As Mount Boring Boring was erupting, there was a large yacht slowly sailing past the island. Standing at the rail was a man and a woman, with a young boy about fourteen years old standing between them. They stared in fascination as the volcano erupted before them.
"Wow, I never saw a volcano erupt before, Dad." The young boy said in awe, as he looked at the volcano with his binoculars.
"Neither have I, junior." His Dad replied, looking down at the book in his hand. "It says in this guide book that Boring Boring got its name because it had been dormant its whole life."
"Yes, this makes up for that long boring trip from Australia." The woman added, nodding her head.
"Oh Gracie," The man said, "A long ocean voyage is good for you..."
The yacht's captain walked over, interrupting anything else the man might have said.
"Mister Pinter, sir?"
"Yes, Captain?" Mister Pinter replied, turning from the rail.
"I must insist we put more distance between us and that volcano." He said, "We are much too close for comfort."
"Very well, Captain." Mister Pinter replied, "Let's continue our journey home."
"Yes sir." The captain replied, then left.
"Can't we circle just one more time, Dad?" The boy asked.
"No junior." His Dad said, "The captain thinks it's too dangerous."
"You'll still be able to see the volcano from far away with those binoculars." His mother added.
"I suppose so." Junior replied, crestfallen.
The yacht's motor rumbled and the yacht began to pick up speed. As it rounded an island cove to head to the mainland, Junior Pinter raised his binoculars. As he followed an avalanche on its way down, his eyes caught a glimpse of something in the water.
To his surprise, there was a small boat there, making its way toward shore. He brought the binoculars down and pointed to the boat.
"Mom, Dad look!" Junior exclaimed, "There's a boat!"
"A boat? What is it doing there?" His Dad asked. "Don't they know how dangerous it is?"
"Maybe it's geologists who came to observe the eruption." His wife replied.
The Monkees had climbed up onto the seats to try and keep from getting wet. Sharks were beginning to bump into the boat. Micky grabbed the tape recorder from under the bench and threw it at the nearest shark. It hit its fin and it swerved away. The motor was beginning to sputter as the water began to invade the engine housing.
"We're not gonna make it." Davy whispered.
Peter looked behind him and to his surprise, there was a yacht not too far away!
"Hey, it's a boat! We're saved!" He yelled, standing up on the bench, "HEY! HELP!" He yelled, waving his arms.
Micky and Davy yelled too, while Mike concentrated on keeping the motor running.
Junior brought the binoculars up to his eyes once again. This time he focused on the boat. To his shock, it seemed the people in the boat were in trouble. Their boat was clearly sinking fast, and the men on board were waving at them!
"Those people are in trouble!" He shouted, "Their boat is sinking!"
"What?" His Dad replied. He took the binoculars from his son and took a look.
"You're right, junior." He said, then called out to the captain, who came running.
"What's the matter, sir?" He asked.
"Turn this yacht around and launch a rescue boat. There's a boat out there that's about to sink."
"Yes sir." The captain replied, then ran off to give the orders.
Junior took the binoculars from his Dad and looked once again.
"Those men look familiar..." He said quietly.
The yacht swung around as fast as it could, as the crew members got ready to launch the small powerboat attached to its side.
On the Monkees' boat, the four men watched with relief as the yacht turned toward them.
"We're saved!" Peter shouted.
Mike tried to turn the boat back toward the yacht, but just then the motor died.
"Not if they don't get here in time, Peter." Mike replied.
"We can't get too close to shore, Mr. Pinter." The captain told him, "The water is too shallow. But we'll have the powerboat ready soon."
"Hurry!" Junior told him forcefully, "I think I know those men."
"You do?" His mom asked.
"They're the Monkees." Junior replied, "They once appeared on the Captain Crocodile show."
"Oh, I remember that." His dad said, shaking his head, "I gave you that show for your birthday."
"Yeah, but that Captain Crocodile was such a loser." Junior replied.
"What a coincidence that those boys would be here." His Mom remarked.
"Full stop!" The captain, who was standing at the bow, called out to his first mate.
"Full stop, aye sir!" The first mate replied.
"We're as close as we can get, Mr. Pinter." The Captain told him, "We're launching the boat."
As he spoke, the crew was lowering the motor boat to the water with a winch. Two crewmen climbed aboard as it touched the water.
"I want to come with them." Junior said, starting to run toward the boat.
