Pirates Past Noon (2 page)

“Me neither,” said Jack.

Annie picked up the book. She stared at the picture on the page.

“Wow, this place looks great.” She showed the picture to Jack.

He saw a sunny beach. A big green parrot sitting in a palm tree. And a ship sailing on a blue sea.

Another gust of rainy wind blew into the tree house.

Annie pointed to the picture. “I wish we
were there instead of here,” she said.

“Yeah,” said Jack. “But where is there?”

“Too late!” came a squawk.

Jack and Annie turned quickly.

Sitting on a branch outside the window ledge of the tree house was a green parrot. Exactly like the parrot in the picture.

“Too late!” the parrot squawked again.

“A talking parrot!” said Annie. “Is your name Polly? Can I call you Polly?”

Suddenly the wind started to whistle.

“Oh no! Now we're in big trouble!” said Jack.

The wind blew harder.

The leaves shook.

The tree house started to spin. Faster and faster!

Jack squeezed his eyes shut. Then everything was still.

Absolutely still.

Jack opened his eyes.

“Too late!” squawked Polly.

Jack felt hot sunlight streaming into the tree house.

He smelled saltwater.

He heard the sound of waves.

He and Annie looked out the window.

The tree house was in a palm tree. Beyond was a bright blue sea. A tall sailing ship was on the horizon. It was just like the picture in the book.

“Too late!” squawked Polly.

“Look!” said Annie.

Polly was flying in circles above the tree
house. Then she swooped down to the ocean.

“Come on, let's follow her! Let's go in the water!” said Annie. She took off her raincoat and dropped it on the floor.

“Wait, we have to study the book first,” said Jack. He started to reach for the book. But Annie grabbed it.

“You can read it on the beach,” she said. Without even looking at the cover, she shoved the book into Jack's backpack.

He sighed. Actually, the water
did
look wonderful.

“Okay,” Jack said. He took off his raincoat, too.

“Come on!” Annie handed Jack his backpack, then started down the ladder.

Jack folded the raincoat and put it next to the stack of books. He put on his backpack. Then he went down the ladder.

As soon as Annie hit the sand, she ran toward the ocean. Jack watched her wade into the water. She was still wearing her rain boots.

“Your boots, Annie,” called Jack.

She shrugged. “They'll dry out,” she said.

Jack took off his boots and socks. He put them beside his pack. Then he rolled up his jeans. And ran across the hot sand into the waves.

The water was warm and clear. Jack could see shells and tiny fishes.

He shielded his eyes against the sun. And peered out at the sea.

The tall sailing ship seemed a bit closer.

“Where's Polly?” said Annie.

Jack glanced around. No sign of Polly. Not in the palm trees. Not on the sunlit sand. Not over the bright blue sea.

When Jack looked out at the sea again, the ship seemed even closer. Now Jack could see its flag.

As he stared at the ship's flag, a chill went through him.

The flag was black.
With a skull and crossbones
.

“Oh man,” he breathed. He started out of the water.

“What's wrong?” said Annie. She splashed after him.

Jack ran to his backpack. Annie followed.

He grabbed the book from his backpack. He looked at the cover. For the first time, he and Annie read the title of the book.

“Yikes!” said Annie.

“Pirates of the Caribbean,”
Jack read aloud.

“We've come to the time of pirates!” Jack said.

“Pirates?” squeaked Annie. “Like in
Peter Pan
?”

Jack flipped to the picture that showed the parrot, the sea and the ship.

He read the caption under the picture:

He grabbed his notebook and pencil from his pack. He wrote:

He turned to the next page. There was a picture of a pirate flag. He read:

“Let's go!” said Annie.

“Wait!” said Jack. “I want to make a drawing of the flag.”

He propped the pirate book in the sand.

He started drawing the Jolly Roger flag.

“Don't copy the picture in the book,” said Annie. “Look at the real thing.”

But Jack pushed his glasses into place and kept drawing.

“Jack, some pirates are getting into a rowboat,” said Annie.

Jack kept drawing.

“Jack, the boat's leaving the big ship,” said Annie.

“What?” Jack looked up.

“Look.” Annie pointed.

Jack looked. He saw the rowboat coming toward the shore.

“Run!” said Annie. She started running toward the tree house.

Jack jumped up. His glasses fell off.

“Hurry!” Annie called back to him.

Jack went down on his knees. He felt for his glasses. Where were they?

Jack saw something glinting in the sand. He reached for it. It was his glasses. He snatched them up.

Then he threw his notebook and pencil
into his pack. He put the pack on his back.

He grabbed his boots and his socks. And he took off running.

“Hurry! They're coming!” Annie was at the top of the rope ladder.

Jack looked back at the sea. The pirates were closer to the shore.

Suddenly Jack saw the pirate book. In all the confusion he had forgotten it. It was still propped in the sand.

“Oh man, I forgot the book!” he said. He dropped his socks and boots below the tree house.

“Come on, Jack!” Annie shouted.

“I'll be right back!” Jack called. “I've got to get the book!”

“Jack, forget it!”

But Jack was already running toward the water.

Jack grabbed the book.

“Come back!” Annie shouted.

Jack shoved the book into his backpack.

Suddenly a giant wave carried the rowboat right onto the beach.

“Run, Jack!” shouted Annie.

Three big pirates splashed onto the sand.

They had knives in their teeth.

They had pistols in their belts.

They charged toward Jack.

“Run, Jack, run!” cried Annie.

Jack started to run across the hot sand. He ran as fast as he could.

But the pirates ran faster.

Before Jack knew it, the biggest pirate had grabbed him!

Jack struggled. But the pirate had huge, strong arms. He held on to Jack and laughed a mean, ugly laugh. He had a shaggy black beard. A patch covered one eye.

Jack heard Annie yelling. He saw her coming down the rope ladder.

“Stay where you are!” Jack shouted.

But Annie kept coming. “Leave him alone, you bully!” she cried.

The other two pirates laughed meanly. They were dirty and ragged.

Annie charged up to the biggest pirate. “Let him go!” she said. She hit the pirate with her fist and kicked him.

But the pirate just growled. Then he grabbed her, too. And with his giant hands, he held Jack and Annie as if they were two kittens.

“
No
one escapes Cap'n Bones!” he roared. His breath was terrible.

“Let go!” Annie shouted into his face.

But Cap'n Bones just smiled. All his teeth were black.

Annie fell silent.

Cap'n Bones laughed loudly. Then he turned to the other two.