PLANT YOU NOW; DIG YOU LATER
"Cannonballs! Of all the dumb things to find!" Skipper muttered, as Mr. Howell threw his small tantrum.
"I dunno, Skipper - maybe we could play with them?" Gilligan piped up as he picked up one that had rolled away.
"Just how do we play with them, Gilligan? Make a cannon and fire them out to sea?" Skipper asked, surprised, still, at the dumb things his first mate said.
"No, Skipper. I mean we could maybe bowl with them? We could clear some space in the sand to use as a lane, and have gourds as pins. It would be fun," Gilligan continued, and the Skipper's eyes lit up.
"Say, that's a great idea, little buddy! We should set it up quietly and surprise everyone! It will be a real treat, since we're still stuck here," Skipper whispered. He grabbed Gilligan's elbow and led him away.
XXX
No one took notice of their absence until dinnertime, when the two strolled up to the table.
"Where have you two been?" Mary Ann greeted them, the concern showing on her pretty face.
"We..." Gilligan began and Skipper elbowed him.
"We were working on a project," the Skipper finished, and the two sat down, not divulging what their project was.
XXX
After dinner, the castaways were still intrigued by the men's project.
"Come on, Skipper! Don't toy with us! After all that treasure chest business, I can't stand this game," Mary Ann said.
"Yes. Come on, Gilligan. What is it, my boy?" Mr. Howell piped up, and the two men grinned at each other. Instead of answering, Skipper beckoned for the six to follow him.
"I won't take credit now, this was all Gilligan's idea," he said, as they went through the jungle to a clearing where they had set up the game.
"Wow! Is that..?" the Professor started to ask, and Gilligan nodded.
"Uh huh! What better use for these balls then for bowling?" Gilligan said proudly. He was happy they all seem to like his idea. For once he wasn't a dummy.
The Professor and the girls got bored with the game quickly, but Mr. Howell, always in mood for a game, played on with his wife and the Skipper. He was only playing to win of course.
"What a marvelous game! I must say, it was rather sporting of you and the others not to keep the money, Captain," he remarked in the second frame.
The Skipper shrugged. "We couldn't, Mr. Howell --- We all thought there was treasure in that chest," he answered.
"I still say it was sporting; stupid, but sporting," the millionaire replied. He didn't understand the people he shared the island with, except his wife of course. They were all too nice. He took his turn and knocked six pins. "Well as I say, a family that bowls together splits," he chuckled, amused at his pun.
Gilligan set up the pins as he took his spare. "See Skipper, I have good ideas too! When can I bowl?" he asked as Skipper got up.
"All right, little buddy, you can take my turn," Skipper answered, and Gilligan jumped off his post barely missing the pins.
"Don't cheat, boy," Mr. Howell scolded as Gilligan raced up.
"Sorry, Mr. Howell. Ready, big buddy?"
"Go."
Gilligan tossed and all the pins fell.
"Hey! Look! My first island strike!" he said, proudly.
XXX
The game finished, and Gilligan was named the winner.
"Good job, but I shall reclaim my victory tomorrow, come, Lovey," Mr. Howell congratulated him as he left with his wife.
"Yes, good job, little buddy. Clean up will you? I'm going to the hut." The Skipper patted his friend's back, and left as well.
Gilligan nodded, and a few minutes later, small bowling lane was cleared. Then taking his diary that had been hidden under a bush nearby, he sat down to write:
Dear Diary,
I discuvared a pirate chest yesterday. we tride to open it but it was no use, I wunder if piretes were her onc. Skipper put in a tree and it finlly smashed open after mr Howell brught it frum us, prafesar had said it bulonged to evryune sinc we shard every theng. it was fulled of canon balls, I gots a grate idee to use them as bowen balls and I even won our first gam. hop
prafesar make me a trofy for it.
your pal
Gilligan