05 The Kid's Treasure

Chapter 05 The Kid's Treasure Jack and Annie watched in horror. The gold-greedy pirates seemed to have lost their minds. Jack nudged Annie. Together they started to back slowly away from the pirates. Toward the tree house. “ Halt! ” Cap’n Bones shouted. He aimed his pistols at them. “ Not another step, lubbers! ” Jack and Annie froze. Cap’n Bones grinned his black-toothed grin. “ Tell old Bones where the rest is, ” he growled. “ Or prepare to meet thy doom. ”

“ What—what rest?” said Annie. “ The rest of the treasure! ” roared Cap’n Bones. “ I know it’s on this island. I have a map! ” He reached into a belt pouch and pulled out a torn piece of paper. He waved it at Jack and Annie. “ Is that a treasure map?” asked Jack. “ Aye, it’s the map telling about Kidd’s treasure. ” “ Which kid’s treasure? Not us kids, ” said Annie. “ We don’t know anything about a kid’s treasure. ” “ Why don’t you read the map?” said Jack. “ You read it! ” Cap’n Bones shoved the map in Jack’s face. Jack stared at the strange marks on the paper.

“ What does that mean?” asked Jack. “ What does what mean?” asked Cap’n Bones. “ Those words. ” Jack pointed at the words at the bottom of the map. “ Well, it means … ” Cap’n Bones’ good eye squinted at the writing. He frowned. He coughed. He rubbed his nose. “ Aw, leave him alone, ” Pinky growled at Jack. “ You know he can’t read, ” said Stinky. “ Shut up! ” Cap’n Bones roared at his men. “ Jack and I can read, ” Annie piped up. “ Shhh, ” said Jack. “ Cap’n, make ’em read the map! ” said Stinky. Cap’n Bones gave Jack and Annie a dark look. “ Read it, ” he growled. “ Then will you let us go?” said Jack.

The pirate squinted his good eye. “ Aye, lubber. When the treasure’s in me hands, I’ll let you go. ” “ Okay, ” said Jack. “ I’ll read it to you. ” He looked at the map. “ It says, The gold doth lie beneath the whale’s eye. ” “ Heh?” Cap’n Bones scowled. “ What’s that supposed to mean, lubber?” Jack shrugged. “ Hang it! Take ’em hack to the ship! ” shouted Cap’n Bones. “ They can rot there till they’re ready to tell us how to find Kidd’s treasure! ” Jack and Annie were tossed into the rowboat. Waves splashed the sides. The sky ahead was dark with thunderclouds. A strong wind had started to blow. “ Row, dogs, row! ” said Cap’n Bones.

Pinky and Stinky began rowing toward the big ship. “ Look! ” Annie said to Jack. She pointed to the shore. Polly the parrot was flying over the sand. “ She wants to help us, ” whispered Annie. Polly started to fly out over the waves. But the winds were too strong. She turned around and flew back to the island.