After several days filled with practicing their rope throwing and hook tossing and other secret pirating techniques garnered from books and magazines, Captain Bunting spied another ship. This one was much smaller than the last ship, but it was still a towering mass of steel that plowed effortless through the waves.

    The captain turned his small boat directly in the path of the oncoming vessel and brought the two boats so close they were almost touching. At the precisely right moment, he gave the signal to Clarence who expertly hurled his rope with all his might right up and over the railing of the passing ship. The two ships bumped and grinded together as Clarence struggled to hold on.

    The giant ship was moving very quickly and before Clarence could lash his rope, he was lifted clear off the bow of the Golden Butterfly and dangled precariously just above the water as the two boats drifted apart.

    After several moments of straining to hang on to the rope, Clarence let go and dropped into the teeming waters and began to thrash about helplessly.
    "He can't swim!" the captain hollered. "Quick get the pole!"
    "What do you mean he can't swim!" Billy said as leapt forward grabbing the pole as he went.
    "He never learned when he was a boy," the captain said.
    "What's he doing on a boat, then!?"
    "Living out his dreams!" the captain said as he brought the Golden Butterfly around.

    Just as Clarence was disappearing beneath the waves, Little Billy reached out with the pole and with an dexterous hooking motion, hooked old Clarence under the belt pulled him to the safety of their little boat.

    Billy had never seen such ineptitude in all his life. "You nearly killed him!" he yelled at the captain.
    "What? Clarence? Nah . . . he's fine," the captain said giving Clarence a reassuring pat on the back. Aren't Clarence?"
Clarence coughed up some seawater and nodded hesitantly.
    "See," the captain said, "Perfectly fine."
    "He nearly drowned," Billy said.
    "Yes," the captain said, "I suppose he did nearly drown but he also very nearly made it on board. You must look on the bright side of things, Billy."
    "You're going to get us all killed!" Billy said.
    "Now, Billy, what did I say about your attitude!"
    "But you're crazy thinking you can pirate a ship forty seven times your size. You need to start small, maybe a kayak or a canoe."
    "But kayaks are so hard to spot in the open ocean and there's not much by way of gold to be found aboard most canoes."
    "Maybe you should consider a bigger boat," Billy suggested.
    "Hmm," the captain said stroking his ragged beard, "perhaps you are onto something there. But I am firm believer that anything anyone dreams can true, anything at all."