Dolphin Island Read Online Free PDF Page B

side of the office came a sound like a rusty gate creaking on its
     hinges. Then there was a string of noises that reminded Johnny of an old-fashioned
     gas engine starting up, and, after that, clearly and unmistakably, “Good morning,
     Doctor Keith.”
    The words were spoken more quickly than a man could utter them, but they were perfectly
     distinct. And even then, on that first hearing, Johnny knew that he was not listening
     to a mere echo or a parrotlike repetition. The animal that said, “Good morning, Doctor
     Keith,” had known exactly what it was doing.
    “You seem surprised,” chuckled the doctor. “Hadn’t you heard that dolphins could speak?”
    Johnny shook his head.
    “Well, it’s been known for half a century that they have an elaborate language of
     their own. We’ve been trying to learn it—and, at the same time, trying to teach them
     Basic English. We’ve made a good deal of progress, thanks to the techniques worked
     out by Professor Kazan. You’ll meet him when he comes back from the mainland; he’s
     very anxious to hear your story. Meanwhile I’d better find someone to look after you.”
    Dr. Keith pressed a switch, and a reply came at once from an intercom speaker.
    “School here. Yes, Doctor?”
    “Any of the older boys free at the moment?”
    “You can have Mick—and welcome to him.”
    “Good—send him around to the office.”
    Johnny sighed. Even on an island as small and remote as this, it seemed that one couldn’t
     escape from school.

Chapter 6
    As a guide to the island, Mick Nauru had just one drawback—he would exaggerate. Most
     of his tall stories were so outrageous that there was no danger of taking them seriously,
     but sometimes Johnny was left in doubt. Was it really true, for instance, that Nurse
     Tessie (or Two-Ton Tessie as the islanders called her) had left home because the
big
girls on Tonga poked fun at her for being so small? Johnny didn’t think so, but Mick
     assured him that it was perfectly true. “Ask her if you don’t believe me,” he said,
     his face completely solemn beneath his huge mop of black, frizzy hair.
    Luckily, his other information was more easily checked, and on matters that were really
     important, he was quite serious. As soon as Dr. Keith had handed Johnny over to him,
     Mick took him on a quick tour of the island and introduced him to its geography.
    There was quite a lot in a small area, and it was several days before Johnny knew
     his way around. The first thing he learned was that Dolphin Island had two populations—the
     scientists and technicians of the research station, and the fisherfolk who operated
     the boats and made a living from the sea. The fishing community also provided the
     workers who ran the power station, water supply, and other essential services, such
     as the cookhouse, laundry, and the tiny farm of ten pampered cows.
    “We brought in the cows,” explained Mick, “after the Professor tried to process dolphin
     milk. That’s the only time we’ve ever had a mutiny on the island.”
    “How long have you been here,” asked Johnny. “Were you born here?”
    “Oh, no, my people come from Darnley Island, up in the Torres Strait. They moved here
     five years ago, when I was twelve. The pay was good, and it sounded interesting.”
    “And is it interesting?”
    “You bet! I wouldn’t go back to Darnley, or the mainland either. Wait until you see
     the reef, and you’ll understand why.”
    They had left the cleared paths and were taking a short cut through the small forest
     which covered most of the island. Though the trees were closely packed, it was not
     hard to push a way through them, for there were none of the thorns and creepers that
     Johnny had expected in a tropical forest. The plant life of the island was wild, but
     well behaved.
    Some of the trees appeared to have small piles of sticks propped around their bases,
     and it was some time before Johnny realized that the props were actually