I have had a wonderful time this week. I actually got some writing in! It was such fun! I worked on the Western, so all you Western lovers can come back soon for another part or two.:) I also rewrote the short story I had written before but didn't like. This one is much better. The other one just lacked a spark of something. But I think this second one has it.
I hope my new readers will feel at home here and will feel free to read any and all things on here. Of course that might take a little while as I started this blog some time ago, but-- Do feel free to leave me a comment or two or more.:) I love comments!
For those of you wondering, yes, I will be posting next Friday morning. Would you rather have a Western or the other story? Let me know. And now, the last part of:
The Pirates of Rocky Crag Bay
Part 5
Part 5
The captain took a step forward. “You dare to say me nay?” he roared in a voice like thunder and his face turned red with rage. “You will tell me or you’ll walk the plank!”
There was a gasp among some of the crew and the captain turned on them. “Silence, you cowards!”
Instant silence prevailed. Only the gentle waves lapping the ship’s sides could be heard in the stillness. The sun, which had been shining brightly only moments before, disappeared behind a cloud. Ned felt cold dread creep over him and he could hardly breathe. How he wanted to run to his sister and rescue her from the clutches of these evil pirates. Suddenly he realized as he never had before just how terrible true pirates really were. They stole, kidnapped and murdered all without the slightest regret.
The Captain’s voice broke into his thoughts. “Now, lass, I’ll give you one more chance to save your life. Tell me your name and where you live.”
Kim turned defiant eyes on the man before her and retorted, “I won’t tell you anything even if you killed me for it.”
“First Mate Harvey! Get out the plank!” Captain Frightenaft thundered. “Treb!” to one of the pirates near Kim, “Tie her hands and then blindfold her! We’ll send her down to Davie Jones’ locker for her impudence.”
“No!” Ned called, but there was too much noise to hear him except by the large pirate beside him. “No!” he called again and started forward, but a heavy hand was laid on his shoulder and he was pulled back struggling.
With tears nearly blinding him, he was forced to watch his sister walk the gangplank! As she neared the end, he closed his eyes and moaned. A sudden shout, followed by a splash of water and Ned’s eyes flew open. Kim was no where to be seen!
“Let me go!” he shouted pulling himself free from the pirate’s grasp. Rushing blindly to the railing, he tried to peer down into its depths, but was pulled back. Turning in a rage he struck out with hands and feet and thus fighting, he made his way to the captain who was watching him in surprise.
“How dare you! How dare you! How dare you!” Ned screamed. “That was cruel! Only cowards and bullies would act as you all act! I don’t ever want to be a pirate again! I’m leaving! Now! Take me to shore this instant!” Ned was nearly beside himself with grief and rage. Hands were laid on him but he fought them off like a wild tiger.
How it happened he never was quite certain, but however it was, he found himself in the boat being rowed to a point of land sticking out into the sea. Hardly had the boat touched land than he was literally dumped out and the boat hastily rowed back to the ship.
Crawling up onto a rock Ned sat and cried. Great sobs shook his small body. He cried for his sister, for himself, for his family. So overcome with emotion was he that he failed to notice footsteps approaching.
“Ned?”
He jerked his head up. There before him, dripping wet yet alive, stood Kim.
He could only stare at her for a moment before rushing into her arms and bursting into tears anew. “How . . . did you . . . get here?” he gasped out at length.
Kim squeezed him. “The pirate tying my hands didn’t do a very good job.” Ned didn’t see the slight grin on her face.
“I have practiced getting my hands out of ropes with Rob, and this wasn’t very hard. Once they were off it was easy. I pulled off the blindfold and seeing this piece of land, started swimming toward it. But what about you? Where did you come from, and what are you doing here?”
With shame Ned told her and then together the two of them set off for the long walk home.
Two days afterwards, Rob arrived from his camping trip, browned and jolly. He sat and listened to the tales told about the pirates and shook his head.
“I have heard about those pirates of Rocky Crag Bay--” A knock at the front door interrupted him.
It was the town police chief.
“Well, Mr. Jones,” he addressed Dad. “Since you turned in your report about those robberies, we’ve kept our eyes open and have just apprehended a gang of pirates.”
“Pirates?” Ned questioned with eyes as large as saucers.
The police chief nodded. “They called themselves the Pirates of Rocky Crag Bay. Pirates are a bad lot, Ned. I wouldn’t try to follow them, if I were you. Anyway, we found your stolen goods, Mr. Jones. Even your safe. If you’ll come to the station, you can pick them up.”
“Sure thing, Jack,” Dad said. “And thanks.”
“Mr. Parsons,” Ned questioned the police chief.
“Yes?”
“What will happen to the pirates?”
“Jail for now, then trial and--” he shrugged. “They won’t be out roaming the high seas any more, that much is certain.”
Ned shuddered. What if he had been with them still?
About a week later, after Ned was quite recovered from his experience with the pirates, Rob and Kim came around the corner of the house with fishing poles. Pausing beside the open window near Ned’s cave Rob called,
“Ned, I’m going to go fishing, want to come too?”
