Cub Reporters Read online

  I helped Charlie photocopy multiple copies of her questionnaire and hand them out.

  We all took one and began to fill it in. Meg chewed on her pen as she thought about her favourite saying. This is what she wrote:

  Meg finished hers and started jotting some notes on a piece of paper. I peered over her shoulder.

  ‘Are you writing something else?’ I asked.

  ‘When Jack and Seb said they needed more stories for the newspaper it reminded me about my original idea,’ said Meg. ‘I may not be the best writer, but I’m definitely going to write a piece about endangered rhinos. Kids need to know.’

  I gave Meg a hug. ‘Absolutely! You’ll do it perfectly. And if you need any help just ask me.’

  By the end of the school day we had a pile of What Kids Love interviews typed up on the computer and ready for the newspaper.

  The Wildlife Warrior had been busy too. Meg had been to visit the office staff and installed a fundraising box by the front door next to a giant poster. She’d also written a short story during class time and found some photos on the internet. Meg had asked me to help her edit the story. I’d suggested a couple of ideas for the phrasing but she’d already done a really good job.

  SAVE THE RHINO BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE

  By Megan O’Loughlin

  One of the coolest animals on the planet is the rhinoceros. Rhinoceros (which means nose-horn) are plant-eating mammals with one or two horns on their noses. They live in the grasslands and forests of Africa and Asia and are closely related to horses.

  Rhinos can weigh over 3500 kilograms and are the second largest land animal after the elephant. Sadly, rhinos are in danger of becoming extinct.

  More rhinos are killed each year than are born. One rhino is killed every six hours every single day. There are only 5000 black rhinos left in the wild. Even worse, there are only 100 Sumatran rhinos and only 58 Javan rhinos left (making them the rarest land mammal on earth).

  Rhinos are killed for their horns, which are used in traditional Chinese medicine. Rhino horn is worth more money per kilo than gold. Yet rhino horn is made of a protein called keratin, which is exactly the same as fingernails and hair. The horn is wrongly believed to be able to treat headaches and fever. That’s as crazy as thinking that chewing your nails will fix your cold.

  If poaching continues, rhinos will be extinct before you finish high school. This would be terrible!

  What can we do? We can raise money to protect rhinos from poachers and to educate the public about the importance of saving endangered animals. Donate your pocket money or do some odd jobs to raise extra cash. There’s a collection box in the office for the Kira Cove School Save-the-Rhino Fund.

  Join the fight! Kids can change the world.

  ‘This is a fantastic story, Meg,’ I said. ‘I’m going to donate the next money I earn from working at the cafe.’

  ‘I have some pocket money from helping Mum with chores at home,’ said Charlie.

  ‘Me too,’ said Cici. ‘You were right, Meg. It’s important for kids to know what’s going on in the world.’

  Meg beamed with pleasure. ‘Thanks, Cici. Thanks, girls.’

  Jack and Seb were so happy when we told them about our extra stories and photographs. The year six kids had come up with some more articles too. It looked like we might have enough for the newspaper to be printed on Thursday.

  Now we needed to do our photo shoot so we met at the Beach Shack with all our stuff after Charlie and Cici’s music lessons.

  This time the sky was a deep clear blue and the sun shone down in true Kira style. Small waves lapped at the coral-white sand and gulls wheeled above. The late afternoon light was rich and golden.

  Meg and Charlie rode their bikes – Meg carrying her surfboard under one arm and Charlie her precious guitar on her back. Cici’s mum dropped her off with all the bags, Muffin and some props.

  ‘Don’t worry,’ said Cici, unloading the back of her mum’s stylish 4WD wagon. ‘I’ve brought some sustenance along too. I invented an amazing new cupcake recipe yesterday when it was raining. I think you’re going to love them!’

  Cici had chosen the outfits for each shot and styled them with jewellery or fun accessories. There were white and denim shorts with floral tops and coloured singlets, skirts with bold prints, gypsy tops and ruffled skirts, and loads of floaty summer dresses that fluttered in the ocean breeze.

  We got to work setting up shots.

  Meg took photos of Cici and Charlie riding their skateboards down the esplanade with Muffin running along on her lead. We danced to our favourite song on the grass, singing into our water bottles. Charlie and I did handstands and cartwheels on the beach, sand sprinkling around our heads like fairy dust.

