The Time Hunters and the Box of Eternity (35 page)

Becky couldn
’
t have put it better herself.

*

Beryl materialized on a long street of large grey stone terraced
houses. Facing south, they overlooked a large park, its borders guarded by
trees and tangled hedges. A thick, dewy fog had settled all around, hiding the
sky and giving the scene an eerie, otherworldly air.

‘
So when is this?
’
Becky asked.

‘
3.30am, December 1
^st
1857,
’
Uncle Percy replied. He leapt out, opened the rear doors and pointed at the
adjacent house.
‘
Hugh, Jim, welcome to your new home.
’

Jim helped Blind Hugh from his seat and on to the street. Then he
looked up at the house and his eyes bulged with astonishment.
‘
And this be where we
’
ll live?
’

‘
That
’
s right, Jim,
’
Uncle Percy said.

‘
I ain
’
t ever seen anywhere
so grand,
’
Jim added quietly, as Blind Hugh
’
s arm curled around his shoulder.

Uncle Percy smiled.
‘
Now, Hugh, you
’
ll be staying with Hilary, an old friend of mine, for as long as you
want, and I have established a bank account that will give you a very handsome
income should you wish to move, although I don
’
t think you will.
’
He cast Becky a very curious look.
‘
Anyway, we must be
going soon so I think it
’
s about time you met Hilary, don
’
t you?
’

Becky, Joe and Will said their goodbyes and watched as Uncle Percy
helped Blind Hugh and Jim up the dozen or so steps to a large front door, which
he rapped twice. From within, a light flickered to life and the door opened to
reveal a tall, attractive woman of about sixty years of age. Wearing a broad,
kindly smile, Hilary Chambers gave Jim and Blind Hugh a welcoming hug before
ushering them into the hall. Then she turned and whispered something in Uncle
Percy
’
s
ear, pointing to the house next door. Together, they began to laugh. Uncle
Percy was still laughing when he returned to the time machine.

Becky looked baffled.
‘
What
’
s so funny?
’

‘
Oh, it really is
amazing. I just didn
’
t see it coming.
’

‘
What
’
s amazing?
’
Becky asked
impatiently.

‘
Well, throughout our
trip, I
’
ve
noticed curious parallels with a certain adventure story about pirates. The most
famous pirate story of them all, as a matter of that.
’

‘
You mean
Treasure
Island
?
’
Joe asked.

‘
I do indeed, Joe, yes,
’
Uncle Percy replied.
‘
I mean we
’
ve had Blind Hugh
instead of Blind Pew, Short Jack Copper instead of Long John Silver, Mr Flint
instead of Captain Flint. There have been plenty of these little coincidences.
’

‘
So?
’
Becky asked,
intrigued.

‘
So, Hilary has just
informed me that Robert Louis Stevenson, the author of
Treasure Island
lives just next door at number 17. He
’
s only a young boy at the moment, but
apparently Hilary has been invited to dinner at the Stevenson
’
s house tomorrow
night. What
’
s the betting that our Jim and young Robert become good friends?
’

Soon, they were all laughing, too.

‘
So
Treasure Island
happened because of us?
’
Joe asked.

‘
It happened because
Robert grows up to be a truly gifted writer with a remarkable imagination, but
I think we can take a modicum of credit, don
’
t you? Anyway, would you like to see where I
’
ve buried Pandora
’
s Box? As luck would
have it, we can visit Bruce at the same time. He
’
s been there for three weeks now and is feeling
much better.
’

‘
Yes, please,
’
Becky and Joe said at
the same time.

Uncle Percy smiled widely.
‘
If you think the Treasure Island connection was
unexpected. You just wait until you see this …
’

*

Beryl reappeared in a dark, deserted alleyway, flanked on both sides
by gigantic walls. Everyone clambered out quickly and Uncle Percy triggered
Beryl
’
s
invisiblator. Then he moved towards the passage's entrance and the gardens
beyond.

‘
Where are we?
’
Becky asked,
struggling to keep up with his long strides.

‘
Bristol,
’
Uncle Percy replied.

It was when they emerged from the alleyway, however, that Becky
’
s eyes widened with
surprise. The adjacent building made Bowen Hall look like a garden shed.
Elegantly designed in silvery-white Portland Stone, it had a copper roof, a
succession of towering spires and a lengthy marble portico that provided
covered entrances to its hundreds of doors.

‘
What is this place?
’
Becky gasped.

