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Pirate Adventureby Dianne Staley "Permission to come aboard, Sir!" David called to his friend Tim. Before him stood their pirate ship, which they'd christened the Adventure Galley by writing the name in black felt-tip pen on the side. Yesterday it had been a giant empty box from Tim's new refrigerator. Now, they'd cut portholes, raised broomstick masts and old sheets made perfect sails. Katy had even made a skull and crossbones flag to fly from the mast. Katy's face appeared in a porthole. "Ahoy, Matey! Come on up. Wait until you see what Tim brought! It's so cool!" David climbed up the plank and jumped down into the ship. Captain Tim had on a tri-corner hat and a cutlass strapped to his waist. He was bent over a large wooden crate that had once held apples, sorting through a pile of clothes. "What's that?" "Pirate costumes." Tim stood up, and David could see he had a hoop earring in one ear. "What do you think?" David whistled admiringly. "Did you pierce your ear?" "Naw, it just pinches on. See?" He pulled off the earring and held it out. "I brought you one too." Katy crawled out from the galley, dragging a bag with her. "I packed some snacks. Anyone want a brownie?" She had also put on a costume, with a bright scarf wrapped around her head and baggy pants tied tight at the ankle. "Who're you supposed to be?" David tried not to laugh. "I'm a pirate! I just took my sword off 'cause it got in my way." David picked a red bandana and tied it around his head and added the earring Tim had given him. Then he tucked a rubber knife in his belt; now he felt like a real pirate. "Let's cast off." Tim climbed up to the forecastle with his spyglass. "Lift the anchor." "Aye, aye Captain." David pulled in the rope that had been tied to the porch. Katy lifted the gangplank, pulled it in, and they set sail. Soon Captain Tim called the crew to climb up and see what he saw. Looking through the spyglass, David could see another ship on the horizon. Katy saw it too, bearing down on them from the old oak tree at the edge of the yard. "Prepare for battle!" called Captain Tim. "I wonder what treasure they bring us?" Excitement filled the air as the crew drug out the cannon and pointed it through a porthole. Then Katy revealed her secret weapon; she had a whole bag full of water balloons! "Let's put some by each porthole so we can attack from anywhere," she suggested. "Okay," agreed Tim, "but let's bring some up here too." They distributed their ammunition. Just in time too! The enemy ship was almost upon them! Arming themselves with water balloons, they pelted the merchant ship. The surprised enemy soon raised a white flag in surrender. David climbed overboard and boarded the other ship. There were bags of gold, bales of cotton and jugs of rum. He and Katy saved the rum and the gold, but they decided to sink the cotton with the ship. The pirates marched the captain of the other ship onto the Adventure Galley. Captain Tim would deal with him later, so they tied him to the mast. "Time, for a celebration, mates. Katy, didn't you say something about brownies," Captain Tim asked. "Yes sir." Katy opened her bag and passed around her box of brownies. David opened the rum, which looked a lot like apple juice. "Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!" he sang. Captain Tim poked the prisoner with the tip of his sword. "What do you have to say for yourself? Shall we hang you from the yardarm, or walk you down the plank?" "Woof!" answered the prisoner, who was Tim's dog, Barney. "We could use another hand, Captain. Maybe he wants to be a pirate," suggested Katy. "Woof," answered Barney, wagging his tail. He shook himself and showered the pirates with water from the water balloons. "Ew, dog water. Yuck!" complained David. "Okay, but first he has to walk the plank, to pay for spraying us!" commanded Captain Tim. David propped the gangplank over the side. With some prodding, Barney walked the plank, and jumped into the sea. "Good job, Barney," called Katy. They let him back on board, tied a scarf around his neck, and told him he was First Mate Barney. Sailing on through the South Seas, they reached port just as David heard his mom calling him to dinner. Waving goodbye, he called, "Tomorrow let's sail to the Caribbean Islands. Maybe we'll see Blackbeard!"
WEBSITES
Pirates Home Page: http://powerup.com.au/~glen/pirate.htm A site compiled by a school, there is lots good information, and lots of links to additional sites.
NQC Pirates Links:
Pirates at the City Art Centre: http://www.efr.hw.ac.uk/EDC/CAC/pirates/pirates.htm Good short biographies of famous pirates as well as plenty of other information.
BOOKS
The Barefoot Book of Pirates by Richard Walker: (Ages 9 - 12) A swashbuckling collection of pirate tales full of drama and adventure on the high seas. These tales, especially compiled for young readers, combine a variety of storylines with lively vocabulary. The Great Pirate Activity Book by Deri Robins (Ages 9 - 12) Build a pirate ship . . . dress up like a pirate . . . throw a skull and crossbones party. For everyone who has dreamed of sailing the seven seas in search of excitement and adventure, here is a treasure chest full of swashbuckling facts and activities. A Pirate's Life for Me! : A Day Aboard a Pirate Ship by Julie Thompson (Ages 4 - 8) Book and audiocassette, plus eyepatch in reusable package. The tape contains an entertaining narration and eleven rowdy sea songs. Pirates (Grosset & Dunlap All Aboard Book) by Dina Anastasio (Ages 4 - 8) Pirates take youngsters on a high-seas adventure, featuring some of the most notorious buccaneers in history! Bloodthirsty Pirates (Discovery Kids Pocket Guides) by Richard Mead (Ages 4 - 8) Bottles of Eight & Pieces of Rum by Michelle Torrey (Ages 7 - 10) Do Pirates Take Baths? by Kathy Tucker (Ages 4 - 8) A humorous answering of questions about what pirates do, wear, eat, wish for, and more. All rights reserved." Captain Abdul's Pirate School by Colin McNaughton (Ages 6 - 9) A young boy who prefers poetry to fighting is sent by his father to pirate school to toughen him up under the tuition of the zany scoundrel Captain Abdul." The Dark Frigate by Charles Boardman Hawes (Young Adult) In seventeenth century England, an orphan flees London on a frigate which is seized by a devious group of "gentlemen of fortune" and is plunged into the life of a pirate.
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