第22部分(第1/7 页)

e　really　driven　out　of　the　ocean。　They　were　just　trying　to　get　away　from　the　petition。　And　＇＇140＇＇　you　can　imagine　when　the　first　fish…amphibians　climbed　up　the　beach　and　poked　their　heads　up　to　look　out　at　the　land；　and　saw　this　vast　dry…land　environment　without　any　petition　at　all。　It　must　have　looked　like　the　promised…〃

Beth　broke　off；　turned　to　Barnes。　〃Quick：　where　do　you　keep　specimen　nets？〃

〃I　don't　want　you　going　out　there。〃

〃I　have　to；〃　Beth　said。　〃Those　squid　have　six　tentacles。〃

〃So？〃

〃There's　no　known　species　of　six…tentacled　squid。　This　is　an　undescribed　species。　I　must　collect　samples。〃

Barnes　told　her　where　the　equipment　locker　was；　and　she　went　off。　Norman　looked　at　the　school　of　squid　with　renewed　interest。

The　animals　were　each　about　a　foot　long；　and　seemed　to　be　transparent。　The　large　eyes　of　the　squid　were　clearly　visible　in　the　bodies；　which　glowed　a　pale　blue。

In　a　few　minutes　Beth　appeared　outside；　standing　in　the　midst　of　the　school；　swinging　her　net；　catching　specimens。　Several　squid　angrily　squirted　clouds　of　ink。

〃Cute　little　things；〃　Ted　said。　〃You　know；　the　development　of　squid　ink　is　a　very　interesting…〃

〃…What　do　you　say　to　squid　for　dinner？〃　Levy　said。

〃Hell　no；〃　Barnes　said。　〃If　this　is　an　undiscovered　species；　we're　not　going　to　eat　it。　The　last　thing　I　need　is　everybody　sick　from　food　poisoning。〃

〃Very　sensible；〃　Ted　said。　〃I　never　liked　squid；　anyway。　Interesting　mechanism　of　propulsion；　but　rubbery　texture。〃

At　that　moment；　there　was　a　buzz　as　one　of　the　monitors　turned　itself　on。　As　they　watched；　the　screen　rapidly　filled　with　numbers：

0003212525263203262930132104261037183016061

808213229033005182204261013083016213716040