After the Professor had reached his decision not to return the pendant to her, he immediately began to pack.

So here he was, back in his hotel room, neatly placing his bamboo chessboard on top of everything else. Wouldn't his family be interested in his one non-plant specimen from the island?

I only wish that I had something to show that it was all worth it. Something besides plants…

###

Meanwhile, across the hall…

"Gilligan, I need you to help me." Ginger said calmly into the phone.

"I can't. I'm too dumb! Everyone says so!"

"Gilligan!" No one ever refused Ginger Grant. It simply wasn't done.

"Gilligan, who's that you're talking to?" Ginger heard the Skipper yell in the background.

"It's just Ginger, and she wants…"

"Gilligan! Just help me!"

"But Ginger, I already told you…"

"Let me have that phone!" the Skipper exclaimed.

"But Skipper…"

"No buts, Gilligan! Now give me that phone!"

Oh boy. Ginger thought. Now I'm going to get the sweet nothings bit from the Skipper…

"Hello? Ginger? Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Yes. Give Gilligan back the phone. I need him."

"Are you sure it isn't something I could do?"

"No, I need Gilligan. Please, let him have the phone back."

"Oh, all right." The Skipper was clearly disappointed.

"Hello, Gilligan? Here's what I need you for…Oh sorry Skipper. Hello? Gilligan, come over to my room right now."

"But Ginger…"

"It's just going to go back to that again?" the Skipper muttered in the background.

"Gilligan, I need to hang up. Just come over to my room. And no buts."

###

The Professor knocked on the door of the suite the Howells were staying in.

"Who is it?" Mr. Howell called suspiciously.

"The Professor, Mr. Howell."

"What do you require, old boy?" the millionaire asked grandly as he opened the door.

"Would it be possible for me to borrow enough money for a plane ticket to Cleveland?"

"Borrow? Old chap, I'll give you the money."

"Thank you Mr. Howell but that really won't be necessary…"

"Oh but it is Professor. What's the point in being stranded on an island with someone for four years if you can't help them out every once in a while. Even though you're not a Republican, you're better than any Yale man."

Though for no apparent reason, his pride was hurt, he knew it would be rude to refuse any further. He was a little numb when Mr. Howell forked over the money, more money than he'd ever need. But Mr. Howell told him brusquely to "keep the change". The door closed. Now there was nothing to stop him from going.

###

Ginger was not prone to pacing, but when she had called Gilligan fifteen minutes ago and he still hadn't arrived, she couldn't contain it any longer. Her shoes didn't click against the carpet as she would have liked, but at the current time she wasn't concentrating on that so much as her plot.

The Howells will supply the money, if I can bring them around. That has to be my first course of action.

Ginger heard someone knocking on her door. She quickly went to answer it.

"Sorry Ginger. I got lost." Gilligan apologized as she opened her door.

"That's okay Gilligan. At least you're here. Like I said, I need your help." She waited for him to say, "But Ginger…" Strangely, it didn't happen.

"I need you to pretend that you're my fiancé."

"Your what?"

"Fiancé. I need you to pretend we're going to get married."

"Me, pretend that we're gonna get married? Oh no…" Gilligan was getting exceedingly uncomfortable already.

"Gilligan, think of it! You'll be able to say you acted with the great Ginger Grant." Ginger threw her arms dramatically into the air.

"But Ginger…"

"I said no buts. Please Gilligan. It'll be fun. You'll get to wear a fake mustache and fancy clothes and you can choose your own name…"

"But I already have a name. Gilligan."

"I know. But we'll be pretending that we're different people."

"Why?"

"Oh Gilligan. Don't you see? The Professor and Mary Ann are perfect for each other! But they're too shy to realize it. We have to bring them together ourselves!"

"But why do we have to pretend we're different people?"

"So they won't recognize us!"

"But…"

"No buts!"

"Why me? Couldn't you get Cary Grant or someone?"

"No. Please Gilligan. You are going to help me, aren't you?" She batted her eyelashes just the slightest bit, but he was oblivious to them.

"Oh Gilligan!" she cried, her voice edged with drama. "You're going to make me cry!"

"Oh Ginger, please don't cry! I'll do it! Just don't cry!"

Ginger smiled seductively. "Thank you, Gilligan."