Chloe Slipperslide’s Secret

Chapter Four The Wide Lake

As the girls and Goldie got to Willowtree River, Lily spotted a lovely silver raft moored to a tree with a long silver ribbon.

“That belongs to Silvia Whitewing the swan and her sisters,” she said. “Remember we went on it when we rescued Ellie Featherbill?”

Goldie’s ears pricked up. “There they are now!”

Three swans were having a picnic on a lacy cloth beneath a weeping willow.

“Where’s the Slipperslides’ house?” Lily called to them.

“Why, it’s over there,” Silvia said, pointing her wing out over the water.

Standing on stilts over the water was a neat wooden house. Fixed to one side were three diving boards and a polished wooden slide.

Two young otters were whizzing down the slide while two more leaped from the diving boards. They all splashed into the water, squealing with delight as they tumbled over one another.

“Thank you!” Lily cried to the swans. The girls and Goldie ran around the lake, waving their arms.

When the otters spotted them, they swam across. The littlest one, who was wearing pink goggles, was clinging on to her big sister’s red swimming cap. When they reached the shore, they turned over and floated on their backs. The tiny one hooked her paw around her sister’s so she wouldn’t drift away.

“I’m Flo,” said the otter in the red swimming cap. Her two brothers floated alongside her. “This is Richard and Johnny, and our little sister is Tallulah.”

There was a shout from the little house. “Coo-eee!”

“And here come Mom and Dad,” added Flo.

A moment later, Mr. and Mrs. Slipperslide appeared at the door. They dove off the highest board and swam swiftly to the bank.

Goldie introduced Jess and Lily.

“It’s nice to meet you,” said Mr. Slipperslide. “This is all our family except for little Chloe. She’s at Craft Club.”

“That’s why we’re here,” said Lily. “I’m afraid we have bad news.” She explained what had happened.

The young otters crowded around their parents.

“That horrible crow!” wailed tiny Tallulah.

Jess crouched down and took Tallulah’s little paw. “Don’t worry,” she said. “We’ve got a plan.”

Mr. Slipperslide hugged all his children, then looked up at the girls. “How can we help?” he asked. “We’ll do anything to save Chloe.”

“We need you to answer a few questions,” Lily said. “First, what’s Chloe’s favorite hobby?”

“I know!” said Flo. “Making jewelry!”

“That’s right,” said Mrs. Slipperslide. “She’s very proud of her silver shell necklace. She never takes it off.”

Lily turned to Jess. “Chloe’s necklace must be her favorite thing,” she said, “so we’ll need it for the spell. But she’s wearing it! How are we going to get it?”

Jess shook her head. “I don’t know, but we’ll find a way.” She turned back to the otters. “We need to find out Chloe’s secret, too. Does anyone know what it might be?”

All the Slipperslides shook their heads.

“How about Chloe’s favorite place?” asked Lily.

The otters shook their heads again. “This is terrible,” said Mrs. Slipperslide. “How are we going to help Chloe?”

“Don’t worry,” Jess told them. “Do you know what her favorite food is?”

Richard, Johnny, and tiny Tallulah splashed up onto the shore, wriggling about and shouting over the others in excitement. Finally, Flo wriggled past them. “We know that one!” she said. “Rainbow water lily salad! That’s Chloe’s favorite food!”

“Mine, too!” said Richard.

“And mine!” said Johnny.

“Yum, yum!” squeaked tiny Tallulah.

“That’s great,” said Jess with a grin. “It sounds delicious. Where do rainbow water lilies grow?”

But to the girls’ surprise, the otters all suddenly looked worried.

“There aren’t any left around here,” said Mrs. Slipperslide. “We ate the last ones this morning!”

Mr. Slipperslide’s whiskers drooped sadly. “There are some on the other side of the Rushing Rapids, but it’s too dangerous to swim there. What are we going to do?”

The Slipperslides hugged one another. “Poor Chloe!” cried Flo.

“Don’t worry,” Goldie told them. “I know how to get past the rapids—on a raft!”

Goldie led the girls back to Silvia and her sisters. They found them looking beneath their lace cloth, in their picnic basket, and even under their wings.

“Where are they?” Silvia muttered.

Then she saw the girls and Goldie. “Have you seen our silver spoons?” she asked. “They’ve vanished!”

Jess shook her head. “Sorry, no,” she said. “We’ve come to ask for your help. We have to get past the Rushing Rapids. Please, would you take us on your raft?”

But the three swans shook their heads.

“We’re very busy,” said Silvia.

“We can’t eat strawberry mousse without spoons!” said her sister.

“Please, Silvia, it’s important,” said Lily. She told the swans about Chloe.

“Well, my dear, why didn’t you say?” Silvia pointed a wing at the pearl necklace she was wearing. “Little Chloe mended this for me when it broke. We must help her. Come along!”

They followed the swans to the riverbank. When they reached the water, the girls gasped.

The silver raft was gone!

Silvia ruffled her feathers, clearly upset. “First the spoons go missing, now our raft!” she cried.

Lily and Jess looked up and down the bank. “But it was just here!” Jess cried out.

“Look,” Goldie called. “Paw prints!”

Everyone crowded around. There were two different sets of paw prints in the soft mud at the water’s edge.

Lily peered over Jess’s shoulder. “Those must be Snippit’s,” she said, looking at the bird prints. “He stole the scissors from Agatha’s shop, remember? I bet he’s stolen the spoons and the raft, too!”

“And those must be Chloe’s,” Jess groaned, looking at the other paw prints. “Now how will we get to those water lilies?”

Goldie’s ears suddenly pricked up. “What’s that noise?” she asked.

The girls listened carefully. “It’s quacking!” said Lily.

Around the river bend, a pretty blue-and-yellow barge appeared. A family of ducks stood on deck, waving.

“It’s the Featherbills!” cried Jess. “Thank goodness—we can ask them to help us!”