Kristy and Claudia and I had gotten off the ship together. The three of us were going to spend the afternoon - at least the beginning of it - together, because we all wanted to try snorkeling. We'd heard about the water sports on Treasure Cay, and snorkeling sounded like the most fun. So when the ship docked, we immediately asked directions to the nearest snorkeling cla.s.s.

When we found the place on the beach we also found a whole bunch of other people from the Ocean Princess. They were wandering around, trying on the masks and breathing tubes, and asking the instructor questions.

But I couldn't have cared less about masks or breathing tubes or questions. That was be- cause I'd spotted someone from the ship, and he was the only thing I could see, hear, or think about.

It was the Gorgeous Guy. Ever since the first time I'd seen him - that time when we'd actually spoken - we'd been eyeing each other, watching each other, smiling at each other. But that was it. However, when he saw me on the beach that afternoon, he came right over to me.

Kristy's jaw dropped. (Mine may have, too.) "Hi," he said.

"Hi," I replied.

(What great conversationalists we were.) "You here for the cla.s.s?" he asked.

It was a dumb question, because why else would I be there? But all I said was, "Yup. You too?"

He nodded.

Claudia nudged Kristy then, and it occurred to me that I should introduce them to the boy, but I swear I couldn't even remember their names. (Plus, I didn't know his.) Claudia didn't care, though. She just smiled at me, nodded her head slightly as if to say "Go get 'im" or "Good luck," and walked away with Kristy.

"You know something?" said the boy. "I don't know if I really want to go snorkeling. This is probably the only time I'll ever be on this island. Why spend it underwater? Thaf s no way to see it."

My heart sank. What was it about me? The boy and I had barely spoken two words and now he didn't even want to be in the same snorkeling cla.s.s with me.

I had to look away. I couldn't let him see my disappointment.

But the next words out of his mouth were, "Do you really want to go snorkeling? Why don't we take a walk instead?"

I tried to remain calm. "Sure," I said. "That would be nice."

Nice? Nice? Couldn't I come up with a better word than that?

Apparently not. But the boy (what was his name?) didn't seem to notice.

We set off down the beach together. I knew Claudia was watching us and would be happy and not worry.

We walked down the beach for a long way. At first we didn't say much. We pointed out coral and sh.e.l.ls and palm trees, and we gawked at the fancy hotels.

Finally I got up the nerve to say, "My name's Dawn Schafer. What's yours?"

The boy laughed. "I can't believe we haven't introduced ourselves yet. My name is Parker Harris."

"Parker Harris!" I couldn't help exclaiming. "That's some name. I mean, Parker is."

"Ifs a family name, my mother's maiden name. She didn't have any brothers - only sisters - so there was no one to carry on the name. Finally she just decided to call me Parker. It's not the same but . . . you know."

I smiled. "I think that's nice."

Parker reached for my hand. "You don't mind, do you?" he asked.

Mind? If we held hands? Was he crazy? That hand was attached to the most Gorgeous Guy ever to walk the sands of Treasure Cay.

We spent that afternoon just wandering around, enjoying being together. I barely remember what we did. Once, I know, we ran into the Pike triplets, Nicky, and David Michael. They tried to show us something, I think, but I couldn't tell you what it was. Parker and I were too busy being with each other.

The last thing Parker said to me as we boarded the ship was, "See you tomorrow, okay? It'll be our last day on the Ocean Princess.

Maybe we could spend it together."

Another day with Parker? It seemed too good to be true. But he promised to meet me on the Sun Deck at 10:30. So after breakfast (during which Kristy strewed crumbs all over the table and purposely gave herself a milk mustache, which she wouldn't wipe off), I got into my bathing suit and went up to the Sun Deck. I was half afraid that Parker wouldn't show up, but he did, promptly at 10:30.

And our day began.

I had thought we were going to lounge around and go swimming, but Parker wanted to do things. With a mischievous grin, he said, "There's a Ping-Pong tournament today. Let's sign up."

