Dolphin Watch

by John Vornholt

  “Captain Garzoz at your service,” said the mustachioed man with a bow. He glanced past Joshua’s shoulder, and two burly seamen stepped to each side of him.

  The young man gulped, thinking he wasn’t in Dinotopia anymore. “You’re pirates, aren’t you? And this isn’t your ship.”

  “It is now,” answered Captain Garzoz with a sly smile. “We are Ilanun, from Mindanao in the Philippines. We commandeered this ship for a mission, but that doesn’t concern you.”

  Joshua rammed a shoulder into the smaller of his two guards, and he gave the other an elbow in the chest. His surprise attack worked, and the young man broke away.

  He dashed to the railing, hoping to dive over the side, but two more crewmen lunged in front of him. One knocked his legs out from under him, and Joshua went sprawling onto the deck. As more pirates surrounded him, he stuck his fingers in his mouth and blew his loudest, shrillest whistle. He could only hope that Smiley would hear him.

  The pirates slammed his face to the deck and forced his hands behind his back. Joshua grunted and groaned under their rough treatment. “What are you going to do to me?”

  “Hold you for ransom, of course,” answered Captain Garzoz. “First I want to know how you survived in zis sea for three weeks.”

  All the logical explanations flew out of Joshua’s head, and he shot back, “The mermaids saved me. There are mermaids in these waters!”

  “Insolent pup!” Garzoz snapped angrily. “Take him below. Put him in irons!”

  They dragged Joshua to his feet, and he tried to resist … until one of them hit him on the head with a club. Then he sprawled to the deck, unconscious.

  Joshua awoke with a pleasant floral scent in his nose, which was at odds with the pain in his head. He opened his eyes and gazed up at an angelic face framed by strawberry blond curls. It was only when he focused his eyes that he saw that the angel’s face was smudged and her fine clothes were ripped. Plus there were other smells, not as pleasant as the lady and her perfume.

  He moved a little and groaned with pain, and his nurse dabbed a cloth to his brow. “Please try to remain still. I don’t think you’re badly hurt, but we can’t tell.” She had a lilting English accent.

  “We?” He looked at the dingy surroundings. There was seepage on the wooden bulkheads and the rotten smell of bilge below them. When he moved his arm, he heard the clink of chains. They were in the hold of the pirate ship.

  From the shadows, a bearded, wild-haired man crept toward him. “Permit me to introduce myself. I am Captain Pembridge of the Felicity. And this is my niece, Miss Rebecca Rawlins.”

  She managed a brave smile. “I’m sorry to meet under these circumstances.”

  “I’m Joshua Longacre,” he replied, never taking his eyes off the young lady.

  “Longacre?” said Captain Pembroke with a puzzled expression. “Weren’t you lost at sea a number of weeks ago?”

  “It’s a long story,” answered Joshua. With considerable pain, he managed to sit up. “They captured your ship?”

  “Yes. During the night, before my crew came on board. They’re holding us for ransom.” Pembridge looked down. “You, too, I suppose.”

  Joshua nodded glumly, wondering why he hadn’t stayed on Dinotopia, where he was safe. “Is there any chance to escape?”

  Rebecca Rawlins shook her head. “None that we’ve seen.” She lowered her voice to add, “But they plan to attack another ship … to get more hostages. Or so we’ve gleaned from their talk.”

  “Really?” said Joshua with interest. “How do they know another ship is in these waters?”

  “It must be a steamship,” answered Captain Pembridge. “A passenger steamship. They can keep a course and timetable as strict as a train.”

  “We’ve got to stop them!” Joshua tried to stand up, but the shackles on his arms and legs rooted him to the spot. He wasn’t leaving this dank, dripping hold any time soon.

  Rebecca gave him a gallant smile. “We’re waiting for an opportunity.”

  Clang! Bang! Thud! sounded horrendous noises in the dark, and Milos bolted upright in his hammock. More awful crashes followed, and the lad rolled out of bed and reached the companionway the same time as his father. The noises were definitely coming from the aft deck of the houseboat, and it was still the middle of the night. Stars shimmered off the slick surface of the oily black water.

