Davina Dupree Puzzles a Pirate (6 page)

‘No dear, tie him up and bring him to our camp too, I think,’ Mrs Fairchild smiled. ‘I’ll phone the Police Department of the Seven Seas to let them know what’s been going on, and I’m sure they’ll love to come and collect Mr Snap, once they hear what he’s been up to.’

‘Right. Meat Chomper, you and Skull Crusher row back to the ship and collect the trailer. We’ll be able to tow the Kapatoos in that. Put lots of cushions and food in it, mind, I want those birds to be treated with the respect they deserve from now on. Scar Cheek, you’re in charge of tying up the bilge rat and takin’ him back to Mrs Fairchild’s camp with the rest of the lads. Personally, I’m going to escort these three lovely ladies back there meself.’

Mrs Fairchild took his arm and walked back with him all the way. They looked so funny together, little and large!

I’ve got to go now Diary, Mrs Fairchild’s just called an assembly and I have a feeling she’s about to explain to all the girls exactly what’s been going on...

Thursday, 15
^th
January

A happy ending, Diary.

Mrs Fairchild’s news caused SUCH a stir among the first years yesterday morning! She told them all about nasty Mr Snap and what he was REALLY up to, how he was the thief and had asked the pirates to kidnap me and Arabella because he thought we knew too much after we saw him swap loot with the pirates. She told them all about how the pirates were really rather nice, even if they did do silly things sometimes. The biggest surprise, especially for Mr Fossil, who’s been walking round looking like he’s just won the lottery ever since, was when she told everyone about the Kapatoo birds. She explained how much the pirates loved them and how they’d been giving them to Mr Snap, thinking he was a bird loving responsible breeder but how in actual fact he was being mean and naughty, over breeding the birds to make lots of money, and neglecting them, keeping them cramped up in dirty cages.

When Mrs Fairchild asked if anyone would like a Kapatoo bird to take care of over the next few days, (they’re currently living with Captain Bones in Mr Snap’s old tent which has been turned into a Kapatoo luxury hotel), literally EVERYONE put their hands up!

Cleo and Clarice were almost sick when Mrs Fairchild gave me and Arabella a special mention, saying how brave we were, being kidnapped then helping to rescue the birds. Clarice went pale and put her hand over her mouth and Cleo turned and stared at us, looking SO stunned and upset. I heard them whispering about how boring and good we always are but I don’t care, I know we did the right thing.

Mrs Fairchild also gave us the grave news that after the Seven Sea’s police came to collect Mr Snap in their flashy speedboat last night, he confessed to everything, including taking the poor Duke of Westchester hostage so that he could come to Ni Island with us and put his nasty, money making plan into action. Apparently Mr Snap had been sneaking over to the island for years, buying Kapatoos from the pirates to breed and sell and building up his shady business without the Duke having any idea that this was going on on his island. But after running out of money to barter with, Mr Snap came up with the cunning plan to take us “rich kids” over so he could steal from us in order to pay the pirates. He got a job with the Duke of Westchester by pretending to be a butler after hearing the Duke’s old one had retired due to back problems, and it was him who robbed Lottie and Erica’s tent when we were out doing project work, he told the police that Mr Fossil was so engrossed in his hunt for Kapatoos that he didn’t notice Mr Snap slipping away for a while. Thankfully, Mr Snap’s foul plan failed at the last minute, which I think jolly well serves him
right.com
!

The Superintendant who phoned Mrs Fairchild to give her the news, said Mr Snap had confessed to pushing the Duke into his own, well stocked pantry and locking the door the day before we were due to arrive, and that they were just on the way to let him out. Mrs Fairchild was very upset to hear this but said, ‘Oh well, at least he won’t have starved!’

Mr Fossil, who has been practically living in Mr Snap’s old tent with Captain Bones so he can study the Kapatoo birds, has started writing up a report on them that he says he will submit to the National Geography Magazine, the most famous of its kind in the country. He’s hoping his report will trigger help from scientists and bird lovers, who, with any luck, will club together to research and look after these amazing birds so that they’ll never be treated badly again. He says they’re an endangered species, and need special care so that they don’t go extinct.

Mrs Fairchild asked Captain Bones to lend each first year their own Kapatoo bird to care for until we leave the island on the 18
^th
January. Arabella and I have ours in our tent with us at the moment and Thorny seems to rather like them. The good news is that as we can’t take Thorny off the island because Coniches are also an endangered species, Captain Bones has offered to take care of him after we leave and I know he’ll do a good job because he’s so kind to his birds. But for the next three days, Thorny can carry on living with us!

The funniest thing happened when Arabella and I got back to our tent after the assembly. I noticed that the voicemail light on my waterproof mobile phone was flashing, so I immediately pressed the green button and listened to the message, wondering who on earth it could be. The voice of our extremely strict science teacher, Mrs Bunsen, blasted into my ear, saying:

Good day Davina,

I hope you are enjoying your school trip. I’m contacting each first year girl in Sapphires, Rubies and Emeralds to let them know about a science experiment we’ll be conducting in a fortnight’s time. I shall be leading all of you through a network of underground tunnels that stretch from the school’s cellars to Little Pineham’s beach, where the experiment will take place. Bertie the gardener tells me that the tunnels were dug by smugglers in the olden days, but that they haven’t been used for years. No doubt the weather will still be chilly then so please make sure you have suitable wellies and a rainproof hooded coat. I’ll be providing the safety goggles and anti-explosive aprons.

See you soon,

Mrs Bunsen

Oh goody, Diary! Another adventure to look forward to...