  I took photos of Meg running towards the sea with her surfboard and riding her bike under the palm trees. I snapped close-ups of Muffin playing tug-of-war with Cici, Charlie’s anklet and Cici’s charm bracelet.

  As Charlie, Meg and I skipped in the shallows, Meg grabbed my hand and pointed. A grey head appeared in the wave. Then another and another. It was Kira’s pod of dolphins riding the waves. They skimmed and surfed, grinning at us.

  ‘There’s Artemis, and baby Jupiter,’ said Meg. Meg could tell her favourite dolphins apart by the scars and notches on their fins.

  We stood in the water silently and watched the beautiful scene. The Kira dolphins always filled me with delight.

  As the sun started to sink in the west, Charlie sat on the rocks playing her guitar. She wore a white lace top, a ruffled amethyst skirt and had bare feet. With her long, golden hair she looked like a mermaid, just like Cici always said. Charlie began to sing one of her favourite Ruby Starr songs, ‘Best Friends Ever’, the melody floating out over the cove.

  An older girl was walking by on the esplanade, wearing big dark sunglasses and a floppy black hat. She stopped to listen to the song for a few minutes. When Charlie finished singing, Cici, Meg and I clapped.

  ‘I love that song,’ I said. ‘You sang it beautifully, Charlie.’

  The girl came down onto the beach, her cowboy boots sinking into the soft sand.

  ‘That was fantastic,’ she said. I suddenly recognised her as the girl who’d come just inside the cafe on Friday afternoon. She was wearing a different top, but the same ripped jeans and sunglasses.

  ‘You have a lovely voice,’ said the girl. ‘And I like the song you chose.’

  ‘Thanks,’ said Charlie, tucking the pick under the strings of her guitar. Charlie looked closely at the girl. She suddenly went pale then bright pink. ‘Oh my goodness – you’re … you’re Ruby Starr.’

  Ruby smiled shyly, taking off her sunglasses. ‘Yes. And I can’t tell you what a thrill it was to hear you playing one of my songs.’

  ‘You’re my favourite singer,’ said Charlie. ‘We all love your songs.’

  We each introduced ourselves to Ruby Starr and chatted with her about ourselves, our dogs, and what she was doing back in Kira Cove.

  ‘I’m visiting for my mum’s birthday,’ said Ruby, giving Muffin a scratch behind the ears, ‘but I can only stay a few more days. Would you like me to sing something for you?’

  ‘Yes, please,’ we all shrieked together.

  Ruby sat on the rock next to Charlie and borrowed her guitar.

  ‘Would you mind if I took some photos, please, Ruby?’ asked Meg. ‘We’re doing a photo shoot for our school newspaper on “What Kids Love” – and I can tell you that pretty much all of the kids at school adore you.’

  Ruby glowed. ‘Of course you can. I’d love to be part of your story.’

  After strumming a few chords, Ruby began to sing the song that we had danced to at school with Miss Demi. It was an upbeat song called ‘Love and Laughter’.

  I wanted to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming it all. I couldn’t believe that I was sitting on the sand, listening to Ruby Starr herself, singing a song that we all loved. Meg, Cici and I grinned at each other, our heads bobbing and our
feet jiggling. Charlie sat on the rock next to Ruby, completely mesmerised. Meg took some more photos.

  ‘How about a fun selfie?’ suggested Cici. So we all crowded around and pulled silly faces while Meg snapped the picture.

  ‘We’re about to go and have some afternoon tea,’ said Charlie, hopefully. ‘Would you like to join us?’

  Ruby looked like she was going to say no.

  ‘We’re going to my mum’s cafe, just here,’ I said, pointing at the Beach Shack. ‘It’s closed because it’s after five o’clock, but Mum said we could use it as a base for our photo shoot. She’ll be there packing up.’

  ‘We have homemade cupcakes,’ said Cici enticingly. ‘I heard a rumour that you like those!’

  ‘I certainly do,’ Ruby admitted. ‘My mum and I had coffee and lemon cupcakes at your cafe last week to celebrate her birthday. I thought it was wonderful. I remember when that boatshed really was just a beach shack.’

