Nim at Sea Read Online Free PDF Page A

around down here?”
    “She knows I like learning about animals,” Nim said quickly. “And…and I thought you’d like to see this marine iguana.”
    Fred stared hard.
    “That,” said the Professor, “is the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen. Luckily, some people like ugly creatures. Find an empty cage and stick it in.”
    Fred tucked himself tighter around Nim’s neck.
    “HE’S NOT GOING IN A CAGE!” Nim said. “Animals don’t belong in cages!”
    The Professor’s voice was like ice. “The Foundation for Research on Intelligent, Unique, and Interesting Animals helps animals from all over the world. The most intelligent, unique, or interesting will go to millionaires’ homes—I mean, be relocated to appropriate environments—at the end of the cruise.”
    “But…the iguana could learn to be even more intelligent, unique, and interesting if he knew how to live with people. Plus, I found him. He’s my…property.”
    The Professor shrugged. “All the animals residing on this ship are the property of the Foundation. But if you want to tame him first, I guess I can allow that.”
    “We’ve already put on a show for the Kids’ Klub.”
    He laughed, a thin sort of laugh. “So you fancy yourself a mini-Professor, do you? Think you could take over my job of giving animal lectures to the passengers?”

    “No, no, of course not! It was just a little show for the kids. But I could help you…. I’ve even worked with sea lions before. I bet I could teach this one all sorts of tricks!”
    “That sea lion,” the Professor said, “is a mean, vicious beast. It tried to bite me when I rescued it. It’ll be more cooperative after a few days with no food.”
    Nim felt as if someone had thrown a coconut hard against her stomach. She took a deep breath.
Think, think!
she told herself.
All that matters is helping Selkie!
    “Sea lion,” she announced to the cage, “your name is…Selkie! Selkie—come out!”
    “You can’t do that!” the Professor bellowed as he jumped out of Selkie’s way.
    “Selkie,” Nim began.
    The Professor grabbed a long whip from the corner of the room.
    Nim looked around wildly. There was nowhere to hide. “Please don’t hit her!” she screamed, and leapt in front of her friend.
    “We’ll get out of this somehow,” she whispered to Selkie. “Just do what I say, even if it seems stupid.”
    “Get away from her!” the Professor snarled.
    Nim ignored him. “Selkie—handstand!”
    Selkie raised herself on her front flippers and did her best handstand.
    What next?
Nim thought desperately.
    Then Fred scurried across to Selkie. He rolled himself into a ball.
    “Oh, Fred!” said Nim.
    Fred rolled himself tighter.
    “Selkie,” said Nim, “soccer!”
    Selkie sat thinking with her head on one side, the way she did when she was puzzling about something tricky. Nim always shouted at her when she threw Fred instead of the coconut when they played soccer, and Fred always sulked.
    “Soccer!” Nim said again.
    Selkie flicked Fred up with her nose and threw him neatly to Nim. He climbed tight around Nim’s neck again.
    “Thank you!” said Nim. “Now give me a kiss.”
    Selkie waddled over and whiskery-kissed Nim on the cheek.
    The Professor’s eyes had opened wide with surprise. He smiled as he put down his whip. “Okay, girlie; you can help.”

J ACK SAT ON S ELKIE’S R OCK till his shadow stretched dark across the beach—but the little red seaplane never came back, and neither did Nim.
    “Nim!” Jack called, walking back to the new hut the three of them had built together. Nim and Jack’s previous home had been blown away by the terrible storm. “Nim! Dinnertime!”
    The only answer was a
honk
from a sea lion. Jack couldn’t tell whether it was Selkie.
    “Nim!” he called again. “Nim!”
    She wasn’t at the hut. She wasn’t at Turtle Beach or Shell Beach, the Rainforest Pool or the vegetable garden, Keyhole Cove or Sea Lion Point.
    She knows Alex has gone!
Jack