Part 4 (2/2)

Rick breathed easily through his tube, constantly scanning the bottom

Now and then he saw various kinds of debris on the botto abandoned beer cans and a section of newspaper that had not yet rotted away Rubbish like this was to be expected in a harbor, he supposed, still it was as unattractive to a swi the roadside is to the motorist

Suddenly he noticed a fish--the first he had seen He took a deep breath and dove by letting his head drop and then lifting his legs to a nearly vertical position He slid underwater without a splash When his fins were below the surface he started his leg ain, and the flippers propelled hi, silvery, with a pointed nose and yellow fins Rick couldn't identify it The fish was busily rooting in the sand for morsels of food and paid no attention to the diver until Rick reached out and almost touched it, then it sped just beyond reach and coain

His curiosity satisfied for the moment, Rick surfaced and rejoined Scotty As he took position at his friend's side, the other boy hooted once, their signal for ”attention” The hooting was done by roan into the snorkel mouthpiece, about the only sound that could bewater pass the lips Because water conducted sound so well, the hoot could be heard clearly some distance away

Rick lifted his face fro to an area a short distance to their right He followed Scotty's lead and saw the reason for the signal It was a rocky, coral-covered area about thirty feet square and perhaps fifteen feet below the surface

The boys swa the activity below At first glance, there appeared to be only a pair of odd-shaped file-fish nibbling at the formation, but as their vision adjusted they made out literally dozens of tiny, colorful fish in clefts, under overhangs, or waiting ainst a patch of color on the rocks Rick pointed to a school of about ten vivid little fish of electric-blue color The largest was less than two inches long Scotty hooted for attention and pointed in his turn to a section of the rock that held over a dozen sea urchins that looked like black horse chestnuts with exaggerated spines

Rick watched a pair of brown doctorfish about eight inches long swim by below, then his attention was attracted by a brilliant red squirrelfish peering out of a cleft He pointed the red fish out to Scotty, who in turn showed hi out of a hole near the base of the rock

Rick was fascinated If a tiny patch of rock held this amount of life, what must the real reefs be like off Clipper Cay? He was suddenly i and explore the reef from top to bottom And if they should really find the wreck of the _Maiden Hand_, there was every chance that the exploration of the wreck and the sea life it had acquired would more than compensate for the treasure none of them really hoped to find anyway What a vacation!

He was suddenly conscious of a throb in his ears He listened and tried to identify it A motorboat of some kind, but it didn't sound like a very powerful one He lifted his head and searched for it

Scotty, too, had heard the boat He began to tread water, lifting his ed a little

Rick spotted the boat It looked like a large row-boat, powered with an outboard motor, and it was headed in their direction

Scotty took his snorkel out of his mouth ”Better stay topside and watch We don't want to start our vacation by getting run over”

”Too true,” Rick said ”Isn't this great? I've never seen so many kinds of set out to the reefs where the big ones are”

Scotty patted his spear gun ”I'll keep us supplied with fresh sea food

Wonder if there are any lobsters around?”

But Rick had stopped listening ”Scotty, that guy is heading right for us!”

The boat was getting close, and through his face plate Rick could le occupant

Scotty suddenly gripped his arm ”Rick! It's our shadow!”

Rick started ”Are you sure?”

”Yes I don't like this What would he come out here for? Get ready to dive” Scotty pulled his ripped his snorkel between his teeth

Rick followed suit and leveled off in the water in diving position, but he hesitated, waiting to see what the boat would do

It didn't take long to find out The boat stayed on a perfectly straight course, headed directly for them Rick waited Perhaps the shadow intended to sheer off when he got close He ht have come out to talk with theer! Then he went under

Still Rick hesitated, until it was clear that the boat did not intend to swerve He saw the shadow's face, set in gri his hands as well as his legs to pull hiht incredulously, ”He tried to run us down!”

A dozen feet under he turned over on his back and saw the bright circle of the propeller and its trail of foam The boat was past He shot to the surface and filled his lungs with air, waiting for the next move