Florida Keys' Watercolor Kapers by Bob Kranich

Florida Keys’ Watercolor Kapers
by Bob Kranich

Robert’s Best, (Part 2, Excerpt 106)

This is a new story. Robert’s Best is a sail boat. Grandfather Tom Roberts has sailed it on the Intercostal waterway from Texas to Key West, Florida, where he has bought a house on the Atlantic. His grandchildren and their parents have come to Key West on a visit. There will be a lot of funny happenings until the criminals from a previous story get into action. A side note is that a 1935 antique Chris-Craft Model 557 Cabin Cruiser and Honest Dave are going to play an important part in the rest of the story. Grandfather Roberts has Just got a kidnap phone call. The criminals are now up to their mischief and have his grandson, Harold. But our guys are on to the rescue. This excerpt will finish the entire book. It has been a pleasure and an honor to work with Don Brown and his very interesting Florida news stories.

“Harold Junior! I hollered.

“Mm...Mm! A sound was heard from over by a bunk.

Dave’s flashlight spun around exposing Harold Junior lying there. Tom ran up and pulled off the rope from Harold’s feet and started working on his hands.

“Grandfather, I’m so glad to see you. That guy is really bad! He said he would help me find the pirate’s swords and flag. He lied!”

Dave cautioned, “Tom, we got to get out of here!”

Dave led the way out the door and up through the hatch. I took Harold by the hand and then lifted him up to Dave. Out on the deck, we quickly crossed over to the sea side. Dave jumped down to the Chris-Craft’s deck, took Harold Junior from me, and grabbed me as I let myself down. We scrambled back along the narrow sides of the Chris-Craft’s cockpit and down onto its lower deck.

“Go! Go!” Dave said.

As he said it, Betty pushed the throttle forward and the Chris-Craft plunged into action, churning up waves and wake.

“Back to our dock, Betty,” Dave hollered.

Half-way across the Bight, we suddenly saw a large cruiser skipping across the waves of the Bight and quickly coming up behind us.

There they are now, Vince. It’s that guy with his antique tub.” Frank pointed at the Chris-Craft.

“They’re coming from the schooner. They must have the kid. Faster, Sam!”

“It’s a big cruiser behind us. It must be the kidnappers. Give it some gas, Betty!” Dave hollered as he watched the cruiser bearing down on them.

“I don’t think we’ll be able to beat them to the dock. Betty, let me take over. Everyone put those life preservers on! They’re under the backseat’s cushion. I’ve got an idea.” Dave slipped in behind the wheel.

Betty had pulled the throttle back some as we were approaching the dock. Now Dave pushed it all the way forward. The Chris-Craft’s bow went up, then the boat began to plane and skip across the waves.

“What happened, Sam? The tub’s pulling away from us, “Frank asked.

Vince ordered, “Pour it on, Sam!”

“OK, Boss.”

The two boats went around the western point of the Bight, the big cruiser slowly gaining on the Chris-Craft, both motors screaming and the boats skipping across the harbor’s waves. They began a turn to the southwest, the big boat now right on top of the Chris-Craft.

“Hold on, and get down!” Dave commanded, as he suddenly spun the wheel hard to port. He cut the throttle by half. The Chris-Craft pulled a tight circle, skipping sideways, the motor revving a couple times as the prop came out of the water. Dave kept turning a full circle.

The big cruiser was turning on a larger radius, even as Sam fought to keep behind the Chris-Craft. It ended up with the cruiser making a 180 degree turn. But Dave had made a 360, putting him heading back the way he was going. He pushed the throttle full ahead. The boat again rose up and planed.

I looked back. The cruiser had finally got straightened up and was coming on after us, but way behind. Dave passed Malory Square on the port side and turned straight for the entrance to the Navy submarine basin.

I said, “Dave, we're heading straight for the Navy base!”

“Yes I know, I want to get arrested by the Navy.”

“Oh,” I acknowledged.

We entered straight in between the two break-waters. The cruiser was throttling down.

“What's those guys doing, Vince?” Frank asked as he holstered his gun.

“They're not so dumb. They're getting back up by the U. S. Navy. Let’s get out of here, Sam!”

“They're slowing down, not following us in, Dave,” I stated,

Suddenly we were lit up by a brilliant spotlight. It was blinding to all of us. Dave cut the throttle to an idle. The Chris-Craft dropped down from its planing and settled in the water, rocking with the waves.

“Ahoy there! You are trespassing on U. S. Navy property. Prepare to be boarded,” a loud speaker bellowed out.

As the Navy patrol boat came up close to them, Dave said, “Keep your hands up in sight, guys. Don’t want any trigger-happy sailor to start shooting.”

The patrol boat came up touching. A lieutenant scrambled onto the rear of the Chris-Craft. It was now very crowded. There was a stern looking sailor with a big gun standing on the side of the patrol boat’s deck looking down at us.
“Good evening, gentlemen, I’m Lieutenant Simmons. Why, hi, Miss Thomas. What are you doing here?”


“It’s like this, lieutenant. It started out this evening as a date, dinner, and a boat ride. But it soon turned into a kidnapping, a successful rescue, and a wild boat race!”

Before anyone else could say anything else, Harold Junior put in,

“When that guy who lied to me tied me up, I prayed to God to help me, and Jesus sent Grandfather Roberts and these people to save me!”

----

This story is fictional. Any resemblance to any person or place is purely coincidental. The historic sources are in the Author’s Notes of Definitions and References in the rear of the book.

(However, Honest Dave Crench, the Antique man’s speech and mannerisms bears some resemblance to David Kranich. Dave is my brother who does live in Homestead, Florida. He is an antique seller and restorer extraordinaire.)

From the Author:

My second full-length book , Florida Keys’ Watercolor Kapers is composed of 336 pages. There are 12 stories running from 6 pages to as many as 72 pages. It is fully illustrated with 88 watercolors and sketches. The watercolors I made roaming around Key West after I finished my 750 mile hike from Georgia to Key West. (See book or Don Browne’s SouthWest Florida Online News records, A Walk Across Florida.) As you read these stories you will experience Key West, the Keys, and the Caribbean. These stories span the time of the early 1800’s to 1969. bkranich.wixsite.com/bobkranich