On an old broken-down riverboat in Devil's Bayou, a young orphan girl named Penny is held captive, she writes a message for help and sets it a drift in a bottle, hoping it will float to someone who can help.

After driving through the ocean, the bottle and message washes up on the shores of the Australian outback. In a shack in the outback, a young blonde boy named Cody gets a call from his friend Lafou, the kangaroo. She takes Cody to the ocean and show him the bottle. Cody takes the message out and begins to read:

Cody: "To Morning Side Orphanage, New York, (aside: Wow, it floated way off course) I'm in terrible trouble. Hurry, help. - Penny.

Lafou: So Cody, it appears someone far away from here is in grave distress.

Cody: Yeah, poor girl. I have to go help her, and the only way to do that is to travel to New York City, USA.

LeFou: But Cody, how will you get there?

Cody: I'll build a raft and sail it. Also, I'll write a message myself to Mom, so you can take it to her and let her know where I am, OK?

LaFou: Understood Cody, but do be careful.

Over the next few days, Cody sails the rocky seas to until he reaches the shores of New York. After buying a map with what little money he had, he set off for the Morning Side Orphanage. On a rainy night, he makes it and looks around until he meets up with an elderly cat named Rufus.

Cody: Hello, do you know what happened to a young girl named Penny?

Rufus: Oh, I sure can. She can't be found around here, the poor little thing ran away.

Cody (bringing out Penny's message): I don't believe that for a bit, because I found this in a bottle. I sailed here all the way from Australia to find out what happened so I could help.

Rufus looks closely at the message.

Rufus: You're right, Cody, that's Penny's handwriting. And come to think of it, there was something else. This weird lady tried to give Penny a ride, she owns a sleepy pawn shop down the street.

With that in mind, Cody went to find "Madame Medusa's Pawn Shop".

Cody: This is the place, but I better remain out of sight, the place is likely closed.

When Cody got inside, he found a book that belonged to Penny. Then, the phone rang and he hid as Madame Medusa came to answer. He listened as she spoke on the phone with her partner, Mr. Snoops.

Medusa: Bottles? You caught Penny sending messages in bottles?! You blundering fool, can't you control a little girl? Shut up! I'm taking the next flight down to Devil's Bayou.

As Medusa slammed the phone back down, Cody realized 'Devil's Bayou' must be where Penny is and that he had to follow. He hid in the back of her car and rode with her on a bumpy road to the airport. He stowawayed in the plane's cargohold and was off to Devil's Bayou.

When Cody arrived at Devil's Bayou, he found himself lost. But then, he met up with 2 small mice in the swamp, named Hally and Luke. Meanwhile, Penny tried to escape the riverboat, but Medusa sent her pet alligators, Nero and Brutus after her and searched the swamp in a swamp mobile. Cody hid when he saw hear, then saw Nero and Brutus come out, holding Penny and her teddy bear in their mouths.

Hally: Oh, it's that poor little youngen. She's tried to run away again.

Cody: That's Penny.

Cody slowly followed them by swimming and saw them going up to the old riverboat. He saw Medusa and Snoops talking and listened in from outside a window.

Medusa: I want that diamond, I've got to have the 'Devil's Eye'. You didn't leave the girl down in the cave long enough.

Snoops: She wouldn't take orders.

Medusa: You are too . . .soft.

Snoops: But the water was rising and the tide was coming in and all she did down there was fuss about her teddy bear getting wet.

Medusa: Snoops, you don't have a way with children. You must gain their confidence, make them like you.

Snoops: Yeah? How do you do that?

Medusa: You force them to like you, idiot! At the next low tide, I'm going to put her down there myself, and keep her there until she finds it, and it's as simple as that.

When Cody heard this news, he was horrified and knew what had to be done.

Cody: I've gotta get Penny out of here tonight.

While narrowly avoiding Nero and Brutus, Cody uses a rope he'd made from vines to climb up to Penny's bedroom, where she said her prayers and cried at her bed. Cody quietly went in to comfort her. When Penny looked, she didn't know what to think.

Cody: Don't cry, Penny, I'm here to help you. My name is Cody.

Penny: Hi Cody, where did you come from?

Cody: I found the bottle with your message and I came all the way from Australia to rescue you.

Penny: Did you hear that Teddy? Our bottle worked. Didn't you bring someone else with you? Like the Police?

Cody: No, I'm afraid it's only me. But we can do it if we work together and have a little faith.

Penny: That's what Rufus said; 'Faith makes things turn out right.

Cody: Penny, you're in grave danger. Medusa and Snoops are planning to send you down into the cave again, and this time, they'll force you to stay there until you find what they want.

Penny: Oh no, I was afraid they'd do something like that.

Cody: I know, that's why we have to escape tonight, right now.

Penny: That hasn't been working, and I just got caught by Brutus and Nero.

