Theodore the Victorious and Hank the Volcano
It was a bright sunny day in the Great Big Harbour. Theodore and Hank were waking up from their sleep. They were excited as today, they are finally going to become ocean tugs and get their own V-Words. "I can't wait to become an ocean tug," Theodore said. He was very excited.
Hank was up, too. "It's going to be very exciting," he said and he raced his engine very loud. "Hank," said Theodore, "Keep it down." But Hank already woke up George. "Hank," said George sleepily, but grumpily, "Turn that thing off now! I need my beauty sleep."
But Hank didn't listen. Though he turned off his engine, he kept thinking about going out in the open ocean. He was excited. So was Theodore, but he knew that being a fully trained ocean tugboat takes responsibility. He knew the responsibility.
It was time for the morning briefing. All the tugboats gathered around the Dispatcher for their jobs for the day.
"Good morning," said the Dispatcher, "I would like to announce for Theodore and Hank that this day would be the day they finally become ocean tugboats and get their V-words." All the tugboats tooted and cheered and raced their engines. Hank raced his engine the loudest of all.
"However," the Dispatcher continued, "This may be the only chance they have. The next possible chance may be a long time from now. So Theodore, Hank, I want you two to be careful. If you want to become ocean tugs today, you have to follow the rules. Understand me?" The two tugs said yes.
But Hank was thinking about the wonderful places and destinations he would be seeing. Theodore was thinking about helping others. He knew ocean tugboats have big responsibility. He learned that from his adventures he had.
So Theodore was given his jobs and he and Hank set to work. The other tugboats had their jobs and so they set to work. "I know what I'll be!" said Hank, "Hank the Volcano! Roar! Roar!" "But I can't decide what I'll be," said Theodore. "Oh, it can't be that hard," said Hank.
So, Theodore and Hank collected their barges and set to work.
Meanwhile, George was out near the ocean just cruising around. "Ah, what a nice breeze it is right now," he said to himself, "Nothing can spoil this moment. Not even Hank or"- just before he said another word, he banged into a ship. "Oh what is this?" he asked to himself. It was Catherine, the big container ship. "Uh, hello," said Catherine.
"Well, a big ship that," said George, but before he said another word, he remember the time he and Theodore were towing her in. "I better get another tug to help me," said George, "You wait here." George set off back to the harbour to get Theodore.
George found Theodore moving a container barge into a loading dock. "Oh, hey, George," said Theodore the moment he saw, George. "Theodore," called out George, "Finish your job first! Then we'll work on another one together!" "Okay," replied Theodore.
After Theodore finished moving the container barge, he helped George to tow in Catherine. "Keep up the good job," said George, "And you'll earn your V-word soon enough." "Thanks, George," Theodore said. "I think this may be interesting," thought Catherine.
In a few minutes, Theodore and George had finished moving Catherine to her dock, and immediately, a loading crane set to work. "Thanks, Theodore," said George. "No problem," replied Theodore as he left to move Bayswater barge.
As George was about to set off with his next job, Hank puffed up to him. "Hey, George!" said Hank, "Look at what I found!" "What did you find, Hank?" asked George. "A candle," said Hank, and on his deck, he had what appears to be a large red candle. That's what Hank thinks.
"Interesting," said George. "Do you want it?" asked Hank. "I'll take a look at it," said George. So Hank gave George the (quote) candle (unquote), and they left for their next jobs. "These barrels are really heavy," Hank said as he towed Brunswick barge, carrying a load of rusty old oil drums to the nearby dump. "Even though they are empty." Hank struggled to tow the barge to their destination.
Meanwhile, Theodore helped Foduck and Shelburne to remove the remains of an old sailing ship from Maroon Bay. "How long has this ship been underwater?" asked Theodore. "For about 200 years," answered Foduck.
"So we're removing a shipwreck," thought Theodore, "Interesting." "Yes," said Shelburne, slowly. Also, George and Emily were moving ships from one dock to another. The day ran like clockwork.
That evening, George, Emily and Foduck were towing Clare with a huge load. "What is Clare carrying?" asked George. "I'm carrying equipment for a new airplane factory," answered Clare. "I see," said George, "Or actually, I can feel it. It's heavy!"
"What do you think I was carrying?" said Clare, "Balloons?" "No," answered Emily. Then there was trouble; The three tugs ended up in a crosscurrent. They began having trouble with Clare as she rocked back and forth with her heavy load. "Action!" cried Foduck. "Roger!" replied Emily. Emily and George set their engines at full power.
But it was too late as the crosscurrents caught Clare and began pushing her towards the Great Ocean Dock. "Oh no!" cried Emily. "This is going to be painful!" cried Foduck. They were getting closer and closer to the dock.
If nothing can stop them from crashing into the docks, they're doomed. "Keep pushing!" called George. But they were pushed even closer to the dock. Theodore and Hank had finished moving Barrington Barge when they saw Clare pushing the tugs towards the Great Ocean Dock.
