24

Daisy disappears

         Daisy was transported in a van from the aquarium to Lighthouse Bay. Tina stayed beside Daisy throughout the entire journey, keeping the dolphin sprayed with water and talking to her.

         “We are taking you home. We are taking you back to the sea,” she said in a gentle, reassuring voice.

         Robin and Debra were given time off school and were on the jetty when the van arrived.

         The fishermen had made a net with a big mesh that fish could swim through. It had floats along the top and was weighted along the bottom. Earlier in the day they had strung it across the entrance to The Silent Pool.

         Mike had explained to them, “Strange as it may seem, dolphins don’t jump over nets. The net will keep Daisy safely inside The Silent Pool until she has learnt to catch live fish.”

         A fishing boat carried Daisy from the jetty to The Silent Pool. Debra and Tina changed into their wetsuits and were in the water when Daisy was gently lowered into the sea.

         Daisy was relieved to be back in the water after her journey in the van. At first she stayed quietly on the surface with her two human friends by her side. The dolphin glided slowly around The Silent Pool sending out her sonar. It brought back memories of the time before she was captured.

         Tina and Debra snorkelled down to Daisy as she explored her new territory. Mike stayed inside The Silent Pool, in his inflatable, ready to give a hand if any was needed. But it wasn’t.

         “Daisy loves her new home,” Debra shouted to Mike. “She’s swimming just like Dilo used to. I’m sure it won’t be long before we can let her out.”

         Hours passed without Debra realising it. When dusk came Mike called out, “Come on girls, It’s time to go. Don’t worry, I’ll bring you back tomorrow morning.”

         True to his word, early next morning Mike arrived at the steps at the base of the Lighthouse with a bucket of freshly caught fish. Debra and Tina, dressed in their wetsuits, were ready and waiting. They talked excitedly as they examined the fish.

         “Daisy must be hungry. I’m sure she’ll love these,” said Tina.

         Mike switched off the engine and paddled into The Silent Pool which was surrounded by towering cliffs. It was quiet. The gulls stopped squawking. Everything was still. The inflatable floated like a leaf on a pond. Nobody spoke. They were all waiting to hear the “phft” that dolphins make when they come up to breathe. But no sound broke the silence. Something was wrong.

         “Where’s Daisy’? she should have come to us,” said Tina, expressing the concern that they all felt.

         Mike looked around. There was no sign of the dolphin anywhere.

         “You two had better get into the water and see if you can find her.”

         “I’ll bang some stones together. That should attract her” said Debra hopefully.

         Tina and Debra swam from one end of The Silent Pool to the other and back again. There was no sign of the dolphin. Daisy had vanished. They were horrified. Mike, who was wearing a drysuit, pulled on his aqualung.

         “You two come back on board.” he said as he strapped on his weightbelt. “I’ll dive down and inspect the net,”

         Tina and Debra watched as Mike’s bubbles burst up to the surface along the length of the net. Eventually he returned and hung on to one of the handles on the side of his inflatable.

         “There’s one place where the net is not touching the bottom. Daisy must have got out through there,” he said, with a serious expression on his face as he unclipped his diving equipment.

         Tina leaned over the side and heaved Mike’s aqualung into the boat. Mike hauled himself aboard.

         “It looks like we’ve lost Daisy,” said Tina despondently.

         “We’ll go back to the lighthouse and I’ll put out a radio message to the fishermen and ask them to keep an eye out for her,” said Mike.

         Pat, Robin and Postie were all surprised when they saw the inflatable speeding back to the lighthouse so soon. Everyone was gloomy when Debra told them that Daisy had vanished.

         “Perhaps Daisy has been captured by the Witch and is being kept prisoner inside Black Rock,” suggested Robin.

         Memories of the nightmare she had before Dilo was captured came flooding back to Debra.

         “Oh please don’t say that,” pleaded Debra trying not to cry.

         “The kettle’s boiling. I'll get you some breakfast,” said Pat.

         “I’m too upset to eat. I’ve got the binoculars. I’m going outside,” said Debra still trying to hold back her tears.

         Outside Debra scanned the sea, still with a vision of the Witch of Black Rock sharp in her mind. A few minutes later she was back in the kitchen jumping up and down with excitement.

         “I’ve seen her! I’ve seen her!” she shouted.

         “Come on everyone. See for yourselves.”

         They all rushed outside and stood along the wall from which they had so often watched Dilo. And sure enough. There was Daisy. Near Black Rock. There was a flash of silver in the air. Then a splash.

         “Did you see that? Did you see that?” squealed Debra jumping up and down, hysterical with delight. “Daisy has not been put under a spell by the Witch of Black Rock. She has caught a fish and is throwing it in the air, just like Dilo used to. She is showing us that she can catch fish. Daisy is telling us that she is pleased to be back in the wide open sea where she belongs.”

THE END