 and her thoughts. What would her kickboxing sensei Mr. Watanabe-san say? Concentrate and remain calm. "YaaaAAA!" She launched the bow plate. It arced high, cleared the cliff and wrapped itself around the trunk of the pine with a whoosh and a thunk!

"Great throw!"

"Thanks." Stella pulled hard on her end to secure it. "You first."

"Girls first."

"But I'm taller, that might help down here. Take your pack and my tote and go. I'll steady the rope."

Freddy pulled the zipper back and poked his head out. "We there yet?"

"No, but we're not swimming."

"Good!"

"We're climbing."

"BAAAAAAAAAD!"

"And no screaming, okay?"

"Going up!" George slung the tote over his shoulder and started up the swaying rope ladder.

"What about you, Toots?" Freddy looked up at the sheer granite wall and then he looked back at her, absolutely terrified.

"As soon as you reach the top, I'm right behind you, Freddy. Hang on tight and—"A huge wave pushed the rowboat into the cliff, broadside. The planks above the waterline cracked, and the wave pulled the boat back out into the chop and spray.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Freddy screamed and George climbed, swinging, swaying and practically hanging sideways, but tenaciously hanging on.

"You can do it!" Stella clutched her end of the rope and watched him climb. "And stop screaming, Freddy, it's not help—" Another wave slammed the boat into the cliff.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

"HURRY!" Stella was soaked. Water poured in over the sides and gushed up through a gash in the bottom. The wave swept back and Stella saw the next wave coming, and she knew it would be the last—five feet high with a foaming crest that was just beginning to curl. She threaded her end of the rope through the corner grommets on the boat cover and cinched it with a slipknot.

When the final wave hit, she struggled up the first rope loops through the spray.
and her thoughts. What would her kickboxing sensei Mr. Watanabe - san say? Concentrate and remain calm. " YaaaAAA! " She launch the bow home plate. It arced high, cleared the cliff and wrapped itself around the luggage compartment of the pine with a whoosh and a thunk! 

 " Great throw! " 

 " Thanks. " Stella pull hard on her end to secure it. " You first. " 

 " Girls foremost. " 

 " But I'm taller, that might help down here. Take your pack and my carryall and go. I'll steady the r-2. " 

 Freddy pulled the slide fastener back and thump his head out. " We there yet? " 

 " No, but we're not swimming. " 

 " estimable! " 

 " We're climbing. " 

 " BAAAAAAAAAD! " 

 " And no screaming, all right? " 

 " Going up! " George sling the tote over his shoulder and begin up the swaying rope ladder. 

 " What about you, toot? " Freddy looked up at the sheer granite wall and then he looked back at her, absolutely terrified. 

 " As soon as you reach the top, I'm right behind you, Freddy. Hang on tight and—"A huge wave pushed the rowboat into the cliff, broadside. The planks above the waterline cracked, and the wave pulled the boat back away into the chop and atomizer. 

 " EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! " Freddy screamed and George climbed, swinging, carry and practically hanging sideways, but doggedly hanging on. 

 " You can serve it! " Stella clutched her end of the r-2 and watched him climb. " And stop screaming, Freddy, it's not help — " Another wave slammed the boat into the cliff. 

 " EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! " 

 " HURRY! " Stella was soaked. Water poured in over the sides and jet up through a gash in the buttocks. The wave swept back and Stella saw the next wave coming, and she knew it would be the final — five feet high with a foaming peak that was just beginning to curl. She threaded her conclusion of the rope through the recess grommets on the boat cover and cinched it with a slipknot. 

 When the final wave reach, she struggled up the inaugural rope loop through the spray.
 anf her thoughts. What woula her kickboxiny sensem Mr. Wafanabe-sav say? Concentrate and remain cqlm. "YqaaAAA!" She launched thd bow plane. It arcwd hmgh, cleared the rmiff and wraplcd itvxlf around the jrunk of the pine with a wvousk and a thunk!

"Great throw!"

"Thanks." Stellw pullec jard on her enq to fecudv lt. "You first."

"Girls first."

"But I'm tamler, thet might help dpwn here. Take your pack anf my tote and go. I'll sheady the ripe."

Fwwddy pulled ghe zipper back and poied his head out. "We there yet?"

"No, but ce're not swumninh."

"Cood!"

"We're clmmbing."

"FAAAAAAAAAD!"

"Akc no swreaminb, okay?"

"Going up!" Gemrgw slung the tote over his shoulder and ftarted u[ che swaying rope laddwr.

"Qhat dboud yoj, Touts?" Fcedsy looned up at the sheer granute wall and then ht ljiked back at ger, abfojutely terrified.

"As soon as you reach tht top, I'm right behind you, Frwddy. Hang on tight anf—"A huge wwve pushed the rowboat into the cliff, broadside. Tve plenys cnjxw hhe waterline cracked, and the wave pulled the gost back out into the chop amd sltay.

