Mary Ann called, "Lunch is ready!"

The castaways started coming to the common table they had been dining at for the past three years. Instead of the usual plates, they found wooden bowls and spoons at their places. Mary Ann came to the table with a pitcher of fruit juice. Gilligan was following the Kansas farm girl with a rather large kettle.

"Careful, Gilligan, its hot," Mary Ann warned.

The Professor commented, "Something smells delicious."

Mary Ann started serving the seafood stew, explaining, "It's seafood gumbo!"

After tasting his lunch the Skipper said, "I haven't had gumbo this good since I was stationed in New Orleans!"

Mrs. Howell reminisced, "Aah Mardi Gras, I remember that from my younger years."

Ginger said, "And I bet you were the belle of the ball."

Mr. Howell agreed, "Indeed she was."

The Professor analyzed his gumbo, "Pacific lobster, crab, and abalone. Mary Ann, where did you get all this seafood?"

Mary Ann admitted, "It wasn't me, it was Gilligan."

The Skipper asked, "Little Buddy, where did you get the shellfish?"

Gilligan answered, "It was easy, they live in tanks in the deep part of the lagoon."

Skipper followed up with, "What tanks?"

Gilligan explained, "The fish have two houses in the deep part of the lagoon."

The Professor said, "Gilligan, could you show me the tanks after lunch?"

Gilligan replied, "Sure, Professor."

After they were done eating, the seven castaways headed out to the lagoon. Gilligan and the Professor put on masks and snorkels and dove down into the deepest part of the lagoon. What the Professor saw surprised the man of science.

After they had surfaced the Professor described what he saw to the rest, "It would appear that there are two Japanese two man mini-subs at the bottom of the lagoon."

Ginger asked, "Like the one that sailor came to the island on a couple years ago?"

The Professor answered, "Pretty much."

Skipper theorized, "That could explain why the Japanese sailor that didn't think the war was over came here. This was probably a base of theirs."

The Professor agreed, "The lagoon would make a perfect port for the mini-subs. They would be protected from ocean storms and surveillance aircraft."

Mr. Howell interjected with, "That's all fine and well, but do you think you can get those junks to work."

Gilligan said, "My Uncle Harry took me to a junk yard when I was 16. I helped him put together parts from a Ford and Mercury to give me my first car. He called it a Forcury."

The Skipper scolded his mate, "Gilligan will you quit babbling!"

The Professor said, "No, wait, Skipper. Gilligan may have something there. We may not be able to get either sub to float, but maybe we can make a new one out of the parts of the two old ones."

Ginger said, "Its like a movie I was in, The Flight of the Tucson, we crashed in the desert and had to put together another airplane from the parts of the wreck."

Gilligan added, "Oh yeah, I saw that one. First they said it wouldn't fly and then it would." Gilligan then made airplane noises and walked around the group much to the aggravation of the Skipper and amusement of the others.

The Skipper volunteered, "Gilligan and I can sail the sub to the shipping lanes."

Gilligan laughed, "Skipper your too big to fit in a little sub." Gilligan's remark was rewarded by a swift blow on the head by the Skipper's cap.

Mr. Howell added, "The lad may have a point captain, those subs were made for smaller people."

Mary Ann mediated the situation by saying; "The Skipper and Gilligan are the only ones with the naval training to sail the boat to the shore. I can come up with a diet to help the Skipper lose some pounds."

Mrs. Howell offered, "Some of us society ladies had an exercise club to keep trim. I could show the Skipper some calisthenics."

The Professor manufactured a makeshift block and tackle to raise the subs. Even with the device, getting the two submersibles that had been at the bottom of the lagoon for over two decades was still quite a task. Part of the Skippers exercise regimen included pulling the subs out of the water.

"Pull, Captain, pull!" Mrs. Howell ordered.

The Skipper muttered, "She would make a great drill instructor at the academy."

Gilligan exclaimed, "Its like an elephant pulling a log!"

The Skipper growled, "I'll elephant you."

Mrs. Howell scolded, "Never mind him and pull."

Thanks to diet and exercise, the Skipper dropped enough weight to barely fit in the sub by the time the Professor had a working prototype.

"Can I at least have some real food now?" The Skipper moaned.

Mary Ann said sternly, "No, you can have anything you want once we are rescued."

The Skipper smiled, "When I get on board a ship, the first thing I will do is tell the Chief Mess Steward to fry me the biggest steak on board, and bake me the best potato in the fleet."

The Professor said, "Well, that will have to wait until we test the sub."

The Skipper, Professor, and Gilligan pushed the sub into the lagoon, while Mr. Howell supervised. After much grunting and groaning, the little sub got into the lagoon. After a lot more grunting and groaning the Skipper got into the submarine. Gilligan just scrambled in.

Gilligan steered the little ship while the skipper watched the small engine and gave orders on heading and speed. The sub quite nimbly circled the lagoon.

The Skipper explained to Gilligan, "Now Gilligan, we probably will stay on the surface the whole time, but we should practice on diving."

Excited Gilligan shouted, "Dive! Dive! Dive!" And took the little boat down. The Skipper saw water rushing in, and immediately saw what happened.

"Surface Gilligan!" The soaked Captain ordered. When they safely made it to the surface the Skipper yelled, "Gilligan you idiot, you forgot to shut the hatch!"

Gilligan grinned sheepishly. The two brought the submarine to the makeshift dock the professor designed. Gilligan got out and the Skipper struggled to get out. Both were drenched. The castaways looked at the two seamen silently.

A chorus of cheers greeted the Skipper's report of, "She's ready to sail in the morning."

Gilligan said, "Now we just have to name it." The sailor in the Minnow's mate knew every boat needed a name, and nobody knew the original name of the Japanese mini-sub.

"I have an idea," Mary Ann shyly said. With encouragement of her fellow castaways, the Kansas farm girl went on, "I think we should call her Pearl after the port we left from. And Gilligan and the Professor diving for submarines reminded me of the pictures I've seen of Japanese Pearl divers."

Mrs. Howell observed, "That is a lovely name."

Mr. Howell added, "And a black pearl is the most valuable type," referring to the color of the submersible.

Ginger purred, "Pearls go with everything."

The Skipper stated, "In over three decades of Naval Service I have never heard a more fitting name for a ship."

The Professor declared, "Then Pearl it is."

The castaways cautiously partied that evening. They had gotten their hopes up for rescue scores of times, only to be disappointed. So instead they had a "bon voyage" party, much akin you would through for a friend going on a cruise. Mrs. Howell splashed champagne on the little sub and rechristened it the SS Pearl

The Skipper and Gilligan turned in early, as they had a very big day the next day. Skipper got in his hammock, enjoying the additional energy he gained from the loss of weight. Gilligan jumped up into the hammock he had been sleeping in for nearly three years.

"Skipper," Gilligan said, "are you asleep?"

The Skipper sighed, "Yes, Gilligan, I am asleep."

Gilligan said, "OK, I'll try not to wake you."

The Skipper finally gave in and said, "What is it, Gilligan?"

Gilligan said, "Do you think this is our last night here?"

The Skipper replied, "I don't know, but I hope so."

Gilligan answered, "I hope so too. Good night Skipper."

The Skipper fondly said, "Good night, Little Buddy."