The Reindeer and the Submarine by Beverley McWilliams

Author:Beverley McWilliams
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pantera Press
Published: 2022-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 20

I opened my eyes, stretched and clambered to my feet. I was still in the captain’s room. I must have fallen asleep, and he’d let me stay. I was glad he did. Snuggled on his soft rug, I’d snoozed as soundly as a hibernating ground squirrel.

My stomach groaned. I never got my breakfast in the galley. But there must be some nice food in here. After all, this was the captain’s cabin.

I poked my nose under the chair and beneath the bed. I sniffed at the pockets of the neatly pressed jacket that hung on the cupboard door (as I had learned, pockets were the most common source of biscuits). Nothing. Not even a crumb.

Then something caught my eye. A large sheet of paper was spread across the desk in front of me. I’d eaten paper before. It was bland and chewy, but it was filling. I nibbled the edge. It was surprisingly tasty. I took a bite. Then another. Before long, I had almost devoured it.

As I was chewing away on a large piece, the captain walked in. He looked from me to the desk, and his face went as white as the tundra in a blizzard.

‘Please tell me you haven’t—’

He rushed towards me and picked up the tiny remains of my snack.

‘You have.’ He ran his hands through his hair. ‘Pollyanna, you’ve eaten the map.’

I had no idea what a map was, but by the look on the captain’s face, it must have been important. I spat out the piece I was chewing.

The captain stared at the gooey slobber. ‘Of all the things you could have eaten, it had to be the map.’

My head drooped. I wanted the captain to like me, but now I had gone and messed it up. I nuzzled my head into his leg to show him I was sorry. And to my surprise, instead of shouting like he did when the men made mistakes, he laughed – a big, booming, hearty laugh.

‘Never mind. You weren’t to know.’ He patted my head. ‘Luckily, we have one of the best navigators in the Navy.’ He opened the door and ushered me out. ‘Come on. We’ll find Riddoch. He can get you some proper food before you eat the logbook as well.’

That sounded like a great idea to me.

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