Double Trouble Read Online Free PDF Page B

colorful shawl over her bow to cover the houseboat’s name. Big bunches of balloons had been tied to the cabin. They bobbed about cheerfully in the river breeze.
    Kim felt excited. This was like a birthday party for the houseboat.
    Granddad came and stood next to Kim. “I want you all to join with me as we celebrate the . . .” He gave a nod to his wife. Gran pulled the shawl away. “. . . Sally Kim ’s first voyage!”
    â€œ Sally Kim ? But . . .” Kim frowned. She thought Granddad had gotten the name wrong until she saw the bright new name painted on the bow.
    The Sally An had become the Sally Kim !
    â€œOh, Granddad! That’s amazing!” Kim said with a broad grin. She threw her arms around him for a huge hug.
    â€œWell, an old boat can’t have a real maiden voyage, can she?” he said with a chuckle. “So we gave her a different name and now she’s a brand-new boat!”
    Everyone clapped and cheered. They all piled onboard and then Gran produced the bottle of champagne. Kim and Mia toasted the Sally Kim with glasses of lemonade.
    There was a cake, too, with red and blue candles. Gran had made a clever picture of the Sally Kim in icing. It even had a tiny porthole window, just like the real boat.
    Gran lit the candles and Kim and Mia blew them out.
    â€œDid you make a wish?” Mia asked.
    Kim looked at Flame, who was sniffing the candle-smoke-filled air suspiciously. “It’s a secret.” She had wished that she and Flame would share lots and lots of trips on the Sally Kim .
    â€œIsn’t this fantastic!” Kim said to Flame around a mouthful of Gran’s delicious cake. “I bet not many girls have a boat named after them!”

    Flame meowed in agreement.
    Granddad went forward to start the engine. “This is the big moment!”
    Kim held her breath. There was a tiny squeak, then a little rumble, and the Sally Kim began chugging away from the dock.
    Kim and Mia cheered as the Sally Kim made her way upriver and then fell down laughing as Kim’s dad and granddad started singing together. “Oh! A life on the ocean waves . . .”
    They soon reached a quiet stretch of the river, where willow trees and reeds grew more thickly, hiding the bank from view.
    â€œDo you want to try steering?” Granddad asked Kim.
    â€œI’ll try,” Kim said. But she found it wasn’t as easy as it looked. If she turned the wheel too far the Sally Kim went toward the bank. When she tried to straighten her up, she turned the wheel too far the other way.
    Poor Sally Kim chugged along in a very wobbly line!
    â€œOo-er!” Kim said, laughing helplessly. “I’m terrible at this! Do you want to try, Mia?”
    â€œSure!” Mia took the wheel. She frowned in concentration as she looked through the cabin window. The Sally Kim glided along smoothly in a perfect straight line.
    â€œEasy does it,” Granddad coaxed.
    â€œYou’re a natural, Mia!” Kim said admiringly.
    Mia smiled, blushing with pleasure. “I’m not bad.”
    â€œNot bad?” Granddad patted Mia on the shoulder. “She’s an expert!”
    â€œI’ll leave you two to it!” Kim said with a grin.
    She decided to take Flame and go through to the front of the boat, where there was a small sun deck with padded seats.
    Kim’s parents and grandmother sat at the tiny table, chatting over cups of tea and cookies. They looked up and smiled as Kim pushed through the bead curtain in the open doorway and stepped down onto the small deck.
    Kim patted a cushion and Flame settled beside her. She noticed that the clumps of weed here were very thick. They grew right out from the bank, making the river seem narrow and a bit mysterious.
    Kim pet Flame’s small velvety ears. “How do you like it on the Sally Kim ?”

    â€œI like it very much,” Flame told her with a contented purr.
    Kim had never felt so happy. She