No answer.
Rob and Kim looked at each other and then peering through the open window saw their young brother deeply lost in a new book: Thrilling Gunfights of the Wild West.
Exchanging glances of dismay, Rob and Kim groaned.
There was a gasp among some of the crew and the captain turned on them. “Silence, you cowards!”
Instant silence prevailed. Only the gentle waves lapping the ship’s sides could be heard in the stillness. The sun, which had been shining brightly only moments before, disappeared behind a cloud. Ned felt cold dread creep over him and he could hardly breathe. How he wanted to run to his sister and rescue her from the clutches of these evil pirates. Suddenly he realized as he never had before just how terrible true pirates really were. They stole, kidnapped and murdered all without the slightest regret.
The Captain’s voice broke into his thoughts. “Now, lass, I’ll give you one more chance to save your life. Tell me your name and where you live.”
Kim turned defiant eyes on the man before her and retorted, “I won’t tell you anything even if you killed me for it.”
“First Mate Harvey! Get out the plank!” Captain Frightenaft thundered. “Treb!” to one of the pirates near Kim, “Tie her hands and then blindfold her! We’ll send her down to Davie Jones’ locker for her impudence.”
“No!” Ned called, but there was too much noise to hear him except by the large pirate beside him. “No!” he called again and started forward, but a heavy hand was laid on his shoulder and he was pulled back struggling.
With tears nearly blinding him, he was forced to watch his sister walk the gangplank! As she neared the end, he closed his eyes and moaned. A sudden shout, followed by a splash of water and Ned’s eyes flew open. Kim was no where to be seen!
“Let me go!” he shouted pulling himself free from the pirate’s grasp. Rushing blindly to the railing, he tried to peer down into its depths, but was pulled back. Turning in a rage he struck out with hands and feet and thus fighting, he made his way to the captain who was watching him in surprise.
“How dare you! How dare you! How dare you!” Ned screamed. “That was cruel! Only cowards and bullies would act as you all act! I don’t ever want to be a pirate again! I’m leaving! Now! Take me to shore this instant!” Ned was nearly beside himself with grief and rage. Hands were laid on him but he fought them off like a wild tiger.
How it happened he never was quite certain, but however it was, he found himself in the boat being rowed to a point of land sticking out into the sea. Hardly had the boat touched land than he was literally dumped out and the boat hastily rowed back to the ship.
Crawling up onto a rock Ned sat and cried. Great sobs shook his small body. He cried for his sister, for himself, for his family. So overcome with emotion was he that he failed to notice footsteps approaching.
“Ned?”
He jerked his head up. There before him, dripping wet yet alive, stood Kim.
He could only stare at her for a moment before rushing into her arms and bursting into tears anew. “How . . . did you . . . get here?” he gasped out at length.
Kim squeezed him. “The pirate tying my hands didn’t do a very good job.” Ned didn’t see the slight grin on her face.
“I have practiced getting my hands out of ropes with Rob, and this wasn’t very hard. Once they were off it was easy. I pulled off the blindfold and seeing this piece of land, started swimming toward it. But what about you? Where did you come from, and what are you doing here?”
With shame Ned told her and then together the two of them set off for the long walk home.
Two days afterwards, Rob arrived from his camping trip, browned and jolly. He sat and listened to the tales told about the pirates and shook his head.
“I have heard about those pirates of Rocky Crag Bay--” A knock at the front door interrupted him.
It was the town police chief.
“Well, Mr. Jones,” he addressed Dad. “Since you turned in your report about those robberies, we’ve kept our eyes open and have just apprehended a gang of pirates.”
“Pirates?” Ned questioned with eyes as large as saucers.
The police chief nodded. “They called themselves the Pirates of Rocky Crag Bay. Pirates are a bad lot, Ned. I wouldn’t try to follow them, if I were you. Anyway, we found your stolen goods, Mr. Jones. Even your safe. If you’ll come to the station, you can pick them up.”
“Sure thing, Jack,” Dad said. “And thanks.”
“Mr. Parsons,” Ned questioned the police chief.
“Yes?”
“What will happen to the pirates?”
“Jail for now, then trial and--” he shrugged. “They won’t be out roaming the high seas any more, that much is certain.”
Ned shuddered. What if he had been with them still?
About a week later, after Ned was quite recovered from his experience with the pirates, Rob and Kim came around the corner of the house with fishing poles. Pausing beside the open window near Ned’s cave Rob called,
“Ned, I’m going to go fishing, want to come too?”
No answer.
Rob and Kim looked at each other and then peering through the open window saw their young brother deeply lost in a new book: Thrilling Gunfights of the Wild West.
Exchanging glances of dismay, Rob and Kim groaned.
Anyone want to be a pirate now?
My brothers have also been reading this story and keep asking when you'd post the next part! :) Great story!
ReplyDeleteI'd say post the next western, but come to think of it, I prob. won't get to read it Friday!! :) Noah says to do both.. :)