  A growl sounded, and Dimitri looked at his son with concern. He led the charge into the companionway and then to the stern. They heard more crashing and thrashing, so they approached the open deck with some caution.

  There they found a whimpering gray lump, all wrapped up in a net, fishing line, and clothesline. Her flippers were tied to her side like a reefed sail, and a pair of striped shorts covered her head. Despite the mess, both Milos and his father had to laugh out loud at Lilith.

  “What are you doing here?” asked Milos. “What’s the matter with you … you crazy Cryptoclidus?” He rushed to her side and started to unwrap her.

  By that time, his mother and little sisters had joined the audience, too, and Lilith’s embarrassment was total. The girls pitched in and helped their brother untangle the reptile from all the lines and nets.

  “How did this happen?” asked one of his sisters.

  “I think she must have been trying to sneak on board,” answered Dimitri with disapproval. “And she got tangled up in all the stuff we had hanging back here.”

  “My clothesline!” said Melina crossly. She put her hands on her hips. “The explanation for this had better be good.”

  Milos frowned as he worked to untie his friend. “It might have something to do with Joshua Longacre. I didn’t tell you, but he rolled out of the nest yesterday.”

  “He left … he left Dinotopia?” sputtered Dimitri.

  “He convinced the dolphins to show him the way out,” explained Milos. “He’s practically been living with them. So that’s why I had to walk home—I didn’t want to go with them, but Lilith did.”

  The Cryptoclidus nodded forcefully and picked at her ropes. “That’s probably why she was trying to sneak on board. What is it, Lilith? What happened to Joshua?”

  The reptile uttered a sound that was recognized all over Dinotopia—a warning cry that meant a terrible threat. Then she twisted her neck in a sign for “human” followed by a chomping of teeth, which meant a predator.

  “Human predators!” said Milos with alarm. “Pirates. Or maybe slavers. Father, please let me go with Lilith and see what’s happened to him!”

  “I don’t know,” said his father warily. “He chose to leave of his own free will. And maybe Lilith misunderstood what happened to him. These are outsiders you’re talking about.”

  “He’s my friend!” protested Milos. He appealed to his mother. “Just let me see what kind of ship it is—it will ease my mind. Lilith has also learned from the dolphins how to get through the reef.” He looked confidently at the reptile, even though she was trussed up like a turkey at the moment.

  “Promise me you’ll be very careful,” said Melina sternly. “There are bad people out there … slavers, pirates, cannibals.”

  “Don’t worry, I’m coming back,” promised Milos. “I just want to make sure Joshua is all right.”

  CHAPTER 12

  The passage through the reef by night was even eerier than by day, with nothing to see but dark shapes and swirls of bubbles. At one point, Milos and Lilith surfaced to get air, and they were surrounded by a mist so thick it was like a drizzle. Before, the sky had been clear and laden with stars.

  Without the dolphins to guide them, Lilith had to pick her way. But she had just come through the reef in the darkness, so Milos had confidence in her. He had less confidence in himself. What am I supposed to do if Joshua needs rescuing? Nervously, he gripped the knife on his belt, just to make sure he had it.

  With relief, the lad found out that he and Lilith weren’t alone in this endeavor. The dolphin pod met them outside the reef, and Milos had never
seen Smiley so agitated. He was still wearing Joshua’s harness, plus his diving gear, and he screeched endlessly. Milos knew without understanding dolphin that his friend was in grave danger.

  Smiley was eager to lead the way, and Lilith had to swim hard to keep up with the dolphins. After a short time, they saw lanterns in the distance—on the deck of the ship—and they approached quietly.

  Milos was awestruck by the size of the sailing vessel. Outlined against the stars, she looked like a floating city in a forest of giant oak trees. Her sails were furled tightly for the night, and she was resting at anchor in a calm, dark sea.

  They ducked underwater to finish their journey. A few minutes later, the rescue team of mammals and one reptile swam up to the hull and resurfaced. The only sounds were the lapping of water against the wood and faint voices high above them.

  Milos pointed to himself, then pointed upward, and Lilith nodded. With her long neck, she was able to grab a rope ladder and pull it down to where Milos could grasp it.

