally he decided that the ambulance would take a while to arrive and that it would have to wait for the injured warden to turn up anyway. So he braced himself and shouted, ‘OK, downstream!’

  ‘Whatever you say. You’re the chief,’ said the more obedient beast, and plunged forward.

  The dinosaur swam like a giant dolphin, its long body looping in and out of the water. It raised its front end above the surface, stretched out its fore-paddles, ducked its neck and body underwater, then followed through with its rear-paddles.

  All Harry could do as Plesiosaurus gathered speed was to hang on for dear life. And now and then he had to steer his kayak back into the creature’s slipstream and away from the waves that followed. He had taken plenty of boat rides before – but they had been nothing like this! They were soon cutting through the water like a turbo-charged lifeboat.

  After a short while, the narrow channel opened up and they left the reed marsh far behind. Harry soon found himself gazing up at tall chalk cliffs, and in the distance he could make out houses and hotels. He suddenly realized that they had reached the point where the river joined the sea and he was looking up towards the seaside town of Eastbrook.

  They were passing a sheltered cove when Harry spotted a flash of orange. The powerboat! he thought. At that moment, Plesiosaurus stopped paddling and allowed the kayak to swing in a thrilling arc before coming to a stop. So it was true what the dinosaur had said about being able to read Harry’s mind. Still, Harry didn’t want to take any chances. ‘Move along to the next cove. I want to keep out of sight,’ he ordered.

  ‘Aye-aye, captain,’ answered his personal tug-boat in a strange bubbling voice. Harry still didn’t really know how far he could t
rust Plesiosaurus. Was the dinosaur joking with him or was he being serious? Anyway, he did what he was told and pulled Harry in towards the cliff.

  Looking up, Harry suddenly noticed a rope dangling from just below the top of the cliff. As he got closer, he could see that the rope hung all the way down to where the powerboat was moored. And there was the man in the camouflage vest and trousers! Mister Misery was way up the cliff, suspended on the rope, reaching out over a ledge. He found something and carefully placed it behind him into one of a number of small pouches hanging from a strap around his middle. He reached out again, and once more put something into a pouch.

  Two angry birds, jet black with long red beaks, attacked the climber like mini jet planes. He was forced to raise an arm and flap his baseball cap at them. At once he pushed off with both feet and abseiled down the rope like he was in an action movie.

  By now, Harry was tucked well into the neighbouring cove. Minutes later he heard the engine of the powerboat starting up. He ducked behind a rock. Plesiosaurus took the hint and disappeared below the surface of the water like a submarine.

  Next thing they knew, the powerboat was cutting its way back down the estuary. Mister Misery had put on a navy blue sweater over his camouflage vest. Suddenly he looked like just any ordinary, innocent bloke on a fishing trip.

  Chapter 11

  The powerboat had set off at a cracking pace, sending up a shower of spray behind it. Harry was close behind but had kept a bit of a distance because, in the excitement of the chase, he had forgotten that Plesiosaurus was plain as day to him but invisible to everybody else. A kayak going at top speed would look very odd if Mister Misery turned around!