We sailed home with a boat full of animals and all of us looking forward to being back in England.

Our encounter with India on the was, to say the least, embarrassing to everyone, except Joe who said he had enjoyed it. Captain Brooks said it was a strange custom and he had never come across it before.

Rather than risk going round the Care of Good Hope Captain Brooks decided to go through Suez canal.

Don't fancy being an old sea dog then. " said Joe to the Captain over breakfast.

" I'll sea dog you. " said the Captain.

" But going through the canal. " said Sandy.

" When we get to the Atlantic. " said the Captain. " I 'in going to dump you back where we got you from. "

" Pity though. " said Elaine. " I was looking forward to a really good storm. "

" I'm taking my breakfast to the bridge. " said the Captain, and he did.

It was hot in the canal so most of us took to lounging about on deck, the whole boat by this time was beginning to look a bit tatty.

" That I think we need is a good coat of paint. " said the Captain as we sat looking at the rust streaking down the front of the bridge.

" Where an earth would you get paint from out here. " I said. " There's nothing for miles. " we looked at the sand stretching out in all directions.

" You can get anything out here. " said the Captain.

" As long as it's sand. " I said.

" No. . you see, market place of the east this. " said the Captain " Hay you. . . . " the Captain shouted to an Arab in a sail boat near by. " I want some white pain for the boat, con do. "

The man in the boat waved and then sailed on his way.

I looked at Captain Brooks. " You must think I'm daft in the head. " I said. " I was almost believing you there. "

The Captain gave a broad grin.

It was a couple of hours later when the sailing boat came back with the paint. The Captain was laughing as we hoisted it on board.

" O K " I said. " I believe you stop gloating. "

We all set to painting , everybody was painting something and all under Captain Arabs direction. In fact he was so busy directing the painting he was not paying much attention to driving the boat. He said later that sailing boats shouldn't have been on that bit of water anyway.

I was standing at the pointed end of the boat, watching the familiar coastline of England pass by, when Joe came up to join me.

" End of a long trip. " said Joe.

" Yes. " I said. " A lot's happened. "

" Things I never thought would happen. " said Joe.

" Look Joe. " I said. I had decided, that when we got back, I was going to ask Elaine to marry me. I thought I'd tell Joe now because he was quite fond of her as well.

" I've got something to say to you. " said Joe.

" About Elaine. . " I started.

" Yes Elaine. " said Joe.

" When we get back. " I said. " And things have settled down a bit I'm g.... " Joe suddenly butted in.

" I'm going to ask Elaine if she'll marry me. " said Joe.

" Hay. . . what's that. . . . . " I said. " Not you. . . . I'm going to marry her. . "

" I'm in love with her. " said Joe.

" Look here Joe. " I said. " I don't like your little jokes. " I was a bit annoyed and grabbed him threateningly by his tie.

" I'm not joking. " said Joe as I lifted him up by his tie.

" You know very well how I feel about Elaine. " I said. " And I think she feels the same about me. " I was almost choking Joe so he kicked me hard in the chin.

" You sod. . . " I shouted dropping him and holding my leg.

" I'm going to ask her. " said Joe staggering back against the rail and trying to loosen his tie.

" Hello you two. " said Elaine suddenly coming out on deck.

" Elaine. " said Joe, but before he could say anything else I had quietly shoved my elbow hard in his stomach. . .

" Dog. . . " he whispered doubling over.

" Elaine I want to ask you. . . " I said.

" Before you say anything. " said Elaine. " I want you two to be the first to know that I'm going to marry Sandy. "

" Sandy. " I said.

We both looked at her despondently. . . . . . . It was a good job the sea was calm or we would both have fallen overboard.

" Don't look so pleased about it. " said Elaine. " You can both come to the wedding. "

" We should have left him in the Atlantic. " said Joe.

" You could wish me luck. " said Elaine. " Even if you don't mean it. "

" O Elaine. " I said, I held both her hands. " I do wish you all the happiness in the world and I do mean it. " I held her close and kissed her, longer, much longer, than was really necessary.

" You realise you've broken my heart. " said Joe.

Elaine kissed Joe.

