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diesel fuel, and if anyone can get it for us, it’s him.”
    “You haven’t answered Glen’s question, honey,” Stacey reminded him. “I think I know both the good and the bad, but we need to all be on the same page.”
    “Absolutely,” Zach agreed. “The configuration of the breakwater is good, because the water will be calm. We can sail in quietly and anchor in that little niche between little Coconut Island and the mainland, which is near the hotel. I’ll take Denise with me and row the dinghy over to the mainland. You and Glen will need to watch the boat. There’s no telling who… or what… will be waiting there in hopes of capturing a boat.”
    “That’s the bad?” Glen asked. “There may not be any bad guys there at all, you know.”
    “True, but that’s only part of it. The worst part is, we have to go back out through that little opening between the breakwater and the mainland across from it. That’s a great place for an ambush. We’ll be an easy target for anyone on land, and if they have boats, we’ll be in real trouble.”
    “We’re armed,” Glen said, “and we’re all darned good shots”.
    “Yes, but I sure hope it doesn’t come down to that,” Zach said, “There’s a good chance it will, though.” He turned his attention back to the chart. “Okay, here’s where we are.” He tapped the chart with his index finger. “We’re southwest of the island. We’re going to have to stay quite a distance south so we won’t be seen. We’ll sail far enough past that we still won’t be seen when we turn north. Then, we’ll turn west and follow the same course we followed when we went there last time.”
    Looking at each of them, in turn, he continued, “The difference is, we went in by daylight before and used the motor once we were inside the harbor. This time, we have to remain unseen. We’re going to sail the whole way at night, never using the motor. Any questions?”
    “Will there be lights on the breakwater, or the town, to help guide us?” Glen asked.
    “No telling,” Probably a few, although I have no idea if they still have electricity. For all I know, there may be fires. But, that doesn’t matter. The radar will show the landmasses, the breakwater, and the larger boats. We’ll just have to hope there are no little rowboats out there for us to run over.”
    “We can’t let our guard down. It isn’t going to be easy,” Stacey said, looking at the children to be sure they understood.
    “From now on,” Zach added, his voice low, “nothing is going to be easy.”



Chapter 8
    W HEN they got near enough, they could see there were a few lights scattered around the town, but the multitude of fires gave off the most useable light. The glow of those fires framed mainland Hilo enough that the Arthurs could make out buildings off in the distance as they approached land.
    They set their course to run parallel to the long westward leg of the breakwater, about fifty yards north of it. The radar gave them a view of what was on or near the water, away from the fires.
    As near as they could tell, there were seven ships at anchor – they weren’t moving, anyway. None was in the path of their destination. There might be a canoe or dinghy in the way that didn’t show up on the radar, but they’d have to chance that.
    When they were slightly past the eastern edge of the Hilo Bay entrance, they turned due south. Zach went aft, dropped the mizzen sail, and tied it down. With Denise up front on the jib, Glen on the mainsail, and Stacey at the wheel, they turned again when they passed the breakwater, this time southeast. That should take them to where Hilo Bay and Reed’s Bay mingled. Specifically, it was a spot a little east of Coconut Island and north of the point where Aunt Millie’s Hotel sat.
    With the mizzen sail out of the way, Zach went forward and lifted the anchor from the compartment at the
La Sirena
’s bow. He stepped onto the bowsprit with it and prepared to drop it