“Whoopee!” Biff shouted. “Let me at more of those oysters!”
Interest quickened. The four worked in silence, but they worked fast. Oyster after oyster was opened, carefully inspected, then tossed aside.
Derek found the next one. It, too, was perfectly shaped, but slightly smaller than the one Biff had found.
It was Crunch who came through with the topper. A big grin on his face, Crunch came over to Biff and held our his huge hand. In the center of his palm was a pearl twice the size of those already found.
“This is it! This is it! Look at Crunch’s pearl!”
Again they all crowded around. This was a real beauty. It didn’t take an expert to know that Crunch had found a pearl of great value.
“Think we’ve found it, Uncle Charlie?” Biff asked. “I mean the fishery Derek’s father discovered?”
“It could be, Biff. It darn well could be.”
Biff looked at Derek. There was a smile on the Dutch boy’s face. Then the smile disappeared.
“What’s the matter, Derek?” Biff asked.