Alligator Action (10 page)

“You know . . . I could stay like this,” Danny said. He turned over in the water, spinning his body around and around as he moved like a log in a river. His lower parts were paler—almost yellowy—compared with the chocolate-brown upper parts. And there was muscular ribbing all the way down his throat and chest.

“We could make a gator hole as a den,” Josh said.

“Ooh—what's that? Sounds good,” replied Danny, still gently rotating in the water. He knew this was something alligators did when they had prey in their jaws, to drown it before eating it.

“Alligators dig right into banks, sometimes, and make these sort-of caves,” explained Josh. “Right up under the bank where nobody can find them.”

“That would be amazing!” Danny said. “We should make one now!”

“Yeah . . .” said Josh, his tail arching lazily in the water behind him. “But we haven't really got enough time. Any second we're going to—”

SPLOOSH
!

“—S.W.I.T.C.H. back,” gasped Josh as soon as his head was above water.

Danny climbed onto the bank, taking the case from his brother so Josh could get himself out as well. “We could always have another go . . .”

“Not now,” Josh said, looking at his watch (happily a waterproof one). “We'd better get back.”

They climbed out in the farthest corner of the lake and made their way back home, keeping well away from the crowds and the yellow tents and the police on the other side of the lake. They spotted an animal-control van too. Obviously, the hunt for the alligators was on.

Back at home, they got into the house and managed to shower, dry off, and change before Jenny had even finished watching TV. The
Darcy Show
episode she was watching had been recorded some time ago. So she had no idea about the amazing show she had just missed in her own town.

“So,” Danny said as he made cups of tea in the kitchen. “Do you think we'll ever see Petty again?”

“Not for a while,” Josh said, cutting them both a bit of ginger cake. “But one day—definitely. After all”—he pointed to the lunchbox on the table—“we've still got the whole S.W.I.T.C.H. spray set.”

“We'd better hide it—really well,” Danny said. “In case Victor Crouch comes after us again.”

“Yes,” agreed Josh. “But on the other hand . . . if he does come after us, we probably should have just a little bit of S.W.I.T.C.H. spray on us. “We'll never know when we might need it . . .”

BOOKS

Want to brush up on your reptile and amphibian knowledge? Here's a list of books dedicated to slithering and hopping creatures.

Johnson, Jinny.
Animal Planet™ Wild World: An Encyclopedia of Animals
. Minneapolis: Millbrook Press, 2013.

McCarthy, Colin.
Reptile
. DK Eyewitness Books. New York: DK Publishing, 2012.

Parker, Steve.
Pond & River
. DK Eyewitness Books. New York: DK Publishing, 2011.

WEBSITES

Find out more about nature and wildlife using the websites below.

National Geographic Kids

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids

Go to this website to watch videos and read facts about your favorite reptiles and amphibians.

San Diego Zoo Kids

http://kids.sandiegozoo.org/animals

Curious to learn more about some of the coolest-looking reptiles and amphibians? This website has lots of information and stunning pictures of some of Earth's most interesting creatures.

US Fish & Wildlife Service

http://www.nwf.org/wildlife/wildlife-library/amphibians-reptiles-and-fish.aspx

Want some tips to help you look for wildlife in your own neighborhood? Learn how to identify some slimy creatures and some scaly ones as well.

CHECK OUT ALL OF THE
TITLES!

Ali Sparkes grew up in the wilds of the New Forest, raised by sand lizards who taught her the secret language of reptiles and how to lick her own eyes.

At least, that's how Ali remembers it. Her family argues that she grew up in a house in Southampton, raised by her mom and dad, who taught her the not terribly secret language of English and wished she'd stop chewing her hair.

She once caught a slow worm. It flicked around like mad, and she was a bit scared and dropped it.

Ali still lives in Southampton, now with her husband and two sons. She likes to hang out in the nearby wildlife center spying on common lizards. The lizards are considering legal action . . .