"But this is a hundred-dollar bill."

The girl waved her hand in the air. "Oh, it doesn't matter. My aunt is a countess. I have tons of money."

"Well . . . well, thank you," said Lynnette. She and I both watched the girl leave the beauty parlor. I was amazed. A countess - like a person in a fairy tale!

I remembered that I was supposed to be getting my earplugs, so I ran down to Cabin P9. I opened the door quietly and tiptoed in. Sure enough, Daddy and Elizabeth were taking naps. I found my earplugs and started up to the Moondance Deck. Halfway there, I decided I was thirsty. Very thirsty. I hadn't had anything to drink since I was on the plane.

Where could I get something to drink? I wondered. I didn't want water from a fountain. I wanted something more special. I climbed the stairs from deck to deck slowly. Each time I reached a new deck, I stopped to look around. And on the Tropical Deck I saw something called the Moonlight Cafe.

A cafe is an eating place! Daddy and An- drew and I ate at one in New York City. We sat at a little round table on the sidewalk. There was an umbrella over us. The pole went right through a hole in the middle of the table. Daddy said we could order whatever we wanted. I ordered crab's legs. But I didn't eat them.

The Moonlight Cafe didn't look anything like the cafe in New York, but I decided to try it anyway. I sat down at a table. The cafe was crowded. The waiter who came over seemed very busy.

He flipped open his order pad. "Yes?" he said. He didn't look at me.

"One c.o.ke, please, sir," I told him. "And charge it to Cabin P nine. Watson Brewer."

"You got it."

The waiter brought my c.o.ke. I drank it pretty fast. I realized I'd been gone an awfully long time for someone who was just supposed to be getting her earplugs.

As soon as I was finished, I ran upstairs to the Moondance Deck and found the swimming pool. Andrew and David Michael were in it, but Kristy was sitting nervously in a lounge chair.

"Karen Brewer!" she cried as soon as she saw me. "Where on Earth have you been? I was worried!" She got up and ran toward me.

I thought Kristy was mad at me, but when she reached me, she gave me a hug. "Don't ever do that again!" she said. (Her arms were still around me.) "I was about ready to get a search party going. Or call the Boat Police or something."

"The Boat Police! Are there really Boat Police?" I asked.

"No," said Kristy, pulling away from me. "Just kidding. But where were you? You better have a good story."

"We-ell," I said slowly. I hoped a manicure and a c.o.ke were good stories, but I had a feeling they weren't. Kristy probably thought I'd gotten lost, or gotten into some kind of trouble. I couldn't lie to her, though. I held out my hands. I told her what I'd been doing. When I was finished, Kristy burst out laughing.

"You were getting a manicure?!" she exclaimed.

I nodded.

"How did you pay for it? And the c.o.ke?"

"I charged them to our cabin."

Kristy shook her head. "You're too much," she said.

She gave me another hug. Then she got out her camera. "Hold out your hands again," she said. "Let me take a picture of you with your manicure."

I held out my hands and put on a great big grin, even though I am missing two teeth.

Kristy snapped my picture. Then she snapped pictures of Andrew and David Michael in the water.

I put on my earplugs and jumped in the pool. I am so, so glad that Kristy is my big sister.

cHiAIPTER --- -^ /^#f/yS / / r6 I.

'11 tell you something: I have never woken up on a ship before. It was kind of interesting going to sleep in my bunk last night. The ship was rocking back and forth very gently. I felt like I was falling asleep on a giant waterbed. And then this morning I woke up to feel the sway, sway, sway of the ship.

Except for our alarm clock, which rang at 7:30, I'd never have known it was morning, though. Our cabin is in the middle of the ship, so there's no window for the sun to shine through. And of course, since I wasn't at home, there were no shouts of, "Claudia, get a move on!" or "Mimi, I can't find my sweater!" There wasn't even the nice smell of coffee.

Nevertheless, as soon as the alarm went off, I sprang up. Luckily, I remembered just in time that I was on the top bunk. I lowered C/cuxdUo- myself to the floor, stepping on Kristy's hand on the way down.

"Ow!" she cried.

"Sorry," I said, "but if s time to get up anyway. Hurry, you guys."

It was our second day on the Ocean Princess, and later in the morning, the ship was going to dock at New Providence Island in the Bahamas. We were going to spend one glorious day in the town of Na.s.sau. I couldn't wait. Think of it. Me, Claudia Kishi, in the Bahamas. It was almost as good as saying I was in Hawaii, or on the sh.o.r.es of Tahiti. Tropical beaches, white sand, palm trees, cloudless blue skies, sh.e.l.ls, maybe a cute guy. . . .

I woke up Dawn, who was sleeping in the bottom of the other bunk bed. (We were using the top of the bed for all the clothes I'd brought that I couldn't squeeze into our tiny closet or the dresser drawers.) Then the three of us got dressed quickly, but silently. Well, I got dressed quickly. This was because while I'd been lying in my bunk the night before I'd planned exactly what I was going to wear. I put on my new blue-and white bikini and over that, a pink sundress with spaghetti straps at the shoulders and big blue b.u.t.tons down the front. Then I accessorized. I tied a pink-and-blue scarf around my waist, knotting it in the middle, added my snake bracelet and feather earrings, wound my hair up on top of my head, and finally put on these white sandals with long laces that you crisscross up your legs and tie in a bow.

