Chapter XXI
Mr. Popper’s Expedition
By: Alena, Grade 2
When the ship left New York, Mr. Popper said, “I shall miss my wife and children.” Captain Cook was tobogganing down the side of a cabin. (They were on deck.) Mr. Popper was too busy talking with Admiral Drake, so he did not notice Captain Cook who was going at tremendous speed. Crash! BANG! These awful noises were made by first Mr. Popper and then Admiral Drake falling. Mr. Popper fainted and Admiral Drake was badly shaken. Of course Mr. Popper was revived to his senses. Captain Cook was standing over him and orking politely, “Ork! Gook! Gork!” “All right,” said Admiral Drake. When Captain Cook was tired of gorking around Mr. Popper, he went to Greta, Nelson, Columbus, Scott, Victoria, Louisa, Jenny, Magellan, Adelina, Isabella, and Ferdinand. “Gook,” said Greta. Captain Cook looked and saw that Victoria and Isabella were doing something that was unmistakably a tap dance! “Gook, gork, ork, ook!” (What the heck) “Gook,” said Greta (Yes, of course)
After four and a half days they reached Elephant Island. Everyone got off the ship including the penguins. “Gork! Ork!” (How very like home) Admiral Drake was very fascinated about how much Mr. Popper knew about the Arctic. It was snowy and cold and desolate, but the penguins were very happy. They were tobogganing along orking happily. A lemming popped up right in front of Adelina. “Gork! Gook! Ork! Ork!” What a peculiar creature! She called Greta with a particularly loud gook. Greta swerved around, bounced, and landed right in front of Adelina. “Gook?” (Yes?) Gork, gook, gork, ork, ork! (This strange creature popped up right in front of me!) Gork, ork, gook! (That is surprising!) And then they caught up with the others. So far the experiment was successful!
Tomorrow was Mr. Popper’s birthday, so Admiral Drake planned a surprise! First he found all sorts of party decorations. On a dusty shelf, he found a book. Now what’s so queer about a book, you might think. But the book was certainly queer. It was leather bound and its pages were frail and yellow. The book had no title and all it had on its 1034 pages were pictures. No, not ordinary pictures, they were colorful having many wonderful designs with pictures inside. “Oh yes! I will give this book to Mr. Popper!” When out of the book slipped out a piece of paper. It said, Dear Admiral Drake, I know you are doing an experiment on penguins. Yes, they will survive in the Artic.
Good luck, a friend
It was written in the same handwriting you read it.
So Mr. Popper’s birthday was celebrated and Admiral Drake gave the book to Mr. Popper and told what had fallen out of it and even read the letter. While he did so he saw the first mate fidgeting uncomfortably in his seat. “You know something about this old fellow!” he demanded. “Tell us!” “Well I dunno if I should say so!” he said, “But I wrote the letter myself.” “How did you know?” asked Mr. Popper. “I did the experiment without anyone noticing!” “Good!” said Mr. Popper, “Now I don’t have to worry about Mary!” “Who’s Mary?” “My wife,” was the reply. So after Mr. Popper’s birthday, they sailed at full speed to Stillwater. Just in time for November too! So every April Mr. Popper went to Antarctica. And everyone lived happily ever after. Finis
