Ch5-Ooze

CHAPTER FIVE Ooze. The captain turned and strode away. "Sorry, friends," Henry said to Jack and Annie. "But the captain's in charge." He looked around. "I see Joe and Tommy are helping the men bring up the catch now. As soon as they are

free, I will ask them to take you back to shore. I am very sorry." "That's okay," said Annie. "You did what you could." "Before you young people leave, perhaps you would like to see today's specimens?" asked the professor. "Sure!" said Jack and Annie together. "Then come along!" said the professor. "Every single day we make new discoveries!" Hurrying with Annie across the deck, Jack couldn't wait to see what had just been brought up from the deep. They followed Henry and the professor to a

team of sailors pulling up large nets. The nets were shaped like giant bags with mops attached to the bottom. "What are those mops for?" asked Annie. "They sweep up sea animals from the floor of the ocean," explained Henry. "We pull them from pitch-darkness into the light of day," said the professor. "That must scare them!" said Annie. But the professor didn't seem to hear her. "Over the years, we've hauled up tens of thousands of specimens!" he said.

As the sailors dumped the bags onto the deck, Jack saw mostly mud. But lying in the mud were tiny, squirmy pink and yellow fish and fiery orange sea stars. "No monsters there, huh?" asked Annie. The professor looked at her. "Not today, my dear," he said. "I was just kidding," said Annie. "Do you believe in monsters?" "Oh. Well…" The professor looked serious. "The sea is very deep, my dear. It covers nearly three-quarters of the world. So I say to myself, 'Might it not

indeed hold many mysterious creatures, including monsters?'" Good point, thought Jack. "But don't be afraid, children!" said the professor. "Someday we'll catch all the monsters and study them! We will conquer our fears through knowledge! Won't we, Henry?" "Yes, sir," said Henry. "Conquer our fears through knowledge!" The professor repeated his thought with enthusiasm. "I shall add that to my lectures." Low thunder rolled in the sky.

Jack looked up. Black clouds hovered overhead. A strong gust of wind swept over the deck. "Attention!" the captain shouted, heading toward them. "A squall is headed our way! For now, take the children below to the main deck." "Yes, sir!" said Henry. He smiled at Jack and Annie. "Well, friends, I suppose you get to stay with us a while longer, after all." "Yay!" Annie said softly. "Only those on watch stay on deck!" the captain shouted to his crew. "Everyone else get below."