Sea Monsters and Other Delicacies by David Sinden Page B

hole.
    â€œNow seal it up,” Dr. Fielding said, handing Ulf a trowel. While Dr. Fielding gathered her tools, Ulf grabbed the bucket of wet cement. He spread the cement into the circular cut in the shell, and then along the jagged crack.
    â€œOrson, can you start to release the tentacles?” Dr. Fielding called. The giant walked around the top of the examination bay, untying the tentacles from the metal rings. Ulf saw them fall limply in the water.
    â€œThey’re not moving,” he said to Dr. Fielding.
    She was climbing up the sea monster’s shell. She carried her tools across the wooden plank to the dock. “Come on, Ulf,” she called.
    Ulf clambered after her carrying the bucket.
    Orson pulled the plank from the top of the sea monster, then all three stood watching and waiting. Orson put his hand on Ulf’s shoulder. “You’ve done your best,” he said.
    The sea monster’s tentacles still weren’t moving.
    The giant knelt beside Ulf and pointed to the far corner of the examination bay. “Look,” he whispered. The tip of one of the tentacles twitched.
    Then at the opposite side of the examination bay another tentacle started twitching. It slowly stirred in the water.
    â€œIt’s working!” Ulf said.
    One by one, all of the tentacles slowly came to life, calmly swaying back and forth in the water. They began exploring the examination bay, feeling the walls and touching the flotation barrels. The tip of one tentacle reached up and felt the mended section of shell where the operation had been performed.
    â€œI’ll leave the flotation barrels on while the cement sets,” Orson said to Dr. Fielding. “It will give her time to get her strength back.”
    â€œThank you, Orson,” Dr. Fielding replied.
    â€œIs the sea monster going to be all right now?” Ulf asked.
    Dr. Fielding smiled. “She’s going to be fine, Ulf, thanks to you.”

Chapter 15
    ULF HEARD AN ENGINE START, AND BLACK SMOKE belched from Captain Crab’s boat. The Captain stepped out on deck. “Ahoy there!” he called. “My boat’s working again!”
    â€œSo is the sea monster!” Ulf replied.
    Captain Crab climbed down from his boat and stepped onto the dock beside Ulf. “I knew you’d save it, werewolf,” he said, looking into the examination bay. The sea monster’s tentacles were swishing gently in the water.
    â€œDo you want me to tow it back to the Reservefor you, Dr. Fielding?” Captain Crab asked. “I can sling the net over it.”
    Dr. Fielding was packing her medical bag. “Thank you, but we’ll release it when it’s had time to recover and replenish its venom. It’ll find its own way home. We’ll track it in the submersible and see that it gets back safely.”
    She headed into the marine store and came out again holding a small black box with an aerial poking from its top.
    â€œWhat’s that?” Captain Crab asked.
    â€œIt’s a tracking beacon,” Dr. Fielding said.
    At the RSPCB, beacons were used to monitor the movements of beasts released back into the wild. They sent signals to the RSPCB’s computers, helping to build a database of endangered beast populations throughout the world.
    Dr. Fielding handed the beacon to Orson. “Would you mind attaching it for me, please?”
    â€œNo problem,” Orson said.
    Ulf watched as the giant jumped into the examination bay and swam to the sea monster. He clipped the beacon to the sea monster’s shell, then flicked a switch on the little black box. Ulf saw an orange light starting to flash at the top of the beacon. Orson swam back and heaved himself out of the water. He stood dripping wet on the dock, smiling. “Okay then, so everything’s fixed. I’m going to go get dry.”
    â€œGood-bye, Mr. Orson,” the Captain said. “I should be going too. Now that my boat’s