Bone Deep Read Free Page B

pottery; in another a lady was holding an aged bone in one hand and comparing it to a similar one on a skeleton hanging on a pole.
    When we came to a closed door I read the small name plate: Dr. Philip Hunter, Chairman, Underwater Archaeology Department. My body tingled as Eddy knocked.
    â€œHello, Edwina,” the white-bearded man said happily as he opened the door. “So good to see you. And this must be the young lady you were telling me about.” I quickly glanced around Dr. Hunter’s office where there were wall-to-wall bookshelves and a desk cluttered with stacks of papers, books, and artifacts. On one wall hung a painting of an old sailing ship and on the other an underwater photograph of a diver in clear green-blue water pointing to the decaying hull of a ship.
    â€œIndeed it is, Philip. This is Peggy Henderson, my thirteen-year-old budding archaeologist and good friend. I thought you might be willing to fill us in on some of your recent work, Phil.” My face prickled with warmth so I knew I was blushing.
    â€œYou know me, Edwina. I never pass up a chance to talk about my work. And since my wife, Katherine, rarely lets me anymore I’m always looking for a new audience.” Eddy and her friend laughed. I didn’t get it.
    â€œYour wife’s not interested in sunken ships or lost treasures? Is she nuts or something?” I blurted. The two adults snorted and chuckled some more.
    â€œYou have much to learn about relationships, young lady. One day you’ll be married and know what I mean,” he answered lightly. Right, like I would actually get tied down to someone not as interested in archaeology as I was.
    Dr. Hunter soon began to tell us about his adventures exploring and excavating shipwrecks from all over the world. He helped to raise the Resurgam II , the first powered submarine, and a WWII merchant marine ship sunk by a U-boat in the Gulf of Mexico. But what was really interesting was hearing about the sixteenth-century British warship, the Mary Rose . He said it was the most famous shipwreck in the world. I wondered if he’d heard of the Titanic .
    â€œSunken ships are like time capsules to the past. But in the case of the Mary Rose — it was even more than that. It was a milestone in the field of maritime archaeology back in the 1980s. The most important things we know about underwater excavation and research we learned from excavating that ship. It was probably the most expensive project of its time, too.”
    â€œWhat caused the Mary Rose to sink?” I asked him.
    â€œThat’s a good question. Some written records show the crew was especially unruly and hated one another so much that they refused to work cooperatively, perhaps even to the point of the ship’s sinking. So crew error may certainly have been part of the cause. Other theories include, she was overloaded after being fitted with extra cannons; an especially strong wind caught her in a turn; or a French cannon smashed her hull. The sinking of the Mary Rose is one of those events that we’ll likely never know for sure what the real cause was.”
    He pointed to a large book on his shelf called The Mary Rose . “We did make some spectacular finds though. The cannons and shot gave us a good glimpse into eighteenth-century naval warfare, the eating utensils and food remains helped us to know a little of how they lived. And the navigational and medical instruments revealed something of the technology of the day.”
    â€œThat’s interesting indeed. I imagine determining the cause of a shipwreck that occurred in past centuries must be very difficult,” Eddy added.
    â€œThat’s true, Edwina, though we do get lucky once in a while.” At that moment Dr. Hunter’s eyes began to twinkle.
    â€œBy the grin on your face I have the feeling you’re about to share one of those lucky cases.”
    â€œI will if you think you can keep it to yourself.”