"Jimmy!" "Jimmy!" "Hey, Jimmy!" "Jimmy!" "Jimmy!" "Scared the pants off you, didn't I?" "Jimmy Warren, I hate you." "And I hate those dirty old pirates and bucketeers, too." "Not bucketeers, buccaneers." "Don't you know anything?" "Bucketeers, buccaneers." "What's the difference?" "They were only a bunch of thieves and murderers." "They were real cool guys." "They weren't afraid of anything." "Oh, pork chop." "You wouldn't say that if Captain Kidd or Captain Blackbeard was around." "They'd maroon you on Devil's Rock without food or water." " Brave men." " When they attacked a ship... the decks were covered with arms and legs and blood... but all they did was sing and call for a bottle of rum." "Yeah, I know." ""Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum."" " What are you doing now?" " Fixing up a plank so we can walk it." " What for?" " Every pirate's gotta walk a plank." "You walk it." "I'm gonna dig clams." " Did you hurt yourself?" " No, I'm okay." "Blood." "What's so funny?" ""The decks were covered with blood." Fine pirate you are." "Hey, Mom, we got a whole mess of clams." "Look, Mom, there's enough for supper." "Oh, Jimmy, look at your feet." "Why, you sloshed water all over my nice clean kitchen floor." "I'm sorry." "Well, you certainly should be." "Now you just get the mop, and you clean all this up." "And get these dirty clams out to the back porch." "They're not dirty." "We washed them in nice clean ocean water." "Get the mop." "Jimmy, that's no way to mop a floor." "Here, I might as well do it myself." "Gosh, a guy can't do anything right around this place." "Jimmy, you know that's no way to talk to your mother." "Just 'cause I got a little water on the floor." "Incidentally, I noticed the lawn isn't cut yet." "Well, I was figuring on doing it, but I hurt my knee, and look..." " Oh, that's a gruesome wound." " Well, it hurts." "You know very well it isn't serious enough to stop you from cutting the lawn." "We have about a half an hour to lunch." "Isn't that right, Betty?" "Just about, dear." "Nobody cares what happens to me." "Could be hung by a yardarm by my thumbs, and nobody would care." "Say, isn't it about time for your report card?" "Yeah." "I got it yesterday." "I forgot to give it to you." "Maybe I ought to tell you first..." "It looks kind of Ionesome, that one skinny little A surrounded by all those C's and D's." "That A was for History." "I really dig that stuff." "We're studying about the Exploration Period." "That's when the pirates..." "Well, suppose we forget about the pirates and concentrate on this D in arithmetic?" "Oh, arithmetic." "I'll tell you this, young man, you won't get very far in this world without it." "Captain Blackbeard did okay, and he never even went to school." "He got more than $282,469 worth of doubloons and pieces of eight... off of those ships he plundered." "That he knows." "When you ask him to divide ten by two, his mind goes blank." "Boy, did that old Blackbeard have a blast for himself." "Well, why don't you go out and blast the lawn?" "While we're on the subject of forced labor at this prison camp... you might clean up your room... and get rid of all that junk you've been salvaging from the sea." " Oh, Pop." " I mean it." "You can't kick your way through it for sea shells and bottles and driftwood." "Now, if you don't get rid of it, I'll throw it out, the whole kit and caboodle." "Okay." "But I don't see why they fought the Revolution." "This isn't a free country." "And get rid of that junk you carry in your pocket." "You look like a pack mule." ""Mop the floor." "Cut the grass." ""Clean up your room." "Eat your vegetables."" "I bet old Blackbeard never ate a vegetable in his whole life." "This is a funny-Iooking bottle." "Yeah, and neat." "But I bet if I took it home, Pop would say it's just another piece of junk." "Nobody lets me do anything I want to." "I wish I was far away from here." "I wish I was on a pirate ship." "Man the rigging and step lively, or I'll have your ears in me chowder tonight... you blasted sons of sea cooks!" "Where am I?" " Thank you." " Who are you?" " I am Abu, sire." " Sire?" "My name's Jimmy." "Very well, Sire Jimmy." "I have given you your heart's desire." "Your wish has been granted." "You are aboard the Queen's Revenge." "The Queen's Revenge?" "Where did you get that jazz?" "The Queen's Revenge was an old Blackbeard ship." "Very well, then." "Have a look for yourself." "A pirate ship!" "Exactly, sire." "Captain Blackbeard's ship." "The Queen's Revenge." "Aloft, you shirking lubbers, and keep a sharp eye open... for that scurvy Captain Maynard of His Majesty's stinking Navy... if you value your worthless hides." "Blackbeard." "Aye." "The most amiable, sweet-tempered gentleman who ever sailed the seven seas." " I don't understand." " It is quite simple, Sire Jimmy." "For 2,000 years, I have been imprisoned in this bottle." "Two thousand years in a bottle." "You don't expect me to believe that?" "It is true." "I have been waiting down through the centuries... for someone to release me and take my place." "And that someone is you." "Me?" "How