When I was dressed, I sat at the desk and watched Dawn and Kristy. Dawn took off her nightgown, folded it, and placed it in a dresser drawer. Kristy slipped her pajamas off, leaving them in a puddle around her feet. Then she stared at Dawn, waiting for a reaction. After a moment, she stepped aside and Dawn whisked them off the floor and handed them to Kristy. "There," she said. "Are you satisfied? You wanted to make me mad and it worked, okay?"

"Oh, for heaven's sake, chill out, you guys," I told them. "Kristy, grow up."

Kristy stuck her tongue out at me.

That morning we ate breakfast at the Flamingo Cay Restaurant with Kristy's family. We sat at two tables - Kristy, Dawn, Karen, Andrew, David Michael, and me at one; Mr. and Mrs. Brewer, Sam, and Charlie at the other.

Breakfast at our table was just a little strained, but I forgot about our problems as soon as our orange juice was served. The waiter brought over a tray with six little gla.s.ses of juice, each one on a plate. My juice was the only one that was also on a napkin. When I lifted my gla.s.s, I saw that something was written on the napkin. It said, "I think you are beautiful." And it was signed, "A Secret Admirer."

"Kristy!" I yelped. "Dawn! Look!"

I showed them the napkin.

"Who could have written it?" asked Dawn.

"The waiter?" suggested Kristy.

"No way," I replied. (Our waiter was about eighty-seven years old.) Then I got a flash of inspiration. "You guys," 1 whispered, and everyone leaned forward, even the little kids. "You know who's on board the ship?

"Who?" they asked.

"Spider. You know, from the Insects. Mal-lory Pike told me so. She saw him yesterday with her own eyes."

"No!" cried Kristy and Dawn.

"Yes!" I said. "I forgot all about it until right now. What if this note's from Spider? A rock star. Wouldn't that be amazing?"

"It would be amazing, all right," agreed Kristy drily.

I made a face at her. Then I glanced at Dawn. Dawn wasn't listening to our conversation anymore. Her eyes were glued to something across the room. I looked where she was looking and saw a Gorgeous Guy.

I nudged Kristy and pointed to Dawn. "Psst," I whispered. "I think Dawn's on the prowl!"

We started giggling and couldn't stop.

It turned out that I was right. Later that morning when the ship docked at Na.s.sau, Dawn walked off like a zombie. "See you guys later," she said vaguely.

(Kristy's mom and stepfather had told Dawn and Kristy and me that we didn't have to stick with them. They said that Na.s.sau wasn't that big a place, and we were old enough and responsible enough to go off on our own, as long as we returned to the Ocean Princess by five o'clock.) No sweat.

The only thing was, Dawn the zombie had her eye on Mr. Gorgeous, and Kristy seemed to want to stay with her family. I could have stayed with them, too, but I knew this was the first vacation they'd taken since Kristy's mother had married Watson. So I felt that I should leave them alone and let them be a family.

"Well," I said brightly, as our feet touched solid ground again, "I'm going shopping. See you at five o'clock!"

I headed for the nearest store.

I just love to shop.

But I felt a little lonely and left out. I hadn't exactly expected to spend my first day on a tropical island alone. I guess I could have joined up with Stacey or Mary Anne and the Pikes, but I also hadn't expected to spend my first day on a tropical island baby-sitting.

I stood around in the store until I was sure Kristy and her family were gone. Then I stepped outside and took my first good look at Na.s.sau. Little streets lined with shops twisted and turned in several directions. Palm trees and flowering plants were everywhere. The smell of the blossoms mingled with the salty air. I breathed in. Heavenly.

I wished I'd thought to bring a sketch pad with me. I could have made some terrific drawings of the beach and the people and the crowded streets. Oh, well. At least I had my camera. I could take lots of pictures to show Mimi, my grandmother. She's never been to the Bahamas.

I began walking and taking pictures, but after three shots, I realized something odd was going on. Every time I looked through the viewfinder, especially if I turned around, searching for a shot behind me, I thought I saw a figure jump out of the way. The fourth time that happened, I glanced up to see who it was, but I couldn't tell. The streets were too crowded.

People in Na.s.sau sure are poMte, I thought. In Connecticut, they'd probably walk right in front of you and ruin the picture, not jump out of the way.

I walked until I came to a place called the straw market. Everywhere, island women were selling handmade straw crafts - mats and baskets and hats and bags. They were selling coral jewelry and embroidered linen, too; the most beautiful napkins and hand towels and pillowcases I'd ever seen. I know how to do embroidery - sort of - but not like this. Even Mary Anne would be impressed, I thought, and she does lots of needlework.

The crafts were spread out on tables or on cloths or mats on the ground. I kept stopping to examine things. Twice, when I knelt down to look at some baskets, a shadow fell over me. When I glanced up to see who was casting it, no one was around. When I looked back at the ground, the shadow was gone.

