Part 21 (2/2)
Rick supervised the refueling of his plane at the pier gasoline depot, a task he would not delegate to anyone else The presence of attendants made it ihtened the gas cap, Jireat mechanical bird and shove off, birdman You'll just about beat the weather home as it is Don't stop to fish on the way”
”I won't Professor Zircon will tell you an interesting story And we'll be ive us”
”Okay Don't get your feet wet”
Rick waved good-by to Jimmy and Zircon, then taxied out to the clear area and took off The ceiling was lower than on the trip in, and he al winds and low visibility He spotted the southern tip of the island just in tiht on by He landed with beads of perspiration on his forehead If he had ht have hit Puerto Rico, butin the open ocean
Scotty and Tony careet hi in fast”
”I got a little worried estured toward the northern end of the island ”Our pals have been busy, diving They got the brass ball, or whatever it is, and stowed it aboard their boat I kept an eye on 'e to do so, because they left their equipment on the boat”
Rick didn't particularly care at thatof a strain ”Let 'e about it, anyway--not in broad daylight Maybe tonight we can take a look”
They spent the afternoon indoors, napping or reading, unable to swim or fish because the second storm had arrived on schedule Then, a few minutes before six, Rick turned on the radio to the Navy command channel
At six on the nose, the radio ee for the blue-sheep hunters The blue sheep seen by the big hunter and the little hunter is important Obtain more information if possible But rehty hunters The snapshots of the sheep were fine_”
The e was repeated When they were sure there was no more, Rick switched the set off ”Well, we're in it, and with Steve's blessing Nohat?”
Scotty shrugged ”Noe steal the brass ball Didn't Steve's et more information?”
”Apparently the pictures turned out well, if I understood that reference to snapshots correctly,” Tony said ”Be serious, Scotty What can we do next?”
”Keep an eye on the frog else to be done We probably could steal their brass ball, all right, but they'd know at once who had done it because we're the only other people on the island”
”Have you looked recently to see what they're doing?” Tony asked
Neither boy had Both went to the front porch, but the frog rain ”We'll have to go see,” Rick said
”After dark,” Scotty added ”In about an hour It will be pretty dark then”
”Do you suppose the brass ball is still on the boat?” Rick inquired thoughtfully ”We et a picture of it fro definite to report to Steve”
”That's a possibility,” Scotty adet ready”
Rick rechecked the camera and infrared unit He loaded the camera with a fresh roll of fil room over coffee and listened to the storm batter at the front of the house until it was nearly dark outside
”What now?” Tony inquired ”Do we all go? Or just one of us?”