come?" "Because it was you who found the bottle and made the wish which I have granted." "In return for this, I ask one small favor." " What favor?" " You take my place in the bottle." "Who wants to live in an old bottle?" "That's crazy." "It's ridiculous, but that is the way it must be." "That is the law." "Oh, pork chop." "According to the rules, for the next three days, I am to come and go as I please." "But at the end of that time, by next Tuesday, either I return to the bottle... or you take my place." "Don't count on me." "I'm not doing any dumb stunt like that." "Alas, Sire Jimmy, I see you are no more desirous of living in this bottle than I am." " You can say that again." " That won't be necessary." "Unfortunately for me, Sire Jimmy, there is one way you may avoid such a fate." "Return the bottle to the exact spot where you found it by Tuesday... before the setting of the sun." "That's a cinch." "That's three whole days from now." "Is it?" "This ship is heading for Nova Scotia... where Captain Blackbeard is planning to bury the treasure he just plundered." "It will be at least six weeks before we return to your village in Massachusetts." "Look, you got me into this mess, now you get me out." "Sire Jimmy, I haven't the slightest intention or the desire to do so." "If I get you out, I get myself in." "The bottle, that is." "In your own quaint way of speaking, Sire Jimmy... you are a dead pigeon." "I shall be as free as the wind upon my face, for in this bottle, Sire Jimmy... you shall take my place." "And who might you be, runt?" "Snipe, come here." "What brat is this?" "I don't know, sir." "I never saw the little swab before." " What devil's spawn brought you here?" " Like as not, he's a stowaway." "I'm not a stowaway." "Mr. Abu brought me here." "And who might Mr. Abu be?" "He's the little old guy that lives in this bottle." "Lives in the bottle?" "What kind of prattle is that?" "He's been stuck in here for over 2,000 years." "'Tis as empty as his noggin." "Ain't you a bit young to be imbibing?" "I didn't drink anything." "Abu just came out when I made the wish." "Feed him to the sharks." "Nobody's pulling Blackbeard's leg." "You can't do that." "Soon as my dad finds out, he'll call the police and the FBI." "FBI." "What's that?" "That's the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and they always get their man... just like the Canadian Mounties." "Yeah, well, I'll not be twitted by a snip of an urchin." "Now throw him overboard!" "Just a minute, Captain." "We been needing a ship's boy." "This looks like a likely enough lad." "Besides, he'll get no wages, coming aboard as a stowaway." "He's too blasted skinny for me liking." "He's strong enough to fetch and carry for you... between swabbing the deck and giving a hand in the galley." "Swab the deck?" "All right." "Put him to work." "That goes for the rest of you skunks!" "Now back to your stations." "Swab the deck?" "Here you are, lad." "Now step lively." "Thanks, Mr. Snipe." "Don't you worry about getting thrown to the sharks." "I doubt they'd get a square meal out of you, anyhow." "Just like home, eh?" "Oh, why don't you go back in your old bottle?" "You won't think it's so funny when Blackbeard gets ahold of you." "There's no fear of that, Sire Jimmy." "Nobody can see me but you." "Here, ship's boy, on your toes." "You talking to me?" "Well, I ain't talking to me grandmother." "There's a job here needs doing... and a likelier-Iooking lad I'll never find aboard this flea tub." " Who are you?" " Scoggins, ship's cook, that's who." "Here." "Gut it and clean it." " This?" " That's right." "Oh, and don't forget to save his entrails." "His nibs likes them with his tea." "Raw." "Here, use this." "That would be his nibs." "He'll be yelling for his rum in half a mo." "If there's one thing he is when he ain't hungry... it's thirsty." "I better get his rum." "Get on with it." " Not a bad haul." " Well, we've fared better." "But still and all, there's a measure of satisfaction... in our having bested a brother pirate." "If you hadn't slit old Trott's throat... he'd have gone home a sad and poor man, Captain." "Aye, aye." "Now, I always believe in fair play, you know." "I took his treasure, and then I gave him the sharp edge of me cutlass." "This calls for another round, by thunder." "Scoggins!" "Scoggins, a cask of rum and be quick about it." " What's the idea?" " His nibs wants his milk." " Scoggins, where is that rum?" " Coming." "Here, below with you." "And tramp, me lad." "His nibs ain't one to run afoul of." "1,300, 1,400, 1,500, 1,600... 