"No, Junior stay here." His dad said, "It could be dangerous."
Junior frowned but walked back over to his parents.
The water was almost over the lip of the Monkees' boat as the Pinter's powerboat zoomed over to them. The four men had tried bailing, but the water was simply coming in too fast.
Now, the water engulfed their boat and it slid away under them, dropping the Monkees into the water. They grabbed onto each other, and managed to keep their heads above water. Fortunately, only a few seconds later, a crewman from Pinter's boat threw them life preservers.
"Stay calm, we'll have you on board in a minute." He said.
"Stay calm?" Micky exclaimed, "There are sharks in the water!"
Peter cried out as a shark brushed his leg. "Get us out of here! Please!"
The two crewmen grabbed the men and pulled them aboard as fast as possible. As Mike scrambled aboard, a shark, sensing a meal getting away, grabbed his pant leg! It then tried to pull him back into the water!
"Oh no you don't!" Davy cried, leaning down and punching the shark in the eye.
With a roar, the shark pulled away, ripping a large piece of cloth from Mike's pant leg, and cutting his leg in the process. Davy then helped pull Mike into the boat once again.
"Thanks, Davy." Mike gasped, grabbing his leg.
"Just repaying a debt, mate." Davy smiled.
"Are you gentlemen alright?" One of the crewmen asked.
"We are now." Peter said, brushing the wet hair from his eyes, "But Mike's going to need some help."
"You're lucky we were in the area," The other crewman said as he started the boat's motor, "Otherwise, you'd be shark food."
"Your coming has been the first bit of good luck we've had in days." Davy replied.
The crewman nodded and set the boat back toward the yacht.
Once they were helped aboard the yacht, the Monkees got another surprise when they saw Junior Pinter standing there waiting for them.
"I was right, you are the Monkees!" He exclaimed.
"Junior Pinter?" Micky asked.
"Yes, and welcome aboard my parents' yacht, The Surprise." He replied.
The Monkees could only look at each other.
"This is too much." Davy said, "Ok, where is he?"
"Where is who, young man?" Mister Pinter asked, walking over to his son.
"Captain Crocodile." Davy replied. "He lured us to Boring Boring and forced us to run for our lives while he filmed it, and now we just happened to get rescued by you lot."
"What are you talking about?" Junior replied.
"We're just returning from a long, and might I add, boring cruise from Australia." Mrs. Pinter added, "We stopped to watch the volcano erupt when Junior spotted your boat sinking."
"So this isn't another part of his game?" Mike asked, looking around.
"I think you gentlemen better come into the lounge." Junior said, "And tell us what is going on."
The Monkees agreed and followed the Pinters inside. Once there, Mr. Pinter told the Captain to get them underway again.
"We're having a bit of trouble with the winch, sir." He replied, "We can't get the powerboat aboard. It'll only take a few minutes to fix, then we can leave."
"Very well." Mister Pinter replied.
Inside the spacious lounge just a few steps from the deck, the Monkees were given blankets and hot coffee. A crewman put a bandage around Mike's leg. Then, they began to tell the whole story of how they had been tricked into coming to Boring Boring and forced to perform for his `reality' TV show or die.
"I can't believe this." Mr. Pinter said, shaking his head, "I knew he was a bit unstable, but this..."
"I wonder if Judy getting shot has anything to do with this." Junior wondered as he stood at the lounge door leading onto the deck.
"Judy your secretary?" Micky asked.
Junior nodded sadly. "Yes, every few days my Dad receives radio messages from his office. Yesterday, he was told Judy had been shot at her desk."
"Is she ok?" Mike asked.
"Last we had heard she was. Fortunately, the janitor found her and called the ambulance." Mister Pinter replied, "He's going to medical school and was able to stem the bleeding until the paramedics came."
"That's good." Peter replied, "She's must've been in on the Captain's plot. She gave us the resort tickets."
"And no doubt typed that letter to us too." Davy added, "Using KXIU stationary to make it all seem legit."
"Well, it's all over now." Micky said in the silence, "He and Howie probably died in that avalanche."
"Yes, he will not be bothering you gentlemen ever again." Junior replied.
"Think so, Junior?" A harsh voice said behind him.
Junior spun around to see the dirty, bloody and ragged figure of Captain Crocodile standing there, his hunter's outfit in tatters. There was a knife in his hand.
Chapter 16
Chapter 18
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