Weird, I thought.

I bought a straw bag for my mother, an embroidered gla.s.ses case for my sister, Janine, and a coral necklace for Mimi. Finding something to bring back for my dad would be more difficult, but I'd keep looking.

When I finished my shopping, I sat down on a bench to change the film in my camera. Then I decided to look at the gifts I'd bought. I pulled the straw bag out of my tote - and a note fell out.

I grabbed for it. "I still think you're beautiful," the note read. "Your Secret Admirer."

If I hadn't been sitting down, I Would have had to find a seat fast. My knees went all weak. Where were my friends when I needed them? I was dying to show them note #2.

But I was on my own.

I looked at my watch. There were hours until 5:00.1 decided to visit the Seafloor Aquarium.

The most interesting thing that happened there was that when I stepped up to pay the admission fee, the woman taking the money waved me through, saying, "Go on ahead, miss. The young gentleman paid your way."

My mouth dropped wide open. What young gentleman? I looked all around, but could only see some families and lots of little kids. I spent an hour at the aquarium, but I wasn't looking at fish; I was looking for my Secret Admirer.

Finally I gave up.

I went back to the little shops I pa.s.sed when I'd first gotten off the Ocean Princess. It was time to buy a souvenir for myself. And to look for something for Dad again. I found the perfect thing (for me) in a jewelry store - a pair of mother-of-pearl earrings. But they were much, much too expensive.

"Sorry," I said sadly to the clerk when he told me the price. "I guess I, um, can't afford them. Thanks anyway."

I left the shop feeling sort of sad. I'd spent the day alone, I hadn't gotten a present for my father, I didn't know who my admirer was, and I couldn't afford the beautiful earrings.

I found an outdoor restaurant, sat down at a table, and ordered a c.o.ke with an umbrella in it. When the c.o.ke arrived it was served on a white china dish. The umbrella was in the c.o.ke. A box was next to the dish.

I looked at the box and up at the waiter. He just shrugged. When he left, I opened the box. Inside, on a bed of cotton, lay the mother-of-pearl earrings - and a note that read From Your Secret Admirer.

When I returned to the Ocean Princess that afternoon, my mind was whirling, and I felt dazed with excitement - and mystery.

Stacey.

What a day we all had! We compared notes that evening at our first official vacation meeting of the Baby-sitters Club. We held the meeting in the room Kristy, Dawn, and Claudia were sharing. (Mr. and Mrs. Pike had given Mary Anne and me two hours off, and we needed the break.) Each of us had some sort of story to tell: "Watson taught David Michael how to do the crawl," said Kristy. "David Michael's a terrible swimmer. He could only dog-paddle, but Watson took him to this really calm little bay, and you should see my brother swim now! I never knew Watson was such a good teacher."

"I spent the entire day with Vanessa and Nicky," said Mary Anne. "I was kind of hop- ing Mallory would join us, but she's been spending an awful lot of time by herself. . . . Have you gotten the feeling she's hiding something?" Mary Anne asked me.

I shook my head slowly. "Not Mallory. She's not a sneak."

"That's not what I mean," Mary Anne replied. "Not exactly. I mean ... I don't know."

"Well," I said, "I'm surprised I'm not a prune. Talk about swimming, Kristy, I spent practically the whole day in the water with Vanessa and Margo. They are tireless. I don't know how mothers keep up with their kids. . . . What'd you do today, Dawn?"

Dawn lowered her eyes and looked shy, which was unlike her. "I sort of followed this cute boy around . . ." was all she'd say.

"That's a switch," said Claudia, "because a boy followed me all around today, only I don't even know whether he's cute." Claudia told us about her mysterious and elusive Secret Admirer.

When she was finished, Kristy asked, "Any club business?"

We were too keyed up to think of a single thing.

"What about presents for the Pikes and Watson and Mom?" she went on.

At first, n.o.body said a word.

Finally, Claudia suggested, "Candy?" just as Dawn said, "Flowers?"

"You guys are hopeless," Kristy told us. "This meeting is adjourned."

I looked at my watch. More than an hour was left of our two-hour break, and after my day spent baby-sitting and in the club meeting, all I wanted was to be alone for awhile. So Kristy went off with Mary Anne, Claudia went off with Dawn, and I went off by myself. I went all the way up to the Sun Deck. It was too late for sun, of course (besides I'd already had plenty of it that day), but I wanted to get close to the night sky and see the stars over the ocean. I'd seen a New York City night sky, a country Connecticut night sky, a New Jersey beach night sky, but never an out-in-the-middle-of-the-ocean night sky.

Apparently, a whole lot of other people had the same idea - even though there were really no stars to be seen. Sometime between leaving Na.s.sau and ending our dub meeting, the sky had clouded over and a wind had blown up.

I walked around the deck until I found a spot near the entrance to the swimming pool where no one else was standing. I stared out at the ocean swells, then up at the cloudy sky. I breathed in the salt air.

"Ahhh ..." I said.

I didn't even realize I'd spoken out loud, but I must have because a small voice said, "It's nice, isn't it?"