Both were nearly exhausted when the monster at last went limp and floated slowly up toward the surface. Pale with shock and fright, Tom and Mel jetted back to the Sea Hound.
Zimby Cox was startled by their faces when they clambered aboard and ripped off their masks. “What happened to you two?”
Tom told him. “Good night!” Zimby cried out.
After resting, Tom and Mel dived in again.
168 THE ELECTRONIC HYDROLUNG
This time luck was with them. In less than twenty minutes they sighted a small porpoise.
“Think we can lure it back toward the Sea Hound?” Mel queried.
“We’ll try,” Tom replied.
The creature with the bottle-shaped snout was as friendly and playful as most of its fellow dolphins. Too playful, Tom concluded, after vainly trying to tease it into chasing them. Instead of following, it would “tag” Tom or Mel quickly, then swim away, evidently expecting to be chased in turn!
“I give up!” Mel snorted in disgust.
Tom grinned and bobbed to the surface. He waved his hand several times in a prearranged signal. Zimby at last spotted him and brought the Sea Hound to the scene.
Raising his mask, Tom called, “Let’s have the net!”
Zimby lowered a nylon net and some pieces of fish to the two swimmers as they came alongside. With the food as bait they tried to lure the porpoise to the seacopter. But just as they thought they had it, the monster would scoot off.
“It’s just laughing at us!” Mel fumed.
At last, after winning its confidence with several bits of fish, the boys succeeded in snaring the porpoise. Tom clambered onto the Sea Hound’s deck and helped Zimby haul their catch aboard. “Quacking” reproachfully, it was lowered
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