Down town Stonetown was ablaze with activity. Throngs of pedestrians traveled along the streets, while a thread of cars sped past Stonetown Square in dizzying repetition. Reynie, Kate, Sticky and Constance stood shoulder to shoulder, with Milligan scanning the street for cars. "Alright," he said at last. "Come on, everyone." Reynie and his friends strode across the street, a light breeze lifting their hair from their foreheads and playing with it. Constance raised her button nose to the sky and sniffed. "See?" she snipped. "Gasoline and dead fish." But everyone was in such a good mood, they only smiled and shook their heads. Milligan led them along a crowed sidewalk, where (between buildings) Reynie could see Stonetown bay, only soured by the distorted smudge that was Nomanson Island. Reynie felt a bit cold despite the warm sun overhead. "Reynie." Kate was poking him. "you look upset. What's up?" "Nothing," Reynie said with a smile. He chuckled inwardly at his gloomy thoughts. Though Reynie was exceptionally clever in every sense of the word, he keenly felt the responsibility of having the "gift of perception," as Mr. Benedict put it. Having been a previously lonely child, he hadn't forgotten what it was like to be alone and without friends. A group of gabbling teenagers passed the children, bumping them and causing Constance to glower with dislike. "That was rude," she growled. "Connie-girl," laughed Kate, "are you always in a mad mood?" Constance retorted without missing a beat."That you look like a crocodile, there can be no denial." Sticky sniggered. "You be quiet," Constance said shrilly. And Sticky was.

The Mysterious Benedict Society arrived at the bay, where several eateries, shops and boathouses were scattered about, all with a lovely view of the sparkling water. Milligan shielded his ocean blue eyes against the sun, and turned to the children. "Should we eat now, or later?" Kate grinned. "What do you think?" Milligan laughed. "Are you really that hungry?" Kate put her hands on her hips. "Are you kidding me? Breakfast is a distant memory." "Okay, okay." Milligan glanced at Reynie and Sticky. "How about you boys?" Reynie and Sticky consented. Being thirteen year old boys, they were constantly hungry, and as for Kate, she had always been that way. Reynie swung round, suddenly aware of Constance's absence. He opened his mouth to ask if Milligan had seen the little girl, when Constance issued a strangled shriek from somewhere out of sight.

"Good gravy!" Kate yelled, and Sticky ducked as though someone had just struck him. "What was that?" Reynie ignored Kate, and hurried to a low seawall that threaded its way all along the bay shore. Reynie peered over it, and gasped. Constance was clinging to a stone that jutted from the seawall. Her legs kicked frantically to and fro, and Reynie could see why. The alternative meant a forty foot drop to a rocky beach. Fighting a nauseating sense of vertigo, Reynie looked desperately about for anything Constance could grab on to. Nothing. Luckily, Kate appeared beside him, with Sticky gasping behind her. Kate, seeing the problem, deftly withdrew her coiled length of rope from her fire-engine red bucket. She tied it tightly around her waist, then flung the other end over the seawall. She did this in about eight seconds flat.

"Grab the rope!" Reynie bellowed. Sticky moaned. Constance managed to grip the rope, her eyes rolling with fright. Kate lost no time in pulling the little girl to safety. For a moment, all four children either whimpered, groaned or clutched on another. Constance clutched her head tightly, as though afraid it would come loose and roll away. Kate was the first to speak. "Where on earth is Milligan?" "Right here," said a voice. Kate jumped to her feet, and leaned over the seawall. Milligan!" she cried. Milligan was standing on the beach, right below the spot Constance had just vacated. It was obvious now. If Constance had fallen, Milligan had been ready to catch her. "How did you get down there?" Milligan smiled, and his eyes (so like his daughter's) twinkled. "I'll leave the telling to you."

A moment later, Milligan joined the children, and studied Constance for any serious injury. Finding none, he gave her an affectionate pat, and lifted her to her feet. Constance glanced at her friends. "Thanks for the help," she murmured. "No problem," said Kate. "How did you fall, anyway?" Constance reddened "I thought I dropped my globe pendant. I looked down and it wasn't there."

"Oh, it's at home," explained Kate. "I saw it on the dress-"

"Yes, I know that now," snipped Constance peevishly, "but I didn't know it then." Reynie laughed, and Constance stuck out her tongue. "You're a sweet-heart, Constance."

"I...thank you." And Constance meant it, too.