Free Rescue On Nim's Island by Orr Wendy

he’s betrayed us and run away with the jewel.’
    Lance Bijou stated, ‘Our interest was in the science of how this ruby could have formed, but it was also an extremely valuable gem. It seems that Dr Brown was more interested in the money than the science.’
    The story was from a year ago. Below it was another article from the year before that.
    Doubts about New Fossil Discovery
    A week ago palaeontologist Dr Leonora Bijou discovered a rare fossil fish in an area where no fossils have been discovered before.
    ‘This is a very exciting discovery,’ a university spokesman said at the time. ‘This species of fish live in fresh water, and this is the first proof that there was fresh water in this area in the Palaeozoic Era.’
    The fossil has been named the Leonora Lungfish in Dr Bijou’s honour.
    However, Professor Maguire, from the university’s palaeontology department, claims that the fossil had been stolen from his office two weeks earlier. ‘I discovered this fossil myself, many years ago, in a well-known lungfish fossil site,’ he stated.
    Dr Bijou was highly indignant at these charges and has vehemently denied their truth. ‘Professor Maguire is lying because he’s jealous,’ she said.
    ‘My wife has proved that she’s the best palaeontologist in the world,’ Lance Bijou claimed. ‘It’s not surprising that other scientists resent her discoveries.’
    We tried to interview Professor Maguire again, but unfortunately he was unable to speak to us due to a sudden illness.
    There were lots more stories, but when Alex saw the words sudden illness , she knew she’d read enough.
    ‘I was right,’ she said out loud. ‘This time the bad guys are real.’
    She remembered how excited Nim had been this morning when they met on the trail, as if she was buzzing with a brand-new secret. Alex had a terrible feeling that the secret was something that could make Leonora Bijou very happy.
    Nim was in danger.
    ‘H ELP! W E’RE DOWN here!’ Tiffany’s voice echoed up, high and quivery, from a hole in the tunnel floor.

    Tristan had already thrown himself down beside it, wiggling so far into the shaft that Nim thought he was going to fall in too. She grabbed his right leg and Edmund grabbed the other.
    The hole was shaped like a funnel and dropped straight down into the mountain. The mouth was wide, and the walls were slippery and smooth, polished by centuries of running water. Tiffany was jammed halfway down, where the walls narrowed so that she could brace one foot against each side of the wall. Ollie was hanging below her.
    ‘Want to get out now!’ they heard him whimper.
    ‘We’ll get you out,’ Nim promised. She didn’t know how, but they had to – they would!
    Tristan slid further down into the funnel’s mouth.
    ‘We’ve got to get Ollie out first,’ Tiffany hissed. ‘He can’t reach the sides – if the sheet tears …’
    Nim and Edmund pulled Tristan back up. He was heavier than he looked.
    ‘I can’t see!’ Tiffany shouted. ‘I’ve lost my torch!’
    Tristan leaned in again and dropped his down to her. It thumped against the wall, clattered and banged.
    ‘Ouch!’ Tiffany squeaked, and then there was a splash.
    ‘Sorry!’ said Tristan. His voice choked.
    ‘Are you in water?’ Nim called.
    ‘It’s below us,’ Tiffany shouted.
    ‘Wet toes,’ Ollie sobbed.
    Nim leaned over the hole so that her headlamp shone onto Tiffany. Edmund did the same.
    With her legs jammed against the walls, Tiffany was hauling Ollie up by the sheet that tied them together. ‘Climb like a monkey,’ she was telling him, and Ollie stopped whimpering.
    ‘Come on, Monkey Ollie!’ Tristan called, and Ollie grabbed the sheet above his head.
    Tiffany squatted, caught her little brother by the hands, and hauled him up between her knees. Tears glistened on her cheeks as she hugged him.
    ‘You’ve still got to be a baby monkey,’ she told him. ‘Hold on tight while I untie my end of the sheet.’
    ‘Don’t