1,750." "That's more than that Captain Maynard of His Majesty's stinking Navy makes... in five years." "Blast Captain Maynard." "Now count the rest of it." " That's it, Captain." " What do you mean, that's it?" "That's all there is, down to the last farthing." "If I know Ben Trott, he had more gold in his coffers than that." "No doubt, he buried the rest of it before we caught up with him." "Then there'd be a map." "Blast his hide, where is it?" " Probably on the ship we scuttled." " Looks like we scuttled the ship too soon." " Here's your milk, sir." " Milk?" "Oh, it's you, runt." " Bring it here." " I'm not a runt." "I'm almost 11 years old, and I'm big for my size." "You're big for your size, huh?" "Old Ben Trott sure knew his rum." "It's the best rum I ever tasted." "Come here, runt." "What name be ye called by?" " Jimmy." "Jimmy Warren." " Jimmy." "There ain't much to you, but you got a likely head on your shoulders." "I weren't much bigger than you when first I set sail under Ben Hornigold... back in New Providence." "Yeah." "He was the one that taught you the pirate business." "Yeah, that he did." "And it weren't long before I learned him a few things." "How did you know?" "Oh, I read all about you and him in my history book." "Oh, so they already got me writ up in a book, do they?" " Didn't take them long." " Oh, it was quite a long time, sir... before they wrote it all down." "Almost 200 years ago that it happened." " You pulling me leg again?" " Oh, no, sir, I wouldn't do that." "See that you don't!" "Now, look here, runt..." "I've taken a liking to you." "And how would you like to put yourself under me loving care... and I'll make a pirate out of you, too?" "I'm not sure I wanna be a pirate, Mr. Blackbeard." "Not be a pirate?" "You want to be a miserable crawling rat... sponging for your rum instead of setting sail... in the seven seas in a fine brig like this?" "Huh?" "I'd rather travel by jet." "Jet?" "What in thunder's that?" "It's an airplane that can fly fast enough to break the sound barrier." "That's about 750 miles an hour." "My dad says they're making them fast enough... to go from Los Angeles to New York in 12 minutes... and that's real crazy." "You talk like you've been hitting the bottle again." "Now off with you!" "But, mind you, whether you like it or not..." "Blackbeard is gonna make a pirate out of you." "Unless you'd rather walk the plank." "And fetch another cask of rum." "And tell that lily-livered Scoggins to get to work on me vittles." "I've got an appetite that would put a whale to shame." "Milk!" "A rare beauty, this one, Captain." "Why don't you give it to your wife?" "Yeah?" "Which one?" "By the powers that be, I've been scuttled." "What son of a sea serpent..." " Sorry, Mr. Blackbeard, I couldn't help it." " Why, you miserable little runt." "I've had me fill of thee!" "Sail ahoy!" "A British sloop of war flying the Union Jack!" "British sloop of war?" "All hands on deck!" " That's Maynard's ship." " Are we gonna take him on, Captain?" "It's too late to make a run for it." "Get ready for action!" "The swine, he's closing in." "Give him a broadside!" "Sink the dogs." "Sink them." "Another broadside." "They're gonna capture us." "Then I'll get Captain Maynard to take me back home." " Oh, no, you won't." " There's nothing you can do about it." "Isn't there?" "I'll show you." "Watch this." "Snipe, look at that fog rolling in." "That's strange, Captain." "It's only around his ship." "I've never seen the likes of it before." "It came up as if by magic." "And it's pink." "Aye, and we'll make good use of it." "It'll give us a chance to lose him." "Change course!" " Aye, aye, sir." " Stand by your headsails!" "Larboard, fore braces." " Hard to lee." " Hard to lee." " How in the heck did you do it?" " That is my little secret." "Think you're pretty smart, don't you?" "You must admit, Sire Jimmy, as you would say, it's a pretty neat trick." "And now Captain Blackbeard will head for the Carolinas... which is even farther from your home than Nova Scotia." " All clear?" " Clear as a boatswain's pipe." "It's all your fault." "You got me into this mess." "I wish I never made that dumb wish." "My pop was sure right about picking up junk from the sea." "And you're the worst junk I ever picked up." "I should have thrown you right back." "Good riddance." "Not a very nice thing to do, Sire Jimmy." "If I do say so myself, I am getting a little tired of salt water as a steady diet." "Who cares how you feel?" "Granted." "But you cannot get rid of me that easily." "You see, Sire Jimmy, there is something I neglected to tell you." " You mean there's more?" " Just one small item." "Every time you try to throw me away, as you just did... in any but the exact spot where you found me... one day is taken off your allotted time." " Then I've only got two days to get back." " Monday." " Oh, no." " Don't feel too badly, Sire Jimmy." "In one of these days, in a few thousand years or so..." " some other little boy may find you." " I'll never see my mom and dad again." "My dear boy, your mother and father won't be born for another 200 years yet." "What are you talking about?" "Don't you remember?" "You're back in the 18th century... in what will be known in time to come as the Exploration Period." "Oh, I know all about that." "It was in my history lesson last week." "I wish I would have studied arithmetic instead." "I am truly sorry you feel so unhappy, Sire Jimmy." "But you still have tomorrow and all day Monday to enjoy." "Only two days." "Things just couldn't get any worse." "Well done, me lad!" "Extra ration of grog for that." "I'll drink that grog meself." "Let them have it