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. 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.
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