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The Lady Jane was already in the water by the time she reached the beach She saw Uncle Hector still on the beach, untying the rope that kept the boat anchored to the shore "Uncle Hector! What are you doing?"

He spun around to face her A smile came to his face "Hey, Lucy You find your friends?"

"Are you leaving?"

"What? No! I was just going to test her out"

"By yourself? At night? Anyway, Wendell said to wait for "

"I think I know a lot more about the sea than Baby Einstein there She'll hold up She's a good ship"

Tears caoodbye You were just going to leave ot it all wrong, Lucy Maybe I was going to leave, but it's because I love you I didn't want to risk you kids If soot to the et help"

The tears becaht Youto steal the water Miss Brigham too She was the first one to stumble onto your scheme So you threw the water on her so she couldn't talk Then you surprised Rebecca and Prudence You tried to do the same to them, but David showed up to stop you He let them escape Otherwise I'd have never known I'd have kept on believing you, like a fool"

"Co I only did it for us Back on theto take the Jane froive you like that?"

"Then ere you going to leaveto sell the water and then co to me!"

"OK, kid If that's what you want"

She didn't notice his footuntil it was too late As she'd done to Pryde's beast days earlier, he kicked up sand into her face Between the sand and the tears, she was effectively blind Before she could get her guard up, he kicked her in the round, but then her instincts kicked in She rolled into a fighting crouch While she still couldn't see more than blurs in front of her, she still had her other senses She could sarette odor as he closed in