in the main mast!" "Close in to board!" "At the swine, and don't spare the steel." "Thanks, runt." "Katrina, go below." "I'm afraid, Captain." "What a haul!" "Back to the ship!" "Cut the grappling iron." "Cut her loose!" "Come on, follow me." "What's the matter?" "You wanna go down with the ship?" "Come on." "Come on!" "Come on!" "What are you crying about now?" "You're okay." " In the name of Davy Jones, who's this?" " She was on the Dutch ship." "Better off if she stayed there." "I couldn't let her go down with the ship, could I?" "There, there, now." "There's no reason to cry." "You'll be all right." "Snipe!" "What's that she-brat doing here?" "She was going down with the Dutchman, and the runt here hauled her aboard." "Oh, he did, did he?" "Since when did the miserable cabin rat take over?" "He was only obeying the law of the sea, saving them that's in trouble." "Blast the law." "I'll have no wench on the Queen's Revenge." "Now, overboard with her, or, by the powers, I'll toss her overboard meself!" "No, no, you can't do that!" "Out of me way, runt, or you'll be the first to go in!" "Please, Mr. Blackbeard, she's only a little girl." "She won't be any trouble." "Trouble she won't be." "I'll have none of her on me ship." " Now stand aside." " No, please." "She can help me." "She can be the ship's girl and fetch and carry like I do." "So you won't have to wait so long for your rum, with both of us." "Shut your scuppers and get out of me way, or I'll split your skull!" "Jimmy." "I won't let you!" "I won't let you!" "Kathy was right." "You're nothing but a dirty old murderer." "Oh, you stand up to me, huh?" "Well, stave in me timbers... if ye ain't got guts." "Yeah." "Well, all right." "Let her..." "Let her be." "But see that she earns her keep." "Aye." "You look like a frozen mouse." "I think I'll go and see if I can dig up something for her to wear." "I wish to thank you for saving my life, even though you are a pirate." "I'm not a pirate." "Here." "Then what are you doing on a pirate ship?" "I was brought here, same as you." "Well, not exactly." "You see, Mr. Abu here..." "Mr. Abu?" "That little man sitting on the pin rail." "I don't see anybody." "What's the matter with you?" "He's right there." "I don't see him." "Oh, never mind." "You wouldn't understand." "Why would I not understand?" "Well, it's kind of weird, and besides, you're just a girl." "You do not like girls?" "They're okay, I guess." "I like Kathy all right." "She's a real cool kid." "That is, when she's not yakking her head off." "Am I not a real cool kid?" "Well, I don't know you very well." "Say, you look just like Kathy, except you dress different." "My name's Jimmy." "What's yours?" "Katrina Van Kieft." "That's Dutch." "Do you live in Holland?" "Oh, no." "I've been visiting my grandparents there... but I live in New Amsterdam." "You mean New York." "Well, we Dutch still call it New Amsterdam." "Here you are." "This will keep you warm." "Now you go below." "You can have my cabin." "I'll sleep in the fo'c'sle with the men." "Runt here will show you where it is." " Thanks for helping us, Mr. Snipe." " Off with you." "Got more to do than stand around here and gab." "It was nice of Mr. Snipe to let me have his cabin." "Yeah, he's a real cool guy for a pirate." "Where do you sleep?" "I sleep in the fo'c'sle with the rest of the men." "Well, see you later." "Here." "Fill it up again, brats." "Don't cry, Katrina." "I can't help it." "I'm afraid." "Don't be afraid." "I won't let anything happen to you." "I know you are very brave, Jimmy, but those pirates are cruel and wicked." "I'll never see my home again." "My mama gave me this locket on my last birthday." "It's keen." "But don't you worry, you'll get home all right." "No." "I heard some of them talking." "We are going south." "Every day we will get further and further away from New Amsterdam." "I mean New York." "Yeah, I know." "If I could just think of something." "I've only got two days left to get back, or I'll be in real trouble with Mr. Abu." "Who is this Mr. Abu you are always talking about?" "Oh, he's a little square squirt who's got me in a bind." "Square?" "Squirt?" "Bind?" "What kind of talk is that?" "He thinks he's gonna get the best of me, but I'll show him." "I'll tell you one thing, between him and those pirates... we've gotta watch our step." " I will do anything you say, Jimmy." " Good deal." "Good deal?" "Say, what's the matter with you?" "Don't you understand English?" "Now you are crying." "You are afraid, too, no?" "Nah, it's just these darned old onions." "What is that you are eating?" "I'm not eating, I'm chewing bubble gum." "Want some?" "Is it good?" "Try it." "Don't swallow, just chew." "Here, here, here, you two." "Ain't you finished them blooming vegetables yet?" " Almost ready, Mr. Scoggins." " Yeah, and about time, too." "Who fired that shot?" "Here." "Here, what is this, a blooming conspiracy?" "Gosh, Mr. Scoggins, we didn't mean to scare you." "It's just this bubble gum." "When you chew it, it gets bigger and bigger and then..." "Get out of here, both of you, and let me get on with more