text: [Themes: ship wreck, pirate, treasure hunt, nautical, ship]
  
  > Look around
  A lot of the things kept in the hold are just ballast, but there are a few items of interest. Fore from here is the rest of the hold, and stairs lead up to the lower deck.
  
  The captain eyes you expectantly.
  
  Despite the height of the water, you can still just barely reach the iron strongbox.
  
  > ascend
  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.
  
  The captain scurries along after you.
  
  > Inventory
  You are carrying:
  an iron key
  a commodious sack
  a green glass bottle
  a flintlock pistol
  
  > Aft
  This was the map room originally, and then it became a kind of general storage space, and then it was picked almost clean by various deserters.
  
  The flag box stands nearby.
  
  In the center of the room is the map table; sitting on top is a sextant.
  
  There's a barrel over in the corner.
  
  The rising water has reached your ankles.
  
  The captain scurries along after you.
  
  > look in the barrel
  When you peek under the barrel you discover an ancient-looking oil lamp.
  
  "That's gotta be worth something!" according to the captain, so you toss it in the bag.
  
  Now the water is lapping at your shins.
  
  > Fore
  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.
  
  > Fore
  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 darts ahead to take stock of the situation.
  
  > get the hardtack
  Taken.
  
  You wince as the waters climb up around your hips.
  
  > 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.
  
  The water is up to your waist.
  
  The captain scurries along after you.
  
  > 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.
  
  There's a silver locket lying on the deck.
  
  The captain scurries along after you.
  
  > get 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.
  
  Now the water is up to your chest.
  
  > get the handkerchief
  You yank on the handkerchief, but it stays lodged in the wall; it's tied on from the other side.
  
  > 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 is a gold medallion.
  
  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.
  
  > examine the bed
  The captain enjoys the privilege of sleeping in a human-sized bed, rather than a rat-sized bed, or a hammock. It's a nice-looking bed, too.
  
  On the captain's bed is a silk pillow.
  
  > look under the bed
  You stoop down to check under the captain's bed, and turn up a curvy shell, bigger than your hand.
  
  "That's a nautilus," Verdeterre explains. "You oughta see one when the squishy part is still inside. It's a sight that'd keep you up at night, let me tell you. Anyway, let's try and sell it."
  
  You stuff the nautilus shell into the sack.
  
  > Fore
  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.
  
  > get 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.
  
  > Fore
  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.
  
  A hand mirror is lying on the floor.
  
  The water glides over the decks and soon it is up to your ankles.
  
  The captain scurries along after you.
  
  > get the mirror
  You pick up the mirror, and Verdeterre motions for you to point it at him. He checks to make sure he's wearing his hat at an appropriately jaunty angle. He nods in approval.
  
  You stuff the hand mirror into the sack.
  
  Now the water is up to your shins.
  
  > get the dagger
  You pull on the handle of the dagger, but it remains stuck in the mast.
  
  "Hey, that was Saad's, right?" Verdeterre asks. "What happened to him?"
  
  "I think you told him you were going to kill him, so he ran away," you say.
  
  He frowns. "Man, I think you're right. Wow. I shoulda been nicer."
  
  Your knees are underwater now.
  
  > 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.
  
  There might be about a foot of water over the main deck now.
  
  The captain scampers up the lines ahead of you.
  
  > get the brass
  It's a miniature crown, maybe the size of a tablespoon.
  
  "That!" Verdeterre shrieks. "That is important. Put that in the sack. Do not lose that."
  
  You stuff the tiny brass crown into the sack.
  
  The deck below is still sinking.
  
  > give the hardtack to the seagull
  The seagull doesn't seem interested.
  
  By now the main deck is under about three feet of water.
  
  > look at the seagull
  The seagull seems to look straight back at you, a challenge in its eye. It has a gold watch clutched in its talons. Or do they count as talons if they're webbed?
  
  "Seagulls! Vermin of the sea! I hate them," the captain grumbles.
  
  > show hardtack to the seagull
  The seagull is unimpressed.
  
  By now the main deck is under about three feet of water.
  
  > 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.
  
  By now the main deck is under about three feet of water.