The Not-so-Jolly Roger Read Online Free Page B

man’s chest is another name for a coffin. That’s how sixteen men can fit on one.”
    I rowed a few more strokes and watched the sun going down. “That’s great.”
    I turned and looked at the huge pirate laughing and singing with Fred. Something about his eyes and the red light from the sunset shining off his pistols made me nervous.
    Sam leaned over as he pulled his oar and said what I was thinking.
    “I don’t trust this guy. All the legends and books say he was one of the nastiest pirates who ever lived. Why would he be taking us to a deserted island to give us some of his treasure?”
    I remembered the sound of the two guys falling on top of the chest.
    “Because he likes us?” I said.
    Sam rolled his eyes.
    We hit the beach and followed Blackbeard and Fred. We walked toward three familiar coconut trees.
    “Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, halt!”
    We stopped about ten paces away from the old treasure hole.
    I was relieved that we didn’t have to dig up any dead guys.
    “Dig here, mates, and the treasure is yours.”

    Blackbeard and Fred sang. Sam and I dug.
    The scene seemed unpleasantly familiar.
    “Watch your back,” said Sam. “I think we’re digging our grave.”
    The sun sank until it hung balanced on the horizon.
    Then, to our surprise, about three feet down, we hit wood.
    “Buried treasure!” yelled Fred.
    Blackbeard smiled. “Lift her out slowly.”
    We cleared the sand from around a small chest and lifted it up.
    Blackbeard slid a hidden button and popped up the lid. His smile suddenly turned to a frown.
    “Arrrrrgh.” The red light of the setting sun shone in his eyes as he looked up at us. “Some thieving rats have been gnawing at me treasure.”
    We looked in the chest. It was empty except for a small package wrapped in black cloth.
    “But who could have stolen the treasure on this deserted island?” asked Fred.
    Blackbeard looked at us. “Who, indeed? Maybe some spying monkeys, hiding in them coconut trees.”
    Sam lifted the package out of the chest.
    Blackbeard pulled out two pistols and leveled them at us. “Maybe these three spying monkeys.”
    Fred held up his hands. “Oh, no. You don’t think we took your treasure.”
    Blackbeard turned toward Fred. “If there’s one thing I hate, it’s a treasure thief.”
    The black cloth fell from the edge of the package in Sam’s hand and showed a corner of blue.
    “Man, you must be crazy,” said Fred. “We never—”
    “Get over there,” thundered Blackbeard. “Stand by your grave with your thieving mates and say good-bye.”
    I ripped the cloth off the package. It was a book—a thin blue book with moons, stars, and strange silver writing.
    It was The Book.
    In my hands it fell open by itself to a picture of three familiar guys.
    The sun set behind the ocean.
    I heard a shot.
    And the wonderful green time-traveling mist swirled up over us all.

NINE
    Crash.
    Fred’s baseball smashed my lamp into a hundred pieces.
    The last few bits of mist disappeared slowly like the tail end of a dream.
    Sam sat on my bed looking stunned.
    We looked at each other, then around my room.
    “Where’s Fred?”
    “Oh, no,” I said. “You don’t think he got—”
    Sam nodded.
    “What are we going to tell his mom?” I said.
    “Joseph Arthur? What in the world are you boys doing in there?”
    My mom.
    “If that was your desk lamp I heard breaking, you are in big trouble, young man.”
    “What are we going to tell my mom?”
    “Joseph? Frederick? Sam? Are you boys in there? Answer me.”
    I put my hand on the thin blue book on my desk.
    “Maybe we can go back to just before the pistol shot,” I whispered.
    Sam nodded. “We have to go back and get him.”
    “Boys?” The doorknob began to turn.
    I reached for The Book. A baseball hat and a head appeared from under my bed.
    “Ow,” said Fred.

TEN
    Historical Afterword

    Blackbeard, somewhat shaken by his encounter with the Trio, swore off drinking and pirating, got rid of his