"Let's just take this one step at a time," Rebecca said. "We have to find some proof about what Mr. Delgado did. Then maybe we can convince Samantha or David to help us."
"If we can't?"
"Then we'll have to think of something else." Rebecca had already thought of another plan, but she knew better than to tell Prudence. If they couldn't get Samantha or David to believe them, then the only hope would be to take some of the fountain water and do what Mr. Delgado had done to Miss Brigham. If they could make him younger, into a child, then he would be easy enough to defeat.
She knew better than to tell Prudence because she knew what Prudence would say. Prudence would say that's what Reverend Crane had done to them for centuries, which was a wicked thing to do. Rebecca would have to carry out that part of the plan on her own.
They reached the fountain cave at last. Molly began to whimper as they entered the cave. Between the light outside and that from the fountain, it wasn't too dark, but Rebecca suspected the baby's fear had another source. This was the place where her old life had been stripped away from her. "It's all right, Molly," Rebecca whispered. "Nothing bad will happen to you. I promise."
"What do we look for now?" Prudence asked.
"Tracks," Rebecca said. "Could you take her for a minute?"
Rebecca passed Molly to Prudence. The baby started to cry louder, despite Prudence's efforts to comfort her. Meanwhile, Rebecca bent down to study the tracks in the dust of the cave. She recognized the footprints of Mr. Delgado, his boots different from the shoes the boys on the island wore. The narrower footprints had to be those of Miss Brigham.
She followed the prints around, until she reached a spot several feet from the Fountain of Youth. There Miss Brigham's footprints were partially wiped out, as if she'd scraped her feet across the ground. The prints became shallower too, as if she were putting less weight on her shoes. "This is it. This is where it happened," Rebecca said. "Bring Molly over here."
Prudence carried the baby over. She stared at the footprints. "What's that?"
"These are her footprints," Rebecca explained. "This is where it happened."
She stood up so she could look Molly in the eye. "He didn't push you in, did he?" Molly blinked three times for no. "He threw the water on you. Here." The baby blinked twice for yes.
"Is this going to be enough proof?" Prudence asked.
"No, but it's a start," Rebecca said. "Come on, let's go down to the boat. Maybe he left something there."