High Tide in Hawaii

Jack broke in. “From over the mountains,” he said quickly. He pointed at the mountains looming in the distance.
    â€œWe are glad you have come to visit us,” the woman said.
    Everyone smiled and nodded.
    They’re all amazingly nice,
Jack thought.
    The music started again. As people began to dance, Kama took Annie’s hand.
    â€œSit and talk with us,” she said.
    She and Boka led Jack and Annie to the edge of the clearing. They sat cross-legged in the grass. Kama picked up a wooden bowl. She held it out.
    â€œPlease eat,” she said.
    â€œWhat is it?” asked Annie.
    â€œIt is
poi,
” said Kama. She scooped some poi out of the bowl and licked it off of her fingers.
    â€œYou eat it with your hands? Cool,” said Annie. She stuck her fingers in the bowl and licked off the poi. “Mmm … good.”
    Jack stuck his finger in the bowl, too. The gooey mixture felt like peanut butter. But when he licked it off his finger, it had a weird taste—both bitter and sweet.
    â€œHmm,” he said, but he made a face.
    â€œHe doesn’t like it,” Kama said to Boka.
    â€œNo, no,” said Jack. “It’s … ” He tried to think of something polite.…  “It’s very interesting.”
    Kama and Boka giggled. Then they stuck their fingers in the bowl and ate some poi.
    â€œInteresting!” they exclaimed. They cracked up laughing. Jack and Annie laughed with them.
    â€œNow tell us about your home over the mountains,” said Kama, “this place you call ‘Frog.’ ”
    Kama’s friendly smile made Jack want to tell her the truth.
    â€œIt’s actually called Frog Creek,” he said. “It’s very far away—much farther than just over the mountains. We traveled here in a magic tree house.”
    Kama’s and Boka’s eyes got huge. They smiled even bigger smiles than before.
    â€œThat sounds fun!” said Kama.
    â€œYou are so lucky!” said Boka.
    Jack and Annie laughed.
    â€œYeah, we are,” said Jack. He felt great telling their new friends about the tree house. He and Annie had never talked about it with their friends back home.
    â€œCan you stay here tonight?” asked Kama.
    Jack shrugged. “Sure, we can stay at least one night,” he said.
    Kama hurried over to the pretty woman. They spoke together for a moment. Then Kama returned to Jack and Annie.
    â€œOur mother invites you to sleep at our house,” she said.
    â€œGreat,” said Annie. “Thanks.”
    Jack and Annie stood up. In the gray twilight, they followed Kama and Boka through the village. They wove between small huts with steep roofs until Kama stopped in front of one.
    â€œThis is our house,” she said.
    The hut had no door—just a wide entrance that opened into one large room.
    Kama and Boka led Jack and Annie inside. In the dim light, Jack could barely see the dried-grass walls and the woven-grass mats on the dirt floor.
    â€œWhere do we sleep?” he asked.
    â€œHere!” said Boka.
    He and Kama lay down on the mats. Annie pulled off her lei and shoes. Then she lay down, too.
    â€œOh,” said Jack. “Okay.”
    He took off his shoes and wreath of flowers. He used his backpack as a pillow when he lay down. The warm wind rustled the palm leaves outside. Music drifted in from the party.
    â€œThe ocean is calling,” said Kama.
    Jack could barely hear the waves in the distance.
    â€œTomorrow we will take you wave riding,” said Boka.
    â€œYou mean
surfing
?” said Annie.
    â€œYes,” said Kama.
    â€œCool,” said Jack. But he wasn’t sure he meant it. Surfing actually seemed pretty scary.
    Kama seemed to hear his thoughts. “Don’t worry,” she said. “We’ll have fun.”
    â€œNo kidding,” said Annie.
    Soon Jack heard steady breathing. The other kids had fallen asleep.
    Oh darn, we forgot to ask them about building a ship,
he thought.
I guess we’ll have to do that tomorrow.… 
    Jack closed his eyes and yawned. Soon he, too, was fast asleep.

 

    Jack heard pounding noises. He imagined Boka and Kama were building a ship.
    He opened his eyes. Only he and Annie were still in the hut. A piece of cloth covered the doorway. Jack sat up and shook Annie.
    â€œWake up!” he said.
    She opened her eyes.
    â€œI think they’re building a ship outside,” said