Constance And The Dangerous Load
Like any other day, Constance started her own regular safety patrol. She watched out for anything dangerous in the Big Harbour. This is a job that Constance takes really seriously.
"I can't let anything go wrong," thought Constance, not joking at all. That afternoon, Constance watched some of the tugboats towing in a big oil tanker. Constance kept a sharp eye on the ship. "Why is Constance watching us?" asked Hank. "Constance," explained Foduck is watching this ship. If anything goes wrong, it will not be a pretty sight."
Constance continued watching the ship, even after Foduck and Hank successfully docked it. "Good job," Constance said, seriously. "Thanks," Hank said nervously. After the ship was safely secured, Foduck and Hank left for their next jobs. But it wasn't long that Hank decided to say something.
"Hey, Foduck," said Hank. "What?" asked Foduck, "Is it a joke?" "Not really," replied Hank. "What's black and sooty?" asked Hank, "And they look like little black puffballs?" "What?" asked Foduck. "Soot sprites!" answered Hank. "I know I'm familiar with those," Foduck replied.
The two continued on and Constance looked at the oil tanker one last time before she left to continue on with her harbour patrol. At the Great Ocean Dock, Theodore, George and Emily were all resting, preparing to bring in a big ship in a few hours. They all saw Constance together.
"She sure takes her patrolling job seriously," said Theodore. "She does," agreed Emily. "Yes, I'm aware of that," said George. "Well, Constance is only doing her job," said Theodore, "And we will, too."
"Mostly Theodore in a few days," George said, "Since he's been given his first assignment way out in the open ocean." "Theodore had been excited about that at first," said Emily, "But it looks like he's going to have everything under control." "I know so," said George. The tugboats were silent when Constance floated by their dock.
"Hey," said Theodore. "Hello," Constance replied, then continued on with her patrol. "I'd think we'd better not bother her right now," whispered George. Then Constance asked, "Theodore, may I please talk with you?" "Ok," agreed Theodore and he tagged along with Constance. "I wonder where they are going together," George said.
"Who knows?" Emily replied. Theodore followed Constance for a few minutes. Then Constance spoke. "So, Theodore," she began. "Yes?" Theodore replied. "So you're now an official ocean tug, right," Constance said. "Yes," replied Theodore, "I got my own V-Word!" "I see," said Constance, "Now don't get too cocky."
"I know," said Theodore, "I can take care of myself now." "Good," said Constance, "So Theodore, your first ocean assignment will be coming up in a few days." "I know that," said Theodore, "I can take care of it." "Then I wish you good luck," said Constance. "Thanks," said Theodore, "Not today however."
Constance smiled. Theodore and Constance floated together for a little bit longer, not exchanging any conversation at all. Then Theodore turned back to his dock. When the ship arrived, Theodore, George and Emily set out to bring in the ship. "Let's go!" said George, who was in front. "Ok," agreed Theodore, pulling from the middle.
"I'm with you!" responded Emily, who was at the back. The three tugboats began to tow in the ship named Caroline who was loaded with crates. With the pilot boats watching the tugboats, everything ran like clockwork.
The tugboats passed Constance who was finishing up her patrol for the day. "Thanks for the chat," Theodore said to Constance as they continued on. "You're welcome," replied Constance. Then Constance noticed hissing sound coming from one of the crates on Caroline's deck.
"What's going on?" Constance asked to herself. The tugboats were almost near Willy's Island when Theodore called out, "Does anyone hear a hissing noise?" "No," replied George.
"I hear it too," said Caroline. "Me too," said Emily. Constance knew what would happen as she saw fire coming out from one of the crates. "Everyone!" shouted Constance, "Get away from there!" The pilot boats immediately stopped.
"George!" shouted Theodore as he turned on his siren, "Stop! Listen to Constance." He unbutton his towrope and drove away. Emily did the same thing too. "All right," agreed George.
He tried to untie his towrope, but something happened. He tried to get away, but he couldn't. "My rope is stuck on something!" shouted George. Then the crate that caught fire burst into flames. "Oh no!" cried Caroline. "Fire!" shouted Theodore.
Back in the harbour, Foduck and Hank were getting ready to move a barge when Foduck heard Theodore's siren.
