30. Threat

"Here's your jellyfish!" Starry said when they got near us--and it is sure a HANDFULL of TROUBLE!"

I took the wriggling thing from Starry by the tentacle strand.

"Thanks, Buddy." I said to my starfish friend, "Now lets see what this creature knows..."

"I don know nuttin." the jellyfish whined, "I's justta poor little..."

"Can it, Jellyfish." I said in my gruffest policeman voice. "We know you are LESS than nothing. But you ARE a messenger and I want to know WHO sent you and WHAT your message means!"

"The message is that a whale will come to some stupid BIRTHDAY party!" bleated the jellyfish,  and as for WHO sent the message--that's for ME to know and for YOU to find out, 'cause I'll NEVER tell! Now LET ME GO THIS INSTANT!"

"Nope." I said. "That's not good enough by a long shot. You ARE going to tell me WHO sent you with the invitation--but first let me ask you a question. Have you ever seen a dried-up jellyfish stranded above the high-water mark on the beach? Because if you don't tell me who sent you with that message, YOU are going to be one of those dried-up jellyfish."

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