Ch4-Off the Ship!

CHAPTER FOUR Off the Ship! "The wind's against us!" Joe said as he and Tommy rowed. Even after the boat moved past the breakers, it kept bouncing up and down on the swell of the waves. Water splashed over the sides and soaked Jack's clothes. But Jack wasn't worried

about the wind or water. He was worried about being seasick, because waves of nausea had started to come over him. "Sorry it's a bit of tough going!" Henry said. "We can take it!" Annie said. We hope, thought Jack. The last thing he wanted to do was throw up, especially in front of Joe and Tommy! "We should get back just in time to see the men haul up this morning's catch!" said Henry. "This is so much fun!" said Annie, her eyes shining as the little rowboat bobbed up and down.

Jack wasn't having any fun at all. To keep from being sick, he gripped his backpack, closed his eyes, and gritted his teeth. "Every day we make new discoveries," said Henry. "Off the coast of Argentina, we found over one hundred new species! Giant worms several feet long! Shrimp the size of lobsters! Caught them in our nets, didn't we, Joe?" "Aye," said Joe as he pulled on the oars. "But the creature that's never been caught is the one these mates should be worried about!"

"What creature is that?" asked Annie. "The great monster," answered Tommy. Jack opened his eyes. "What? You mean like a shark?" he asked. "No, no, lad, 'tis much worse than any shark, even the twenty-foot tiger shark that's been following us," said Tommy. The sailor blinked nervously. Whoa, twenty-foot tiger shark?! thought Jack. He looked at the dark water for a shark fin. "Aye! This monster's much bigger than any shark!" shouted Joe. "They say

it looks like a cross between a dragon and a gigantic starfish." "Nay, more like a floating nest of snakes, mate," said Tommy with a shudder. "They say it'll curl around your body and strangle you to death!" "A floating nest of snakes?" Annie asked. Jack gulped. He turned to Henry. "Have you seen the monster?" he asked the scientist. Henry shook his head. "I've never seen it," he said. "But a few of our crewmen claim to have glimpsed

something monstrous in these waters just yesterday." "Don't be scared, mates!" said Joe. "If we see a monster, we'll hurl our harpoons at 'im!" "We'll shoot 'im with our cannons!" said Tommy. He and Joe laughed loudly. Maybe the sailors on the ship are just trying to scare the scientists, Jack thought hopefully. Why else would they be laughing? When they reached the HMS Challenger, the rowboat drew alongside the big ship, rocking on the water. Jack