At that instant Dave heard a strange voice repeating an idiotic question:
“Hello there, you mermaids. Are you still there?”
The very sound of a human voice seemed to rouse him.
“Doris!” he called. “The anchors have pulled loose! The ship is drifting!”
“Hello, there,” called that same voice. “So you’re not a mermaid, after all!”
Something had gone wrong with Dave’s radio, Doris thought. His voice did not come through clearly.
“Hello! Hello Dave!” Doris called. “Repeat! What did you say?”
“I said are you a mermaid?” came in that teasing voice.
“Get off the air!” Doris stormed.
“Doris!” Dave roared. His voice came through clearly now. “The ship’s adrift! Tell the captain to order our main anchor line played out—to pull hard to port!”