In the Deep

by J. C. Greenburg

  Uncle Al nodded. His smile dimmed.

  “Sorry for the big rush,” he said. “My assistant, Winka Wilde, is missing. There was a strange message on my Hologram Helper. I’ll let you hear it.”

  Uncle Al pulled a round purple object the size of a golf ball from his pocket. He pressed a black button at the top of it.

  Tick … tock … tick … tock … came a soft sound. Then a deep voice began to speak slowly:

  Time is short,

  Time is long.

  Time is a chain.

  Its links are strong.

  But I’ve found the way

  To break time’s hold.

  I tuck who I want

  Into time’s many folds.

  Miss Wilde is gone.

  I’m sure you’re vexed.

  But don’t worry Dubble.

  You’ll be next!

  Don’t look to the future,

  Don’t study the present.

  She’s locked in the past—

  And it’s sooo unpleasant!

  “HA! HA! HA!” came echo-y laughter.

  Tick … tock … tick … tock …

  The message ended.

  Judy shivered. “That voice gives me the creeps,” she said.

  “I know that you guys have heard about Doctor Kron-Tox,” said Uncle Al.

  “Yeah,” said Andrew. “He hypnotized Soggy Bob to get him to hunt for the giant squid.”

  Uncle Al nodded and poured some grape juice for Judy and Andrew.

  “That was the voice of Doctor Kron-Tox,” said Uncle Al. “I used to work with him. He was the smartest man I ever knew. His ideas were amazing.

  “But he became greedy. He started taking credit for other people’s inventions. He tried to control people.

  “Then he became obsessed with time. That’s all he could think about. He left our laboratory and no one knows where he went. But we do know that two important inventors are missing. Winka Wilde is one of them. And when these inventors disappeared, we got that message from Doctor Kron-Tox.”

  meep … “Unkie Al gotta be careful,” said Thudd.

  “Don’t worry,” said Uncle Al. “The worst enemy of a bad problem is a good plan.

  “Five months ago, I started working on an invention that may be able to travel through time. It’s called the Time-A-Tron. It’s not finished yet. But in a few days, it will be ready to test.”

  “Wowzers schnauzers!” said Andrew. “Where is it?”

  “Are you kidding?” said Judy. “Nobody can travel through time.”

  meep … “Want to see!” said Thudd.

  “Well, let’s go!” said Uncle Al, pulling open the heavy wooden door that led outside. It was beginning to get dark.

  Text copyright © 2004 by J. C. Greenburg. Illustrations copyright © 2004 by Jan Gerardi. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

  www.randomhouse.com/kids

  www.AndrewLost.com

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Greenburg, J. C. (Judith C.)

  In the deep / by J. C. Greenburg ; illustrated by Jan Gerardi. — 1st ed.

  p. cm. — (Andrew Lost; 8) “A stepping stone book.”

  SUMMARY: Still trying to save the giant squid from Soggy Bob, ten-year-old Andrew, his cousin Judy, and Thudd the robot nearly meet disaster at the Challenger Deep, the deepest place in the ocean.

  eISBN: 978-0-307-53204-6

  [1. Marine animals—Fiction. 2. Giant squids—Fiction.

  3. Squids—Fiction. 4. Cousins—Fiction.] I. Gerardi, Jan, ill.

  II. Title. III. Series: Greenburg, J. C. (Judith C). Andrew Lost ; v 8.

  PZ7.G82785 Ine 2004 [Fic]—dc22 2003018152

  RANDOM HOUSE and colophon are registered trademarks and A STEPPING STONE BOOK and colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc. ANDREW LOST is a trademark of J. C. Greenburg.

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