  So we all went inside and sat at the long kitchen bench. Mum and Zoe were just finishing up. I made us all chocolate milkshakes with extra syrup and Cici put out a platter of her latest invention – strawberry cream cupcakes.

  Each little cake had a syrupy strawberry baked inside and was topped with fresh whipped cream and two slivers of strawberry, perched like a red butterfly on top.

  ‘These are delicious,’ said Ruby. ‘They’re even better than the lemon cupcakes I had here last week. And that’s saying something!’

  ‘Mmmmm,’ I agreed, my mouth full of scrumptiousness.

  ‘Smile,’ said Meg, snapping more photos of us scoffing strawberry delights.

  Charlie gazed at Ruby adoringly. ‘I just can’t believe I’m sitting here, eating afternoon tea with my favourite singer. And we have photographs to remember it by.’

  Cici grinned. ‘This story will definitely be big enough for the front page!’

  I felt a flicker of glee at the thought. Then I realised that we were actually stealing Olivia, Sienna, Willow and Tash’s story idea, which made me feel a little guilty at the same time.

  ‘Olivia will be furious!’ I said.

  ‘Definitely,’ said Cici, with a wicked glint in her eye.

  ‘And what about the kids who hoped to meet Ruby at the cafe last Friday?’ said Meg, with far more sympathy. ‘They were all so disappointed.’

  ‘Who was hoping to meet me?’ asked Ruby. I quickly explained about the word getting out about the interview and how they all turned up to catch a glimpse of their favourite pop star. ‘The kids at Kira Cove were desperate to see you.’

  Ruby looked thoughtful. ‘I didn’t think about it like that. I told my agent I’d do the interview with the girls as a favour but no one was supposed to know I’d be at the cafe. I’ve been trying to lie low, see my family and rest before my tour starts. When I saw the big crowd at the cafe I panicked and imagined there might be paparazzi or journalists from the mainland there.’

  Ruby looked around at each of us and pulled a wry face. ‘A couple of weeks ago, I had photographers camping in the front garden of my apartment block. Some crazy rumour was flying around and so they were stalking me everywhere. I had to climb down the fire escape to go out.’

  ‘It must be hard being famous sometimes,’ I said.

  ‘Don’t get me wrong,’ said Ruby. ‘I love performing and meeting my fans. I hate to think that all those kids came to see me and were disappointed because I didn’t turn up.’

  ‘At least they’ll be able to read about you in the school newsletter,’ said Charlie. ‘Do you mind, Ruby, if we asked you a couple of questions for our story?’

  Ruby put down her cupcake, looking wary. I remembered Olivia’s plan to ask her about breaking up with her boyfriend, Kai Stone. Ruby must get asked very personal questions all the time. No wonder she looked so apprehensive.

  ‘What sort of questions?’ replied Ruby.

  ‘Like what’s your favourite ice-cream flavour?’ asked Charlie.

  On Tuesday afternoon, I went to meet Meg and Jack at the beach. Meg had promised to give me another surfing lesson. I was still buzzing with the excitement of yesterday afternoon. I’m pretty sure that it was one of the best days of my life. Well, not counting the day we started the Sassy Sisters – and the day Mum gave us a new puppy!

  I packed Mum’s camera in my backpack, hoping to practise taking some more action photos.

  Meg and Jack were once again waiting for me on the wall near the surf lifesaving club. They were dressed in their wetsuits, with their boards all ready to go. Mariana was sitting on a park bench nearby, reading a book.

  I didn’t have a wetsuit so I wore my horrid old navy-blue swimming costume under my beach dress. It looked like I’d be wearing this costume for a long time to come – thanks to mischievous Miss Summer!

  ‘Sorry, Pippa,’ Meg said. ‘But I’ve got some bad news – the surf’s picked up this afternoon. I think it’s too big for you to go out today.’

  I felt disappointed as I’d really been looking forward to my next lesson with Meg and Jack. But I knew Meg wouldn’t go back on our plans unless she had a good reason to.

  ‘Don’t worry, we can do it another day,’ I replied.

  ‘We can go for a walk or something instead,’ said Meg. But I could tell by the way she was looking out at the waves that she was keen to surf.

