As soon as the teacher had gone, Simon Hawke leaped up from his desk, yawned, stretched, and said, "We've got twenty minutes before the next lesson. Let's do some push-ups."
Boys groaned and girls made scornful remarks. Undeterred, cheerful Simon spread himself on the floor and began to do his exercises.
Fidelio leaned over to Charlie, saying, "Let's go."
They left the classroom together. Their next lesson was music. Fidelio had violin with Mr. O'Connor. Charlie was due to see Senor Alvaro. With twenty minutes to spare they decided to go and see Cook. They hurried across the hall and down the corridor of portraits, but Charlie slowed down and then stopped altogether beside the portrait of Ashkelan Kapaldi. He leaned closer, staring at the eyes. "I can't see that it's changed," he said.
Fidelio grabbed the back of his cape. "You'll be in there with him if you don't look out," he said. "Don't forget, Gabe's kind of clairvoyant. Come on, we've only got fifteen minutes now."
They had almost reached the blue cafeteria when Dr. Saltweather came striding out and asked them what they were doing. Fidelio explained that Mr. Pope couldn't teach in a storm. The music master smiled. "If he thinks this is bad, he should try a bit of sea fishing," he said, and then he glanced at Charlie.
"Is it really that bad?" asked Charlie.
Dr. Saltweather nodded. "I'm afraid it is, Charlie."
Charlie swallowed. He could taste the tomato soup he'd had for lunch, and hoped he wasn't going to be sick. "My parents are whale watching, sir."
"I know, Charlie," said the music master.
"Do you think..."
Fidelio broke in, saying, "Do you know about the Sea Globe, sir?"
Charlie stared at Fidelio, surprised that he had mentioned the Sea Globe to a master. Dr. Saltweather frowned for a moment, then he said, "I have heard that it is here."
"And do you believe that Lord Grimwald can control the oceans with it?"
Charlie blurted out.
Dr. Saltweather took a deep breath before saying, "How could I not believe, Charlie? Cook is my friend." He marched off down the hallway, his hands clasped behind his back and his big head bent.
"Can you help, sir?" Charlie called after him. "Can you stop him?"
Dr. Saltweather murmured softly in reply, and then turned down another hall.
Charlie clutched Fidelio's arm. "What did he say? Did you hear?"
Fidelio's musical ear had picked up the music master's rueful answer. "I think he said, "Only the son can do that.""
"He means Dagbert," said Charlie, "and Dagbert will do it."
"What makes you think that?"
Charlie shrugged. "We have to find him, Fido."
But where to look?
Charlie had an idea, but he had to wait until lessons were over before he could find out if he was right. Fidelio had orchestra practice, but he offered to give it up to help his friend. Charlie insisted that it was only a hunch, and one pair of eyes was enough to find someone.
"So where are you going?" asked Fidelio.
"The Music Tower," Charlie told him.
It was called the Music Tower because once Charlie's father had taught piano in the room at the very top. To reach it, Charlie had to go down the same dark hallway that led to the ballroom. The Music Tower was out of bounds now and Charlie had to choose the right moment to make a dash for the small door into the hallway. He waited in the blue coatroom while shoes were changed and wet capes shaken out.
"You OK, Charlie?" Gabriel asked.
Charlie nodded. "I'm going to look for Dagbert," he whispered.
"Want any help?"
"Not yet."
"OK." Gabriel left the coatroom murmuring to himself, "But I'm going to make sure you're not alone."
Gabriel was the last person to leave the coatroom. When he had gone, Charlie peeped into the hall. It appeared to be deserted, so he made a dash for the tower door. Twisting the heavy bronze handle, he pulled open the door and slipped into the hallway. At that very moment Dorcas Loom left the green coatroom. She screwed up her eyes and stared at the closing door. If she was not mistaken, she had just seen Charlie Bone going into the Music Tower.
Someone would have to be informed.
Unaware that he'd been spotted, Charlie hurried down the hall. When he came to the ballroom doors he stopped and noted that the heavy bolt at the top had been drawn back. He put his ear to the door. A faint sound reached him: the swish and splash of water, the boom of giant waves rising and falling. And then another sound. A curious humming. Lord Grimwald was humming to the tune of his own drowning seas. Charlie stepped away from the door as though he'd been stung. He clenched his fists, powerless to stop the awful events that Lord Grimwald had set in motion. As he turned to run up the hallway, a figure appeared in the small circular room at the end.
"Dagbert." Charlie spoke in a hoarse whisper. "Where have you been?"
"Thinking," Dagbert replied. "I've got to stop him." He came toward Charlie, holding the sea-gold charms in both hands as though he was afraid that he might drop them.
"How will you do it?" asked Charlie. "The curse, Dagbert—your father will try and overwhelm you."
"Yes," Dagbert agreed. "But I have to make an attempt. No one else can stop him, and your parents will drown, Charlie."
"They may have drowned already," said Charlie. He was surprised to find that he wanted to give Dagbert a chance to avoid the confrontation with Lord Grimwald.
But Dagbert was determined. "You saved my sea-gold charms and they will stop him. My mother would have wanted it."
The boys stood, side by side, facing the ballroom doors.
"I'm coming with you," said Charlie as Dagbert pushed open one of the tall doors.
Charlie had expected to see a sphere of rolling water, but the sight of the huge globe took his breath away. The glass panels had been removed and the unbridled waves now swept out in gigantic arcs that splashed against the high ceiling.
Lord Grimwald was standing with his back to the boys but turned as soon as they entered. He seemed to be expecting them. "Dagbert," he said. "Welcome. I see you have brought a friend."
Dagbert remained silent. He approached the globe, the charms still held firmly in both hands. Charlie followed, wondering what Dagbert would do.
Lord Grimwald stared at his son's hands and his eyes narrowed. "Give me the charms," he commanded. His voice was soft, but his face was as hard as stone.
Dagbert clasped the charms tighter. He stepped toward the globe, and Charlie followed. Sea spray flew in their faces and soaked their hair.
"Give them to me!" Lord Grimwald's mouth was clenched in a terrible smile. He held out his hand.
Dagbert shook his head.
"Don't come any closer," his father warned. "If you harm the globe, it will destroy you."
All at once Charlie knew what Dagert intended to do. He would throw the golden charms into the sea. Would this calm the giant waves all over the world? Without his mother's protection, Dagbert would die.
"Give them to me," Lord Grimwald demanded, seizing his son's clasped hands.
"No!" cried Dagbert. He fell to his knees, his body hunched over the precious charms.
Snarling with fury, the Lord of the Oceans raised his arm, and a wall of water curled out from the globe. With an angry roar it rose to the ceiling and then began to fall. Charlie found himself enclosed in a tunnel of thundering black water. He fell to his knees beside Dagbert and waited for the roaring wave to crush them. Just before it smothered them, the sound of drums broke through the boom of water. And then Charlie was beaten down by the weight of the wave. He couldn't breathe, his lungs were bursting. He closed his eyes, his head full of shrieking sounds.