Uncle Percy pointed to a large sign on his right.
‘
See for yourself…
’

The Hugh Livesy Hospital and
residential home for injured Seafarers,

Established 1721

‘
I
–
I don
’
t understand,
’
Becky stammered.

A wide smile formed on Uncle Percy
’
s face.
‘
Isn
’
t it amazing? Apparently, the Black Head
’
s crew, along with
Battle-Axe Beattie and Stinky Mo shared Blackbeard
’
s treasure equally,
but it was so much they didn
’
t know what to do with it. In the end, they barely spent any of it
on themselves. They returned to England, and set up a charity in the name of
their absent friend, Blind Hugh Livesy. They employed the finest architects of
the day and built a number of magnificent hospitals for injured sailors across
Great Britain and Europe. In short, they made sure that Blackbeard
’
s treasure would
forever be used for good.
’

‘
That is brilliant,
’
Becky said.

‘
Cool,
’
Joe gushed.
‘
Isn
’
t it, Will?
’

‘
Indeed, it is.
’

Becky was about to laugh, when she heard a familiar voice.
‘
And I can certainly
recommend the medical care. There
’
s a lovely lady nurse called Poppy that can skin my hump anytime …
’
Bruce limped round
the corner, gripping a walking cane and wearing a leather biker
’
s jacket over his blue
and white checked pajamas.

‘
BRRUUCCEEE!
’
Becky and Joe shouted
simultaneously, racing over to him and giving him a gentle hug.
 

‘
So, Perce, are you
gonna show
‘
em where you
’
ve buried Pandora
’
s Box? That
’
s the best bit.
’

Uncle Percy smiled.
‘
Of course, Bruce. Are you coming?
’

‘
No,
’
Bruce said, leaning
into Uncle Percy and whispering,
‘
I think I
’
ll go and find nurse Poppy. I could do with another bed bath.
’

‘
Ah,
’
Uncle Percy nodded
awkwardly.
‘
Very well. Everyone, follow me.
’
He turned a sharp right and proceeded down a
footpath. Soon, they were all trudging across well-maintained lawns, passing
dozens of patients, some sitting on benches, others in wheelchairs, all of whom
were enjoying the morning sun.

‘
Where are we going?
’
Becky asked,
‘
and why exactly did
you bury Pandora
’
s Box here, at a hospital?
’

‘
You
’
ll see,
’
Uncle Percy replied.
‘
And strictly speaking,
I didn
’
t
bury it at the hospital.
’

A short while later, Becky received something of a shock. They had
exited the hospital grounds and were walking along a narrow tree-lined road to
a sprawling cemetery, which they entered through a rusted iron gate;
headstones, old and new, peppered the landscape. And still Uncle Percy showed
no sign of stopping. For a further few minutes, they walked the length of the
cemetery until Uncle Percy finally came to a halt at the top of a hill.
‘
And that
’
s where I
’
ve buried Pandora
’
s Box …
’
he said, pointing
ahead.

Becky
’
s mouth fell open.
 

At the far edge of the cemetery, dwarfing the horizon, stood a
gigantic marble statue of The Black Head, about a third of the size of the real
thing, but resplendent in its detail.

‘
Isn
’
t she wonderful?
’
Uncle Percy said to a
stunned silence.

‘
I-I don
’
t get it,
’
Joe said, confused.

‘
It
’
s a Mausoleum, Joe.
The Black Head
’
s crew are buried beneath her. One Toe Tom, Hairy Harry, Jedidiah
Quint, Windy Pete … all of them. In fact, there are only two crew members not
with them.
’

‘
Blind Hugh and Jim,
’
Becky offered.

‘
That
’
s right. They
’
re buried in their
family plot in Edinburgh. Would you believe it, Blind Hugh married Hilary and
they legally adopted Jim. Together, as close any family could be, they lived
long and very, very happy lives.
’

Becky felt her eyes well with tears.
‘
That
’
s good,
’
she said quietly.

‘
Let
’
s have a closer look,
shall we?
’
Uncle Percy said.

Uncle Percy led them over to the Mausoleum. With each step, Becky
didn
’
t
know whether to laugh or cry. It was the most remarkable, lasting monument to
friendship she had ever seen. Reaching the base of the statue, she saw a silver
plaque that read:

‘
Aye we
’
re the crew of the grand Black Head

And proud ter be now we be dead …
’

Becky read it again and again. Then she found herself laughing.
‘
That is so cool.
’

‘
I couldn
’
t agree more,
’
Uncle Percy replied.

‘
And Pandora
’
s Box?
’
Joe asked.