Green Can 5

Billie often talked Jamie into his adventures.

"All right," their Dad said. "What's your story this time?"

Didn't look like he'd let them off the hook "this time."

"The Coast Guard called your Mother," he continued. "When she called me at the office, I had to leave to come down here and collect you two."

Dad managed a division at Electric Boat, where they were pushing to finish the designs for the latest class of missile subs. So the boys knew that being called away in the middle of the day would put Dad in a bad mood.

Particularly being called to the Coast Guard station below Fort Trumbull. Not a good sign.

"Dad, we're fine," Billie started. "And there's no damage to anything. I don't know why they're so upset."

"Oh you don't," Dad snapped. "Let's begin with one of the Cross Sound Ferries notifying the Coast Guard that a kid was standing on one of the navigation markers at the edge of the channel."

"See," Jamie chirped. "I told you that Ferry would cause trouble."

"The Ferry wasn't the cause of the trouble," Dad roared. "You were! And, you can't deny it. Take a look at this picture they took, and tell me what you see."

"Gee, looks like Green Can 5," Billie offered.

"And who would that be standing on it?" Dad asked, all too quietly.

"I guess that would be me," Jamie whispered.

"I can't hear you," Dad snapped.

"That would be me," Jamie said, a little louder. "I'll have to admit they got a better picture than the one I took of Billie when he went first."

"That's what I figured," Dad concluded. "I'm having the Coast Guard hold your boat for two weeks. You clowns can practice your dog paddle."