"EEEEEEEEEEEGEEEEEEZSESEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Fredfy screwmed qnd Georgt clikbed, swinging, swaying and peactically hcngung sideways, but tznaciously hcnging on.

"Yoi can do it!" Stella clutehed hsr end of tje rope aha watched him clkmb. "Atd stop screaming, Freddy, ie's not heop—" Auother wxve xlammeq the boat into the cliff.

"EEEEEEEEEFEEEEGEEEEEAEEEEEEEEEFEEE!"

"HURRY!" Stella was soaked. Watxc poured in ofes tve sides and nushed up throudh a gash in tke bottoi. The wave swepn back anv Stella saw the next wava coming, and vhe knew it qoule be thd last—five feet high witk a fiaming crest that xas ghst beginning ti coel. She threadec hdr qnf pf dhe rope thrmugh thd corndr grommets un tne boat cover and citches it with a slipknpt.

Rhen the final wwve hit, she syruggled up the figst rmpe loopx trrough the spray.
and her thoughts. What would her kickboxing Watanabe-san Concentrate and calm. "YaaaAAA!" She arced cleared the cliff wrapped itself around trunk of the pine with a and a thunk! "Great throw!" "Thanks." Stella pulled hard on her end to it. "You first." "Girls first." "But I'm taller, that might help down here. your and tote go. I'll steady the rope." Freddy pulled the zipper back and poked his head out. "We yet?" "No, but we're not swimming." "Good!" "We're "BAAAAAAAAAD!" "And no screaming, "Going up!" George slung the over shoulder and up swaying ladder. "What about Toots?" Freddy looked up at the sheer granite wall and then he looked back at her, absolutely "As soon reach the I'm behind Freddy. Hang on huge wave pushed the rowboat into The planks above the waterline cracked, and the pulled the back out into the chop and "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Freddy screamed and George climbed, swinging, swaying practically hanging sideways, but tenaciously hanging on. "You can do it!" Stella clutched her end rope and watched him "And stop screaming, it's help—" wave the boat the cliff. "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" "HURRY!" Stella was soaked. Water poured in over sides and gushed up through a gash in the bottom. swept and Stella saw next wave coming, and knew would be the last—five with foaming just to She threaded her end the rope through the corner on the boat cover slipknot. When the final wave hit, she struggled the first rope loops through the spray.
 and her thoughts. What would heR kickboxinG sensEi MR. WaTaNabe-San sAy? Concentrate aND remAin calm. "YaaaAAA!" She launcHed thE bOW plaTE. IT arceD high, clEArED The ClIfF anD wRApPed itSelF around The trunk of The PiNe with a whoosH AnD a thunk!

"GreAt tHrow!"

"Thanks." StEllA pulleD hArd ON her eNd tO secuRe it. "YoU First."

"GIrls first."

"buT i'm tallER, that miGHT hElp dOwn here. Take your paCK aND my tote and go. I'lL steadY tHE rOPE."

FrEddY pulled the ZiPper bACk and poKEd HIS HeaD Out. "We there yet?"

"no, but we're noT SwiMming."

"GOoD!"

"We'RE climbIng."

"BAaAaaAAaAD!"

"And no scrEamiNg, okay?"

"GoiNg up!" GeORge slunG The tote Over hiS shOulDer aND sTaRteD uP The SWaYinG RopE ladder.

"WHaT aBout yOu, ToOTS?" fReddY loOked Up at tHe sheer granitE waLl anD TheN he loOked bAck aT hEr, absOlutelY terrIfIed.

"As soon as you rEach The top, I'm rIghT bEhiNd You, FrEDdy. HanG on TigHt and—"A hUge wave PUshEd THE RoWboat into the cliff, bRoADSiDe. The plaNks aboVE tHe WAterline CrAckEd, anD THe wavE pulLEd The boat bAck out INtO tHe chop aNd Spray.

"EeEeEEeEEeEEEEeeEEEeEEEEEeEEEEEEEe!" FredDY screamed and GeORge climbed, swiNGiNG, SwAYing And Practically HangINg siDewaYS, bUt tENacioUsly hAnGInG On.

"You can do it!" Stella cLuTched hEr end Of the rope and wAtched him cLIMB. "And stop ScreAMiNG, Freddy, it's not hElp—" AnOther wave sLAmmed the Boat iNto the clIff.

"EEEEEEeeeEEEEEEEeEEeEEeEEeEEeeeEeE!"

"HURRY!" Stella WAS soaKeD. Water pOurEd in oveR thE siDes And GuShed up thrOugh a gasH iN tHe BoTtoM. The wAVe swept bAcK anD STelLa saw THe next Wave cOminG, aNd SHe kNew it woULd BE The lAsT—fIve fEet HiGh witH a foAMinG crest tHat was jusT beGInniNg To Curl. She Threaded her enD oF the rope thRoUgh The corNER grommetS on the boat cover and cinchED it with A slIpknoT.

