Dard took one of the boxes under his arm and hooked his fingers in the carrying handle of another before tramping back over the ramp to the sand.
“Dessie came down with me. She wanted some more sea shells. I’ll have to round her up.”
“Sure thing.” Rogan set down his large box and came along. They were almost at the shore when the scream sent them into a run.
“Dardie! Dardie! Quick!”
Dard’s hand went to the ray gun Cully had given him after the adventure with the lizards. It had a full charge in it now. But they had seen no trace of the monsters here!
“There she is! By those rocks!”
But he didn’t need Rogan’s direction. Dard had already sighted Dessie, her back to some sea-washed rocks, shying stones at one of the flying dragons, while she continued to shout for help. To Dard’s surprise she made no move to join her rescuers but stood her ground valiantly until he used the ray to slice the head of the dragon and send its body flopping into the sea.
“Come here!” he called but she shook her head. He saw tears on her cheeks.
“It’s the sea baby, Dardie, the little baby out of the sea. It’s so afraid! We must help it—”
Dard stopped, catching at Rogan to bring him to a halt also. He trusted Dessie’s instincts. She had been protecting another creature, not herself, and he had a feeling now that her act was of vast importance to them an. He schooled his voice to a low, even level as he said: