Captain Cori spotted the tiny boat tossing in the giant waves. A child's scream rose over the thunder. She gripped the wheel, knuckles white, and steered the Swift Gull straight toward the storm.
She lowered a rope ladder toward the tiny boat. The wind snatched it away on the first try. On the second, she tied it to a barrel and held on tight.
The children reached out, fingers brushing the wet rope. One giggled when a seagull swooped down and snatched a cracker from a pocket. They pulled themselves up the ladder, one by one.
The ship lurched violently. Captain Cori pressed her back against the mainmast, arms spread to steady each child. One clung to her coat, damp with salt and rain. Another dropped a toy boat into a puddle — it floated away.
Through the rain, she spotted a sheltered cove. She turned the wheel hard. The Swift Gull cut through a towering wave like a knife.
Water sprayed over the rail. The children huddled together, eyes wide. Then one pointed and cried, 'Look! A rainbow!' The storm was breaking.
Captain Cori guided the Swift Gull into the calm cove and then on to the harbor. Lanterns glowed along the dock. The children's mother waited there, her face pale with worry.
The mother pulled her children into a tight hug. Then she turned to Captain Cori and bowed, offering a shiny button from her pocket. 'Thank you,' she whispered.