slumgullion." "Gosh, Mr. Scoggins, I gotta tell you something." "You got nothing to tell me I wanna hear." "Now be off with you, both of you." "But you put the bubble gum..." "Get out of here, or I'll put a broom to your keel." "Okay, but somebody's gonna be sorry." "Jimmy, do not feel badly." "Perhaps it will not ruin the stew." "I don't care about the stew, but that was the last of my bubble gum." "Hey, runt." "Fetch me a coal to light me pipe." "You don't need a coal." "I'll give you a light." "Could I try it?" "How in thunder did you do that?" "I just used a match." "What in the devil's a match?" "It's magic." "It's witchcraft, that's what it is." "You in league with the devil, runt?" "Oh, no, sir." "They're nothing but little old safety matches." "But I'd catch heck if Dad knew I had them." "I'm not supposed to play with matches." "Where did you get them?" "I got them back home." "They're easy to get." "Most everyone gives them away... stores, restaurants, motels, gas stations." "But I guess you two wouldn't know about them." "Well, whatever they are, they're mighty handy." "Tell you what, if you give them to me..." "I'll give you one of old Ben Trott's nice shiny doubloons." "It's a deal." "Thank you." " Who is Ben Trott?" " He was another pirate." "Blackbeard killed him and scuttled his ship just before I came aboard." "Boy, was old Blackbeard burned when he looked at the treasure he'd plundered." "He figured there was a lot more that Ben Trott had buried someplace." "And the map went down with Trott's ship." "Hey, that gives me an idea." "Let's go below so nobody can hear us, and I'll tell you the deal." "Safety matches." " That cross marks the spot." " What spot?" "The spot where Ben Trott's treasure's buried." " How do you know it is buried there?" " It isn't, silly." "I'm just making it up." "Blackbeard will think it's buried there when he sees this map." "Then he'll go after the treasure." "I still do not quite understand how this'll get us back home." "Look, I've marked this so it'll look like the treasure's buried on Biscayne Point... up in Massachusetts, and that's right near where I live." "Oh, I see." "Yeah." "As soon as we get there, we'll sneak off the boat and go to my house." "Then my dad will drive you to New York." "Drive me?" "Am I a cow that he will drive me?" "Oh, no, of course not." "I mean, he'll take you in our car." "Car?" "What is that?" "For Pete's sakes, Katrina, don't you even know what a car is?" "No." "I never heard of such a thing." "Oh, yeah, that's right." "I forgot." "A car is an automobile." "Well, it's sort of a rubber-tire wagon that runs by itself." "I mean, it doesn't have to have horses to pull it." "It runs on gasoline." "Oh, skip it." "Now I've got work to do." "I have to plant this so Blackbeard will find it." "Come on." "The coast is clear." " Where are you going to hide it?" " Trott's treasure chest." "Blackbeard's always pawing through it and stuff." "He'll be sure to find it." " Somebody is coming." " Hey, Scoggins!" " Hurry up with that slumgullion." " We can't let them find us here." " What are we going to do?" " I don't know." "If there was only some place to hide." "He fell flat on his face!" "Yeah, well, I've been looking forward to this, all right." "Ah, there." "Ah, this looks good." "It's good to eat it hot." "The bubble gum." "What's going on here?" "It's the slumgullion, Captain." "It's chewier than a hunk of blubber." "Silence!" "I'll have no more of that on this ship." "Scoggins!" "Scoggins!" "Where'd you learn to cook?" "You wanted to see me, guv?" "Yeah, that I did, me hearty." "Come here." "Sit down." "Have ye had your dinner?" "Yes, sir." "And it wasn't half bad, either." "It pleases me to hear that." "Might I ask what you ate?" "Well, sir, in a manner of speaking, I would have said it was stew." " Slumgooly?" " Well, not exactly." "No, it were more in the nature of a salt-pork stew." "Some leavings I found in the galley." "How long have you had a berth on me ship?" "Ever since they let me out of Highgate Prison." "How would you like to go back?" "There's nothing wrong, is there, guvnor?" "Not a thing, me hearty." "Not a single little thing." "What made you make the stew different today?" "Different?" "So help me, guvnor, I wouldn't wanna live with meself... if I changed me own grandmother's recipe." " It would be a sacrilege." " Smartly put, Scoggins." "It would be a sacrilege." "How would you like to taste it?" "A big mouthful." "Not half bad, guvnor, though I do say so meself." "Come on." "Now's our chance to get out." "A bit of all right, is it?" "You greasy, pasty-faced galley rat, I ought to pickle you in brine!" "What in thunder are ye brats doing in the chest?" "We were just looking at the treasure." "Did ye have to get inside to do that?" "What's that you got there?" "It's just something I found in the chest." "Throw it here." " By the powers, it's the map." " What map?" "The map showing where Ben Trott buried the bulk of his treasure." "It's on up the Massachusetts coast." "Well, strike me pink if you haven't got the luck of the Irish in you." "It's my guess that he's