The Invisible Island by Ron Roy

Donald David Duncan, known as Dink to his friends, answered the telephone.
    “Duncan residence, Dink speaking.”
    “Get over here!” Josh Pinto yelled.
    Dink jerked the phone away from his ear. “Why?” he asked.
    “My mom says we can have a picnic on Squaw Island,” Josh said. “She made us lunch!”
    It was a steaming hot July day.Splashing around in the Indian River would feel great, thought Dink.
    “Okay, let me tell my mom and pick up Ruth Rose. We’ll be right over.”
    Dink ran up the stairs to his parents’ room. His mother was sitting at her sewing machine, mending a pair of Dink’s jeans.
    “Hey, Mom? Me and Josh and Ruth Rose are going to the river for a picnic, okay?” Dink asked.
    “Okay but you kids stay together,” she said.
    “Thanks, Mom!” Dink pulled on old shorts and his grubbiest sneakers. Before he left, he fed Loretta, his guinea pig. Dink heard her squeak happily as he ran back down the stairs.
    Dink hurried over to Ruth Rose’s house. Ruth Rose’s cat, Tiger, was nursing her kittens on the front step. Dink carefully stepped around them, then rang the bell.
    The door opened. Ruth Rose’s little brother, Nate, stood in the doorway. He had a cookie in each hand and another in his mouth.
    “Hi, Natie,” Dink said. “Is your sister here?”
    “Shu goofen muppy,” Nate said through his cookie.
    Dink blinked at Nate. “Huh?”
    Ruth Rose appeared next to Nate. “Hi, Dink, what’s going on?” she said.
    Ruth Rose Hathaway liked to dress all in one color. Today she wore blue shorts, a blue T-shirt, and blue sneakers. Her springy black curls were held in place by a blue headband.
    “Josh wants to go to Squaw Island for a picnic,” Dink said.
    Ruth Rose grinned. “Great!” She leaned back into the house. “SEE YOU LATER, MOM! I’M GOING ON A PICNIC WITH THE GUYS!”
    Then she bent down and wipedcookie crumbs from her brother’s lips. “Natie, go stay with Mommy okay? I’ll bring you back a magic stone!”
    Nate grinned and ran back into the house.
    Ruth Rose pulled the door shut. Then she and Dink cut through her backyard and crossed Eagle Lane. A few minutes later, they were at Josh’s house.
    Josh was in his front yard, holding a garden hose. His little twin brothers, Brian and Bradley were screaming and racing through the water.
    “Hi,” Josh said when he saw Dink and Ruth Rose. He shut off the water.
    “Gotta go,” he told Brian and Bradley. “Be good boys and don’t leave the yard!”
    Josh grabbed his backpack off the porch. “Hope you guys’re hungry,” he said. “Mom packed a lot of food.”
    “That should last you about three minutes!” Dink said, grinning.
    The kids hiked through the field behind Josh’s house. Then they crossed River Road and walked to the bank of the Indian River.
    The river flowed slowly, rippling over a few large rocks. In most places, the water was shallow enough to wade across. Trees and shrubbery grew along the banks. Birds and squirrels chattered in the greenery.
    The kids walked along the river, slapping at mosquitoes. They stopped when they saw Squaw Island.
    The small island sat in the middle of the river. It was mostly sand, shrubs, and rocks. No trees grew there, and no animals made the island their home. But the kids loved the sandy beach and clean, shallow water.
    They waded in, wearing theirsneakers. Soon they were up to their knees.
    “Boy, this feels good!” Dink said as the cool water climbed his sweaty legs. He kicked water at Josh and Ruth Rose. They splashed him back, and pretty soon all three were soaked.
    A few minutes later, they flopped down on the island’s small beach. Dink took off his sneakers and wiggled his toes in the warm sand.
    “Let’s eat!” Josh said. He opened his backpack and brought out plastic bags holding sandwiches, slices of watermelon, and cookies.
    “I wonder what it would be like to be stranded on an island,” he said.
    Dink chewed his sandwich. “Josh, we couldn’t get