“Let go of me!” Sheena screamed. Adam still held her tightly.
“This one is noisy,” Adam complained.
“Let her go,” Dr. Ritter said. “For now.”
Adam dropped his arms. But he stayed right behind Sheena.
“Your experiments sound interesting, Dr. Ritter,” my uncle said. “I’d like to hear more. Are they working?”
Dr. Ritter smiled. I could tell he liked to talk about his work. “Well, there are a few kinks at the moment. But nothing I can’t fix.”
“What are you going to do with us?” Sheena broke in.
Dr. Ritter frowned at her. “I’m afraid you know too much.”
“But I am a scientist,” Dr. D. declared. “I would never tell anyone about your work. You have my word on that.”
“Your word isn’t enough,” Dr. Ritter growled. His temper flared. His face reddened. “I can’t let anyone steal my idea.”
“I would never steal!” my uncle insisted.
“I’ll make sure of that,” the other scientist replied coldly. He turned to his two assistants. “Take them.”
Before Sheena or I could move, Mel and Adam grabbed us and forced us into their motorboat.
I broke away for a second. And scrambled for the ladder, trying to get back to the Cassandra.
But before I could reach it, they grabbed Dr. D. and forced him aboard their boat too.
Mel cut the line with one flick of a knife. Adam started the motor.
It all happened so fast. We didn’t have a chance.
Dr. Ritter jumped aboard and grabbed the wheel. He steered the boat out to sea.
“Where are you taking us?” I cried. “What are you going to do?”
19
“Get down there!” Adam shoved Dr. D. down into the small cabin. Sheena and I stumbled after him. Mel followed behind us.
“What are you going to do?” I repeated.
“You’ll see,” Adam growled.
We marched through a tiny galley. Mel and Adam forced us through a small door into a stuffy cabin with a table and chairs. Mel tied Dr. D. to a chair.
“This really isn’t necessary,” my uncle said softly. I could see he was trying to sound calm.
“Tell that to Dr. Ritter,” Mel muttered.
Adam tied up Sheena, then me.
“Not so tight!” I cried. I leaned over and bit Adam’s arm.
“Good one, Billy!” Sheena bounced in her chair.
“Hey!” Adam pulled back, rubbing his arm. “This kid bit me!”
“Bite him back,” Mel muttered.
Adam bared his teeth at me. But he didn’t bite me. And he didn’t tighten my ropes.
My plan worked. I was tied to the chair—but not as tightly as he thought.
Mel and Adam studied us. “Okay. We’ve taken care of them,” Mel said. “Let’s go get some lunch.”
They left the cabin, shutting the door behind them. I could hear them in the little galley, rattling plates and silverware.
I glanced out the porthole to my right. The boat was speeding away, far from the Cassandra. Out to sea.
I jiggled my hands, trying to loosen the ropes. They were tied pretty well. If I could just get the rope to stretch a little…
“What could this guy Ritter be up to?” Dr. D. wondered out loud. He wasn’t really talking to me and Sheena. He was figuring things out for himself.
“This plankton he’s invented really does make fish grow bigger,” he said. “It could help end hunger in the world.”
“Isn’t that good, Dr. D.?” Sheena asked.
I rubbed my wrists against the ropes. Come on, loosen, I thought.
“It might be good,” Dr. D. went on. “But it could be bad too. It could throw the whole balance of nature off.”
Rub, rub, rub. I tested the ropes. Were they a little looser?
“I mean, what are these giant fish supposed to eat? More and more plankton? They might eat up all the little fish. They might even start eating people. Who knows?”
I stretched my hands against the ropes. The knot had loosened! I tried to pull one of my hands through.
No. Still too tight.
“And Dr. Ritter mentioned some kinks,” my uncle continued. “Some problems. I wonder what he was talking about. It could be anything.”
I strained to hear what Mel and Adam were doing in the galley. It sounded as if they had taken their lunch up on deck.
I yanked the ropes hard. I felt something give.