" I love you both. " said Elaine.

" I'll never get over it. " said Joe. " It'll take years. . . . weeks even. "

Sandy came out one deck to join us.

" Which side of the ship shall we throw him over. " I said.

As we steamed up river to the docks where we had started from, I stood up at the pointed end of the boat reflecting on the voyage. Sadness at being at the end of the voyage, but glad to be back in England. I was in fact so deep into reflecting that I didn't notice how much things had changed while we had been away.

" It's altered a bit. " said Joe breaking into my daydreaming.

I looked around at the buildings lining the banks of the river.

" Has a bit. " I said.

" I suppose we've been away quite a while really. " said Joe.

" I think we've forgotten how it all looked. " I said.

" We did only see it once on our way out didn't we. " said Joe.

" That's new. " I said pointing to a large white factory and tall office block. We both stood at the front end of the ship playing a game of spot the new bits.

" It's good to be back in England. " said Joe. " That foreign beer's not the same. "

" Struth Joe. " I said. " We sail round the world, visit beautiful and exotic places and all you can say is, the beers not nice. "

I looked at Joe.

" Well it's not. " said Joe.

" You needn't come next time. " I said.

" O . . I'll come. " said Joe. " I'll just bring a bigger supply of beer with me. "

" We'd need a tanker following us to keep you in beer. " I said.

We went below to get changed into some decent clothes as Captain Brooks brought the boat into the docks.

As the gang plank was being fixed, Mr Pepperday was looking anxiously over the side up and down the quay side.

" There should be someone from the zoo here to meet us. " said Mr Pepperday. " I thought I had got it all arranged. "

" Did you get the day right. " I said.

" Yes. " said Mr Pepperday. " I radioed the zoo yesterday saying we were arriving today. "

" Perhaps they don't want us back. " said Joe.

We all gathered at the bottom of the gangway on the dock and looked around. Apart from the few blokes who had tied us up and some blokes doing things to some crates at the far end of the dock, there was no one else around.

" It's not Christmas day is it. " said Sandy. " There's probably a strike on. " I said.

" Things don't change much then. " said Captain Brooks.

"Of course it's ten-o-clock. " said Joe looking at his watch.

" That has that got to do with it. " said Elaine.

" Ten-o-clock in England. " said Joe. " It's tea break. "

We all walked over to the customs building and went inside, there as Joe had predicted, were four customs men drinking tea. We put our passports and various other papers on the big counter dividing the large room. I looked round the room, as a first glimpse of England for anyone entering the country, it was not much of a place, a few chairs, some tables, the odd filing cabinet. My attention was suddenly caught by a sign hanging over a group of chairs in the small waiting area at the far end of the counter. It made me take a second look at the posters and information sheets pinned up on the large back wall behind us.

I nudged Joe.

" Joe. " I said. " Look. . . "

Joe looked . . . . then he looked at me. I shrugged.

Joe nudged Mr Pepperday, Mr Pepperday looked round at Joe. Joe nodded his head toward the sign hanging at the far end of the counter.

Mr Pepperday looked at it, . . . . . . he then looked at me and Joe. Sandy, Elaine and Mrs Jabody also looked at the sign.

By this time the customs officer had finished his tea and had come over to us, he stood on his side of the counter opposite Mr Pepperday.

No one had said anything yet.

The customs officer waited for someone to break the silence. Mr Pepperday looked straight at the customs officer.

The customs officer smiled.

Mr Pepperday pointed down the counter to Captain Brooks.

The Captain was still busily shuffling papers in and out of his log, some papers he had to show, some he didn't, some he did not want to show to anybody, there were a few missing and some not filled in properly.

All this shuffling and sorting had the Captains full attention, but suddenly he realised that the customs officer was standing in front of him, not only that, every one else was looking at him in a most peculiar way.

The Captain looked at Mr Pepperday.

Mr Pepperday slowly turned his head and looked toward the sign hanging at the far end of the counter.

Captain Arabs gaze followed the direction that Mr Pepperday was looking. He saw the sign.

Slowly Captain Brooks read it out aloud.

" WELCOME TO FRANCE "