"Ping-Pong!" I cried. "Only old people and little kids play that."

"Exactly," said Parker. "We'll give 'em a run for their money."

So we played Ping-Pong. I'd only played a few other times (the McGills have a Ping-Pong table in their bas.e.m.e.nt), but Parker must have played a lot. Anyway, he was good. And we were a good team. We kept beating the other couples. I nearly died when Kristy and her old man friend took their Iturn playing against us, but I managed to psych Kristy out.

"Whoo-ee," I teased her. "Who's your boyfriend?" It was mean and I knew it, but Kristy had been mean to me on the ship. She'd been rude and messy and had made jokes about contaminating me. So I was glad to be able to psych her out.

Parker and I won the tournament. We were awarded a huge tin loving cup, which Parker said I could keep. After that, we ate lunch at the cafe and then we went back to the Sun Deck for a swim. We lay on the lounge chairs, drying off in the hot sunshine.

Somehow we started talking about divorce. I told him about my family. Then he told me about his. "You're lucky," he said. "At least your mom isn't remarried. I ended up living with my dad after the divorce and what did he go and do? He got married to this lady who has two little boys. They're five and eight. Right away, I asked to live with my mom instead. My parents said okay, but only for a month. I just moved back in with Dad a couple of weeks ago and he took me and my stepmother and the two brats on this trip so we could get to know each other better. What a stupid idea. I spend as little time with them as possible."

"How do you know the boys are brats then?" I asked him.

"Come on," said Parker. "All little kids are brats. Especially stepkids."

"I don't know," I said, trying to be patient. "My, um, friend Kristy" (I guessed I could still call her that) "just got a stepfather, a four-year-old stepbrother, and a six-year-old stepsister. And she loves them. Well, she loves the kids anyway. She's getting used to her stepfather."

"Remarriages are just plain bad ideas," said Parker flatly. "My mom's feelings are hurt, and my whole life has changed. Dad's being selfish."

It was hard to admit, even to myself, but I kind of thought Parker was the one who was being selfish. I didn't say so, though.

At that moment Parker suddenly jumped up and said, "Enough sitting around!" (I bet he meant enough talking about divorces and marriages.) We went to the video arcade. We watched a movie in the theater. Finally, we found one of those booths where you can have your picture taken. I went in first and crossed my eyes and stuck out my tongue. Parker went in next and made monkey lips and flared out his nostrils. Then we squeezed in together and took two normal pictures of us smiling. We each kept one normal photo, Parker kept the goofy one of me, and I kept the goofy one of him.

What a wonderful day.

Parker and I decided to spend at least one day together at Disney World.

Was this love? Was Parker my first true boyfriend?

I decided that the answer to both questions was yes.

Mary Anne.

The triplets are in trouble.

Last night when they got back from Treasure Cay, they were all excited about something and they kept running through the ship. I didn't know then what they were doing, but whatever it was, they sure were noisy about it. They ran from deck to deck, thundering up and down stairs and occasionally knocking into people.

Finally one of the stewards caught up with them. He gave them a talking-to and led them back to their parents' cabin. The triplets stood by sheepishly while the steward spoke to Mr. and Mrs. Pike. When the man left, Mr. Pike called Stacey and me into the room. He explained what had happened.

"And so," he finished up, "the triplets are back in your care."

"Da-ad!" exclaimed Adam unhappily.

"Adam," Mr. Pike warned him. "You're in hot water already. Don't make it worse." He turned to Stacey and me. "At least for tomorrow," he said, "you'll have to watch all the kids except Mallory."

"Okay," said Stacey. "No problem."

"Right. We'll divide them up," I added.

We gathered the Pike kids in the cabin I was sharing with Vanessa the Slow and Mallory.

"Here's how we'll do things," Stacey told the kids. (She's better at taking charge than I am.) "Unless you all want to stay in one big group, Adam, Byron, and Jordan will go with Mary Anne, and Nicky, Vanessa, Claire, and Margo will stay with me. Mallory, you're on your own as usual."