I squeezed one hand through the rope. The knot burned against my skin.
Pulling, pulling…
I got it out! One hand was free!
“Dr. D.!” I whispered. I held up my free hand.
“Good going, Billy!” he whispered back.
I untied my other hand and leaped up to untie my uncle.
“Billy, hurry!” Sheena urged me. “Maybe we can sneak off the boat!”
Then the door flew open.
“You interrupted my lunch,” Dr. Ritter said, shaking his head. “That’s not very polite.”
He blocked the doorway. Mel and Adam planted themselves beside him.
“You want to get off the boat?” he asked. “That can be arranged. Mel, Adam. Take them on deck!” he ordered.
Mel and Adam untied Sheena and Dr. D. and dragged us upstairs. Dr. Ritter’s lunch—sandwiches, a salad—sat half eaten on a table.
The two men herded us to the side of the boat. I looked down.
The ocean churned beneath us. No other boats, not a patch of land in sight.
No one, nothing to save us.
Nothing but sea—endless, deep sea.
And gigantic, hungry, sea creatures.
“Which one of you will jump first?” Dr. Ritter asked. “Or do you all want to go together?”
I gazed down at the thrashing waves. Then I took a deep breath—
And got ready to jump.
20
The waves crashed beneath me. My heart pounded so hard, it hurt.
I sucked in a lungful of air. This could be my last breath, I realized.
“Stop!” Dr. D. cried. “Let me jump, Ritter. Spare the kids. They can’t harm you or your experiments.”
“I think a family should stick together,” Dr. Ritter said. “Especially a family of snoops.”
“We’re not snoops!” Sheena protested. “We can’t help it if we accidentally saw some of your big fish!”
“We won’t tell anyone about them! Really!” I cried.
Dr. Ritter leaned close to Sheena. “Perhaps you would like to go first?”
Sheena glared at him, but I saw her shaking. I knew she was really scared. And Sheena hardly ever gets scared.
“Leave her alone,” Dr. D. warned. “Take us to an island—any island. Whatever is nearest. Then we won’t be able to tell anyone about your plankton experiments.”
Dr. Ritter scowled. “There are no islands nearby. And I can’t take the chance. Sorry.”
Dr. D. refused to give up. He kept trying to stall, to talk his way out of this.
But there was no way. I could see that.
Think! Think! I ordered myself desperately. There’s got to be some way to escape. There’s got to be.
I glanced around, searching for something, anything. Maybe a life jacket! Didn’t they have life jackets on the boat? Or a floating ring?
If I could grab some kind of float, at least we’d have a chance.
But I didn’t see anything on the deck. I craned my neck to look back at the stern.
My heart beat faster. Yes! A rubber lifeboat.
“What are you looking at, kid?” Mel growled. “You looking for the coast guard or something? Believe me, there’s no one around to rescue you so forget about it.”
“I—I wasn’t looking at anything,” I stammered. I was so scared, I could hardly breathe.
“Enough of this stalling around,” Dr. Ritter interrupted. “You’re wasting my time. And you’re wasting your breath. And you’re going to
need all the breath you’ve got. It’s time for a swim.”
Sheena let out a scream.
“Let her go,” Dr. D. shouted.
Two strong hands gripped my shoulders.
“Help!” I shrieked. “Please—no!”
But screaming did no good.
They pushed me over the side.
21
I shut my eyes and prepared for the cold shock of the water.
But I didn’t fall.
The strong hands didn’t let go.
I felt myself pulled back into the boat—as a dark shadow swept overhead.
“Huh?” I blinked several times. Was it a shadow—or my eyes?
I heard a deafening noise. A clattering. A beating sound.
I turned to Dr. D. He and the others all had their eyes on the sky.
A helicopter? I thought. Is it a helicopter? Someone to rescue us?
No. That clapping, pounding sound couldn’t be a helicopter’s roar.
Another shadow swooped over the boat.
And then an ugly cry ripped through the air.
RRRAAAAAK! RRAAAAAAK!
