This is a story from Popeye, the original series published by Dell in 1948. The series was later renamed to Popeye the Sailor as it continued with other publishers. It has also been reprinted in other comic books by other publishers since then.
"Raft!"[]
Credits[]
|
 |
Details[]
| Full Title: | "Raft!" or "It's a Long Drift Home!!" or "Rafts Are Boats, But Not So Comfortable!!" |
| Number of pages: | 24 |
| Story Type: | comic story |
| Characters: | Popeye, Swee'Pea, Hink Jones, Mr. Jones, Olive Oyl, Wimpy, Ben and Captain Zato |
| Prints: | Popeye (Dell, 1948 series) #6 (April-May 1949) Popeye (World Distributors, 1950 series) #5 Popeye Classics (comic book) (IDW, 2012 series) #6 (January 2013) Popeye Classics (hardcover) (IDW, 2013 series) #2 (June 2013) |
Synopsis[]
Swee'Pea sets sail in search of buried pirate treasure. He heads off across the ocean with a friend on a raft they made. The adventure leads the boys to tangle with one of Popeye's old enemies, Captain Zato.
Plot[]
Swee'Pea is playing with his friend Hink and asks Popeye for one of his pirate maps so they can hunt for buried treasure. With the map in their hands, both boys set sail down the river on their raft for Smogy Island. As it gets dark, Popeye wonders why Swee'Pea has not come home.
Olive suggests that Swee'Pea may have sailed to the island on the map. Popeye does not think that could happen because they did not have a boat. Hink's father then knocks on the door. He is raging mad and smacks Popeye in the face. Popeye asks him why he is so upset, so he hands Olive a note to read to Popeye.
The note is from Hink to his father, telling him that he and Swee'Pea went off in search for pirate gold. Popeye tells Hink's father not to worry because they had no boat. Even after Hink's dad tells everyone they built a raft, Popeye is still unconcerned. He reasserts that Swee'Pea is not foolish enough to sail down the river and across the Pacific Ocean.
However, Popeye is somewhat worried later when Joe at the lighthouse calls to tell him Swee'Pea just sailed his raft out into open water. Popeye keeps calm and takes Olive and Mr. Jones with him to sail off to get the them. Popeye still insists that the boys will be safe.
But at that very moment, as the boys are about ready to sleep, a sinister black vessel approaches their raft. The skipper of this craft is Popeye's old enemy Captain Zato. He has his henchman, Ben, shanghai the youngsters as they sleep so he may use them as his crew.
When Zato recognizes Swee'Pea, he panics, but devises a plan so neither Popeye nor Swee'Pea will rough them up. He takes the map and puts the kids in chains to trick them into helping him dig up the treasure. Then he sets the raft free so Popeye will think the boys fell overboard when it is found.
When Popeye finds it, he indeed believes his Li'l Swee'Pea fell overboard and was eaten by sharks. Devastated, he returns home so he could be sent to jail. Mr. Jones wants the judge to put Popeye away for life, but Popeye wants to be hanged.
Back aboard Zato's evil ship, he accuses Swee'Pea of stealing his treasure map. He orders Swee'Pea and Hink to work the ship and dig up the treasure for him if they wanted their freedom. During two weeks, the kids paint the hold seventy-six times, swab the decks, coil the ropes and polish the anchor to keep Popeye and themselves out of jail.
Only after arriving at Smogy Island and being forced to row ashore does Swee'Pea start to suspect the captain of not being the true owner of the map. Swee'Pea and Hink escape and hide on the island so Zato and Ben will have to dig up the treasure chest themselves. After the chest is uncovered, Swee'Pea captures the two scoundrels, sails back home, puts them in jail and gets Popeye out.
Later that evening, Mr. Jones swims in gold, no longer mad at Popeye. He asks for another map for the kids to play with.
Last Updated: 10/16/2018