  ‘No, you don’t need to stay with me,’ I said. ‘Go with Jack. I’ll take some photos of you guys.’

  Jack grinned at me. ‘Make sure you catch my good side!’

  ‘You don’t have a good side,’ teased Meg, whacking him on the shoulder.

  Meg did up her leg-rope and looked out to sea. She frowned.

  ‘Pippa, don’t go swimming here,’ warned Meg. ‘There’s a nasty rip running out just there.’

  ‘Are you sure?’ I said, scanning the crashing waves. ‘It doesn’t look dangerous.’

  Jack pointed directly in front of us. ‘Remember what Meg said the other day? Look for where the water is flatter.’

  ‘Oh, yes. I see it now.’

  Jack ran off towards the water, his leg-rope looping down from his board.

  ‘Will you be okay?’ asked Meg. ‘I can stay here with you on the beach if you like?’

  ‘No, thanks, Meg,’ I replied. ‘I’ll be fine.’

  ‘We won’t be long,’ said Meg. ‘The waves are just too good to resist.’

  I sat on my towel watching Jack and Meg paddle out through the waves. They sat on their boards bobbing up and down out the back, behind the breaking waves. I took out Mum’s camera and started snapping some shots, first of Meg and then of Jack surfing towards the shore.

  A family arrived and set up a few metres down the beach from me. There was a mother with three children, two girls and a boy. The kids looked to be between five and eight years old. They stretched out their towels, slathered on sunscreen and began building a sandcastle together.

  Meg caught a long wave and skimmed along the glassy wall of water. I clicked away, using the lens to get as close as I could. Meg was graceful and lithe as she zoomed along, her dark hair sleek as a porpoise.

  Out of the corner of my eye I saw the three children run down to the sea to paddle, their mother following more slowly behind. They jumped into the water, right near the sandy current that Jack and Meg had warned me about. The kids shrieked with excitement as the cold waves splashed over them.

  I stood up, not sure what to do. Surely the mother would notice and stop them before they got too far out? But it looked like she hadn’t seen the rip.

  ‘Not too far out,’ called the mother. ‘Wait for me.’

  The waves sucked out, leaving the sand sparkling in the sunshine. The three children ran further towards the retreating sea.

  ‘Careful,’ I called out to them. ‘There’s a rip just –’

  But before I could finish my sentence, a large wave roared towards the shore. It knocked the two older children sprawling, dragging them underwater. Their mother raced out to rescue them.
She grabbed hold of her youngest daughter. Another wave followed, smashing into them too and sweeping the whole family out of the shallows and into the rip.

  I stood frozen for a moment, not knowing what to do.

  The four heads bobbed up above the surface. They began to swim towards the shore, but the current was too strong. They were being dragged further and further out. The mother raised her arm in the air and waved. ‘Help. Help us!’

  If I went in after the family, I would be sucked out to sea too. Should I run for help?

  I stared all around for someone, anyone who could help. Mariana was too far away, sitting on the esplanade, reading her book. The only people within shouting distance were Jack and Meg. I waved my arms back and forth, shouting to get their attention.

  ‘Meg! Jack! There’s a family caught in the rip!’ I pointed to where the family were struggling and thrashing in the water. One of the smaller heads disappeared under the water. The mother dived under and dragged her child to the surface, but she couldn’t possibly hold all three children up at once.

  Thank goodness Jack and Meg heard me. The two of them began paddling furiously towards the distressed family. By now the four heads were about a hundred metres offshore. Then I remembered that the surf lifesaving club was not far up the beach. There would be someone there who could help us.

  I dropped mum’s camera onto my backpack and raced up the beach as fast as I could.

  There were three lifesavers sitting under the shelter, watching the swimmers between the flags. One was Zoe and another was her patrol captain, Nigel.

  ‘Zoe, help,’ I yelled. ‘There’s a family in trouble down the beach.’

  Zoe and Nigel leapt into action, grabbing lifebelts, radios and paddleboards. I leaned over with my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath. But I only rested for a moment. I was too worried about the young family. I turned and raced back all the way down the beach to where I’d left them.

  The three lifesavers jogged more slowly, lugging two rescue boards and all their gear.