text: [Themes: pirate, anthropomorphised animals, rat, nautical]
  
  > look around
  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.
  
  The captain eyes you expectantly.
  
  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.
  
  > Search crate
  In the smelly crate is a musky grey lump.
  
  > take the portrait
  Verdeterre sighs. "It'll be a shame to sell off an item of such gorgeousness and sentimentality," he says, "but I suppose these are desperate times."
  
  You stuff the captain's portrait into the sack.
  
  > Y.
  You shove off with all due haste.
  
  > take lamp
  You stuff the oil lamp into the sack.
  
  > shoot shell
  You shoot the nautilus shell, and it shatters. The captain curses at you.
  
  > get on the bed
  Verdeterre jumps between you and the bed. "What do you think you're doing?" he hisses. "We've got wealth to amass!"
  
  > move bed
  That's fine where it is.
  
  > shoot captain
  You couldn't. What would you do without him?
  
  > shoot the pillow
  Your bullet reduces the silk pillow to shreds. The captain curses at you.
  
  > wear it
  First you take the gold medallion.
  
  Taken.
  
  You can't wear that!
  
  > shoot the crystal ball
  You aim and fire, and your bullet (your only bullet) bounces off the crystal ball harmlessly.
  
  Your knees are covered by the rising waves.
  
  {This game includes Nautical Vocabulary Notes for your
  edification. If you would like to enable Nautical Vocabulary Notes, please enter the command "ENABLE NAUTICAL VOCABULARY NOTES". Thank you.}
  
  > shoot strongbox
  You used up your only bullet when you shot that crystal ball.
  
  Now the water is up to your thighs.
  
  The crystal ball disappears as the current sweeps over it.
  
  > F.
  This is the foremost section of the hold, the location of the giant hole that the reef tore in the ship's hull. Water is gushing in at an alarming rate.
  
  The rest of the hold (and the stairs to the decks above) is aft.
  
  A perturbed-looking gorilla skull hangs from a hook on the wall.
  
  In one corner of the room is a pewter goblet.
  
  A thick book lies close by.
  
  Now the water is up to your thighs.
  
  The book sinks out of sight.
  
  The captain darts ahead to take stock of the situation.
  
  > shoot gorilla
  You used up your only bullet when you shot that iron strongbox.
  
  You wince as the waters climb up around your hips.
  
  The goblet is lost in the swirling waters.
  
  > shoot gorilla
  You fire at the skull, which explodes into pieces and is gone forever.
  
  "No! Oh, Charlie!" cries the captain. He looks up at you in disbelief. "What did you do that for?"
  
  Now the water is lapping at your shins.
  
  > 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.
  
  The captain scurries along after you.
  
  > open the cabinet
  The cabinet's door won't budge. It's locked.
  
  Verdeterre rolls his eyes. "Yeah, I have no idea where the key is. Just forget about it."
  
  > shoot the cabinet
  "Good idea!" Verdeterre shouts, as he gets out of the way. You blast away the lock, and the cabinet door falls open.
  
  > look in cabinet
  In the cabinet are a porcelain plate and a pile of silverware.
  
  > take the plate
  "Where did that come from?" Verdeterre mumbles. "Do you think Blaise was holding out on us?"
  
  You stuff the porcelain plate into the sack.
  
  > take the silverware
  Verdeterre nods in approval as you struggle to pick up every fork, knife, and spoon. For him to assist in any way would be unprofessional.
  
  You stuff the pile of silverware into the sack.
  
  > take the violin
  "Sure was nice of Blaise to leave that behind for us," Verdeterre sniggers.
  
  You stuff the violin into the sack.
  
  > get the hardtack
  Taken.
  
  > take the doll
  "You know," says Verdeterre, "that doll gives me an idea. Better take it along."
  
  You stuff the wooden doll into the sack.
  
  The rising water has reached your ankles.
  
  > look in the crate
  In the smelly crate is a musky grey lump.
  
  Now the water is lapping at your shins.
  
  > take the lump
  Captain Verdeterre wrinkles his nose. "What on earth is that thing? I don't like the looks of it."
  
  You hold onto it anyway.
  
  Your knees are covered by the rising waves.
  
  > go upwards
  Ah, open air. 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.
  
  There's a silver locket lying on the deck.
  
  The captain rushes ahead of you, since coming here was his idea.
  
  > take the locket
  "Ooh, jewelry! Good eye, Tibert!" says the captain.
  
  You stuff the silver locket into the sack.
  
  > 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 captain rushes ahead of you, since coming here was his idea.
  
  > take the handkerchief
  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.
  
  > drop the hardtack
  Dropped.
  
  > Wait
  Time passes.
  
  You notice that the waters have just crested over the main deck.
  
  > Wait
  Time passes.
  
  The water continues to rise down on the main deck.
  
  > Sing
  "Au clair de la lune, something, something..." Hmm.
  
  > throw the hardtack at the gull
  (first taking the piece of hardtack)
  You lack the nerve when it comes to the crucial moment.
  
  You notice that the waters have just crested over the main deck.
  
  > give the hardtack to the gull
  The seagull doesn't seem interested.
  
  The water continues to rise down on the main deck.