Strange Creatures of Dr. Korbo Read Online Free Page B

she felt the spot. It was wet. “Rain!” she whispered. “A drop of rain!”
    â€œYou’re mighty right it’s rain!” Reb shouted.
    Now the drops were falling more steadily.
    â€œQuick! Get everything out that will hold water,” Gus said. “Don’t expect it will last long, so we’ll catch all we can while we can.”
    While everyone scrambled for cups, bowls, anything that would hold water, Jake punched a hole in the middle of the extra sail. Then he rigged it from its four corners so that, as the rain fell, it gathered on the canvas and began running in a steady stream through the hole. “Give me your cups and canteens!” he yelled. “Quick!”
    Most of them were standing with their mouths open, drinking in the raindrops, but they knew that catching the rainwater was important. Within thirty minutes every vessel on the boat was filled, and so were the voyagers.
    â€œI knew Goél wouldn’t let us down,” Sarah whispered. “I knew he wouldn’t. He just likes to do things his own way.”
    They ate as the longboat was driven along swiftly by the wind. The dry food tasted much better with water to wash it down.
    Darkness came on quickly, almost as if a curtain had fallen over the sky.
    â€œAre we going to travel in the dark, Gus?” Dave asked.
    â€œI think we’d better. No sense sittin’ still. We got a star to steer by now. Though it’s sure to cloud up again.”
    Gus kept to the tiller while the others went to sleep. He promised to wake up Dave when he got tired.
    Some time later, Sarah and Dave and everybody else heard Gus when he called out, “Everybody better get up!”
    â€œWhat is it, Gus, another storm?”
    â€œNo storm. Listen.” Gus waited, and everyone was absolutely still.
    â€œWhat is that?” Dave whispered.
    â€œThat’s breakers, son, and big ones, it sounds like.”
    â€œWhat does it mean?” Josh asked.
    â€œIt means we’re gonna have a shipwreck.”
    â€œIs that true, Gus, or are you just being gloomy as usual?” Sarah asked.
    â€œMe, gloomy! Why, I don’t know why you’d say that, Sarah. They often criticized me back home for being too optimistic.” She could see his smile by the pale light of the moon. “We’ll see some white water pretty soon, and there’s no way to turn this boat around. We’re running before the wind, and we’re headed for land. We’ll have a shipwreck for sure.”
    â€œWhat will happen?” Dave asked.
    â€œBest thing is we miss the breakers and get beached.”
    â€œWhat’s the worst thing?” Jake demanded.
    â€œWe hit the rocks, the ship tears up, and we all drown.”
    His words sent a chill through Sarah, but she said stoutly, “It’s all right. We’ll be just fine.”
    Wash said, “My grandmother read me a story about a shipwreck once. The ship went down, but everybody on it was saved. It was a true story.”
    â€œThat’s the spirit, Wash,” Gus said. “Put a good face on it.” He straightened up and looked ahead. “Better find something to hang onto. We’ll be there in a few minutes.”
    The Sleepers all grabbed the sides of the longboat.
    Sarah stared into the darkness beyond them. Soon she saw flashes of white water illuminated by the moon. “There it is!” she cried. “There’s the beach!”
    â€œHang on!” Gus hollered. “Here we go!”
    The waves drove the boat forward. Gus fought to keep the vessel going straight. But a line of rocks loomed ahead, and he shouted, “Look out! We’re gonna hit!”
    Seconds later there was a tremendous crashing sound.
    â€œThe bow’s caving in!” Dave yelled.
    Seawater poured in, but the boat did not start to sink. Jammed among the rocks, it did not move.
    â€œWe’re caught between two rocks—which is a good