  As the lad left her harness and climbed onto the hull, his foot made a scraping sound. He held his breath and remained still, but no one responded. The boy motioned to Smiley for the dolphins to spread out, and they did, leaving just him and Lilith. With grim determination, the boy began to climb the ladder along the side of the ship.

  Milos went as quietly as he could, but once again he made some noise. This time, there were startled voices, but they were quickly drowned out by a great deal of splashing on the starboard side. The dolphins were doing their job by distracting the guards.

  While the splashing lasted, he scurried to the top of the railing and peered over the edge. The first thing he saw was a huge cannon, and he had to peer around it to see the guards. There were two of them stationed by a cargo hatch amidships. They looked like fellow islanders, with colorful beads and flowered skirts. But there was nothing friendly about the spears and pistols they carried.

  As Milos watched the two men, he noted that they were relaxed. They were miles from anywhere on a calm sea, and the rest of the crew were deep in sleep. By their location near the hatch, Milos had to assume they were guarding something down there. Still, they took turns passing a bottle around.

  There came a very distant yell, and the two men stood up and peered down into the hatch. While they were distracted, Milos clambered over the side of the ship and sneaked behind the wheelhouse. From there, he watched the men open the wooden grating of the hatch and climb down.

  With the deck empty, Milos dashed from his cover across the open deck to the windlass. Hiding behind the big winch used to raise cargo from the hold, he could watch and listen to the guards.

  After the sounds of a scuffle, they emerged from the hold dragging his friend, Joshua. The lad almost rushed them, but he held his temper. There might only be one chance, and he didn’t want to act rashly.

  Then he heard a feminine voice cry out from the hold, and one of the guards ran back to close it. He dragged a heavy block and tackle across the grating to keep it shut. There are other prisoners in the hold, Milos realized.

  The men dragged Joshua to a cabin in the stern, and Milos waited until they were gone. He rushed out of hiding, threw off the heavy tackle, and opened the grate. With no one watching, Milos padded down the steps into the hold.

  He found a lantern on the wall, which illuminated piles of cargo. There appeared to be mostly bales of tea and cotton, plus some musty grain. A second hatch greeted him, and by the smell, it must have led someplace very unpleasant. He opened that hatch and shone the light down.

  At once, a beautiful face bounced into the halo of light. “What have you done with him?” she demanded. “If you’ve harmed Joshua at all—”

  “No, no!” whispered Milos. “I’m his friend. I came to rescue him.”

  She blinked in surprise. “Rescue him?”

  Another face, this one a battered older man with wild hair, swam into view. “You and what navy will rescue him?”

  “Listen, I haven’t got time to explain,” said Milos urgently. “Are you free to move?”

  “Yes,” answered the young lady forthrightly. “Only Joshua was put in irons.”

  “You can escape from these pirates right now, if you wish. Just go out on deck and throw yourselves overboard. The way is clear, and you will be rescued.”

  “By whom?” asked the older man suspiciously.

  “Dolphins,” answered Milos. “They’ll take you to a safe place. Hurry, because the guards might come back at any minute.”

  The man snorted derisively. “Throw myself overboard in shark-infested waters, in the dead of night, with no land in sight? I’m a fool to be here, but I’ll not make it worse.”

  “I’ve got to go.” Milos turned to the girl. “Where did they take Joshua?”

  “He was ranting something about a buried treasure,” answered the girl. “I think he was just trying to get out of the irons and talk to the captain.”

  “I’ll worry about him next.” Milos looked pointedly at the young lady. “You can escape, if you go right now. Please trust me.”

  “All right.” With a determined expression, she gathered her torn petticoats and started up the rickety stairs.

  “Don’t be foolish, Rebecca!” shouted the older man. “Dolphins are more likely to eat ye than rescue ye.”

  “Joshua came here mysteriously,” she answered. “And so did this boy. I believe they know each other.”

  Milos was relieved to arrive topside and see that the guards were still absent. He motioned to Rebecca to follow him, and he led her to the rope ladder that he had climbed.

