THREE MILLION DOLLARS, MORE OR LESS

It's amazing what you learn when your stuck on an island. Gold doesn't float, so don't be greedy. If you are going to pick a President, be prepared to listen to the underdog. Don't gamble — you'll just lose.

"Is he all right, Skipper?" Gilligan asked, staring at the still-unconscious millionaire.

"He's fine, little buddy," Skipper answered, getting up to get a bucket of water. "Keep an eye on him, Gilligan." In a few moments, the Skipper returned, and dumped the water from the bucket on Mr. Howell.

"Lovey! Lovey, I'm drowning! I'm too rich to die!" Mr. Howell shouted, as he sat up and spit out the water.

"You're not drowning; you fainted, and I revived you," the Skipper said.

Mr. Howell glared at him. "Well, I can see my company is not wanted! I am never playing with you people again!" he added, and stormed off to his hut.

"Good! Now, Gilligan, I hope you learned a lesson about gambling."

"Yeah, Don't buy oil wells — they're useless."

"Very funny! I'm serious, little buddy," Skipper scolded.

"But, Skipper, if I hadn't brought the oil well, I could have bought you those ships. I had a dozen planned out just for you cause your my best big buddy."

"That's nice... A dozen?" Skipper's mouth dropped. "Oh, what am I saying, Gilligan? Gambling is foolish, and you are not to do it. That's an order."

"Okay, Skipper. It sure was nice being rich; I was almost able to give my friends and family something besides a big mess," Gilligan said, somewhat sadly.

"You don't have to buy us stuff; you already gave us those wonderful plaques, Gilligan," Mary Ann said.

"That was just wood I carved words into. I wanted to get you a bigger farm with so many animals..." Gilligan answered, and then he turned to Ginger. "I was going to buy you your own stage and movie theater," he told her, then he looked at the Professor. "I wanted to buy you the biggest lab I could find."

"That sounds wonderful, Gilligan, but we really are happy with just those plaques, because you didn't need a penny to make them — just your hands," the Professor answered.

"Thanks, Professor, but I still wanted to buy the stuff, you've all been nice to me even though all I do is break things and make messes. I'm going to go fishing — about all I can do, now," Gilligan said, and sadly he walked off to his hut.

"Oh, that Mr. Howell! He shouldn't have messed with Gilligan like that!" Ginger fumed.

"We weren't much help Ginger. I have to admit, I was hoping Gilligan bought me something big," Mary Ann confessed.

Mrs. Howell stood by the window and turned to her husband, who sat on his bed, shivering slightly.

"Thurston, we should give the boy some money; after all, he did win some of it," she said, and Mr. Howell gasped.

"Lovey! You been living here too long! A Howell give money away? Bah!"

"Thurston!" Mrs. Howell answered, shocked, and Mr. Howell's shoulders slumped.

"Fine, I'll give him a few hundred," he said, and took some bills from his wallet. After changing into dry clothes, he went out to the central area between the huts.

"Captain, where is Gilligan?" he asked, as he walked over to the four people, still seated at the table.

"He went fishing," the Skipper said, before realizing who he was talking to. "Hold it Howell, you're not cheating my little buddy out of any more money!" he said angrily.

"Temper, temper, dear captain; I have to find Gilligan," Mr. Howell answered, and raced off to the lagoon. The four castaways followed him.

"Hi, Mr. Howell. I'm not allowed to gamble anymore," Gilligan said, greeting the rich man.

Mr. Howell shook his head, and biting back a sob, handed Gilligan five hundred dollars.

"Take this, and we'll call it even, dear boy. Make sure you tell Mrs. Howell I did this," he added.

"Hold it, Howell! What are you up to?" Skipper demanded, taking the money and handing it back to the multi-millionaire.

"I'm not up to anything, captain. Lovey heard you scoundrels, and now I have to pay!" he said and the Skipper laughed.

"Fine, then," he said, taking back the money. "Here Gilligan — now don't you dare gamble that," he warned, and Gilligan nodded.

"I won't, Skipper. I'm donating it instead," he answered, and took four of the bills and gave one to each of the girls, the Professor, and then to his big buddy. "Maybe it will buy you a sailboat you can steer," he said with a grin, and the Skipper laughed — patting his buddy's back.

"You're too much, Gilligan!"

Gilligan smiled as they left. He looked at the last of his money proudly, stuffed it in his pocket, put down his fishing pole, and took out his diary.

Dear Diary,
I was almust a milinare, I thnk it mad Mr Howell mad. he soled me a oil well but it stuck oil, I was riches agin. Skipper lost in in pool, Mr Howell is real gud. oil well was a fake though. Mr Howell gave me fiv hunderd dollers tho gess hes not so bad aftr all.
Gilligan