Read Online 03 Underwater Adventure by Willard Price - Free Book Online
Authors: Willard Price
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Dr Blake gave the leg a good pinch.
‘Never felt it.’
It was Dr Blake’s turn to be worried. He looked at Roger, who was holding his net behind him.
What do you know about this, Roger?’
‘He’s right, there was a stonefish…’ Roger began.
‘You see?’ yelled Skink. ‘Now will you get me to that hospital? Or do you want me to die here?’
‘He tried to get me to grab it,’ Roger went on. ‘I got it in my net. Then I caught this in my other net.’ He brought the torpedo into view. T smacked him with it and he thought he was getting a taste of the stonefish. He was so scared, he swam up within ten feet of a big shark and never noticed it.’
Skink staggered to his feet and advanced upon Roger. ‘So you had your fun, did you? Now I’m going to have some fun. I’m going to give myself the pleasure of tearing you apart.’ But his stiff leg refused to work and he pitched forward on the deck. ‘I’m paralysed,’ he whined.
‘That numbness will pass off in a few minutes,’ said Dr Blake. ‘And don’t take it out on Roger. You had it coming. In fact, I don’t think you got half what you deserved.’ He took the net from Roger and held the torpedo up for inspection. ‘It’s a dandy. Here’s a tank that will just suit it.’
Roger slid into the water and presently reappeared with the other net. Dr Blake was greatly pleased with the stonefish. ‘There are many varieties and this is one of the rarest,’ he said.
‘The shark is still hanging around,’ Roger said. ‘There he is.’ Fifty feet out from the ship two fins cut the surface. Beneath them could be seen the slate-blue back of the fish.
‘Looks like a mako shark,’ Blake said. ‘It probably won’t bother us if we don’t bother it. I don’t want the shark. But there’s something I would like to have - that turtle. It’s a hawksbill and a beauty.’
The turtle was swimming lazily on the surface off the starboard bow.
Hal was preparing to jump in. ‘No use swimming after it,’ Blake said. ‘It can go faster than we can. It can outrace most fish, when it really wants to.’
‘Could we catch it with the motorboat?’ Roger asked.
‘No, it would just dive out of reach. I’m afraid we’ll have to pass it up.’
Omo quit his job of splicing a halyard and came forward a little timidly. He was an excellent diver, but on this expedition he was supposed to act as crewman and cook while others took care of the diving.
‘If you don’t mind my trying,’ he said, ‘perhaps I could get the turtle for you. We have a way in the islands.’
‘The field is all yours,’ Blake said. ‘Go ahead.’
‘First I’ll pay a visit to that shark.’
Without snorkel or aqualung, Omo slid soundlessly into the lagoon and swam down. They could see his brown figure pass under the shark. Suddenly the shark gave a startled thrust of his tail and swam away. Omo returned to the ship carrying something in his hand. He climbed on deck.
He held a remora. On the top of its head was the flat suction plate that it used to fasten itself to the hide of a shark. The remora will cling just as readily to certain other kinds of fish, or to a turtle.
Omo tied the end of a line through the gill and mouth of the fish. Then he went to the bow and spotted the turtle which was now about sixty feet off and getting farther away every minute. Omo took the free end of the line and made it fast to the rail. He hurled the fish far out so that it fell within a few yards of the turtle.
The remora lay motionless in the water, as if collecting its senses. Then it swam straight to the hawksbill and fastened itself to the big carapace.
Omo began to haul in on the line, gently, fearing to break the remora’s hold. But it proved to be firmly glued to the shell. The turtle, sensing that something was wrong, suddenly put on speed. Its flippers beat the water in vain.
It tried diving. Omo let it go, but kept a drag on the line. As the turtle tired, he gradually drew it
‘Never felt it.’
It was Dr Blake’s turn to be worried. He looked at Roger, who was holding his net behind him.
What do you know about this, Roger?’
‘He’s right, there was a stonefish…’ Roger began.
‘You see?’ yelled Skink. ‘Now will you get me to that hospital? Or do you want me to die here?’
‘He tried to get me to grab it,’ Roger went on. ‘I got it in my net. Then I caught this in my other net.’ He brought the torpedo into view. T smacked him with it and he thought he was getting a taste of the stonefish. He was so scared, he swam up within ten feet of a big shark and never noticed it.’
Skink staggered to his feet and advanced upon Roger. ‘So you had your fun, did you? Now I’m going to have some fun. I’m going to give myself the pleasure of tearing you apart.’ But his stiff leg refused to work and he pitched forward on the deck. ‘I’m paralysed,’ he whined.
‘That numbness will pass off in a few minutes,’ said Dr Blake. ‘And don’t take it out on Roger. You had it coming. In fact, I don’t think you got half what you deserved.’ He took the net from Roger and held the torpedo up for inspection. ‘It’s a dandy. Here’s a tank that will just suit it.’
Roger slid into the water and presently reappeared with the other net. Dr Blake was greatly pleased with the stonefish. ‘There are many varieties and this is one of the rarest,’ he said.
‘The shark is still hanging around,’ Roger said. ‘There he is.’ Fifty feet out from the ship two fins cut the surface. Beneath them could be seen the slate-blue back of the fish.
‘Looks like a mako shark,’ Blake said. ‘It probably won’t bother us if we don’t bother it. I don’t want the shark. But there’s something I would like to have - that turtle. It’s a hawksbill and a beauty.’
The turtle was swimming lazily on the surface off the starboard bow.
Hal was preparing to jump in. ‘No use swimming after it,’ Blake said. ‘It can go faster than we can. It can outrace most fish, when it really wants to.’
‘Could we catch it with the motorboat?’ Roger asked.
‘No, it would just dive out of reach. I’m afraid we’ll have to pass it up.’
Omo quit his job of splicing a halyard and came forward a little timidly. He was an excellent diver, but on this expedition he was supposed to act as crewman and cook while others took care of the diving.
‘If you don’t mind my trying,’ he said, ‘perhaps I could get the turtle for you. We have a way in the islands.’
‘The field is all yours,’ Blake said. ‘Go ahead.’
‘First I’ll pay a visit to that shark.’
Without snorkel or aqualung, Omo slid soundlessly into the lagoon and swam down. They could see his brown figure pass under the shark. Suddenly the shark gave a startled thrust of his tail and swam away. Omo returned to the ship carrying something in his hand. He climbed on deck.
He held a remora. On the top of its head was the flat suction plate that it used to fasten itself to the hide of a shark. The remora will cling just as readily to certain other kinds of fish, or to a turtle.
Omo tied the end of a line through the gill and mouth of the fish. Then he went to the bow and spotted the turtle which was now about sixty feet off and getting farther away every minute. Omo took the free end of the line and made it fast to the rail. He hurled the fish far out so that it fell within a few yards of the turtle.
The remora lay motionless in the water, as if collecting its senses. Then it swam straight to the hawksbill and fastened itself to the big carapace.
Omo began to haul in on the line, gently, fearing to break the remora’s hold. But it proved to be firmly glued to the shell. The turtle, sensing that something was wrong, suddenly put on speed. Its flippers beat the water in vain.
It tried diving. Omo let it go, but kept a drag on the line. As the turtle tired, he gradually drew it
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