  “Right down here,” whispered Milos. He made a clicking sound, and a squeal sounded from far below. Lilith was still on duty. “Oh, and if you see a sea serpent, don’t be worried. She’s friendly.”

  Rebecca blinked at him in amazement. “I’m to be rescued by dolphins and a sea serpent?”

  “It might get stranger yet,” he told her. “Please go now.” Milos heard voices, and he nearly shoved her over the side. With a gasp, Rebecca caught hold of the ladder and began climbing down.

  Milos dashed to the stern and hid behind the companionway door. He tried to listen to the conversation within, but it was a jumble of words in several languages.

  Dawn was beginning to creep over the horizon by the time the two seamen dragged Joshua from below. The young man was walking, although he looked dejected and beaten. When he didn’t move fast enough, the guards pushed him.

  They were about halfway to the hatch when Joshua broke away from them and ran to the bowsprit. Reacting swiftly, the two men caught him before he could dive off. As they grabbed him, he let out a scream—the sound made by a captive animal. One of his jailers hit him in the stomach and dropped him to the deck.

  In the next instant, an amazing thing happened. From out of the darkness, four dolphins came leaping over the side of the boat. They slammed into the guards and sent them careening across the deck into the gunwales.

  The guards were stunned by the attack, but it was bedlam with the dolphins flopping around on deck. Milos realized they would be trapped on the ship if he didn’t help them. One by one, using his feet, he pushed the big mammals over the bowsprit back into the ocean.

  “Help me!” he called to Joshua as he shoved a twisting dolphin under the rail.

  The young man staggered to his feet and touched his head. Gazing at Milos and the dolphins, he finally realized he was being rescued, then he turned into a dynamo. They were pushing the last dolphin off the deck when a voice bellowed at them:

  “You there! What are you doing?”

  Both boys whirled around to see the captain and two of his crew. He barked an order, and one of the natives threw a spear; with a thud, it stuck in the wood, inches from Milos’s head. The lad redoubled his efforts to push the dolphin off the ship, and Joshua worked just as hard beside him.

  “Halt! Or we’ll fire!” When they didn’t stop, a bullet ricocheted off a cannon barrel. This was fol
lowed by raucous shouting as the whole crew ran onto the deck. With a final shove, the dolphin flopped off of the ship into the sea, with both boys tumbling after him.

  Once in the water, they were met by Smiley, more dolphins, and Lilith, but there was no time for a reunion. With the sun coming up, they could easily be seen. Milos and Joshua grasped the harnesses of their mounts and took a breath of air, just as a volley of gunshots sounded. Tiny splashes surrounded them where the bullets hit.

  Voices shouted, “Up anchor! Clear away your leash lines! Raise the sails!”

  With the dolphins leading the way, they dove underwater and headed in the direction of the reef. At least Milos hoped they were headed toward the reef. After a while, he had to go up for air, and he tapped Lilith’s neck to signal her.

  When he reached the surface, Milos gasped aloud. The big sailing ship had unfurled her canvas and was picking up wind. The bow was turning slowly in the boys’ direction.

  “The idiots!” said a voice behind him. He turned to see Joshua and Smiley. “If they follow us into the reef—”

  Voices and shots rang out, and they didn’t waste any more time talking. Now it was a mad dash through the shimmering sea, with a mighty sailing ship bearing down on them.

  They could have escaped, but at the edge of the reef the dolphins broke off. Lilith followed them, and they were soon skirting alongside the coral. Milos couldn’t figure out why they didn’t escape. The great sailing ship unfurled her mainsails and picked up full wind. With her canvas billowing, she cut through the golden dawn like a huge Kronosaurus.

  Even as the ship loomed closer and the crew shook their fists defiantly, Milos knew they were doomed. At that speed and heading, nothing could save them from the reef. The dolphins and Lilith slowed down to watch the disaster, and gloom hung in the still morning air.

  “We’ve got to—” Joshua’s choked voice broke off, and he hung his head.

  They heard a sound that was like thunder, if thunder were made of snapping wood and crunching coral. The giant ship seemed to rise out of the water, its hull split open. With horrible cracks and groans, the ship shuddered back into the ocean, shooting clouds of spray into the sky.