20,000 Nerds Under the Sea by Jeff Miller Page A

own mission,” said Sam. “We’ve got to find everyone else and put a stop to a crazy homeschooled pirate.”
    â€œPirates?” said Riley. Other villagers shuddered at the very mention.
    â€œScallywags! If ’tis pirates you battle, then you will have my help,” Riley exclaimed. “Onward, my friends!”
    â€œAgreed! Whatever all that meant, I agree!” yelled Biggs.
    The citizens of the fake historical village continued to scream in terror as Riley was freed. Rubbing his wrists and neck, he walked after Sam toward the aircraft.
    â€œHuzzah!” shouted Riley. “Send a pigeon to my mother; let her know I will return before the school bus cometh!”
    The crew strapped into the safety harnesses of the plane and flew toward the San Diego airport, looking to retrieve Yuri and the Jasons.
    â€œI hope there’s still time,” said Sam.

“I . . . S . . . T . . . H , UH, M . . . ,” SAID NEIL, HIS EYES FIXED ON the ceiling above. “Can you use it in a sentence again?” he asked Corinne’s father.
    Neil’s pulse pounded. Not only from the pressure of his first ever spelling bee, but from knowing that every passing second left another shark in danger. And once the sharks were gone, what would stop Jolly from going after anyone else who wronged her—animal or human?
    â€œâ€˜Isthmus,’” said Corinne’s dad. He was seated on the beige living-room couch with a huge dictionaryresting on his stomach. He drank a small glass of rice milk, which left traces in his fuzzy mustache.
    â€œThe volunteer fireman found a pony on the isthmus.”
    What? Is that a sentence that someone has ever said in real life?
    â€œWell, OK, ‘isthmus,’” Neil shrugged. “ I-S-T-H-M-U-S. ‘Isthmus.’”
    â€œThat is correct,” said Corinne’s father. “Now on to round fifty-seven. Corinne, your word is ‘adrenaline.’”
    â€œCorinne, Father of Corinne, I hate to be rude, and believe me I would love to sit around here and spell and drink rice milk with your dad,” Neil said, getting a glare from the spelling bee’s judge, emcee, and timekeeper. “But we really need to go. I know I’m never gonna beat you in spelling anything.”
    â€œThat’s true,” said the former spelling bee champion. She looked at Neil, then at her stern father. “If you really need my help, let’s go. We’re a team, right?”
    Neil smiled, “We’re a team! T-E-A-M .”
    She and Neil celebrated with a salute. Her father cleared his throat.
    â€œI’ve never seen someone last so long in a heads-up spell-off with my Corinne. Nicely done, Neil.”
    Neil scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
    â€œNobody can beat your daughter, sir,” Neil said. “To be honest, I was guessing on most of those.”
    â€œOK, Dad, I’ll be back before curfew,” said Corinne to her father. She quickly tied her shoes and zipped up a thin blue jacket.
    â€œNow where was it you kids were going?” said Corinne’s father, looking over the opened dictionary. Corinne gave him a kiss on the cheek.
    â€œOh, just to study,” she said as the group skipped outside. “Be back soon!”
    THE LATE-AFTERNOON SUN WAS TURNING THE SKY A LIGHT orange as Harris’s helicopter touched down in a cul-de-sac of a residential neighborhood. Tall evergreens shook as the rotor blades slowed their spinning.
    â€œYou two go get our man,” said Harris. “I’ll stay here and watch the bird. If somebody puts a dent in this thing, my dad will take away international travel privileges.”
    Neil laughed and quickly unbuckled his safety harness.
    â€œAnd try and get ahold of someone. The White House, Jones, anybody who might help.”
    Neil and Corinne ran out from the helicopter, hunched over as they headed toward the open door of a light-blue garage.
    It was