Andee the Aquanaut in Guardian of the Great Seas

Chapter Sixteen THE GIANT TOOT

When Andee finally reached home, the jellyfish had already climbed off his back and slipped away. His dolphin family eagerly awaited him and rushed to greet him. Andee gently patted Tingo and Tango's foreheads. "It's great to see you guys again." He smiled.

"Tell us what happened?" they whistled excitedly. Andee told them all about the manta rays he'd met on his trip. Tingo and Tango were very excited to hear his story and kept ticking, "We want to go with you next time. We must go with you!"

Dad dolphin seemed concerned and asked him, "Are you sure they were manta rays? You have to be careful, you know, my boy."

"Why?" asked Andee, rattled. "I know manta rays are huge with their black wings and tusks, but they are harmless."

"Well ..." Dad dolphin explained, "... the reason I ask is there are also other fish called stingrays, which look very similar to the Manta family. You need to be careful when it comes to different types of rays. A stingray could give you a nasty punch with its barbed tail, which would cause great harm."

Andee swam over to Mom dolphin's side, thinking about Dad dolphin's words.

Mom dolphin passed him some fish and bananas. "You must be hungry." She nudged him with her nose.

Andee took the food with a smile. "The manta rays let me ride on their backs. It was just like surfing, but instead, I was flying underwater." He peeled back a banana taking a giant-sized bite.

Tingo and Tango giggled, tumbling around in the pool, bleating, "It sounds like so much fun. We must go next time!"

Andee couldn't help being excited too. He showed them how he'd surfed on the manta rays' backs, imitating the way the rays flew with their wings and long tusks. The dolphins and Andee had a happy time talking till late into the night. 

Andee climbed onto his seaweed bed, gazing up through the rocks, far away to the stars. He wondered about the scientists and, most of all, Richard—the man he'd saved.

Why didn't I tell my dolphin family about Richard and the scientists? he thought. "I wonder if my mom and dad are still alive? Could they be out there somewhere? Searching for me? They might be thinking the same things about me?"

A single salty tear rolled down his cheek. I'll never see them again, he thought. They'll never meet my dolphin family or know just how much I've helped everybody in the ocean.

He focused further on the stars, thinking about the Wise White Dolphin. Tomorrow, I'll go to see him. Maybe he can help me to find my parents!!

                                                                                               *****

The next morning, Andee awoke with hope in his heart. He jumped from his seaweed bed, somersaulted, and dove into his pool. Sure enough, his suit appeared.

It wasn't long before he found Tingo and Tango, and he played with them for a while. They swam around Star Island, making sure all the sea life was safe, as they did so every day, doing their rounds of good deeds.

But Andee came to an abrupt stop, hovering in the water with a pensive expression.

"What's up Andee?" asked Tango.

Andee turned to them both and said, "I need to go back to the Lost City. I must speak to the Wise White dolphin."

"Why?" asked Tingo.

"I have to ask him about my parents. I want to know if he can help me find them or if they're still alive."

Tingo and Tango could tell Andee was troubled. They all knew this day would come. One night, when they were supposed to be asleep, they'd even heard Dad and Mom dolphin discussing it.