One hot day the kids had congregated in the usual manner when Sparky, a tall red-headed boy, spotted a strange looking boat just offshore.. The boat looked technical with contraptions and a boom hanging over the side, and didn't resemble any fishing boat the gang had ever seen. Adrian, the most athletic of the boys, suggested a couple of the guys swim out to investigate. So Sparky, Dan, Jimmi and Adrian swam to meet the awkward vessel. When the curious youngsters reached the vessel anchored in the flat warm waters of the Gulf, they were greeted by a shabby crew of four men and a short plump balding man who seemed to be the captain, or at least the one who was in charge.

"That's quite a swim lads," the small fat man shouted out as he wiped his sweaty brow with a small hanky. The boys admitted they were tired and were then helped out of the water and given sandwiches from the small galley. "So what brings you out this way?," the chubby captain inquired.

"We've never seen a boat like this before," Adrian responded as he chomped down a stale-yet-welcomed bite.

"Well that's because this is a very specialized ship," mused the captain, "and if you promise to keep it under your hat, I'll tell you what we're doing out here in such a strange contraption."

"Well lads," the captain almost whispered, "we are treasure hunters. We are in search of a Spanish galleon that went down in these waters back in 1728.

"Boy, that sounds exciting," Sparky blurted.

"I wish we could help you somehow," offered Jimmi.

The captain rubbed his chin as if he were thinking deeply, then coming to a solution his eyes got bigger and he began grin wildly. "Well lads, I think there is something you can do to help us find the riches, and I promise you'll be justly rewarded - providing we recover the treasure, but it will take a certain amount of effort on your part, and trust in you on mine."

"What?," the boys all shouted together.

"Well laddies," the captain paced around the boys and explained in a soft tone, "we are tired treasure seekers who've been weathered by the sea, and to be quite honest boys the search has made us poor and too weak for long dives in the specialized diving equipment that is both heavy and expensive to maintain.

None of us are in the kind of shape to stand very long dives, and three years of searching has left us much too poor to hire a diver to accomplish our goals. If you lads are to help us find the riches of the Santiago Alena and share in the endless wealth that most assuredly lies on the floor of the Gulf, then you'll have to become full-pledged partners willing to risk defeat."

"Count me in," jumped Sparky.

Grinning more and still wiping his wet brow, the captain revealed, "Well boys, frankly we need help with expenses. My men like to eat, you know? And what treasure hunter doesn't need a drink in town occasionally? We also need one strong boy who will dive with the diving gear. "

"What we ask of you laddies is very small compared to what we have given up. And I swear with all my seafarer honor that you will claim an equal share of wealth."

The boys gathered together, and after a few minutes of discussion decided on becoming partners in the search for the Santiago Alena. It was decided that all the boys, except Ardian, would gather their valuables, allowances and pay checks from their small jobs they worked on the mainland to help offset the expenses being demanded.

Adrian, who was the most athletic and stronger of the boys, would be the designated diver. As far as Adrian was concerned, it was a wonderful assignment. He thought he would enjoy the adventure of diving in sophisticated diving gear searching for treasure, and besides it wouldn't cost him a cent to become a millionaire - providing the treasure was recovered.

The next day the boys brought $300 cash and many valuables to the ship's captain who had agreed to meet them at a pier on the southern end of the island near the channel. Delighted and obviously intoxicated, the captain patted each boy on the back, raising a bottle of rum to the sky and slurring his new found hope by shouting, "To the wealth we shall claim back from the sea."

After one loud cheer from the boys, the captain and boys cast off in a row boat that would take them to the treasure-seeking ship. As the row boat neared, Adrian noticed for the first time the name of the vessel painted on the hull - "Jonah's Whale." He thought how curious the name remembering the biblical story of how Jonah was swallowed by a whale, and was eventually saved by God.

To Adrian, the suit seemed ancient as if it hadn't been used in years, and looked far from being sophisticated gear. Adrian was starting to have his doubts about the whole mission as the drunk captain hooked the air-hose to the helmet.

Finally, Adrian was pulled to the surface and onto the ship's deck. Although there was no signs of treasure detected, the boys were very glad to see that Adrian seemed to be okay. Still, Adrian was anxious to shed the confining dive gear that made him feel trapped and claustrophobic.

"Help me out of this fish tank," Adrian joked.

