
Walter's boat
bobbed up and down on the waves. It chugged across the harbor as it did
every day. Walter held a stick in his hand. The hook on the end snagged
rubbish, which Walter put in a bag and took back to shore later on. He
also kept his eye open for seals and sea birds that might be hurt.
Walter did a
little fishing each day, hoping to catch enough to feed his family for
supper. He kept a box of ice on deck to put them in. Today he had caught
ten fish. His family would eat in style tonight.
The next day
Walter chugged out to sea. His gaze wandered to the horizon. Black
clouds built against the blue sky. "A storm is coming." Even though he
knew danger was looming ahead, he went in search of seals. He found one
caught in a plastic bag. After cutting the plastic away, the seal swam
off.
Waves pounded
against Walter's boat. "I'd better hurry back to shore." He turned the
boat around and it chugged away, but not fast enough. The waves sloshed
over onto the deck, soaking Walter's feet. The boat rocked back and
forth and the fish slipped out of the box of ice and slid across,
landing near Walter's feet.
Higher and
higher went the waves. Walter had to hold on to the railing. The boat
started tipping over. Walter put on his life jacket. Wind blew drops of
water into his eyes. Suddenly a huge wave knocked him into the water.
Walter swallowed a lot of water and coughed and choked. He thought he
would drown. Waves went over his head.
Something bumped
into his leg. "What is that?" He looked down, wiped his eyes and saw the
seal that he'd helped earlier. The seal nudged Walter. He grabbed the
seal's tail. It swam with him back to shore. Walter stood on the wet
sand and waved goodbye to the seal. He walked home knowing his family
would have no fish tonight.
The next morning
Walter went down to the beach. His boat sat bobbing on the waves. The
storm had passed. A rope was tied to the boat and the seal held the
other end in its mouth.
Walter climbed
into the boat and it chugged out to sea. He smiled and breathed some
clean sea air and then went to look for seals and sea birds in need of
his help.