Claude Henry, The Iditarod Mouse ~3

Chapter 1 - Overboard in the Atlantic Ocean Howdy once again, friends and neighbors, and welcome to my newest adventure. I think you’re going to like this one, so sit back and relax and enjoy every exciting part of this exciting adventure that happened just after my friends and I had completed our previous adventure in South Africa. I knew right away that as the leader of my small clan of warriors that I needed to do something to help my little friends. “We need to find a better place to stay, and someplace where there is more fresh air,” Little Sue said with a concerned voice. “I just wish we’d found another way to go home,” Rowdy said as he seemed to turn just a little greener from the rocking ship. “I don’t feel so good.” “Don’t worry, little buddy,” I said to him with a concerned smile. “I’ll go topside and see what I can find for us.” I had hopes that I would find a better place for my ill friends to hide out and be more comfortable. I knew they must have more fresh air to make them feel better. I whispered my plans to Rambo and suggested to him that I wanted him to stay and watch over everyone while I searched for a better place for all of us.. I reached over and gave Little Sue a hug, then Rusty Bucket and my new baby girl, Little Kenai. “I’ll be back before you’ve missed me,” I added with a smile of pride. I turned and slipped through the large crack in the bulkhead and scampered slowly toward the tall ladder that stood at the forward part of the long cargo hold. I began feeling a little dizzy from the motion of the ship as I began to climb. It seemed to take forever climbing up that ladder, especially with the ship tilting back and forth in the storm. Finally, I made it to the top, only to find that the hatches had all been secured. Something told me to just wait and someone would probably come along and open that hatch. Sure enough, one of the deck hands opened the hatch to come down. Quickly, I was able to jump through the opening without being detected. I found myself standing on the outside deck in the fierce blowing wind. Rain was pounding hard on the deck, and I felt each drop as it struck on my head. It was a good thing I had my coonskin cap on because it helped protect me from the hard pounding of the rain. There I was, staring out at the dark and rough sea that lay before me. I suddenly realized this was no place for me to be. I was nearly trampled several times by human deck hands as they ran past me. They were doing their duty and trying to keep everything tied down and safe. This treacherous Atlantic storm was quickly becoming a very threatening hurricane. Fortunately, I found a quiet corner with a little shelter from the storm. I stood very still for several minutes watching the men fight the storm, using all of their brawn and strength. The men were being bounced back and forth against the bulkhead of the ship and the lifeline that stood between them and being thrown overboard. As I watched the crew dashing around, my attention was focused on one young sailor who lost his balance and slid across the wet deck toward the lifeline. Just as he grabbed on to the line, it broke. The young man fell over the side of the ship toward the pounding sea below. For a quick moment I stared in disbelief. Everyone in the crew was so busy that no one had noticed. What could I possibly do to help the sailor? I asked myself. Then I saw a large wooden crate swinging back and forth from a rope just a little ways above me. Every time the crate flew outward, it would swing a little further out over the side of the ship and the raging sea below, and then would swing back across and above the deck of the ship. I knew then I had to do something. I had an idea already forming in my mind. I scampered up the long rope that was loosely holding the crate, taking out my trusty bowie knife as I climbed. Then I sliced the rope in half. Unable to grab the other end of the rope, I also fell into the deep ocean following the sailor, but I managed to hang tightly to the crate as it fell into the dark, raging ocean. With the crate twisting and turning violently in the Atlantic storm, the young man somehow managed to grab hold of it. The ship, however, left both me and the young sailor being tossed about in the middle of this very frightening and treacherous storm on the Atlantic Ocean. No one onboard ship even noticed what had happened. The storm raged on through a long and bitter cold night. By morning it had subsided, and the sea became calm and peaceful. The young sailor, who had fallen overboard and pulled himself up on the huge floating crate, just sat very still staring at me. He couldn’t believe this little mouse had saved his life. He shook his head and wondered if he was having delusions. “I don’t know how or even if I can explain to you, little fella,” the young man said. “I know you saved my life, and for that I’m very thankful.” I thought about what the young man had said, but I didn’t dare respond to him. I felt that if I started talking human the man would probably panic. So I remained quiet and let him talk for a while. I did, however, give a slight smile and nod of recognition to the young man. Then I cuddled up against the man’s leg for warmth and we both drifted off to a restless sleep. The days dragged on, one day after another, and the large long crate we were on was beginning to settle a little deeper into the water. It looked as if there might be a little water seeping into the crate. Maybe the crate was getting water logged. Worry was showing on the young man’s face. Both of us were becoming pretty haggard looking and very hungry and thirsty. The young man was dozing as the wind shifted. At that moment, I spotted land. At first it seemed far off, but then I realized the beach was very close. I began jumping up and down and nudging the young sailor to look but he didn’t seem very interested. In a state of panic, I did the only thing that I could think of, and yelled at the top of my little lungs. “WAKE UP, YOU HUMAN FOOL! YOU HAVE TO GET US TO THAT BEACH RIGHT NOW!” The young sailor jerked his head up with a very surprised look on his face. He looked around as if searching for another human, but he didn’t see anyone. Then he looked down at me with a very surprised look on his bewildered face, and shook his head. “No, it isn’t possible,” he said. I stood there with a big grin on my face, and answered, “Ya, it’s me talking. Now get us to the beach before we get swept back out to sea.” The young sailor looked around again, and this time he could see how close the beach really was. He began frantically paddling toward the shore with his hands. Within a short time, we found ourselves beached on the warm sand. The young sailor pulled the heavy crate up further up on the beach. Then we both sat there for several minutes resting and catching our breath.