Scarlett's New Friend Read Free Page B

learning to be more patient and gentle. The young friends didn’t think this was the right way to persuade the crabs to help. But Scarlett was so eager to clear up the beach that she wasn’t in the mood to listen to their advice.
    Buster just muttered sulkily and fell back into line. He didn’t dare argue with Scarlett—nobody did!

    Soon the pebble crabs were scurrying over the beach. They collected scraps of newspaper and bottle tops in their agile pincers and put them in big heaps at the water’s edge. Ellie asked the waders to pick up the larger pieces of garbage in their strong beaks, as they stepped over the sand on their elegant legs.

    The mermaids took off their delicate shell bracelets, so that they wouldn’t get dirty, and put them carefully on top of a big, half-buried rock. It stuck out at the edge of the shore where the friends were sitting. Then they scooped out deep, damp holes in the sand. Scarlett began to fill the holes with the trash collected by the crabs and seabirds.
    After everyone had worked hard for a long time, Scarlett looked around. The beach was starting to look much better. Curling fronds of fresh green seaweed emerged from underneath the tattered old newspapers. Tin cans and broken bottles no longer hid the pearly shells that lay on the glittering white sand. The mermaids and their helpers were doing a good job. But the crabs were slowing down.

    â€œCan’t we rest?” groaned Buster. “My pincers are nearly falling off from carting all that stuff over here.”
    â€œDon’t be silly,” said Scarlett. “Carrying a few bits and pieces won’t hurt you. Look at these big holes we had to dig. That really did make our arms ache.”

    Some of the other pebble crabs also muttered about wanting to rest. They took a break from work and started to play a game with the mermaids’ colorful bracelets, throwing them high in the air and seizing them with their hooked claws.
    â€œStop messing around with our stuff,” called Scarlett indignantly. “Put them down and get back to your jobs!”
    Sophie was beginning to wonder if she should ask Scarlett not to be so bossy. But before she could say anything, Scarlett was busy giving out more instructions.
    â€œWe need to fill up all the holes,” she said eagerly, “before the tide comes in. Come on, everyone! Think how excited Lori will be when she sees the beach clean and the sand glistening again.”
    Scarlett was trying so hard to please the injured baby seal that she didn’t notice that the crabs were not pleased at all! They grumbled under their breath as they dragged the last few bits of litter over to the mermaids. Then everything was covered over with pebbles.
    â€œThere!” said Scarlett at last. “Now the holes are full and the evening tide is coming in to hide them. No one would ever know that there had ever been any trash here at all.”
    The mermaids looked around the newly cleaned beach with satisfaction.
    â€œThank you for your help, my seabird friends,” called Ellie. The waders folded up their long legs as they flew away, chirruping in farewell.
    â€œI’m going to tell Scout that he can bring Lori to see what we’ve done,” said Scarlett excitedly. “I can’t wait to meet her!”
    She was about to slip into the water to find the seals when Sophie said, “… Er … don’t you think you should say ‘thank you’ to the crabs, Scarlett?”
    â€œWhat do you mean?” asked Scarlett, over her shoulder. “Oh … um … yes. Thanks!”

    Then she dived into the sea, her red tail reflecting the rosy evening sun.
    â€œThe nerve!” said Buster. “Come on, friends, let’s get home while she’s gone. Otherwise, she’ll have us working all night long.”
    â€œThank you for helping,” the mermaids chorused. Buster and his gang scuttled into the waves on their