Rumble's Swashbuckling Treasure

Rumble the rhino wasn't like the other stuffed animals. While they snoozed in the toy box, Rumble dreamed of salty sea air, tall ships, and swashbuckling adventures. He longed to be a brave pirate captain.

One sunny morning, a flash of green feathers fluttered through the open window. It was Pip, a cheerful parrot with an eye for adventure. In his beak, he carried a crinkly, old map! "Squawk! Treasure, Captain Rumble!" he chirped.

Rumble's button eyes widened. A real treasure map! He and Pip unrolled it carefully on the rug. A dotted line led past a strange, wobbly mountain and ended with a big "X" on a place called "Sandbox Island." "To the backyard sea!" Rumble declared bravely.

Captain Rumble and his first mate, Pip, needed a ship. The trusty red wagon was perfect! With a bedsheet for a sail and a broom for a mast, they were ready. "Hoist the sails!" Rumble commanded.

"Land ahoy!" squawked Pip from his perch on top of the broom-mast. He pointed a wing towards the sandbox at the far end of the yard. "Sandbox Island, straight ahead, Captain!"

Their wagon-ship crunched ashore on the sandy beaches of the island. A giant sprinkler that looked like a palm tree swayed in the breeze. "The map says the treasure is buried right here," said Rumble, pointing a hoof at the sand.

Rumble grabbed a big yellow shovel, and Pip found a little blue one. They dug and dug, sending sand flying everywhere. *Scoop, scoop, scoop!* went their shovels as they searched for the buried treasure.

*Clank!* Rumble's shovel hit something hard. "I've found it!" he trumpeted with glee. He and Pip brushed away the sand to reveal the top of a small, wooden box with a rusty lock.

With a mighty heave, Rumble pulled the treasure chest out of the sand. He and Pip gathered close as he lifted the heavy lid. What amazing pirate treasure could be inside?

The chest wasn't filled with gold coins. It was filled with something even better! Dozens of smooth, shiny sea-glass jewels in every color and, right in the middle, the most magnificent, squeaky, golden rubber ducky in the whole world! "Hooray!" cheered Captain Rumble. "It's the best treasure ever!"