Captain Until Supper: story transcript
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Captain Until Supper
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Captain Roxana sailed her one small ship toward an island marked on her map with a silver X. Kazoo, her parrot, perched beside the wheel. "Around the rock," said Roxana. "Around the rock!" cried Kazoo. The rock, fortunately, said nothing.
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"Left of the reef," ordered Roxana. "Left of the reef!" called Kazoo. "Into the cove." "Into the cove!" Roxana steered past a crooked palm, a white boulder, and a stump shaped like a boot. Kazoo announced every landmark twice.
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Roxana tied the ship behind the white boulder, where the tide would not tug it away. Then she followed her map inland. "Over the log." "Over the log!" "Past the crab." "Past the crab!" The crab raised both claws, as if objecting to the volume.
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"Under the leaning tree," said Roxana. "Under the leaning tree!" said Kazoo. "Dig by the three stones." "Dig by the three stones!" "No more repeating!" snapped Roxana. Kazoo closed his beak with a click. Roxana dug. The shovel struck wood.
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The chest held silver coins, silver spoons, and one silver thimble too small for anybody sensible. Roxana gave a cheer. Kazoo gave her a look. Together they hauled the chest back through the trees. At the beach, Roxana stopped. No ship.
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She tried the next cove. Empty. She tried the other next cove. Also empty, unless you counted six crabs conducting a meeting. Kazoo watched her march past them for the third time. He did not make a sound.
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"Kazoo," said Roxana, "would you kindly tell me where we tied the ship?" Kazoo polished his beak on one wing. Roxana looked at the chest, the beach, and the patient parrot. "I've forgotten. Have you?" Kazoo lifted his crest.
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"Under the leaning tree. Past the crab. Over the log. Behind the white boulder!" Kazoo declared. Roxana stared. "You remembered all that?" "Every turn," said Kazoo. "And for rescuing our treasure, I demand to be called Captain until supper."
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"A fair bargain, Captain Kazoo." They rolled the chest under the leaning tree, past the crab, and over the log. Behind the white boulder waited their ship, exactly where Roxana had tied it. Kazoo bowed so low he nearly fell into the boat.
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That evening, the silver gleamed beside their supper plates. Roxana raised her cup. "To Captain Kazoo!" Kazoo puffed up proudly. Roxana stacked the plates and smiled. "Captain Kazoo, will you do the dishes?" "I retire!" cried Kazoo, and ducked beneath the table.
