Dolphin Island

The mountain was beginning to sink beneath him, and he sank with it, still holding the board level as it flattened into a hill. Then it was only a mound of moving foam, all its strength stolen from it by the braking action of the beach. Through the now aimless swirl of foam, the board still darted forward, coasting like an arrow under its own momentum. Then there came a sudden jolt, a long snaky slither—and Johnny found himself looking not at moving water but at motionless sand.

At almost the same instant he was grabbed by firm hands and hoisted to his feet. There were voices all around him, but he was still deafened by the roar of the sea and heard only a few scattered phrases like, “Crazy young fool—lucky to be alive—not one of our kids.”

“I’m all right,” he muttered, shaking himself free.

Then he turned back, wondering if he could see any sign of Sputnik and Susie beyond the breakers. But he forgot all about them in that shattering moment of truth.

For the first time, as he stared at the mountainous waves storming and smoking toward him, he saw what he had ridden through. This was something that no man could hope to do twice; he was indeed lucky to be alive.

Then his legs turned to water as the reaction hit him, and he was thankful to sit down, clutching with both hands at the firm, welcoming Australian soil.

Chapter 22

“You can go in now,” said Nurse Tessie. “But only five minutes, remember. He’s not very strong yet, and he hasn’t quite got over his last visitor.”

Johnny knew all about that. Two days before, Mrs. Kazan had descended upon the island “like a troop of Cossacks,” as someone had said with only slight exaggeration. She had made a vigorous attempt to whisk the Professor back to Moscow for treatment, and it had taken all of Tessie’s determination and the Professor’s wiliness to frustrate her. Even then they might have been defeated, but, luckily, the doctor who flew over from the mainland every day had given strict orders that his patient must not be moved for at least a week. So Mrs. Kazan had left for Sydney, to see what Australia could offer in the way of culture—which was now a very great deal. She would be back, she promised, in exactly one week.

Johnny tiptoed into the sickroom. At first he could hardly see Professor Kazan, who was lying in bed entirely surrounded by books, quite unaware that he had company. It was at least a minute before the Professor noticed his visitor, then he hurriedly put down the book he was reading and extended his hand in welcome.

“I’m so pleased to see you, Johnny; thank you for everything. You took a very big risk.”

Johnny made no attempt to deny it. The risk had been far greater than he had dreamed when he had set out from Dolphin Island a week ago. Perhaps if he had known… But he had done it, and that was all that mattered.

“I’m glad I went,” he answered simply.

“So am I,” said the Professor. “Nurse says the Red Cross ‘copter was just in time.”

There was a long, awkward silence. Then Professor Kazan went on, in a lighter tone.

“How did you like the Queenslanders?”

“Oh, they’re wonderful people—though it was a long time before they’d believe I came from Dolphin Island.”

“I’m not surprised,” said the Professor dryly. “And what did you do while you were over there?”

“Well, I can’t remember how many television and radio broadcasts I had to make—I got rather fed up with them. But the best part was the surf-riding; when the sea was calmer, they took me out and really showed me all the tricks. I’m now,” he added with pride, “an Honorary Life Member of the Queensland Surf Club.”

“That’s fine,” answered the Professor, a little absently. It was obvious to Johnny that he had something on his mind, and presently he brought it out.

“Now, Johnny,” he said, “I’ve had time to do a lot of thinking these last few days while I’ve been lying here. And I’ve come to a good many decisions.”

That sounded faintly ominous, and Johnny wondered what was coming next.

“In particular,” continued the Professor, “I’ve been worrying about your future. You’re seventeen now, and it’s time you looked ahead.”

“You know that I want to stay here, Professor,” said Johnny in some alarm. “All my friends are on the island.”

“Yes, I know that. But there’s the important matter of your education; OSCAR can take you only part of the way. If you want to do anything useful, you’ll have to specialize and develop whatever talents you have. Don’t you agree?”

“I suppose so,” Johnny answered, without enthusiasm. Where was all this leading? he wondered.

“What I’m suggesting,” said the Professor, “is that we get you into the University of Queensland next semester. Don’t look so upset—it’s not the other side of the world. Brisbane’s only an hour from here, and you can get back any week end. But you can’t spend all your life skin-diving around the reef!”

Johnny decided that he would be quite willing to try, but in his heart he knew that the Professor was right.