"Why is Clare pushing the tugs?" asked Hank. Theodore was about to guess when he saw crosscurrents. "Crosscurrents," he said to Hank, "That's why. If we don't stop Clare, everyone is going to get turned into scrap metal."
Theodore and Hank set off to the rescue. Clare was still pushed by the crosscurrents. "Help!" cried the tugs. Any closer to the dock and it's over. Then suddenly, Theodore and Hank showed up. Hank got next to George and pushed as hard as he could. Theodore got in front of the closest piece of the dock and he pushed as hard as ever.
Everyone pushed together, too. But then suddenly, Theodore was pushed against the Great Ocean Dock. "Oh no you don't!" he said. With that, he put a lot of power into his engine. Hank forced his engine into full power as well. Theodore and Hank pushed so hard that black smoke bellowed from their stacks, but they never gave up.
"We can't give up!" groaned Theodore. "Me neither!" groaned Hank. Theodore and Hank struggled and struggled until Clare stopped moving. "Now she can't crash into the docks!" declared Foduck. "That's a relief," said Emily. "Yeah," agreed Theodore.
After the crosscurrents stopped, the tugboats towed Clare to her dock. While George, Emily and Foduck returned to their docks, Theodore and Hank headed off to the repair docks to have their engines inspected.
The following morning, the tugboats were waiting for Theodore and Hank to return. "I hope they're all right," said Emily. "Well," said Foduck, "They really did help us out." "And they've almost damaged their engines while helping us," said George. "Well," said the Dispatcher, "Good news, Theodore and Hank are all right. And they're returning home now!"
"Really?" asked Emily. "Yes," said the Dispatcher. "And we're home now!" announced a familiar voice. The three tugboats turned to see that Theodore and Hank had returned. "Theodore! Hank!" exclaimed the three big tugs. "We're back!" said Theodore. "Yes!" said Hank, "And we've come back home!" "Yes," said Theodore.
The three tugs floated up to Theodore and Hank to welcome them home. However, they saw a familiar sight on the two tugs. "You guys got your own V-words!" said George. "Yes," agreed Theodore. On Hank's gold plate, similar to the three big tugs, there were the words "The Volcano".
"I knew it!" exclaimed Hank, "I'm the volcano! Roar!" "Good for you, Hank," said Emily with pride. "And what about Theodore?" asked Foduck. On Theodore's gold plate, there were the words "The Victorious". "Yes," said Theodore, "I'm the Victorious."
"You two deserve your V-Words," said the Dispatcher, "For helping your friends, as well as us." "Thank you, sir," said Theodore. "And I think I know what you mean by "Us"," said Hank.
They turned to see Donald Dock. "Uh huh," Donald Dock said. "You deserve your V-Words," said the Dispatcher, "Theodore the Victorious and Hank the Volcano." "All right!" cheered all of the tugs. George decided to lit his 'candle'.
"Now we can go out into the open ocean!" shouted Hank. "Right," agreed Theodore, "Well, not today, actually." "Let's go tell everyone!" said Foduck, "And this calls for a celebration." "Right," agreed Theodore and Hank.
So they told everyone in the Big Harbour, from Benjamin Bridge to Digby, Millie, Constance, Rebecca, Northumberland, Owan, Catherine, Kingston, Barrington, Bedford, Blandford, and many others. And they all said "Congratulations, Theodore and Hank."
This made Theodore and Hank really proud. Even the pilot boats were proud for Theodore and Hank.
After that, the tugboats decided to do their own jobs; George left to inspect the remains of the old sailing ship. Theodore and Hank were left on their own.
As they were getting ready to start their next job, Theodore and Hank floated by Phillip and Filmore the ferry twins. "Hi, Phillip," said Theodore to one of the ferry twins. "That's Filmore," replied one of the ferries.
"Oops," said Theodore, "Hello, Filmore." "That's Phillip," replied the other ferry. "Even though I'm an ocean tug," Theodore thought to himself, "I still can't tell those ferries apart." "It's okay," said Hank, "It's a mistake that everyone makes."
"Yeah," said Theodore, "Except for the pilot boats."
Then there was a loud bang. Theodore and Hank steamed over to the loading dock to see what had happened. That's where they found George, looking surprise and he was covered in burn marks.
"Oh," said Hank, meekly. "Hank," said George, crossly, "That wasn't a candle, that was a stick of dynamite!" "Oh," said Hank, "I thought it looked too smooth to be a candle." "Argh!" screamed George, "That was a careless mistake! Really careless!"
"Hank," said Theodore, "Let's leave." "Good idea," said Hank. "Come back here!" yelled George and he chased after the two tugs. Nonetheless, Theodore and Hank still have a lot to learn."I take it that the celebration is off," Foduck said to himself, looking at George.