Theodore and Hank felt very bored down at the Big Harbour. They had nothing to do, and the other tugs were all out doing jobs on the open ocean.
"It's too quiet!" Hank complained.
"I know." Theodore agreed. "Why can't something interesting happen today?"
Just then, Pearl the pilot boat arrived.
"There you are!" She exclaimed. "The Dispatcher has a job for you both, so report to him immediately. It's very important."
"Yes!" Hank cheered happily.
"Oh thank you, Pearl! We'll go right away!" Theodore added, and soon the two harbour tugs made their way to the Big Ocean and Salvage Company Dock to see what the Dispatcher wanted them both to do.
...
The Dispatcher had never seen the tugs so eager to do a job- particularly one that was unexpected!
"Alright, you two, calm yourselves!" He chuckled.
"Sorry Dispatcher, but we're so eager to get going!" Hank told him. "We've been dreadfully bored!"
"Shush Hank!" Theodore hissed under his breath to his friend.
"Well, I need you both to and pick up a little surprise for me at Portman Cove, and then come straight back here."
"We wouldn't let you down, Dispatcher." Theodore said, as he and Hank left their boss.
"I know you wouldn't." The Dispatcher replied, which left Theodore confused as to what the 'surprise' was.
"Hank, do you think the surprise will be a nice surprise?" He asked anxiously.
"Of course I do!" Hank laughed. "You need to calm down, Theodore- you worry too much!"
"I suppose you're right." Theodore conceded, and the two calmly continued their trip to Portman Cove, right on the mouth of the Harbour.
It took them nearly a quarter of an hour to get there, but when they did, they were surprised! Four different boats all floated calmly on the water by the cove and they looked just as amazed to see the two harbour tugs. There was a supply vessel, a river boat, an assistant coastguard vessel and an assistant research vessel.
"Hello. Welcome to the Big Harbour." Theodore told them, and he managed a polite and sincere smile for the new arrivals. "I'm Theodore, and this is my best friend, Hank. We've both been told to take you to the Big Harbour."
"Thank you so much! You're very kind." The supply vessel said sweetly. "I'm Penny." She added, and then she smiled a very pretty smile at the two tugs.
"Hiya - I'm Rosie!" The assistant coastguard boat butted in enthusiastically. "I'm pleased to meet ya both! In fact, we all are!"
"I'm Jacob." The river boat added somewhat stiffly. "And Versa is the assistant research vessel. She's very knowledgeable, but she's also very shy."
"Hi there." Versa spoke in a quiet voice.
"We're very pleased to meet you all." Theodore said as politely as he could.
"Yeah- really pleased!" Hank added. Then, he frowned a moment. "Uh, Theodore?"
"Yes Hank?" Theodore replied, and looked at his friend.
"How are we gonna get all four home at the same time?"
Theodore thought for a moment. It would be a bit difficult to get all four home at the same time, but he was sure it was possible.
"Well, you can push Jacob, and I'll push Versa. Then you pull Penny and I'll pull Rosie."
"That sounds fair." Agreed Hank and he prepared his tow rope, plus a spare, and Theodore did the same.
Once the two tugs were ready, Theodore gave one toot of his horn, which meant 'go!' and so Hank and Theodore both set off for the Great Ocean and Salvage Company Dock.
"So what do you do?" Jacob asked Hank.
"Well, I just work in the harbour, mainly with Theodore." Hank admitted. "Neither of us are V- tugs yet, so we just do a lot of jobs within the Big Harbour."
"I see. What are V-words?" Jacob asked.
"A word that means you can go out on the open sea. They usually reflect the personality of a tug. I'm hoping to become 'Hank the Volcano' someday!" Hank told him excitedly.
"Fascinating- all I do is collect a lot of visitors and take them places." Jacob admitted. "It can be a bit boring sometimes. I wouldn't mind being a tug. Then I could do a whole lot of different jobs!"
"Well, you do get to travel." Theodore pointed out. "I hope that I get to visit a lot of harbours when I get my V-word. It's my lifelong dream!"
"I hope you get your dream Theodore." Penny told him kindly. "I believe in the power of dreams."
"Why how come?" Rosie asked, from behind Theodore. "They're just random nonsense to me!"
"I once had a dream about meeting a seal wearing a funny looking bobble hat and the next day, whilst delivering oil, I met a young seal lost and separated from her family. We helped her home, and I named her 'Bobbles' after the dream."
"We have a friend called Walter! He's a whale!" Hank cut in.
"Yes- I found him trapped near the shore, and after rescuing him, we've been friends since. He still visits us sometimes." Theodore informed them.
"That's so sweet! I never get much of a chance to see Bobbles." Penny said sadly.
"Yes. So, Hank, Theodore, is there other tugs at the Big Harbour?" Jacob inquired.
"Yes- there is three other tugs here. There is Emily the Vigorous, Foduck the Vigilant, and George the Valiant." Theodore told them as they continued along. "Emily and George are ocean tugs, and Foduck is the safety tug."
"Well, your friends sound mighty interesting!" Rosie boomed. "I do hope we get to meet them!"
"I'm sure you will." Theodore told her.
But Hank noticed that poor Versa was not saying anything, so he decided to initiate conversation with her.
"So, Versa, what sort of things do you research?" He asked her.
"Well, I research the polar ice caps and ensure that they are not in danger of melting and flooding anywhere. I also research different forms of aquatic life, such as dolphins and whales."
"Well, Foduck is friends with the Research team here," Hank told her. "I'll bet you two will have plenty to talk about... Though, I've always wondered."
"Yes?" Versa asked.
"I've once heard that dolphins sleep with their eyes open. George told me, but I couldn't believe it. Is it true?"
"Yes they do. They sleep consciously, and they alternate which eye is open and which is resting. They do that for their entire sleep period."
"Wow!" Hank said. "You're smart. So is Foduck- why, I know you'll become friends!"
"Really- you mean?" Versa asked him. "I don't have a lot of friends."
"You have us!" Rosie piped up. "I like vessels who know their stuff. I'm not very good at remembering facts, but I love learning!"
"It doesn't matter how shy you are, Versa- you'll gain confidence, and make heaps of new friend!" Penny assured.
"Thanks Rosie. Thanks Hank." Versa whispered shyly. "I appreciate you being so kind."
"That's alright!" Rosie replied.
"Yeah- hey, look Theo! We're home!" Hank suddenly called out.
They had all had a lot of fun chatting, that they hadn't noticed that they had reached the Big Harbour!
...
"Hello Theodore and Hank!" The Dispatcher greeted as the two harbour tugs entered with their new friends. "I see you've brought our guests!"
The four said hello, and introduced themselves to the Dispatcher.
Theodore and Hank grinned. They had both met new friends that day, and when the V- tugs returned from their ocean- bound jobs, they were also introduced to the four boats, and they became friends too!