THE MYSTERY OF THE PIRATE GHOST

THE MYSTERY OF THE PIRATE GHOST

One morning in Boogle Bay Otto and his uncle Tooth were cleaning their attic. " What's in that old trunk?" Otto asked. " Things I brought back from my travels at sea many years ago, " Uncle Tooth said.

Uncle Tooth opened the trunk. He took out a shiny silver trumpet. " I found this on Foghorn Island. What an adventure that was! " he said. " I wish I could have adventures, " Otto said. " Nothing ever happens around here. " Uncle Tooth gave Otto the trumpet. " It's yours, if you want it, " he said. " Gee, thanks! " said Otto. Otto blew on the trumpet. Nothing happened. He took a big breath and blew again. This time the trumpet made a little " fwee" sound. " Keep trying, ” Uncle Tooth said, " and you will get it right. ”

Otto ran outside with his trumpet. Uncle Tooth's sister, Auntie Hick, was hurrying down the path. She did not see Otto. " Fwee! " went the trumpet. Auntie Hick screamed. Uncle Tooth came running. " I'm sorry, Auntie Hick, " said Otto. " I was just playing. " " Playing, my foot! ” said Auntie Hick. " I thought you were the ghost! " " What ghost?" cried Otto.

" The ghost in my shop, " she said. " This morning I heard noises inside my shop. I opened the door and saw- a ghost! It stared at me with big red eyes! I ran here as fast as I could. " " Don't be a fool, " Uncle Tooth said. " There are no such things as ghosts. " Auntie Hick stamped her foot. " I say there are, because I've seen one. " Otto jumped up and down. " Let's go find the ghost, " he said. " This might be the start of an adventure. "

The three of them hurried up the path toward Auntie Hick's shop. They passed Captain Poopdeck's houseboat. The captain was on the deck. He was picking up wet laundry. " Of all the rotten things, " he muttered.