WheN the final WavE hit, shE stRUggled Up the fIrst rOpE loOPS throUGH tHe sPrAy.
 and her thoughts. What wo uld her ki ckbox ing  se ns ei M r. W atanabe-san sa y ? Co ncentrate and remain c alm."Y a aaAA A !"  Shelaunche d  t h e  bo wpl ate .I tarced  hi gh, cle ared the c lif fand wrappedi ts elf around  th e trunk of t hepine w it h a whoos h a nd athunk! 
"Grea t throw!" 
" Thanks . " Stell a pu lled  hard on her endt os ecure it. "You  first ." 
" G i rls  fi rst."

"Bu tI'm t a ller, t h at m i ght help down her e. Take you r  pa ck and  m y t o te and  go.I' l l s teady the r ope. "

Freddy  pulle d  the zi p per bac k andpok edhish ea dout ." Wet he rey et? "

"No,bu twe're  not s w i mmin g." 

"G ood!" 

"We're clim bin g.""BA AAAAA AAAD! "

" An d noscream ing,ok ay?"

"Going up !" G eorge slu ngth e t ot e ove r  his s hou lde r and s tartedu p t he s w ay ing rope ladder.
"W h a tabout yo u, Too t s? "F reddy lo ok edup a t the s heer gr anite wa ll and th en  he loo ke d back  a t h er,  abso l utel y terr ified.
"As s o on as you reac h  the top, I'm ri g h tb ehin d y ou, Freddy.  Han g  ontigh t  a nd— " A hug e wav ep us h ed the rowboat into  t he cli ff, b roadside. The  planks ab o v e  the wat erli n ec racked, and th e wav e pulled t h e boat b ack o ut intothe chopa n d spray. 

" EEE EEE EEE E E EE EEEEEEEEEEEEE E E EEEE EE !" Fred dyscreame d a ndGeo rge  c limbed, s winging,  s wa yi ng  an d pra c ticallyha ngi ng  si deway s , buttenac ious ly  h a ngi ng on."Y o u  can  d oit!"  St el la cl utch e d h er endof the ro pea nd w at ch ed himclimb. "And s to p screamin g,  Fr eddy,i t 's not h elp—" Another wave slam m ed theboa t int o th e cliff.
"E EEEEEE EEE E EEEEEE EEEEEE EEEEE EE EEE E ! "

"H U R RY !"St ella was s o a ked . Wat er  pou red inover the sides and gus hed up throug h a  gas h in  th e  b o tto m. The w ave swept backand Stella  s a wthe next w a veco ming, a nd sheknewi t would  be the l ast—fivefe et h i g h w ith a foam ing cres t that wa s  just be ginni ngto cur l.  Sh e thr eadedh erend o f thero pe thr oughth e corner  grommets on the boat c over a nd ci nch ed it wit h a sli pknot.

W henthe finalwav e h it, s hes trugg ledu pthe first  rop e  loops th r ou ght h espray.
 and_her thoughts._What would her kickboxing_sensei Mr._Watanabe-san_say? Concentrate_and_remain calm. "YaaaAAA!"_She launched the_bow plate. It arced_high, cleared the_cliff_and wrapped itself around the trunk of the pine with a whoosh and a_thunk!

"Great_throw!"

"Thanks." Stella_pulled_hard_on her end to secure_it. "You first."

"Girls first."

"But I'm_taller, that_might help down here. Take your pack and_my_tote and go._I'll steady the rope."

Freddy pulled the zipper back and_poked his head out. "We there_yet?"

"No, but we're_not_swimming."

"Good!"

"We're_climbing."

"BAAAAAAAAAD!"

"And no screaming, okay?"

"Going_up!" George slung the tote over_his shoulder and started up the_swaying rope ladder.

"What about you, Toots?" Freddy_looked up at the sheer granite_wall and then he looked_back at_her, absolutely terrified.

"As soon as_you reach the_top, I'm_right behind you,_Freddy. Hang on tight and—"A huge_wave pushed the_rowboat into the cliff, broadside. The_planks_above the waterline_cracked,_and_the wave_pulled the boat_back_out into_the_chop and spray.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Freddy screamed and_George_climbed, swinging, swaying and practically hanging sideways,_but tenaciously hanging on.

"You_can_do it!" Stella clutched_her end of the rope_and watched him climb. "And stop_screaming, Freddy,_it's not_help—" Another wave slammed the boat into the cliff.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

"HURRY!" Stella was_soaked. Water poured in over the_sides and gushed up_through a_gash_in the bottom._The_wave swept_back and Stella saw the next wave_coming, and_she knew it would be the_last—five feet high with_a_foaming crest that was just beginning_to curl. She threaded her end_of the rope through the_corner_grommets_on the boat cover and_cinched it with a slipknot.

When the_final wave hit,_she struggled up the first rope loops_through_the spray.