Chapter Nineteen: Red Rose Captain:

A loud sea horn ripped through the morning air. Sappoto-san and I jerked our heads up and looked around.

�What is it?� Sappoto-san yelped. �Are we under attack?� I brushed her off.

�No, no,� I mumbled. �It�s probably just another boat passing by.� I lifted my head for a better look. And sure enough a big luxury sports boat pulled up next to us. The captain blew the horn again. I tried to get a closer look at them.

�They want us to get out of the way,� I said. �I think. I can�t really tell.� I crawled closer to the front for a better look. I looked through the telescope for an extra measure. A man about forty flagged us down. He honked the horn again.

�Sappoto-san, get the light,� I said.

�Huh?� she asked.

�Turn on the light to communicate with him,� I said. It took the poor child a minute to get what I was saying. She nodded at me as she stood up.

�Okay�� she mumbled. She walked over the big spotlight. I hope she understands what to do. But, for better measure�

�Follow my instructions with this,� I said.

�Okay,� she said. I just have to wave it with her from here.

�Ahoy!� the captain flashed with his lights.

�Flash on, �What do you want?�� I told Sappoto-san.

�How do I do that?� she asked.

�Just follow my lead,� I said. I told her how to flash on and off the lights to communicate to the other boat.

W-h-a-t d-o y-o-u w-a-n-t?

W-h-o a-r-e y-o-u?

J-u-s-t t-w-o t-r-a-v-e-l-l-e-r-s o-n t-h-e s-e-a.

A-r-e y-o-u l-o-s-t?

N-o. W-h-o a-r-e y-o-u?

C-a-p-t-a-i-n S-h-i-m-a-m-o-t-o.

�Captain Shimamoto?� I asked to myself.

�Look!� Sappoto-san said. �He�s flashing his light again.� We looked up and watched him speak again.

D-o y-o-u h-a-v-e a-n-y-w-h-e-r-e t-o g-o?

N-o.

C-o-m-e w-i-t-h m-e.

W-h-y?

G-o-i-n-g s-o-m-e-w-h-e-r-e?

M-a-y-b-e.

P-u-l-l u-p t-o s-h-o-r-e.

W-h-e-r-e t-o?

F-o-l-l-o-w m-e.

The sports boat led us all the way to a beach. We docked at the harbor and got off near a fishing store. This man looked like a rich business executive. His white suit looked like a professional sea captain. Even the shiny gold buttons on his cuffs looked sharp. I walked forward with a smile on my face.

�So, Captain Shimamoto,� I said. �We meet at last.� He gave us a good look up and down.

�You are quite young,� he said. �And you are?�

�I am Miho and this is my friend, Sappoto-san,� I said. Sappoto-san gave him a nervous little wave from behind me. Shimamoto gave us a broad, warm smile.

�Nice to meet you ladies,� he said. We all bowed to each other. I straightened up and looked around.

�So, where are we?� I asked.

�Taiwan,� the captain answered. Sappoto-san and I stared dead-on at him.

�Taiwan?!?� we almost shouted.

�That�s right,� he said. I took another look around the dock. Made sense with all of the Chinese/Taiwanese writing on the signs.

�I see,� I said. Suddenly, my stomach began to rumble. Sappoto-san and the captain looked around for the source of the sound.

�What was that?� Shimamoto asked. I gave off a nervous chuckle.

�Uh� what�s for breakfast?� I asked. The captain gave me a puzzled look on his face.

�You haven�t eaten yet?� he asked. We shook our heads.

�No�� I mumbled. A moment of silence passed before he gave us a huge grin.

�Come to my house,� he said. �My wife always prepares a breakfast fit for a captain of the mighty seas!� I clapped my hands together.

�Sounds good to me!� I said. �Let�s go!� The captain held up his hands.

�Easy there, miss,� he said. �Let me log in my boat first and then we can get going.� I pressed my lips together and bowed my head.

�I understand,� I said.

�This will only take me one moment,� he said. �Excuse me.� He bowed and went to the information station. Sappoto-san nudged me on the arm.

�Yeah?� I whispered to her. She looked at me with slight unease.

�You sure this is a good idea?� she whispered. I gently brushed her off.

�It�s free food,� I said. �So stop complaining.� Sappoto-san bit her lower lip and looked at the ground.

�If you say so�� she mumbled. I shook my head to myself.

�You really need some self-confidence,� I said.

�If you say so,� she said again. I fought to keep a poker face this time. After that exchange, the captain returned to us with a grin.

�Ready to go?� he asked.

�Yes sir,� I said.

�Follow me,� he said. Then, he walked down the path into town. I nodded as my stomach took over my brain.

�Yes sir,� I repeated. I marched out to get the food. Sappoto-san had to race after me to keep up.