06-FIRST DAWN AT SEA

FIRST DAWN AT SEA Ahh, the cool breeze blowing in off the sea... Ahh, that salty smell of seaweed... I was starting to get into this sailing thing. It was so relaxing. Sort of like sitting in Great Grandma Tanglefur's rocking chair. Holding the tiller of the Lucky Lady in my paws, I stared out over the ocean waves. It was dawn, and the sun was just coming up, pale as a slice of Swiss cheese. We had just left the harbor, but I felt as if I'd been sailing all my life! I was wearing a bright yellow windbreaker jacket with matching yellow pants and my new yellow hat.

Can you guess what my favorite color is? Yep, there's nothing like a little yellow to cheer up a mouse. It is the most popular color on our island. We have yellow cars, yellow schools, and yellow airplanes. In fact, one year, even Santa Mouse wore a YELLOW SUIT instead of a red one! My nephew Ben wasn't too crazy about that, though. I smiled. I missed Ben so much. Funny how such a small mouse could give you such a big heartache! My daydreams were interrupted by Trap. He appeared on deck munching on a bag of nacho cheese chips.

"Hey there, Cousin," he squeaked with his mouth full. "Want some?" "Be careful!" I warned. "Don't get any grease on the deck!" "You're such a WORRYWART," he muttered, laying his greasy paw right on the deck. I closed my eyes and counted to ten. "Just bring me my chart." I sighed. "I need to see if we are on course for Treasure Island." "Hey, no problemo, my little cousin!" squeaked Trap, waving a life buoy at me. He did a little dance. "Look out!" I shrieked. "You almost stepped on my glasses!" I broke out in a COLD SWEAT. Without my glasses, I couldn't tell the difference

between a slice of mozzarella and a hunk of cheddar! Why, oh, why had we brought him along?