Baylee was a little girl with bright yellow boots and a brave small heart. She lived on a friendly blue ship called the Poppy Boat. The ship had a red flag, a round bell, and a sleepy white sail.
One sunny morning, Baylee heard, “Ding-ding!”
Prince came running across the deck. Prince was a kind young prince with curly hair and a green coat. He carried a tiny golden map.
“Baylee,” said Prince, “my treasure box is gone!”
“Oh no,” said Baylee.
Inside the treasure box was Prince’s favorite thing: a shiny star button. It was smooth and warm. At night, it made a little glow.
“Who took it?” asked Baylee.
Prince pointed to the sea. Far away was a black ship. On it stood Pirate Pete. He had a big hat, striped socks, and a very loud sneeze.
“Achoo!” went Pirate Pete.
His black ship wobbled.
“Pirate Pete took my box,” said Prince sadly.
Baylee put on her little sailor hat. “We can find it,” she said.
The Poppy Boat sailed over the blue water. Swish, swish, swish went the waves. A silver fish jumped up.
“Did you see a treasure box?” Baylee asked.
The fish splashed twice. “This way!”
“Thank you, Fish!” said Baylee and Prince.
Soon they saw a big gray cloud. The cloud made rain. Plip, plop, plip.
Prince held the map very tight. “I feel scared,” he said.
Baylee held his hand. “We can be scared together,” she said. “And we can go slow.”
So the Poppy Boat went slow. Very slow. Baylee rang the bell.
“Ding-ding! We are here!”
The gray cloud moved away. Under it was Pirate Pete’s ship.
Pirate Pete was sitting on a bucket. In his hands was the treasure box. But he did not look happy.
“Achoo!” he sneezed again.
His hat flew into the sea.
“Oh dear,” said Pirate Pete. “My hat!”
Baylee looked at the water. The hat bobbed near a little wave.
“I can help,” she said.
Prince looked surprised. “Help the pirate?”
Baylee nodded. “He needs help.”
She threw a soft rope. Prince helped hold it. Pirate Pete pulled the rope. Pull, pull, pull!
Up came the big hat. Pirate Pete put it back on his head.
“My hat!” he said. “Thank you, little girl.”
Then Pirate Pete looked at the golden box. His cheeks turned pink.
“I took this box because it was shiny,” he said. “But it is not mine.”
He gave it to Prince.
Prince opened the box. There was the star button. It glowed, glow, glow, glow.
But wait! Under the button was something else.
A tiny key!
On the key was a picture of a smiling anchor.
Pirate Pete gasped. “That key opens my old treasure chest. I thought I lost it long ago.”
He opened a wooden chest on his ship. Creak went the lid.
Inside were gold coins, blue shells, a red toy boat, and three little sailor badges shaped like stars.
Pirate Pete gave one badge to Baylee. “For helping me.”
He gave one to Prince. “For being a good friend.”
Then he held up the last badge. “And this one is for me. To remember: ask first. Do not take.”
Prince smiled. “You can sail with us, if you are kind.”
Pirate Pete smiled too. “I can be kind. And I can make banana sandwiches!”
“Banana sandwiches?” said Baylee.
“Yes,” said Pirate Pete. “With extra banana.”
Everyone laughed.
The three ships did not sail away. They tied their boats together with soft ropes. Baylee, Prince, and Pirate Pete ate banana sandwiches on the sunny deck.
Baylee pinned her new star badge onto her yellow coat. Prince held his glowing star button. Pirate Pete wore his hat the right way around.
The Poppy Boat rang its bell.
“Ding-ding!”
Baylee waved at the sparkling sea. She had found treasure, helped a pirate, and made a new friend.
Then the little blue ship sailed home. Swish, swish, swish.
And above it, the star button glowed like a tiny happy moon.