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ORLANDO'S ADVENTURES: PART 1: 'PRESS GANGED' by Jackie S Brooks
It was late one summer evening
young Orlando was out on the prowl,
searching for scraps for his supper
as his tummy was beginning to growl.
He went down to his favourite tavern
‘The Jolly Jack Tar’ on the quay,
where the friendly one legged landlord
gave him milk and fried fish for his tea.
Then it was time for cat nap after washing his whiskers and paws, but a rude awakening waited and he didn’t have time to draw claws.
On the tavern the Press Gang descended to gather up men for their ship, and one ruffian grabbed poor Orlando saying “We need a good mouser this trip.”
He was carried aboard in a flour sack and imprisoned deep down in the hold, the ruffian said “You’ll survive lad, as long as you do as you’re told.”
The ship sailed into bad weather and pitched and rolled on the sea, Orlando turned green and was sea sick and asked “Why did this happen to me?”
Before long he acquired his sea legs and soon he was chasing the mice, but Orlando the reluctant sailor said “To be ashore would be awfully nice!” Orlando had a new friend called Omar a big black rat from the East, Omar stole food from the galley and on cheese and ship’s biscuits they’d feast.
Then finally they landed in Boston and Omar gave Orlando dire warning, “there’s a leak deep down in the bilge’s we must leave before the day’s dawning.”
So together they stole out in the darkness and as they quietly crossed over the deck, said Omar “It’s time to jump ship lad, the next voyage will end in a wreck.
To be continued….
Jackie S Brooks © 5th May 2005
NEXT -> http://uk.geocities.com/selbybrooks/ http://www.scribblerscorner.com/
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