“Oh, no!” Dr. D. cried. “Here they come!”
I shielded my eyes with one hand. And I saw them.
Swooping low. Two enormous birds. Seagulls. Seagulls as big as my golden Lab back home!
RRRAAAAAK! RRAAAAAK! Their sharp cries were so shrill, they hurt my ears.
“Here come two more victims of your great experiments, Ritter,” my uncle shouted over the pounding of their wings.
“They must have eaten the plankton too!” Dr. Ritter exclaimed.
The birds circled the boat. They cast huge shadows over us, their wings stretched out like sails.
As I squinted up at them, they stopped circling.
And lowered their talons.
Are they hunting for food? I wondered, staring up at the sharp bird claws, gleaming in the sunlight.
Are we the food?
Before we could duck or try to hide, the two huge birds soared toward us.
Talons raised. Ready to clutch their prey.
Screeching all the way down.
22
I froze in panic.
The screeching rang in my ears. Filled my brain. Made me feel as if my head would burst.
I stared up at the raised talons.
The shadows of the screeching birds washed over me.
And then I felt a strong hand pushing me down. Down to the deck. I turned back and saw my uncle, his jaw set, his eyes on the sky.
He pushed Sheena and me down. Then moved over us. Protecting us.
I couldn’t see them. But I felt the heavy thud as the two heavy gulls landed on the boat.
And then I heard the shouts of Dr. Ritter and his men. Angry shouts, over the shrill squawks of the birds.
I twisted my head. Tried to see. But my uncle pushed my head down again. Holding his arms over Sheena and me.
I heard a struggle behind us. More squawks. More frantic cries.
I heard the heavy pounding of wings.
A table fell over. Dishes crashed to the floor.
A cry of pain.
“Quick, kids—now’s our chance!” Dr. D. whispered. He pulled us to our feet. Then, protecting us with his back, he shoved us across the deck to the lifeboat.
“Billy! Help me untie this thing!” Dr. D. ordered.
The three of us struggled with the knots that held the lifeboat to the deck.
“Hurry!” Dr. D. urged us. “Before they see what we’re up to!”
“RRRAAAAK!” I turned and saw that one of the birds had Adam pinned under its sharp claws. Mel and Dr. Ritter were struggling to pull the powerful bird off him.
“This knot’s undone!” Sheena announced. She worked on another knot.
I nervously tugged at the knot in my hands. I was so scared, I couldn’t think. My fingers felt thick and clumsy.
Hurry! I ordered myself. Hurry—before they catch us!
Finally, I ripped open the last knot and pulled the lifeboat free. Dr. D. tossed it into the water, holding it by a rope.
“Okay. Let’s go! Jump in! Now!”
I gripped the rail of the motorboat and braced myself to jump.
“Hey!” I heard a cry behind me. I turned back and saw Mel staring at us. “Hey—they’re getting away!”
He motioned to us. “Stop!” he shouted. He grabbed a spear gun. “Don’t move!” he ordered.
I hesitated. The sharp point of the metal spear sparkled in the sunlight.
Would he really shoot us?
“Go, kids! Now!” Dr. D. cried.
Mel aimed the spear gun at my uncle—and fired.
23
WHOOSH!
I couldn’t see it. It moved so fast, I could only hear the spear fly through the air.
To my horror, Dr. D. slumped to the deck.
“You—you shot him!” I shrieked.
“Dr. D.! Dr. D.!” Sheena cried. We both hurried to his side.
Our uncle sat up.
“It—it missed!” He seemed surprised. He leaped to his feet. “Into the lifeboat, kids!” he cried.
A gull squawked. I heard Adam scream. Mel turned back to help him.
I took a running jump, shut my eyes, and threw myself overboard.
PLOP! I landed in the soft rubber boat. Sheena jumped in after me. Then Dr. D.
“Stop, or I’ll shoot!” Dr. Ritter called. He picked up Mel’s spear gun and aimed it at us.
A gull’s wing bumped his arm, knocking the gun into the water.
