"That's nonsense," Uncle Hector said. "Samantha's right. If we can get my boat floating, then I can get some help for you kids."
"We don't need help," David grumbled.
"Really? Are you going to rebuild everything by yourself? You going to feed all these hungry kids?"
"If I have to."
"Everyone calm down," Samantha said. "There's no need to get angry. David, if you don't want to help with the boat, then you can take over the food detail. Just don't bring any rotten meat back here."
"Fine." David stomped out of the church. Unfortunately, he took most of the older boys with him, except for Wendell. Samantha would have preferred the boys help to repair the boat; she would need their strength to get it off the rocks and safely onto the beach. Maybe later he would calm down and she could ask him for help.
She tried not to let any of this concern her, forcing a smile to her face. "Miss Brigham can stay here with the littlest ones. You kids can go on a little scavenger hunt and see what you can find in the rubble."
"Oh boy!" Annie shouted and clapped her hands. Samantha figured the toddlers were just happy to have something useful to do; it helped them feel like big kids.
"The rest of us will see what we can do about the boat."
"Sounds like a plan," Uncle Hector said.
"What about me?" Prudence asked.
"You can stay here and help Miss Brigham. I'll make a little detour to get you some clothes."
"All right," Prudence said. She looked down sadly at the floor. Prudence liked to feel useful too, Samantha knew, but there wasn't much she could do without proper clothes.
"Let's get to it then, children," Miss Brigham said.
***
Rebecca, Wendell, and the other children who had accompanied them stared at the boat caught in the rocks. "That's the boat?" Rebecca asked. "It's so big."
"It has to be big," Uncle Hector said. "It has to hold a lot of fish."
He walked them over to the side of the boat. He ran his hand along its side, stopping at each hole or crack he found. "We're going to have to find some way to patch this or we won't get very far. That is if we can get this thing off the rocks without tearing it apart."
While Uncle Hector spoke, Samantha saw Wendell sneaking around to the other side of the boat. She followed him to make sure he didn't get caught up in the waves. The sea was calmer now that the storm had passed, but some of the waves were still as tall as the boy.