got a fortune out here." "Ben Trott was the lowliest scum that ever sailed... but no craftier privateer ever lived... until I stunted his stinking growth." "It's all here, the shoals and the inlets... and even the reefs and the channels to bring the ship right into a safe anchorage." "I always say that you're a man that's known for his fair play... and so am I." "I smell something brewing, and this time it ain't slumgullion." "Well, suppose it was me that had found that map instead of you." "Being the kind of generous gentleman I am..." "I'd give you a fair share." "That's what I'd do." "Well, so help me, that's what I'd do." "You're a conniving scoundrel." "Scoggins, you'll get your piece." "Then I take it you'll turn the Queen's Revenge about and head her north?" "I'll let no barnacles grow on the keel until I give the order." "Ain't it a shame... we gotta share with the rest of that scurvy crew?" "I ought to hang you by the yardarm for such a mercenary thought... but inasmuch as it's me own thinking, I'll spare your neck." "I knew you'd see me point, sir." "All right." "It's just between us two." "Not one word." "So help me, guvnor, I wouldn't tell me own dear departed mother." "Fifty paces north of Chalk Rock." "Sixty paces west in line with the big tree." "The first hill on Biscayne Point." "We shouldn't have much trouble to find that." "Now listen, you brats..." "They're gone." "Aye, gone." "And if you're thinking what I'm thinking... how much have the little blighters heard?" "Katrina, I think we're in business." "You really think they will take us home?" "You heard what Blackbeard said." "He won't let any barnacles grow on the ship's keel... before he gives the order to go north." "Oh, Jimmy, it'd be wonderful to get away from this awful ship... and see my mother and father again." "Yeah, I'll be pretty glad to see my mom and dad, too." "And I'll be glad to get that darn dumb bottle back." "What bottle?" "The bottle Mr. Abu lives in." "If I don't get it back to the place I found it by sunset tomorrow..." "I'll be a dead pigeon." "How could you be a dead pigeon?" "That's easy." "I'll be living in the bottle, and Mr. Abu will be on his merry way." "They're going toward the wheel." "Let's see what they're gonna do." " I'll take over, Eric." " Aye, sir." "Stand by your headsails!" "Port, fore braces!" " You're changing course, Captain?" " He's the skipper." "Ain't he got the right?" "Hard to lee!" "What does that mean?" "It means Mr. Abu will be a dead pigeon, not me." "Come on." "What's this?" "You're giving her a full turn." "Aye, that I am." "What's going on?" "We're changing course." " What did you say?" " We're changing our course!" "Come on." "I don't understand it." "Well, if there's a man among you with any guts, speak up." "You've put her about, sir." " We want to know why." " Aye!" "This doesn't concern you." "If you'll excuse me, Captain, the men have a right to an explanation." "The mate is right." "You're risking our necks heading right up Maynard's waters, Captain." " Aye, aye." " Aye." "Maybe your stinking necks ain't worth it... but I'm turning back for your own sakes." "For our sakes?" "Cook here tells me our rations are short... particularly grog!" "Ain't that so, Scoggins?" "It's the truth, so help me if it ain't." "If we're so low, why don't we find a safe port south?" "There ain't no safe port south." "Every governor in the colonies has a price on my head." "Would you have me walk into a trap?" " What about us?" " Aye." "We ain't exactly looking forward to swinging from Maynard's yardarm." "Yeah, I ain't!" "Are you running this ship, or am I?" "You've no right to risk our lives." " Yeah, that's right, Captain." " Aye." "So I'm risking your life, am I?" "I'll show you what I think of your mangy life." "Anybody else got anything to say?" "It's just as I thought." "You're a bunch of sniveling cowards!" "Come on, Scoggy." "Fetch me a flagon of rum." "That fat dog." "Since when has he and that cockney rat got so chummy?" " Rat is right, and I smell one." " Aye." "Something's up that don't meet the eye." "You believe that bilge about the rations?" "I don't know, but I'll soon find out." " Take care of him." " Aye." "Sire Jimmy." "Sire Jimmy, wait a minute." "I wish to talk to you." "Sire Jimmy, what happened?" "We have changed course and are sailing north again." " Where are we going?" " Wouldn't you like to know?" "Sire Jimmy, you know something." "What is it?" "Okay, I'll tell you." "We're going back to Massachusetts." " Massachusetts?" " That's right." "Tomorrow before sunset..." "I'll be throwing a certain little bottle back where I found it." "Why is Blackbeard doing this?" "What is he going to Massachusetts for?" "That's something for you to figure out." "I'm going to sleep." "Jimmy!" "Sire Jimmy!" "They lied." "The storeroom's full." "Scurvy rats." "I'm for slitting their throats." "Let's go." " I'd make them walk the plank." " I say keelhaul them." "Don't let it upset you too much, Sire Jimmy." "After a couple of thousand years, that bottle begins to feel just like home." "Easy." "Easy does it, mates." "You don't