We frantically scooped our hands through the water, paddling away from Dr. Ritter’s boat.
“You can’t escape!” Dr. Ritter called after us, shaking his fist. “I’ll get you!”
Dr. D. grabbed the lifeboat paddles. He started paddling with all his strength. The ocean pulled us away.
The ocean turned rough and foamy. A wind kicked up and blasted us, churning up huge waves. The waves carried us quickly out to sea.
Dr. Ritter’s boat faded into the distance.
“Well, we escaped,” Sheena sighed. “But where are we going?”
No sign of land anywhere. No sign of another boat. Nothing but water. Churning water and crashing waves.
The rubber lifeboat smacked down hard on the water. “Hold on, kids,” Dr. D. shouted. “Here comes a big one!”
I gripped the sides of the boat as a huge wave tossed us into the air.
THUMP! We landed in a valley between waves. Then another wave smashed over us.
I shivered, totally soaked.
“Is everybody okay?” Dr. D. asked. Sheena and I nodded.
Then a gigantic wave caught us from behind.
The lifeboat bounced high in the air. I clung to the side.
But Sheena’s hands slipped off. She flew up into the air—and disappeared into the white foam.
“Sheena!” I screamed. “She fell overboard!”
Her head bobbed up. “H-h-help!” she sputtered. She sank below again, her arms thrashing.
I waited for her to bob back up.
Waited.
Waited.
Please—I prayed.
And then there she was. I leaned over the side. Leaned forward. More. More…
And grabbed her arm and hauled her back into the boat.
“Are you all right, Sheena?” Dr. D. asked.
She coughed. Water ran down her face. “I think so.”
Dr. D. held on to her as another big wave drenched us.
We huddled in the lifeboat, wet, shivering, hungry, and tired. The lifeboat puddled with water. It was like sitting in a wading pool.
The sky grew dark. It would be night soon.
We’ll have to spend the night out here, I realized. Out here in the middle of the ocean.
We can’t even rest. The ocean is so rough. If we let go of the boat for a second, we could be thrown into the sea.
We had no food, no water. Nothing.
“It can’t get any worse
than this, can it?” I demanded. “Can it?” Sheena sneezed. Dr. D. said nothing. It can’t get any worse, I repeated to myself. And then it did.
24
The sky darkened to black. Then lightning crackled overhead.
KABOOM!
A roar of thunder shook our tiny lifeboat.
Rain poured down on us. Heavy sheets of cold rain.
“I don’t believe this!” Sheena wailed. She wiped strands of wet hair from her face.
We sat glumly in the boat. The waves bounced us. The wind blew across our drenched skin. The rain hammered down on us.
Lightning ripped across the sky.
Dr. D. gazed up at the heavy, low clouds and frowned. “It’s not going to let up anytime soon,” he announced.
Great.
Meanwhile, the lifeboat filled up with water.
Dr. D. tried to scoop the water out with his hands. “Help me bail, kids!” he ordered. “If the boat fills up too much, we’ll sink!”
We furiously scooped the water out. But the rain filled the boat as fast as we could empty it. What were we going to do?
I took off one of my sneakers and tried bailing water with it. It worked better than nothing. So Dr. D. and Sheena used their shoes to bail too.
The rain roared down for hours. “I’m so tired!” I complained. I threw down my shoe. “I can’t bail any more water. I can’t!”
“Don’t give up, Billy,” Dr. D. scolded. “We’ll make it.” He didn’t sound as if he really believed it, though.
“Don’t worry,” he said, shouting over a boom of thunder. “We’re going to be all right.”
I don’t see how, I thought. If we don’t starve to death, we’ll sink! There’s no one around to save us. No one…
The rain finally stopped. By then it was night. Totally dark. No moon. No stars. Just a black sky blanketed by clouds.
“I’m so cold,” Sheena whined.
“I’m hungry,” I added.
“I’m seasick!” Dr. D. admitted.
“I’m all three,” I told them. “Plus thirsty, tired, and wet.”