4 Skeleton Crew

chapter 4 SKELETON CREW The huge mound loomed high above them. It was brown and covered with deep, dark caves and shaggy ridges. And it was headed straight for the Umbubble! "It looks like an asteroid!" said Andrew as he paddled quickly away from it. meep… "Sponge!" said Thudd. "Jeepers creepers!" said Andrew. "It doesn't look like a sponge. The ones we use to wash the dishes are all bright colors and shaped like rectangles!" meep… "Drewd use fake sponges," said Thudd. "Fake sponges made in factory. Real sponge here.

Real sponge is skeleton of sponge animal that live in sea. Look!" The sponge was getting closer. "That's a real weird skeleton," said Andrew as he paddled faster. "I thought skeletons had to be hard." meep… "Sponge animal got squishy skeleton," said Thudd. Andrew looked into the sponge's dark, spooky caves. "What are all those holes?" he asked. meep… "Sponge animal not got mouth," said Thudd. "Sponge animal suck water through holes. Eat little stuff that float in water."

Sccreeeek! Andrew looked up. Mrs. Scuttle was turning the knob on the faucet. Niagara Falls turned into a trickle and stopped! meep… "Drewd!" Thudd cried. He pointed toward the top of the sponge. "Look! Oody!" Andrew strained his eyes. "I guess she's too small for me to see without the Goggle Scope," he said. Thudd pressed another button on his chest. A beam of light popped out of a little hole at the top of Thudd's head. At the end of the beam, Andrew saw a picture of Judy standing near the top of the sponge. It was like watching television! Judy had taken off her blue denim jacket. She was waving it frantically. Then something crept up behind Judy. At first all they could see was a shiny black head and long antennas. Its jaws looked like an enormous lobster claw!

"An ant!" yelled Andrew. His eyes widened. "Oh no! It's coming toward Judy!" The ant tapped its antennas on the sponge behind Judy. But Judy didn't seem to see it. meep… "Scout ant," said Thudd. "Use antennas to find food and water. Eyes not see much." "Let's hope it can't see Judy!" said Andrew. meep… "Smell and taste stuff with antennas. Then scout make smell trail for other ants to

follow." The ant stopped tapping the sponge. It was suddenly very still. Andrew held his breath. Then the ant raised its antennas high. Andrew and Thudd watched in horror as the ant tapped Judy on the head with an antenna! Judy turned. Andrew was too far away to hear her scream, but he could see the scream on her face! Her feet scrambled! It looked like she slipped! Then she cartwheeled off the sponge and disappeared into a cloud of steam!