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the beach. Sitting on the sand Antonia pulled off her shoes and socks, then tucked them inside the boat. She felt far more confident than she had yesterday and was sure that she would find her dolphins again. She could almost feel the magic fizzing round her body. Taking a slow calming breath Antonia imagined herself swimming in the sea.
    “I am a Silver Dolphin,” she said, walking into the surf.
    The water reached her stomach and she was about to start swimming when a cry stopped her.
    “Antonia!”
    Surprised, she spun round. The afternoon sun dazzled her eyes, but there was no mistaking Claudia’s tall figure running down the beach.
    “Antonia, wait!”

Chapter Nine
    C laudia stopped at the edge of the surf, her face wrinkled with concern. “What are you doing?” she asked.
    “I…I…I’m going to find Spirit,” Antonia stuttered.
    “Why? He didn’t call for you.” Claudia’s fingers went to her throat and she pulled asilver dolphin necklace from under her shirt. “I may be too old to swim and help the dolphins, but I still like to know what’s going on,” she said wistfully.
    Antonia was pleased that Claudia was still in touch with the dolphins.
    “I’ve got something really exciting to tell you,” she burst out. “I can become a Silver Dolphin whenever I want. Yesterday I swam out to sea to warn Spirit about the oil.”
    Antonia thought Claudia would be thrilled by her news, but she didn’t look it. Instead she asked, “So why are you going to find him today?”
    Feeling uncertain, Antonia twiddled with her own dolphin charm. “I wanted to swim with Bubbles,” she said at last.
    “I think,” said Claudia gently, “it’s time we had a little chat.”
    As Antonia splashed out of the sea she was shocked to find that the skirt of her dress was soaking wet.
    “What happened?” she asked. “Why isn’t the magic working?”
    “Because you weren’t needed,” said Claudia. “You can only become a Silver Dolphin if there is work to do.”
    She led Antonia up the beach and sat her down by the Sea Watch boat.
    “Being a Silver Dolphin is a very big responsibility,” Claudia began. “And for you there is more. Do you remember me telling you that we share the same birthday?”
    “Midsummer’s Day,” said Antonia. Claudiahad told her that the night she’d first explained Silver Dolphins to her.
    Claudia nodded. “A Silver Dolphin who is born on the longest day of the year is even more powerful. You’ll find, as you learn to use your magic, that there are lots of things you can do that other Silver Dolphins can’t.”
    “Like becoming a Silver Dolphin when I want to?” Antonia asked.
    “That’s right. But with great power comes an even greater responsibility. You must use your magic wisely. You must never interfere with nature unless you are putting right a wrong caused by humans. And you may only become a Silver Dolphin when you are needed. You can’t become one just for fun.”
    Hot shame flooded through Antonia. Shestared at her feet, but Claudia put a finger under her chin and gently lifted her face up.
    “Don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re doing a great job. You’ve learnt so much in a very short time.”
    “Antonia, what happened?”
    Cai vaulted over the small gate in the fence separating beach from garden and ran over. “Why is your dress wet?”
    His face was full of concern, causing Antonia another twang of guilt, knowing that she’d messed up.
    “A little accident,” said Claudia smoothly. “I asked Antonia to get one last sea sample for me and she slipped and fell in. Help me up, Cai, there’s a good lad.”
    Claudia held out her hand and Cai, lipstwitching, pulled his great-aunt to her feet.
    “Look at you!” Cai started to laugh as Antonia scrambled up. “Your dress is soaked! You can’t go home like that, can she, Aunty Claudia? Can she stay for tea while she dries off?”
    “I’ve got swimming club tonight,” said Antonia, glad of the excuse.