text: [Themes: money, ship wreck, strong NPCs]
  
  > Go downward
  The lower deck is quite a bit homier than the hold, and in fact actually smells somewhat pleasant. The galley is fore, and the map room is aft. Stairs lead down to the hold and up to the main deck.
  
  A portrait of your captain hangs on one wall.
  
  Lying on the floor is a wooden doll.
  
  There's a large wooden crate here, because there was no room for it anywhere else.
  
  Your knees are covered by the rising waves.
  
  The captain scurries along after you.
  
  > F.
  This room used to be the domain of Blaise, the ship's cook. Now the cabinets are empty, and the room is in a state of rapidly sinking disrepair.
  
  On top of one cabinet is a piece of hardtack.
  
  Hanging on the wall is an old violin.
  
  Now the water is up to your thighs.
  
  The captain rushes ahead of you, since coming here was his idea.
  
  > get the violin
  "Sure was nice of Blaise to leave that behind for us," Verdeterre sniggers.
  
  You stuff the violin into the sack.
  
  The water is up to your waist.
  
  > eat the hardtack
  Before tucking into the hardtack, you look over at your captain. He nods in approval, and you scarf the whole thing down.
  
  Now the water is up to your chest.
  
  > Aft
  The lower deck is quite a bit homier than the hold, and in fact actually smells somewhat pleasant. The galley is fore, and the map room is aft. Stairs lead down to the hold and up to the main deck.
  
  A portrait of your captain hangs on one wall.
  
  There's a large wooden crate here, because there was no room for it anywhere else.
  
  Now the water is up to your chest.
  
  The captain darts ahead to take stock of the situation.
  
  > get the ambergris
  Captain Verdeterre wrinkles his nose. "What on earth is that thing? I don't like the looks of it."
  
  You hold onto it anyway.
  
  You stretch out your neck as the waters close over your shoulders.
  
  The crate disappears under the water, and the horrible smell starts to fade away.
  
  > Go upwards
  The sea stretches out in all directions. There is no land in sight.
  
  You can worry about that later, though. Fore is the mainmast, aft is the captain's quarters, upstairs is the quarterdeck, and downstairs is the lower deck.
  
  A silk handkerchief hangs from the aft bulkhead.
  
  The captain darts ahead to take stock of the situation.
  
  > Aft
  Here is where the captain sleeps, where he eats, where he does his deep thinking. Most of this happens in his bed. Hung on one wall is a shelf, set aside for the captain's favorite objects.
  
  A pin is sticking out of the forward bulkhead, holding up the handkerchief outside.
  
  On the captain's bed is a silk pillow.
  
  On the shelf are a gold medallion and an iron key.
  
  The captain darts ahead to take stock of the situation.
  
  > get the medallion
  You give the medallion a quick once-over and ask Verdeterre, "What did you do to earn this?"
  
  "I stole it."
  
  You stuff the gold medallion into the sack.
  
  > look at the medallion
  The medal shines so brightly that you cannot doubt it is real gold. The face has been stamped with the image of an angry-looking lion.
  
  > look at the shelf
  The captain had this shelf set up to display the most beloved of his possessions that he was able to keep track of.
  
  On the shelf is an iron key.
  
  > get the shelf
  That's hardly portable.
  
  > listen to the shell
  You hear nothing unexpected.
  
  The water glides over the decks and soon it is up to your ankles.
  
  > throw the shell
  Taken.
  
  If you leave things lying around, you're liable to forget about them entirely.
  
  Now the water is up to your shins.
  
  {A friendly reminder: Substantial resources have been invested in
  the research and implementation of this game's Nautical Vocabulary Notes. If you would like to enable Nautical Vocabulary Notes, please enter the command "ENABLE NAUTICAL VOCABULARY NOTES". Thank you very much.}
  
  > F.
  The sea stretches out in all directions. There is no land in sight.
  
  You can worry about that later, though. Fore is the mainmast, aft is the captain's quarters, upstairs is the quarterdeck, and downstairs is the lower deck.
  
  A silk handkerchief hangs from the aft bulkhead.
  
  Your knees are underwater now.
  
  The captain scurries along after you.
  
  > get the pin
  You pull the pin out from the handkerchief, and it falls between the boards. Now you should be able to retrieve the hanky from the other side of the wall.
  
  Your knees are underwater now.
  
  > F.
  The sea stretches out in all directions. There is no land in sight.
  
  You can worry about that later, though. Fore is the mainmast, aft is the captain's quarters, upstairs is the quarterdeck, and downstairs is the lower deck.
  
  A silk handkerchief hangs from the aft bulkhead.
  
  The water rises up around your thighs.
  
  The captain scurries along after you.
  
  > get the hanky
  The captain smiles as you lift up the handkerchief. "Well, boy, I did make a promise, and I keep my promises. The hanky's yours."
  
  You rub the silk between your fingers, and remark by way of expressing your gratitude that it's a very fine prize.
  
  The captain nods. "You're right about that. Actually, it's probably too fine. Yes, you'd better put it in with the other loot so we can sell it later. Good idea."
  
  You stuff the silk handkerchief into the sack.
  
  Now the water reaches your hips.
  
  > F.
  The mainmast is lodged in the deck here, near the middle of the ship. It's somewhat like the ship's belly button. Fore is the capstan, aft are the stairs to the lower deck, and up at the top of the mainmast is the top.
  
  The point of an exotic-looking dagger is lodged in the mast.
  
  The rising waves climb up to your waist.
  
  The captain darts ahead to take stock of the situation.
  
  > examine the point
  The handle is finely crafted, and the blade comes to a point in a dramatic curve.
  
  > Go up
  What a dizzying height! The shrouds reach higher, of course, but up here is high enough.
  
  A piece of brass is caught between the boards.
  
  A seagull is perched further out on the rigging.
  
  The sea continues to bury the main deck, inching its way toward you.
  
  The captain scampers up the lines ahead of you.
  
  > shoot the seagull
  Your shot goes wide, but the report is enough to make the seagull drop its prize and fly away. The watch falls into the water.
  
  Soon the main deck will be too deep underwater for you to walk around on it.