Suddenly, Penny and Cody hear footsteps coming and Cody hides under Penny's bed. Mr. Snoops bursts in.

Snoops: Why aren't you in bed yet?

Penny: Why should it matter to you? I couldn't sleep in this place a minute longer even if you forced me, Mr. Snoops.

Snoops: Don't you sass me again, I think you need to learn some respect for your elders.

Cody, who'd fallen in love with Penny after actually seeing her, couldn't stand Penny being threatened, so he jumped up from under the bed to defend her.

Cody: Leave her alone.

Snoops: Oh, and where did you come from kid?

Penny: He's my new friend.

Snoops: Ah, I see. This boy must have gotten you bottle message for help. Well there's nothing he can really do to help, come on kid, let's see Medusa.

Snoops grabs Cody by the arm and drags him to see Medusa in her bedroom. Snoops knocks on the door and Medusa (in her night gown) answers.

Medusa: What is it Snoops? And who's that little brat you're holding?

Snoops: I found this kid in Penny's room, apparently he came trying to help in answer to a message in the bottle she sent.

Medusa: Well Snoops, looks like Penny's going to have someone to help her find that diamond tomorrow.

The next day, Snoops and Medusa take Penny and Cody out to the hole where the cave is.

Snoops: Alright you little brats, now you're both going to get down in that hole, and you're both gonna dig to you find the diamond and no sassing me.

Medusa: Ah ah ah, Snoops, that is no way to speak to these little children. Now my dear, you and your new friend are going to find big shiny diamond for your aunty Medusa, aren't you?

Eventually it escalated into a threat with Penny's teddy before they both went down. The cave was dark, wet, and damp.

Cody: Whoa, what a creepy and spooky place.

Penny: Yeah, it use to be a pirate's cave.

Suddenly, a rumble shakes the ground.

Cody: What's that?

Penny: What's where the water comes in when the tide rises. Ooh, I'm afraid to go over there.

Cody: Hmm, such a well defended spot, the perfect place to hide the 'Devil's Eye'.

Carefully, Cody climbed around the edge of the hole to get to the other side. When Penny holds up he lantern, glittering lights suddenly appear. With them coming from a skull, Cody looks inside it to find the 'Devil's Eye'.

Cody: Penny, this is it, I found it.

Penny: Medusa, we found it.

Medusa: Good kids, let's get it up here.

Cody tries to pull the skull up to get the diamond, but to no avail.

Medusa: What's taking so long?

Penny: It's stuck tight.

Medusa: Stuck tight? You get that diamond or neither of you will see daylight again!

As the water continues to come in and rise, Penny gets and idea. She grabs a big pirate sword and uses it to pry the skull open. She succeeds and she and Cody get lifted out. Medusa excitedly grabs the diamond.

Medusa: At last, the 'Devil's Eye'.

Snoops: It's worth millions.

In the swamp, Hally, Luke, and a group of their neighbors have gathered together to help Cody rescue Penny and charge to the riverboat.

Medusa holds a gun at Snoops, Penny, and Cody to keep them back while holding Penny's teddy bear (secretly hiding the diamond inside). But Cody makes a vine trap for Medusa, when she steps in, Cody pulls the vine and trips her. Making her drop the teddy and diamond, Penny grabs teddy and she and Cody flee while the others come to help.

They try to escape using Medusa's swamp mobile while the animals light the fireworks in the boat's furnace room. When the swamp mobile finally starts, Penny and Cody ride off with Medusa dangling behind on the rope (and later water-skiing on Nero and Brutus). When they make a sharp turn, Medusa's rope snaps and she's sent flying onto one of the river boat's funnels. Cody and Penny ride off back to New York.

Medusa: There goes my diamond.

Back in Australia, Cody's worried mom watches a TV Newscast from New York.

Reporter: And because of the courageous little girl named Penny, and the equally courageous little boy named Cody, the world's largest diamond, the 'Devil's Eye', is now on the Smithsonian Institute. But what's even more popular folks, the little orphan's dream has come true: Today, she's being adopted, and here she is with her new mother and father with Cody rejoicing for her.

Cody's mom is surprise to see her son on the news. She's both shocked and proud for her son's brave achievement. The reporter interviews Penny and Cody.

Reporter: Penny you were a brave little girl to retrieve this diamond and escape capture.

Penny: Well I couldn't have done it if it weren't for my new friend Cody, he rescued.

Reporter: Well Cody, I must say you were a kind and bold young boy to answer Penny's message for help. I'm sure your parents would be very proud.

Cody: Yeah, my mom is likely watching this right now, I'd like to say 'hi' to here. Hi Mom.

And so Cody and Penny became friends and Cody's mom decided to move to New York so they could be together. As time moved on, Penny and Cody found they had a lot in common, and became more than friends, perhaps even lovers.

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