Read Online Voyage of the Dolphin by Gilbert L. Morris - Free Book Online Page B

the disappearing form through the thickening darkness. “Did we dream it?” she said.
    â€œThat wasn't a dream—that was a nightmare,” Jake whispered. He cleared his throat. “Well, Captain, I guess now we know what the natives are like here.”
    Daybright nodded slowly “A land of giants,” he said quietly “We've heard stories from time to time. Sailors would come back and say there was a place like this—but the men were always nearly crazy with fear, so we never believed them.”
    Dave was looking to where the figure had vanished. “Well, I think you'll have to believe them now, Captain.”

7
A Serious Mistake
    D aybright decided that they would gamble on keeping the fire going. The night breeze was cold. The aftereffects of the hurricane were still whipping in sharp winds.
    â€œThe fire's down in a gully,” he said. “Nobody can see it—I hope.”
    They huddled around the blaze. Josh had found a spring of fresh water close by, so they ate all the berries from the first bush and some from the second, and then everyone slaked his thirst.
    Then Josh spoke up. “We've seen some strange things in Nuworld: Snakepeople and Gemini Twins—”
    â€œWe've even seen a giant,” Dave said.
    They had indeed met one they called a giant, but he had been no more than eight or nine feet tall.
    Dave shook his head. “This is a different kettle of fish altogether.”
    â€œAt least,” Daybright said, trying to put a good face on the thing, “this isn't a deserted island. That would have been the worst of all.”
    â€œWhy haven't any of the giants from this island ever gone to sea?” Jake wondered. “You say you never heard of any of them?”
    Daybright picked up a stick and poked the fire. A log shifted, sending sparks swirling into the darkness that seemed to mingle with the faint stars overhead and then died. The captain shook his head. “No, nothing like this has ever been heard of. Maybe they're not smart enough to build ships—or just don't want to.”
    â€œBut what about those stories? Did you ever talk to anybody that claimed to have seen them?”
    â€œJust once.” Daybright answered Reb's question. “He was old when I met him and was kind of a village joke. He talked about seeing men as tall as trees, but he talked about other wild things too. We all just thought he was crazy.”
    â€œI think I'm crazy just looking at one of those creatures,” Sarah said, shivering. “They're so huge! Why, if they stepped on one of us, they'd kill us.”
    â€œThey may be friendly, though,” Abbey said quickly. “Just because they're big doesn't mean they're evil.”
    â€œThat's right,” Captain Daybright said, “and at least there's food here. Maybe we could get them to help us build a ship. It'd be easy for them. They could do all the heavy work in no time.”
    Josh said that somehow he felt a strange dislike for the giants. It was irrational, he knew, and he couldn't explain it. “I don't know. There's something peculiar about all this.”
    â€œIt ain't natural,” Reb agreed. “I think we'd better stay as far away from those giants as we can.”
    They talked until finally everyone grew sleepy.
    â€œIt's a hard situation,” Daybright said. “Maybe we can think a little clearer in the morning. Let's all go to sleep now. I guess we'll all have to huddle up together again to stay warm.”
    He glanced over at Dawn, who had drawn off to one side. He recognized that she felt out of place, a stranger. The Sleepers, of course, were very close, but they didn't deliberately shut her out. She's probably still ashamed of her behavior, he thought.
    Aloud he said, “Here you go, Mistress Catalina. Plunk down here with the young ladies. You can all stay warm together.”
    â€œI guess ... you can call me 'Dawn.'”
    The girl's face was