"There's trouble!" said Foduck, turning on his safety equipment. "Theodore," said Hank. "Hank!" said Foduck, "Get a water hose barge and meet me near Willy's Island!" "Ok," replied Hank as Foduck turned on his emergency horn.
The tugboats saw the flames on Caroline's deck getting bigger and bigger. Constance knew what were in the crates that caught fire. "Those crates were carrying hydrogen canisters!" shouted Constance, "Something set them on fire!"
"What?!" replied Theodore and Emily. "Here I go again!" cried George, unable to get away. Then Foduck arrived. "I'm here!" he cried, "Of course, a fire! I'll take it from here! And Theodore, good use of your siren!" "Thanks," replied Theodore, continue blasting his siren, "But get George away from there now!" "Right!" agreed Foduck.
He turned to George. "You have no choice," said Foduck, "You'll have to abandon your towrope!" "All right," agreed George and he let go of his towrope. Foduck immediately tied his towropes onto George and pulled him to safety. "Way to go!" cried the tugboats and pilot boats.
After Foduck got George to safety, he immediately started spraying the ship's deck with his fire fighting hose. Then Hank arrived with a water barge. "Theodore," said Foduck, "I need you to put the fire out with me using that barge." "All right!" agreed Theodore. "Go for it, Theodore," said Hank as he handed the barge to Theodore. "I'll be all right," said Theodore, "Stay safe. That's what Foduck always says."
"Ok," agreed Hank as Theodore got the barge into position. Then he used the water hoses to help Foduck put out the fire on Caroline's deck. "We have to save this ship!" cried Foduck. "Agreed," replied Theodore, "Thanks for teaching me how to use this barge last week!" "No problem!" replied Foduck. Then there was a bang on Caroline's deck. "An explosion!" cried Foduck. One of the hydrogen canisters had been blown away by the explosion was flying towards Constance. Constance gasped in horror, as the canister was about to hit her.
"Constance!" shouted Theodore, as he stopped what he was doing, loosen his anchor, and swung it around. He aimed and quick as a blink, threw his anchor at the hydrogen canister, breaking in half, and saving Constance. Everyone gasped again. Theodore continued helping Foduck fighting the fire.
"Theodore," said Constance, "Thanks." In a few minutes, the fire had been extinguished. Caroline had been saved. "We did it," said Theodore, relived.
"Yes," agreed Foduck. Caroline was unhurt, but she was scared. Foduck looked at one of the surviving crates and he made a discovery. "It appears that these hydrogen canisters are old and leaky," he said, "Unable to contain hydrogen completely." Everyone gasped.
"I didn't know that," said Caroline. "I've also discovered an old active electrical circuit board," Foduck continued on, "It had been giving off electrical sparks." "So it was improperly packaged cargo that started this fire," said Emily.
"That's right," said Foduck. "Thanks for saving me again," said George, scared, but unhurt. "You're welcome," said Foduck, "Sorry that you'd had to loose your towrope. I promise to get you a new one." "That's okay," said George, "I'm just thankful that nobody got hurt. I'm-"
"No need to say anymore," said Foduck. Then Constance floated up to Theodore. "Theodore," she said. "Yes?" replied Theodore. "Thank you for saving me," said Constance. "You're my friend, Constance," smiled Theodore, "I can't let you get hurt by an old bottle."
"It's a, luckily, empty hydrogen canister," corrected Constance, "Again, I thank you with my heart. And I wish you good luck on your ocean assignment. One day, I'll repay my debt." "You don't need to. But you're welcome," smiled Theodore, "We're glad to have you on our team. If you hadn't noticed the smoke coming from one of those crates, we would have brought in a burning ship."
"Ok," agreed Constance, "I was just." "Looking out for all of us," interrupted Hank, "Thank you." "I'm grateful to live in the Great Big Harbour with all of you!" said Constance. "We are!" agreed Pearl and Petra. "Yes!" agreed Emily. Theodore said, "Constance, let's hang out again." "Yes," replied Constance.
First, the tugboats took Caroline to the repair docks to have her checked out for any further damages. All of the remaining hydrogen in the canisters were safely removed and emptied into new tanks. Theodore and Constance decided to hang out together after they've finished for the day.
"Constance," said Theodore, "Can I tell you about my first days?" "Of course," answered Constance. The other tugboats saw the two talking together. "They really are great friends now," said Hank. "Yes," agreed George, Emily and Foduck.