Mallory fastened her mask and positioned her breathing tube. She dipped her head under the water, making sure that her tube stayed above the surface. She signaled to her brother, Hank, and they set off towards the shipwreck. Snorkeling in the Bahamas was the most exciting thing they’d ever done!​

As they swam from the small boat towards the wreck, Mallory looked behind to see a thumbs up from their dad standing on the deck. Then she turned her attention back to the ocean. Hundreds of small, colorful fish were swimming around her. And there, below the layer of fish, was the hulking shadow of the wreck.​

Mallory surfaced and took the tube out of her mouth. “There it is!” she shouted to Hank.  ​

“Wow!” he shouted back. They had heard tales of this wreck, and of the treasures that divers found there. Would they find a treasure of their own?​

​Mallory put her head back under the water, scanning left and right as she swam. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something glint in the sunbeams cutting through the water. Was it the treasure?​

Unfortunately, Hank saw something else out of the corner of his eye. He surfaced quickly and shouted. “Shark!”​

​Mallory saw it too. She asked herself the questions her dad had taught her. What color is it? Gray. Is it swimming or lying on the ocean floor? Swimming. Uh-oh, Mallory thought. Those answers meant it was time to get back to the boat. Quick!​​

Mallory and Hank swam back toward their dad. They climbed aboard, out of breath and scared. No treasure today, but they were safe. And that was treasure enough.​