10 The Parley

Chapter 10. THE PARLEY Ghostly fingers grasped the rail, pulling pale bedraggled bodies up onto the deck of the Jolley-Rogers' ship. Some were missing an arm or a leg, one was holding his head in one arm, and some were dragging their body parts along behind them.

Dead eyes stared at the Jolley-Rogers from beneath lank, dripping locks of hair. "Coooool!" said Nugget. Jim's dad gasped, drawing Jim's mom near. "I'm scared...." he said. "We'll be fine," said Jim's mom. "I'm sure Grandpa knows what he's doing." Grandpa stood firm on the deck, arms folded, Squawk clinging to his shoulder. "So!" bellowed the ghost captain, who had the most enormous curly beard. "You called us for a parley! SPEAK, old man! While I still have the mind to listen." Grandpa gripped the key in his pocket. "They say that you've been searchin' for a key, Cap'n Twirlybeard."

"Aye. That may be so," said Captain Twirlybeard. "What of it?" "I'd like to make ye a deal, Cap'n," Grandpa continued. "I can give ye the key, if ye leave the good folk of Dull-on- Sea be and return their treasures." "ARRRRR!" roared the captain, the coils of his curly beard swaying like snakes. "Ye can curse me for a lubber, but that there implies that ye'll be knowing the where'bouts of MY key.... WHERE BE IT? Y'should remember, old man, I ain't renowned for my patience." Grandpa didn't back down. "I'll give ye the key if you return the treasures of Dull-on-Sea and leave these shores. Do we have a deal?" he asked, pulling the

Key of Souls from his pocket and holding it up in the air. Twirlybeard's one good eye lit up at the sight of the key. "Ye see, old man, we've become rather partial to our life of ghostly piratin'. We don't want no rest! We can raid and pillage, whilst no soul can hurt us. I'll still be takin' my scurvy crew ashore tonight. There's plenty of plunder left in the town of Dull-on-Sea." Twirlybeard's good eye glinted with evil. "And I'll be taking my key anyhows; I don't want another to possess it. When it be hung around my neck, no one can use it to unlock the Chest of Souls, and me 'n' my scurvy crew can go piratin' for all

eternity! We'll NEVER be sent to Davy Tones's locker!" "I take it that's a no to a deal, then," said Grandpa with a sigh.

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