The captain turned and stroked away.
Sorry. Friends. Henry said to Jack and Anne. but captain in charge,he looked around, I see Joe and Tommy are helping the man bringup the catching now. as soon as they are free, I will ask them toback you to the shore. I am very sorry.
That’s ok. Said Anne. you did what you could.
Before you young people leave, perhaps you would like to seetoday’s specimens. Asked professor.
Sure. Said Jack and Anne together.
Then come along. Said professor. Every single day we make newdiscoveries. Hurrying with Anne across the deck, Jack couldn’t waitto see what just been brought from the deep. They just followedHenry and the professor, to the team of sailors pullingup large nets,the nets was backs and mops and above them.
What these mops for? Asked Anne. they swayed up the seaanimals form the floor of the ocean. Explained Henry.
We pulled them from the stalkness of the light of the day. Said theprofessor.
That might scare them. Said Anne.
But the professor seemed didn’t to hear her.
Over the years we’ve hold up tens of thousands of specimens. Hesaid.
As the sailors dumped back unto the deck, Jack saw mostly mud,but lying in the mud, was tiny scrumming pinkyyellow fish and fairyown sea stars.
No monster there, arh..said Anne.
The professor looked at her, not today, me dear. He said.
I was just kidding. Said Anne. do you believe monsters?
Oh, well, the professor looked seriously. The sea is very deep, mydear. It covers nearly three quarters of the world. So I say to myself,my did not in mysterious creatures. Including monsters?
Good point. Thought Jack.
But don’t be afraid, children, said the professor. Someday we willcatch hold of monsters and studythem. We will Conquer our fearthrough knowledge.
What way? Henry?
Yes, sir. Said Henry.
Conquer our fear through knowledge.
The professor repeated his words with enthusiasm. I shall that tomy lectures.
Low thunder roared in the sky, Jack looked up,black cloudscovered over head, a strong gust wind swept over the deck,Attention! The captain shouted heading toward them. Our scholarsheaded their way. For now take the children below to the maindeck,Yes, sir. Said Henry. He smiled to Jack and Anne.
Well, friends, I suppose you will get stay with us for while longerafter all.
Yell! Anne said softly.
Only those on watch stay on deck. The captain shouted to his crew.
Everyone gets out to below. Henry led Jack and Anne away justbefore the rain beganto pour down. Water dropped from Henry’shiring backpack and life fast as he and Anne followed Henry to thesteep fled of stairs to the dimly hole way.
Our ship is conveyed from a war vassal to a ship of sea laboratories.
Henry said. it maybe move 16s or18s guns of broom for them.
Would you like to see mine?
Oh, yes. Said Jack. He couldn’t wait to see the actual sealaboratory.
Follow me. Henry on lap of the door. And showed Jack and Anne alarge dim road. It was a small sky-like over its head. And pumdedto the glass.
Henry struck a match and led a couple of oil laps, shadows dansteraround the room, Jack smiled and led out the deep sigh. He lovedthe sea lab.
Sall of hundreds of different bottles, the bottles were filled withfloating blocks, inthe middle of the room was a wooden table, itheld the maps, rulers and mumters, bowls with looking staff and abig microscope.
Henry pointed to the microscope.
Would you like to see some thing remarkable? He asked.
Oh, yes. Said Anne.
She peered to the eyepiece, Whoa, that’s amazing. She braved.
Let me see. Said Jack. He put his pack back down on the table, andlooked at the microscope. He saw the tiny skeleton of the seahorse,Cool! He said. that seahorse is no bigger than the grain of the sugar.
Said Henry. But of course I am fascinated by the larger creatures aswell. Well just yesterday, I spent several hours studying the ear ballof the dolphin and a tooth of the shark.
And what’s all those battles? Asked Anne. she pointed to the rowsand rows bottles on Henry’s shelves.
Many curiosities. Said the scientist. That large one for instance, thecloser creature looks like a giant sock, some call that blubber fish,but in face it is not a fish at all, it was made of millions of tiny seacreatures,Yoo.. said Anne. and there is rare sea slug. Said Henry. He pointedto a bright yellow blub floating in the clear liquid.
Nice color. Said Jack.
We study whatever we’re bringing up from the deep. Said Henry.
We measured the specimens and identified them, and then wepersevered them in the bottles of alcohol, and labeled the bottles.
So all of the bottles were seacreatures? Said Anne.
Oh, no. many bottles were filled with ooze from above the sea. SaidHenry.
Ooze? said JackThey are official name for mud. Said Henry smiling. Here fill it.
Henry picked up one of the plates form the table, and held out toJack and Anne, then rub the sticky mud between their fingers.
Oozes is good name for it. Said JackHenry gave them a cloth to wipe their hands then hepicked up alarge book form the table, and here are the notebook I havetransferred our natural history specimens, he said.
He opened the book.
Inside were beautiful bottle colors jells plants and butterflies.
These are great. Said Jack.
Henry’s notebook remind them for the notebook they have seen inLeonardo da Vinci’s studio.
This is beautiful. Said Anne. she reached her hand across theHenry’s table, and picked up the glomming ground seashore, theshore was wide and curved with reddish brown lines.
Yes. Henry said softly. My nodless shore.
Is this one of your specimens? Asked Anne.
No. said Henry. I don’t consider this is a specimen. It’s more like atreasure. I am afraid I had great found the little creature we oncelived inside that shore.
What did it do? Asked Anne.
Oh, they just swam around the small top of the tide for him. SaidHenry. But it move backwards, wheather funny fell down itself andget out. All over me. Henry smiled. I was quite sad when it died. Iwish I had returned to the sea. And reput the shore down let out thequiet sad. Silly just something well I know.
Not silly at all. Said Anne .
The ships been alright, the ship’s bell rangAh...time to go. Said Henry. The captain mont’s tide ship, it againstthe rules to be late. So let’sbe off to the world room.
What’s the world room? Jack asked.
That was the scientists the navy officers eat. Said HenryEat? Jack said vikerly. |