Fred rubbed his head under her chin.
The ship went up higher and higher till they were way too far above the dock to jump.
Anyway,
thought Nim,
if we got off here, how will I ever find Alex?
And how will I ever find home?
That afternoon in the Kids’ Klub, Kelvin taught them to play Spiderweb. The person who was the Spider stood in the middle with hands above their head. Then all the other kids squashed up around them. When Kelvin shouted “Web!” each kid had to reach behind and grab the first two hands they met, and keep holding on to them while everyone wiggled around, forward and backward, to make a circle—while the Spider tried to break through.
Nim was good at being the Spider, because she could squirm under arms or slither through legs faster than anyone. But what she liked best was holding tight to Erin or Ben or kids she didn’t know and just being part of the web.
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Date: Saturday 10 July, 5:45 p.m.
Subject: more information
Dear Jack,
I thought you might have answered by now, but I guess you are very busy since I’m not there to help you with the science stuff.
Today the Professor took pictures of me holding the birds and caged animals. He says the Foundation likes to see pictures like this to show how intelligent, unique, and interesting the animals are, to prove that they should be protected. He dressed one of the spider monkeys up like a baby and I thought it looked so sad. I played a swinging game with it afterward to cheer it up.
Selkie is a lot happier today because she had a swim in the pool, and Fred is happy because he tasted pizza last night and today Ben also brought him a whole pocketful of salad for lunch and I’ve had lots of different food too. Ben and Erin said I shouldn’t ask for a seaweed sandwich because people will think that’s strange and they might guess I’m a stowaway. I like some of the new foods, and when you want food here you don’t have to make it or catch it yourself.
I saw a frigate bird today. I wished it were Galileo with a message from you.
Love (as much as Galileo loves stealing fish),
Nim
“I’ VE GOT AN IDEA,” Nim said. It was the morning after the ship went through the elevator canal and the Professor was whistling cheerfully. Nim needed him to be in a good mood so she could start putting their plan into action. “You know how you give a lecture about animals every day? When you do the sea lion lecture on Wednesday, it could be like a show—like a circus! And I could help.”
“There’s not enough time to get that together.”
“But this sea lion is amazingly smart—and so is the iguana. I bet I could get them ready for you, especially if I could train them in a pool.”
“That beast will go to the Sea Lion Pool,” snarled the Professor, “when I’m sure she won’t bite anyone else.”
I wish she’d bitten you harder!
Nim thought.
“She was probably just scared,” she said. “I’m positive she won’t do it again.”
“She’d better not,” said the Professor, glancing at his whip.
“Everyone will see how intelligent, unique, and interesting they both are. And you’ll get all the credit!”
“Well, maybe we
can
do a show on Wednesday morning. Then if she behaves, she can stay in the Sea Lion Pool till she’s sol—till she’s relocated.”
Nim felt as if she’d just swallowed a bucket of cold water.
Relocated! How would I ever get her back then?
But we won’t let that happen!
she reminded herself fiercely.
We’ve still got three days to get our show ready—and then we’ll escape.
“You can have a couple of hours in the afternoons to practice. And”—the Professor paused and stared at her as if he knew exactly what she was thinking—“it had better be good.”
“But how’s it going to be good if we can’t use the big pool?” Nim demanded when she and Erin and Ben were in the Kids’ Klub carving watermelons into interesting sculptures.
The ship went up higher and higher till they were way too far above the dock to jump.
Anyway,
thought Nim,
if we got off here, how will I ever find Alex?
And how will I ever find home?
That afternoon in the Kids’ Klub, Kelvin taught them to play Spiderweb. The person who was the Spider stood in the middle with hands above their head. Then all the other kids squashed up around them. When Kelvin shouted “Web!” each kid had to reach behind and grab the first two hands they met, and keep holding on to them while everyone wiggled around, forward and backward, to make a circle—while the Spider tried to break through.
Nim was good at being the Spider, because she could squirm under arms or slither through legs faster than anyone. But what she liked best was holding tight to Erin or Ben or kids she didn’t know and just being part of the web.
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Date: Saturday 10 July, 5:45 p.m.
Subject: more information
Dear Jack,
I thought you might have answered by now, but I guess you are very busy since I’m not there to help you with the science stuff.
Today the Professor took pictures of me holding the birds and caged animals. He says the Foundation likes to see pictures like this to show how intelligent, unique, and interesting the animals are, to prove that they should be protected. He dressed one of the spider monkeys up like a baby and I thought it looked so sad. I played a swinging game with it afterward to cheer it up.
Selkie is a lot happier today because she had a swim in the pool, and Fred is happy because he tasted pizza last night and today Ben also brought him a whole pocketful of salad for lunch and I’ve had lots of different food too. Ben and Erin said I shouldn’t ask for a seaweed sandwich because people will think that’s strange and they might guess I’m a stowaway. I like some of the new foods, and when you want food here you don’t have to make it or catch it yourself.
I saw a frigate bird today. I wished it were Galileo with a message from you.
Love (as much as Galileo loves stealing fish),
Nim
“I’ VE GOT AN IDEA,” Nim said. It was the morning after the ship went through the elevator canal and the Professor was whistling cheerfully. Nim needed him to be in a good mood so she could start putting their plan into action. “You know how you give a lecture about animals every day? When you do the sea lion lecture on Wednesday, it could be like a show—like a circus! And I could help.”
“There’s not enough time to get that together.”
“But this sea lion is amazingly smart—and so is the iguana. I bet I could get them ready for you, especially if I could train them in a pool.”
“That beast will go to the Sea Lion Pool,” snarled the Professor, “when I’m sure she won’t bite anyone else.”
I wish she’d bitten you harder!
Nim thought.
“She was probably just scared,” she said. “I’m positive she won’t do it again.”
“She’d better not,” said the Professor, glancing at his whip.
“Everyone will see how intelligent, unique, and interesting they both are. And you’ll get all the credit!”
“Well, maybe we
can
do a show on Wednesday morning. Then if she behaves, she can stay in the Sea Lion Pool till she’s sol—till she’s relocated.”
Nim felt as if she’d just swallowed a bucket of cold water.
Relocated! How would I ever get her back then?
But we won’t let that happen!
she reminded herself fiercely.
We’ve still got three days to get our show ready—and then we’ll escape.
“You can have a couple of hours in the afternoons to practice. And”—the Professor paused and stared at her as if he knew exactly what she was thinking—“it had better be good.”
“But how’s it going to be good if we can’t use the big pool?” Nim demanded when she and Erin and Ben were in the Kids’ Klub carving watermelons into interesting sculptures.
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