Mallory smiled.

But Nicky jumped up and cried, "Just one change. Can I go with the triplets and Mary Anne? Please?"

The triplets looked at us eagerly - like they actually wanted Nicky to join them.

Stacey and I glanced at each other. I didn't mind being in charge of the four boys even though it would be a tougher job than taking care of Vanessa, Claire, and Margo. But what was this sudden friendship between Nicky and the triplets? Usually, the triplets can't stand Nicky.

We decided not to question it.

"Fine with me," I said.

"Fine with me," Stacey said.

My day with the boys began early. And we were quickly joined by David Michael Thomas. The five kids seemed to be in an enormous hurry and they were very excited about something.

"Just what are you guys up to?" I asked as I chased them up a flight of stairs. "And slow down. No running. That's how you got in trouble last night."

The boys halted at the top of the steps. Byron drew a rumpled piece of paper out of the pocket of his shorts. He glanced at the others. "Should we tell her?" he whispered.

"I guess so," Adam whispered back. Then, raising his voice, he said to me, "Promise you won't laugh. And promise you'll listen to us and believe us."

"I promise," I said.

"A fisherman laughed," Adam persisted, "and Dawn didn't even pay attention."

I didn't know what they were talking about, but I said, "I promise," as strongly as I could.

The boys told me about the treasure map. In all honesty, it was a little hard not to laugh. I mean, treasure hidden on an ocean liner? And a stowaway pirate? But I have heard of stranger things, so I held my laugh in.

"Well? What do you think?" asked Byron.

"I think," I replied seriously, "that there isn't much chance of finding a treasure or a stowaway on the Ocean Princess - "

The boys groaned.

"But," I went on, "if s true that you don't know what that map is for, so you might as well look around the ship."

"WHOOPEE!" cried the boys.

"Quietly," I added.

"Whoopee," whispered Jordan, and everyone laughed.

"Okay, you guys," I said. "Lead the way - quietly."

The boys led the way. I followed them. When I got bored, I snapped a few pictures.

Click. I caught the five of them bent over their map, studying it.

Click. I caught Adam peeking under a tarpaulin.

Click. I caught Nicky and David Michael scaring themselves as they backed around the same corner from different directions.

Click, click, click, click.

After awhile, though, even picture-taking began to wear thin. I was bored. I looked at my watch. It was only quarter of eleven.

I sighed - loudly.

"What's the matter?"

I was sitting in an indoor lounge that looked like a hotel lobby. Around me, the boys were poking into things, peering behind potted plants, and calling out, "Hey, this would be a good hiding place for a stowaway," or, "I know! That arrow on the map must be the arrow that points down those stairs."

I looked up. Standing nearby was a beautiful girl - the one I'd seen in the Seven Seas Beauty Salon on our very first day aboard the Ocean Princess. She looked as lovely and as sophisticated as ever.

I was fascinated. There was the possibility that her parents had been killed. Plus, I knew that both Mallory and Karen had noticed her, too. Mallory had told me she was an actress and Karen had told me her aunt was a countess and she was loaded with money.

I tried to remember the girl's name. Alexandra?

"Oh," I replied, embarra.s.sed. "Nothing's the matter. Not really. I'm just a little bored. I'm baby-sitting for these boys and I've been following them around all morning."

"Yech," said Alexandra. "Children. . . . Haven't I seen you before?"

I was surprised she remembered. I mean, I just don't think I'm all that memorable. I nodded my head. "In the beauty salon the other day. You were waiting to get your hair done."

"Oh, yeah/' said Alexandra. "Right. Honestly, that woman butchered my hair. You'd think that on a ship as luxulrious as this one, they'd have a decent hairdresser."

"Gosh," I said, looking at her thick, wavy hair. "I think she did okay. Your hair looks great to me."

"Well, thanks," Alexandra answered, patting her head uncertainly. "My brother said it looks like someone took a hacksaw to it."