Chapter 18 - Page 266 - Pirate Ship

   Jim hid a smile and watched Rhasha and Shanha as they looked down at the dinghy. The dinghy couldn't have been eight feet long.

   "Papa," Shanha said, "if all three of us get in that boat, it's going to sink."

   Rhasha was excited. "It's a beautiful boat, Jim. Let's go for a ride."

   Jim smiled as they walked down the steps toward the dinghy. Rhasha and Shanha were walking in front of him. When they got to the dinghy, Rhasha stepped down into the small boat. Shanha waited behind her.

   "Angel," Jim asked, "are you going to steal that boat?"

   Rhasha looked confused. "I thought you said this was your boat."

   "No." Jim snickered. "I said I own a small sea cruiser. This is a dinghy."

   Shanha hadn't gotten into the boat yet. Rhasha hurriedly stepped from the dinghy back onto the dock and looked around for another small boat. "There aren't anymore small boats," she said.

   Jim winked at them and started walking down the boardwalk. Rhasha and Shanha followed close behind.

   They passed several beautiful sea cruisers on their way to the last slip. Parked in the last slip was the prettiest boat Rhasha and Shanha had ever seen. Jim pointed to the boat and smiled. "That's my boat," he said.

   Rhasha and Shanha were dazzled by its sparkling beauty and overwhelmed by its enormous size. "Jim," Rhasha exclaimed, "that's not a boat, that's a ship!"

   Shanha was in a trance. "I don't think three of us can sink that boat," she said seriously. Jim and Rhasha laughed.

   Jim escorted Rhasha and Shanha onto the boat and clambered belowdecks to unload his groceries. While there, he cut the legs off his last pair of blue jeans and changed clothes. He heard Rhasha and Shanha running all over the boat, exploring every nook and every cranny. Whenever they saw a hole, they wanted to know what was in it or what it was used for. Finally, just for fun, Jim put on his captain's hat and went back on deck.