Twelve-year-old Ben must cope with the loss of his father， who died the year before， and his mother's overprotectiveness when he enters the annual Striped Bass Derby on Martha's Vineyard，When Ben overhears two men plotting to cheat in the annual Striped Bass Derby， he risks his life to stop them. By the author of Weasel. Reprint.，For Ben， there's more involved in the annual Striped Bass Derby than catching the biggest fish. He's proud of the fact that no one has ever beaten his father's record which was won before Ben was born. But now Ben overhears two men plotting to win the prize money by cheating! Ben has to stop them， at all costs， but bringing the men to justice turns out to be a chase that almost costs him his life.