25-HEAVE... HO!

HEAVE... HO! With a SPLASH, Trap dove into the water. Nothing gets my cousin moving like the mention of a treasure. "Brr... the water's FREEZING!" he screeched as he paddled toward the ship. "Am I still moving? Am I still breathing? I can't even feel my own fur!" I rolled my eyes. Trap really should consider becoming an actor, I thought. He's the most dramatic rodent I know. When he reached the ship, Trap lowered a small ladder for the rest of us to climb. "Now we can sail home!" Thea squeaked. Meanwhile, Bouncer and Trap tried to lift the anchor. Heave... ho! Heave... ho! It was so heavy that it wouldn't budge.

But just at that moment, something totally strange happened. The ship began moving all by ITSELF! The masts rose into the air. Minutes later, the galleon drifted out of the mouth of the cavern and headed out to SEA! Was the ship haunted? Or was there some LOGICAL explanation? There was no time to think about it. I ran to help Trap and Thea with the sails. The ship SHOT OFF like a cat in an attic full of mice. "Want me to be the pilot?" Bouncer

asked, reaching for the steering wheel. "NOOOO!" we all shouted at once. Thea pushed Bouncer aside and grabbed the wheel. "I'll handle this," she said. Meanwhile, Benjamin was busy drawing a sketch on a banana LEAF. It showed a picture of the pirate ship in its secret hiding place. "That's very good, Nephew," I told him. Benjamin beamed. "I just had the best idea, Uncle," he said. "You can use it in your next book." "What book?" I asked. It felt like years since I had sat down at my desk to write. "The book about this adventure," Benjamin grinned. Hmmm... a book about deserted islands, pirate ships, and treasure. Maybe Benjamin was right. It did sound like an exciting story.