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"I don’t think he realizes it He’s not well, Alex" She gave him a serious look "I think you need to take over the ship’s wheel"

Alex looked at Florence in alar!"

Florence pointed at the island in the flickering light "We’re turning, see? Watch the island We’reup speed" She looked at Alex "Take over I’ll coach you I’d do it et centered on the deck for everyone’s safety, especially now that the waves are swelling" She shifted carefully back to center, trying to counterbalance her weight against the rocking ship

Alex nodded--there was no one else who could take Ahab’s place, so it was up to hiht Si before it was too late "Henry," he said abruptly, turning to the boy, "I need you to distract Captain Ahab and coax him away from the wheel I don’t kno happy he’ll be to leave his post right now"

"I can do it," Henry said

They braced theainst the wind, and as the ship rocked, they lurched along with it until they reached the captain Henry distracted the statue, suggesting to hiht be on the other side of the ship

When they’d rabbed hold of the wheel and peered into the storm Florence called out instructions and Alex did his best to follow them and try to turn the ship away frorowing closer and closer Soon their wide circling of the island becaht in the water of a draining bathtub "No! Stop!" he shouted Then, "Hang on!" His words were all but snatched up by the wind

Alex tugged and pulled at the wheel, fighting the impossible current and wind, until his whole body ached His et the ship to turn away "It’s no use!" he shouted "We’re caught in this storo!"

The ship rocked and the sea churned Even in the confusion, Alex heard the glass-patched hole explode The shouts of Samheed, Lani, and Ms Octavia assured hi a new glass spell accurately with all the rocking

Spike juh air rather than water

"Spike!" Alex called, struck by an idea "Can you use part of your body to plug the hole in the ship?"

"I will try, the Alex" Immediately the whale dove down and disappeared Alex listened, and soon he heard faint cheers from below Spike had saved the the whale’s life in danger by trapping her in a runaway vessel He focused on the island, loo very close now Alex could see the rocky coast, and he didn’t knohat to do