know Blackbeard." "I've been with him for seven years." "Are you for saving his filthy neck?" "All right, stretch it for all of me, but what will it gain you?" "A dead knave who'd double-cross his own mother." "Aye." "We can take over and run this tub ourselves." "And lose yourselves a fortune?" "What are you talking about?" "A fortune?" "If I know this scoundrel, what he's after smells gold." "Do you think he'd risk his neck going into northern waters... if there wasn't a profit in it?" " Maybe he wants to strike the trade lanes." " There's trade lanes to the south." " Snipe's right." " So what would you have us do?" "Wait." "Bide your time." "Play along with him." "Find out what he's up to." "If it's gold, then we want our rightful share." "Aye." "If we kill him, we won't get a farthing of it." " Our mate's right." " Aye." "And much as I'd like to stick his head on the mast of that Jolly Roger..." " our mate's right." " Aye." " Then you're all with me?" " Aye, aye." "Don't let it upset you too much, Sire Abu." "After a couple of thousand years, that bottle gets to feel just like home." "Here's where we be now." "68 degrees longitude, 36 degrees, 40 minutes north latitude." "We're making good speed." "With favorable winds, we should hit the Massachusetts coast... sometime late this afternoon." "Not half bad, guvnor." "I'm beginning to smell old Ben Trott's gold already, I am." "Yeah." "Here, I hope we don't run afoul of that blighter, Maynard." "We gotta chance that." "Well, I'd say this calls for a beaker of rum." "Here's to Old Ben Trott's gold." "I'll drink to that." "Hey, what's that?" " What's what?" " This map." "Do you see what I see?" "Is that Massachusetts or Madagascar?" "Blow me if I understand it... but it looks more like Madagascar than Massachusetts." "Aye." "That's what I see." "Look here, Scoggins." " Have you been tampering with that map?" " Well, how could I?" "The blooming map ain't been out of your hands since you found it." "Aye." "Maybe it's the rum that's making us see things what ain't." "Not likely." "This here is some of Ben Trott's private stock." "Aye." "Queer things have been going on around here." "Ever since that runt came aboard, strange things have been happening." "I never did have no use for that little swab." "Maybe it's time for an accident to happen to him." "If we kill him, maybe something worse will come upon us." "Well, what are you gonna do?" "Change course and head for Madagascar... or go on to Massachusetts?" "I gotta think before I can answer that." "I'm so excited, Jimmy." "Is it really happening?" "Yeah, it is." "You can take my word for it." " Will we really reach Massachusetts tonight?" " We'd better." "This is Monday and the bottle's gotta be back before sunset today." "How far is this Biscayne Point from your home?" "Heck, it's less than a mile." "I used to play there all the time." "Me and Kathy." "Boy, was I dumb, wanting to be a pirate like Blackbeard." "That scurvy rat, double-crossing his own men, him and Scoggins." "He is what you say he is, but you must not say it." "Why not?" "Because it is not nice talk." "It is the way he talks." "Okay." "But he's still what I said he was." "They all are, except Snipe." "I'd like to tell him the truth why Blackbeard's going to Massachusetts." "No, no, Jimmy." "You must not." "Blackbeard would kill you." "Just the same, I'd like to." "Snipe's a real cool guy, and he's been our friend." "We was right." "The skipper and that squint-eyed galley rat are planning to double-cross us." " How do you know that?" " Them two brats was talking... and Blackbeard's taking them to Biscayne Point, where the boy lives." "So that's why we've been going north." "Oh, you're daft to think that Blackbeard's wasting his time..." " on a couple of measly brats." " Right you are." "He's got some other reason for sticking his head into Maynard's jaw." " And the runt knows what it is." " Maybe we can get him to tell us." "No, he's afraid of Blackbeard." " I think we can make him talk." " Aye." "Don't you be going telling Snipe about it." "He's a little soft on the runt." "We have to be getting a little rough." "Leave him to me." "I'll fix it so he has to stand my watch." "Get in there." "What'd you bring us here for?" "Ain't you learned no respect?" "Speak when you're asked!" "What are you gonna do to us?" "That depends on ye, runt." "You tell us what Blackbeard and Scoggins is up to... we might just be liable to let you be." "But, on the other hand, if you don't..." "I can't tell you." "Oh, come on." "We know that he's gonna take you to your home in Massachusetts." " So what?" " We're wasting time!" "Let's beat it out of him!" "Oh, come on now, matey." "All we wanna know is why is he going to Biscayne Point?" "Now speak up." "Come on, runt, and be double-quick about it, or I'll break your measly arm." "Blackbeard would kill me if he found out what I've done." " No, please." "Do not hurt him." " Shut up." "Stay out of it." "Now, out with it." "Speak!" "By thunder, I'll make you speak!" "Please leave him alone." "I'll make him speak." " Peake!" " Aye." " What are you gonna