Dr. Kenton took another look, and Ted could see his face redden inside his helmet. “I’m the one who’s a little bit off, Randy!” he admitted. “It is six-thirty.”
Suddenly Jill cried, “Ooo—look!”
A half dozen large birds were swooping down on the boat. Dr. Kenton did not appear alarmed—only amused. “They won’t hurt us,” he said. “They’re whee birds and very friendly.”
The beautiful birds folded their scarlet wings, tipped in yellow, and perched on the sides of the boat. Then they began giving out a peculiar, “Whee-whee,” as though they were enjoying the boat ride.
“Don’t they sound funny!” Ted said.
The birds soared away as the boat turned into Main Canal. A few minutes later, Dr. Kenton drove up to the building they had registered in the day before. But instead of docking at the building, Dr. Kenton continued along the canal beside the building in the direction of the other large building next to it.
“We’re going to the science building today,” the scientist explained.
“Why is that as big as the administration building?” Jill asked.
The birds soared away.