The captain and crew seemed very slow in response, no one made a move to help Adrian shed the suit of armor. "Well laddie, we have a little problem," the now serious captain said softly as he pulled on the rusty levers that fastened the helmet to the suit. "Nope, I'm sorry son...just as I suspected, the suit's not coming off." The captain sat down and wiped his moist red forehead again and looked pitifully sad, and yet relived.

Adrian laughed loudly out of fear and espoused, "What do you mean it's not coming off? Surely this is a joke, sir."

Sparky jumped up and asked, "Is this a practical joke?".

"Well laddies," began the captain, who again was wiping frantically at his brow while speaking, "it's like this. Us treasure hunters are men on a mission. We decided a long time ago that we would do what ever it takes to reach the treasures of the Santiago Alena. We've been at sea for so long that we've lost everything, including our families...and what ever dignity we once had. We've truly given our souls to find the wreck that would make us rich."

Standing up, the grubby little captain concluded with his final demands, "What I'm telling you boys is that you must come up with $500 by tomorrow, or your brave-hearted friend Adrian will be sunk like the treasure we seek to the bottom of these beautiful Gulf waters."

'You who have braved deep waters to rob the dead must now avenge my death to nature. Just as nature has played it's cruel joke on me, so shall I play one on you.

You must fill this suit of metal with a soul. Once the suit is fastened, the occupant's soul will forever be locked inside Jonah's Whale. If you should fail to find a soul to fill the suit within six months of your discovery, your ship and crew will rest at the bottom of the sea, and your souls will join me in this ocean of hell.'

"And so you see boys, we're only saving our lives and making a few bucks while doing so," the greedy captain conceded.

The boys were speechless while Adrian wept inside the suit of metal....After a few moments of silence that seemed to last forever, Adrian wondered how his life would be insulated from the world he lived in; unable to feel the earth he walked on, unable to move with his athletic-grace, always needing assistance with the smallest things. He thought of the irony of no one ever seeing his fine sculptured physique again. Adrian also thought of the Appaloosa horses he loved to ride at his grandfather's farm on the mainland. Now they would gallop only as memories for eternity. All these thoughts running through Adrian's mind in the short moments after the captain's words, now the nightmare dissolved to the dream he had of marrying a girl in the Chapel by the Sea where he'd been a member since birth. Now that dream seemed hopeless.

As the sky began turning dark and ominous with the threat of Florida's Summer thunderstorms, the boys loaded Adrian onto the small row boat and began their long row to shore. There was plenty on their minds but no one spoke a word, they just continued to pull the oars.

Suddenly, a violent gust of wind rocked the small craft from side to side. The sky turned a dark green color, while rain began pelting the boat with deafening volume. Waves were cresting over the sides and lightning began striking all around the boat. The "Jonah's Whale" was not faring well either, as the boat was rising to the top of waves, only to crash down the other side with dangerous impact.. Adrian could see the crew struggling to hang on and run for cover, as the captain yelled, "Hurry! Take cover men!"

'Never had a storm appeared so quickly,' thought Adrian. Making a natural lightning rod in his metal-mesh dive gear, Adrian felt this might be his final moments. The boys continued to row at a furious pace, but rain water was collecting in the boat making it harder to row and slow their pace. Besides, the rain was blinding and the furious rocking motion was throwing the boys from side to side.

A second later there was a huge "blast" of lightening and everything went white, like having a search light shine directly in your face. Time seemed to stand still. When the flash faded, the boys found themselves in the water. The boat had literally been blown apart, and the frightened boys were treading water frantically and gasping for air, except Adrian who was nowhere to be found.

Sparky shouted Adrian's name, but he knew there was no hope of Adrian being able the swim with the heavy gear on. Thirty seconds or so went by when Adrian's head popped out of the water. Sparky yelled with astonishment, "You're alive!" Adrian, gulping at air, exhaulted, "Yes...I sank like a rock to the bottom when I realized the lightning struck the hinges of the helmet, blowing it open. I squeezed and pushed to free myself from the suit."

As quickly as it started the weather turned to calm, and the boys laughed and cried at their safety while treading water, much the way they were when this whole episode began.

"Look guys," Adrian exclaimed.

In the distance, the boys could see the Jonah's Whale going down. The little captain watched eerily from the bridge as his ship was swallowed by the calm Gulf waters, down to the depths of nature where the Santiago Alena lie.