do?" " You'll soon find out, matey." "Hold him." "Hold him tight." "Figure you don't need no tongue to walk the plank." " No, no, I'll tell you." " Speak up and be quick." "Captain Blackbeard and Mr. Scoggins are gonna find a big treasure... they think is buried there." "Dirty scum." "You hear that?" "You hear that?" "How do ye know this?" " You see, they found a map." " What map, runt?" "A map showing where Ben Trott's treasure's buried." "What do ye say about this, Mr. Snipe?" "There you go." "Well, you done good by us, Jimmy boy." "We'll not be forgetting you." "Thanks, Mr. Snipe." "But I gotta tell you..." "Never mind." "Run along now, you two." " But, Mr. Snipe..." " Off with you!" "All right, now." "We got that black-hearted double-crosser dead to rights." " Aye." " Let's go and find that map and take over." " Are you with me?" " Aye!" ""Madagascar."" "No matter how I look at it, it don't spell Massachusetts." "Hey, Captain, we're in trouble." "Blast ye, Scoggins, ain't we in enough trouble already?" "Not like this, guvnor." "There's a blooming British sloop off the starboard." " Maynard?" " Looks like his ship." "Let them have it, the swine!" "Don't be afraid." "We gotta get out of here." " We'll all be killed, I know it." " Don't be scared." "Blackbeard's a plenty rugged guy and real smart." "He's given that Maynard the slip before." "He will." "He can do it again." "Hey, it's the map!" "Good deal." "Now's our chance to get rid of it." " Why do you wanna do that?" " 'Cause it's too hot." "Now that the pirates know about it, someone's sure to find out it's a phony." "Hey, you two, I've been looking for you." "Come with me, quick." "I'm gonna get you onto shore." "Lower your aim." "Be able to make it easy through here." "Massachusetts." "The bottle." "I'll be right back." " Come back here, runt." " Jimmy!" "Scoggins!" "You got that map?" " No." "Ain't you?" " Blast me, I must have left it below." "Runt, what have you done with that map?" "I've got it!" "I got it!" "Come on." "Scoggins, come here." "Where is that miserable little runt?" "He's got the map." "Dirty little sneak." "I ain't seen him." "Here, look." "We gotta stop them, or Snipe will get that treasure." "Stop them, me eye." "What chance have we got to go after them... with Maynard blasting us to bits, huh?" "He's got to go after them, or I'll be back in that bottle for good." "And I know how to fix it so he can." "Golly, it's Devil's Rock." "Devil's Rock?" "Where in thunder did that come from?" "I don't know, but it's right near where I live." "Holy hen, we must be near home." " Please, Mr. Snipe, let's hurry." " Aye, aye." "'Tis the devil himself done this." "Aye, so help me, it is." "Here." "Here, if it ain't a good turn he's done us." "Good turn?" "What blasphemy are you spouting now?" "Why, it's as plain as me old mother's nose." "Now we can go after Snipe and them two brats without being blown to bits." " Just you and me." " Yeah." "Just you and me and that treasure of Ben Trott's." "Scoggy, do you think the volcano has damaged the channel?" "Well, it seems to be ship-shape, guvnor." "And all that beautiful gold... shared in two." "You're wrong, Scoggy." "Shared by one." " Well, what in thunder..." " Captain, we wants the map." "Aye." "Now, mates, you know that old Blackbeard don't go in for double-dealing." "We're all partners." " Then where's the map?" " She be with that traitor, Snipe!" "Snipe!" "Come back, you old traitor!" "Snipe!" " Morgan." " Snipe, come on back here..." "That's just to remind you others who's Captain, in case you're about to forget." "Now step lively and catch up with that traitor Snipe and those blasted kids!" "Hurry up, Mr. Snipe." "They're coming." " Get that boat over the side." " Right, Chief." " Step lively." " Aye, aye." "Boy, will I be glad to get this old bottle back and get home again." "I didn't save your life for that, Sire Jimmy." "You saved me?" "Naturally, so that Blackbeard could catch you... and you could take my place in the bottle." "Quite clever of me, don't you think?" "So it was you who put Devil's Rock there." "Pretty neat, huh?" "Sire Jimmy, you are now enjoying your last few minutes of freedom." "Don't you think you ought to try the bottle for size?" "Not so fast." "We're practically home." "Blackbeard will never catch me." "Won't he?" "Look." "Row." "Row, you swabs." "Can't you go faster, Mr. Snipe?" "Please?" "You two kids run along now." "I'll hold them off." "No, no, Mr. Snipe." "They'll kill you." "No more gab." "Off with you!" "Goodbye, Mr. Snipe." "I'll never forget you." " I too shall always remember." " Come on." "Katrina, did you see..." "Katrina!" "Katrina!" "Where are you?" "Katrina!" "Katrina, Katrina, where are you?" ""Queen's Revenge. "" "No sirree, Mr. Abu, I've had it." "Jimmy!" "Where have you been?" "Everyone's been looking for you." "Wait till I tell you, Katrina." "I mean, Kathy." "You see, I found a bottle and this little squirt Mr. Abu came out." "Mr. Abu?" "Yeah, he lived in a bottle for 2,000 years." "Two thousand years?" " Then Blackbeard and Snipe..." " Blackbeard?" "Come on, I'll walk you home."