But first I had to get close to Crawly--I mean REAL close-- and that meant Getting in Harm's Way, BIG TIME!
Then...well, I would just have to trust to luck.
All of our future's-- Polly's, Starry's and mine--and even Crawlies, I guess--depended on what I would do in the next few minutes!
...
This was a tight spot!
I tried to remember everything I knew about lobsters in general and about polyps too--maybe there was some bit of information I could use to rescue Polly.
The only things I could remember about lobsters were that they were big, tough, had very hard armor-plated shells and were very fast--BUT--they also had VERY poor vision--in fact they had to feel things with their antenna to find out what they were dealing with--AND--an adult lobster often had only one huge claw--their other claw was stunted.
Hmmm. Maybe I could use those last pieces of info!
About polyps--well I knew they were almost transparent pink and green solitary salt water creatures--and they were cousins to jellyfish!
Aha! A clever plan started to form in my brain--my knowledge of sea creatures and my long experience as a constable might help us solve this almost unsolvable problem!
...
So, this Crustacean would not allow us to talk to Polly in private!
Now I was absolutely sure that Crawly Crustacean was holding Polly Polyp prisoner against her will!
But it was also absolutely true that this infamous lobster (which is all a crustacean of his sort is!) was VERY much stronger than Starry and I combined!
So--how on earth could we rescue her?!
...
"Just a minute, Crawly." I interjected, "I would like to hear more about the state of affairs FROM POLLY herself--without you right next to her."
"Dear Crab", said Crawly abruptly, "Nothing would please me more--but I am afraid THAT is QUITE impossible."
...
I heard Starry choke with emotion as he said: "Polly! Oh, Polly---Are you OK?"
Polly smiled what I thought looked like a hopeless little smile and said in a low voice: "Hello, Starry--I--I..."
"That's quite enough, my dear." said Crawly smoothly. "These gentlemen were concerned about your health and welfare--and they can plainly see that you are quite all right---Isn't that correct, my dear Polly?"
...
Emerging from a darkened recess behind Crawly glided a beautiful Polyp.
I could immediately see why Starry thought so highly of her.
She was a dream polyp.
One of those polyps that appears but rarely--and it is a most fortunate male that captures her attention--and her heart!
...
I decided to put my cards on the table--so to speak.
"Look, Mr. Crawly Crustacean--I received a message with a cry of help from Polly Polyp. You have admitted that she is here and if she is not kidnapped--well, where is she? We want to see her and talk to her!"
"Yeah!" said Starry. "Just like Constable Crab said! We wanna talk to her--NOW!"
"Oh, my impetuous Starfish! Do you REALLY? Well I can certainly allow THAT! Come out, Pretty Polly--and meet our guests!"
...
"You see, dear Crab and Starfish, I am MUCH larger and, I must say, much STRONGER than both of you put together--and,besides I have my minions at my beck and call--if I DO say so myself, and I do.
Now of course I have your "pretty" Polly Polyp here with me--but I like to think that she is here voluntarily--as my protege--so to speak.
Now why--Dear Constable Crab--do you think you must "rescue" her--and if you DO want to rescue her--HOW on earth would you accomplish the deed--if I wanted to keep her here with me?"
...
"It's Constable Crab and Starry Starfish, I presume?" said Crawly in an unexpectedly smooth, nasal, upper-class crustacean accent.
It took me a moment to accept that this elegantly speaking monster was really the creature we had come to deal with--but I replied quite calmly: "Yes. It is us! NOW, where is..."
"Tut, tut! Constable. I too have excellent sources of information and I know WHY you are here. You are here to free, as it were, my protege, Polly Polyp from my evil clutches. Yes?"
"That's about right!" I replied. "Where..."
"Oh, my dear Crab--we MUST be patient--mustn't we?
...
"Crawly Crustacean!!"
...
We squeezed safely between some gaps in the Glate's teeth and were soon on the inside and ready to go on.
I had already started to move when I glanced back at Starry--who stood frozen stock still in place.
"Com' on Starry! Let's get moving--there is no time to waste." I said---but Starry just stood still gazing at me with surprise and horror.
Then--I realized that he was NOT looking AT me--but BEHIND me!
I whirled around and gasped!
...
"No one can pass here alive--" glurgled the Glate "--unless they can give me the THREE MAGIC PASSWORDS."
I looked at Starry-- who was looking at me!
"I dunno--" Starry said, "I never been too good at guessin' passwords."
"Me neither." I admitted. "But we could try some of the old standbys--like..." I turned and said loudly to the Glate, "OPEN SESAME!"
"Nope." Slyly Glurgled the Glate.
"Friend!" I said, remembering that the word had been used as a password somewhere.
"Nope." Gurgled the Glate happily.
"Bibbidy-bobbidy-BOO!" I shouted, but without much hope.
"Nahh", said the Glate, "Give up?"
"Not yet!" I cried. "Com'on, Starry, you try!
"The Glate said Three MAGIC words." mused the starfish aloud, "But the only three magic words I ever heard of were the ones my ma taught me when I was a kid..."
"Which were?" I said encouragingly...
"PLEASE, and THANK YOU." Starry said shyly--"Ma always said they were three magic words, but..."
"Oh, Poo!" said the Glate with a disappointed glurgle, "You GUESSED them RIGHT! Com'on in."
...
As we came closer to the weird "Glate" we began to hear strange gurgling, coughing noises coming from nearby.
Could it be from the "Glate" ITSELF?
When we were VERY near the tooth-like projections which seemed to be set into the "Glate"--like teeth in a shark's jaw--the sounds got louder and louder--and we began to hear muffled WORDS in the sounds!
We finally understood that the GLATE itself was talking to us in a choking, gasping voice!
...
The tumult of the waves overhead seemed to calm somewhat and the swirling water cleared enough for us to see a scary "gate" in the path ahead.
This MUST BE "Glifford's Glate"--the same place Barnacle Bill warned us about--and, if Bill was telling the truth, just beyond this "Glate" was the lair of Crawly Crustacean.
...
As soon as I was able, Starry and I continued on our way.
But close over our heads there was a terrific commotion of crashing surf on rocks---while surging water made the footing treacherous.
We went more slowly now, clinging to the sparse outcroppings of moss-covered stone for dear life.
...
"Starry!" I gasped when I was back on my feet and had caught my breath, "You saved my life!"
"Well, I DID at that. But 'at's OK---Don't take it personal---I might NEED ya ta help me rescue Polly!" and he smiled a starfishy smile.
...
But before crashing into the deadly rocks I was caught by a strong "hand".
It was Starry Starfish who had anchored his other four "hands" on stones and had grabbed my claw as I swished helplessly past him!
...
A sudden powerful rushing swirl of water hit us and I was lifted off my feet and hurled toward the awful spine-covered rocks!
...
When we emerged from the stone-walled staircase we found ourselves in a maze of jagged rocks with strong swirling currents of water pushing us back and forth.
Sharp spines of the resident sea-urchins made moving through this maze frighteningly dangerous--but we kept going as well and as fast as we could.
...
Hurriedly my new "comrade" Starry Starfish and I found our way down and out and through the back door of the "The Golden Doubloon".
We found ourselves at the head of a staircase leading down between sheer walls of stone. A strong sea current was pulling in and out which made the pathway treacherous and the light was dim--but we made good speed....
