Free Strange Creatures of Dr. Korbo by Gilbert L. Morris Page A

He’s the leader now.”
    â€œWell, I keep telling you, Josh, that you need to speak up.”
    â€œIt’s too late for that.”
    â€œIt’s never too late to start doing what you’re supposed to be doing. We ought to start looking for a place right now. Go tell Dave.”
    Josh hesitated but then shrugged his shoulders. “All right,” he said doubtfully. “I’ll try.”
    He put Susie down with the other babies, and Sarah did the same with Bobby. Leaving all the infants in Meta’s care, the two walked over to the riverside where Gus and the other boys were fishing.
    â€œHey, you want me to cut you a pole, Sarah?” Reb asked. “They’re biting good.” He pulled up a stringer of silvery fish. “Look at these beauties. We’re going to have fish for supper tonight. I sure wish we had some onions to make onion rings with and some real cornmeal for hush puppies.”
    Gus, who was fishing off to one side, glanced over at Reb, and a frown wrinkled his long face. “What’s hush puppies? ”
    â€œOh, they’re little round pieces of cornbread, Gus. My mom used to make ’em. When one of the dogs would start barking and begging, she would throw him one and say, ‘Hush, puppy.’”
    â€œI don’t need a pole, Reb,” Sarah said. “I’ll just watch you boys fish. But thanks.” She looked over at Josh then and nodded her head toward Dave.
    Taking the hint, Josh said, “Dave, don’t you think we’d better start trying to find some shelter?”
    â€œWe’ve got plenty of time for that,” Dave said carelessly.
    â€œBut I’m worried about us being out after dark. Those bats . . .”
    â€œYou worry about too many things, Josh. Cut yourself a pole and start fishing.”
    Desperately Josh said, “Dave, you’ve seen one of those bats. Imagine what would happen if a whole bunch of them came down on us at once. And that could happen if we’re out in the open.”
    Sarah put in quickly, “He’s right, you know. We must get into a safe place before dark.”
    But Dave shook his head. “I’ll look around for a safe place after we catch a few more fish. Why don’t you start cleaning these we’ve caught, Josh?”
    Josh grew angry then, but he had no time to express his annoyance.
    â€œI got me a big one!” Wash cried. He struggled with his pole as the fishing line zipped around in the water. “I can’t pull him in, he’s so big!”
    Josh yelled advice. Everybody began yelling advice.
    With great effort Wash managed to pull back his pole. It bent, but out of the water came a beautiful fat fish, far bigger than any the other boys had caught.
    â€œThat’s a great one. Hang onto him!” Reb yelled. “Pull him up higher. I’ll go out and get him. You’ll never land him.”
    Reb put down his own pole and stepped into the water. But he had gotten in no deeper than his knees when suddenly something burst out of the depths of the river.
    Things happened so quickly that no one had time to react. First, Josh saw this huge pale creature emerge. Its body was alligatorlike. It had fangs like a serpentand luminous round eyes and a mouthful of sharp teeth. It shot up out of the water, and in an instant Wash’s beautiful big fish had disappeared down its gullet. As the creature fell back into the river, its teeth cut through Wash’s fishing line.
    Reb yelled, “What is that thing?”
    â€œReb, get out of the water! He’s coming for you!” Josh shouted.
    The alligator, or whatever it was, had surfaced again. The bright round eyes seemed fastened on Reb this time. It charged toward him, mouth gaping open.
    Reb let out a yell and splashed toward the bank. Then perhaps he stepped into a hole, for down he went.
    At Josh’s side, Sarah screamed, “Reb!” He glimpsed her fumbling for her bow,