The Preposterous Adventures of Swimmer by Alexander Key Read Free Book Online

They’ll take care of him and show him the best places to hide.”
    She paused for breath, adding quickly, “So you see, he’s going to be perfectly all right. You needn’t worry about him at all.”
    â€œBut he’s not going to be all right!” Clarence exclaimed, getting unsteadily to his feet. “By this time tomorrow there’ll be men out looking all over the place for Swimmer. Doc Hoffman’s promised a big reward to anyone who finds him. On top of that he’s hiring the best hunter and trapper in the mountains. That fellow will trail him straight here with a bloodhound.”
    â€œBut—but that doesn’t mean he’ll be caught.”
    â€œWhy, sakes alive, with a broken leg Swimmer won’t have a chance. He might even be killed. That trapper’s a brute!”
    â€œBut how can anyone find him in the creek if he stays hidden? Won’t they think he’s gone on downstream?”
    â€œLordy, I hope so.” Clarence snapped his fingers worriedly. “I don’t know what to do. Seems like there ought to be a safer place for him than here. Honestly, the best thing would be for me to take him back to Doc Hoffman’s lab. Then he wouldn’t get hurt again, and I—”
    â€œNo!”
    â€œNow, don’t get me wrong,” Clarence hastened to say. “I wouldn’t take him anywhere against his will—not after the way he saved my neck the other night.” There followed an account of the van’s near-accident. Clarence continued, “I’ve been looking after Swimmer ever since I retired from the army. He’s about the only family I’ve got. It sure upsets a person …” He looked at her curiously. “How’d you manage to find him?”
    â€œI didn’t find him. He found me.”
    â€œSay that again?”
    â€œThat’s how it was. It happened after Weaver Sykes hit me, and I was wishing I was dead, ’cause I didn’t have anywhere to go or anyone to talk to—and that’s when Swimmer came up and started to sympathize. He knew exactly how I felt.”
    â€œIt didn’t throw you when he started to talk?”
    â€œGoodness, no. I always thought Ripple could talk if only I had time to teach her. Anyway, it was wonderful to find a friend. Otters are ever so much nicer than people. I—I just wish I were one.”
    â€œPenny,” Clarence said slowly. “You’re a mighty special person, and you share a big secret with me.”
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    â€œWe’re the only ones in the world who know that Swimmer can talk.”
    â€œ Really? ”
    â€œYeah. And we’re going to keep it a secret. If Doc Hoffman knew it, he’d throw a fit. And Miss Primm—that’s his teacher—why, she’d fall through the floor. As for everybody else …”
    Clarence shook his head. “Penny, I don’t know what to do, but if we work together, maybe we can figure out something. Er, how far is it to the bridge by road?”
    â€œ ’Bout two miles.”
    â€œThat’s too far to hike this evening, the way I feel. Guess I’d better camp here tonight and bring the van around in the morning. You know that old timber road on the left, just before you reach the trout farm?”
    â€œSure. But you can’t go far on it.”
    â€œIt doesn’t matter. I just want to park the van out of sight. Say, when I was cruising around yesterday, trying to get the country straight in my mind, I had a quick look at the trout farm. Mighty pretty little place—but how come that Sykes bunch is running it?”
    â€œThey just inherited it,” Penny said. “But I’m afraid the bank’s going to get it soon.”
    â€œHow’s that?”
    â€œI think they borrowed too much money to buy cars and things, and now they can’t pay it back. I—I’ll sure hate to leave, ’cause