Pirate Island
Treasure
Pirate Island
Treasure
Marilyn Helmer
ILLUSTRATED BY David Parkins
ORCA BOOK PUBLISHERS
Text copyright © 2013 Marilyn Helmer
Illustrations copyright © 2013 David Parkins
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be
invented, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Helmer, Marilyn, author
Pirate island treasure / Marilyn Helmer ;
illustrated by David Parkins.
(Orca echoes)
Issued in print and electronic formats.
ISBN 978-1-4598-0165-3 (pbk.).--ISBN 978-1-4598-0166-0 (pdf).
ISBN 978-1-4598-0519-4 (epub)
I. Parkins, David, illustrator II. Title. III. Series: Orca echoes
PS8565.E4594P57 2013 jC813'.54 C2013-902332-1
C2013-902333-X
First published in the United States, 2013
Library of Congress Control Number: 2013937058
Summary: Charlotte, Jacob and their grandpa head off to Pirate Island for an exciting day
of treasure hunting, playing pirates and storytelling.
Orca Book Publishers gratefully acknowledges the support for its publishing programs provided by the following agencies: the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund and the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Province of British Columbia through the BC Arts Council and the Book Publishing Tax Credit.
Cover artwork and interior illustrations by David Parkins
Author photo by Gary Helmer
ORCA BOOK PUBLISHERS ORCA BOOK PUBLISHERS
PO BOX 5626, STN.B PO BOX 468
Victoria, BC CANADA Custer, WA USA
V8R 6S4 98240-0468
www.orcabook.com
16 15 14 13 • 4 3 2 1
To Jaxon, Brooklynn, Emily and Ava—
this one’s for you!
Contents
Chapter One: Pirate Island
Chapter Two: Jack Mawdy
Chapter Three: Hawk, Shark and Captain Patch Eye
Chapter Four: Sand Dollars
Chapter Five: Shipwreck Cove
Chapter Six: Patch Eye's Spyglass
Chapter Seven: A Deal
Chapter Eight: Something Lost
Chapter Nine: The Search
Chapter Ten: Under the Rock
Chapter Eleven: Treasure Chest
Chapter Twelve: Captain Shark’s Treasure Map
Chapter Thirteen: A Pirate Tale
CHAPTER ONE
Pirate Island
Charlotte ran to the window. “Today’s the day!” she shouted. The sun was up, bright and shining. It danced across the waves, scattering shadows along the shore.
She grabbed her binoculars and looked out at the ocean. In the distance was a ribbon of sandy beach. Cliffs rose, dark and mysterious, in the background. Pirate Island. Charlotte felt a shiver of excitement. She could hardly wait to get there. “Heave ho and away we go, treasure hunting, treasure hunting,” she sang as she scrambled into her clothes. “Heave ho and away we go to look for pirate treasure.”
She grabbed her pirate hat from the bedpost and clamped it over her blond curls. She raced up the hall and banged on her brother’s door. “Jacob, get up! Today’s Pirate Island!”
Grandpa looked up from the stove as Charlotte came into the kitchen. “Good morning, matey,” he said. “I thought you were going to sleep all day.”
Charlotte shook her head. “Not today, Grandpa. You didn’t forget, did you?”
“Was I supposed to remember something?” asked Grandpa.
“We’re going treasure hunting today,” said Charlotte. “To Pirate Island.”
Grandpa looked out the window. “I think it’s going to rain.”
Charlotte saw the twinkle in Grandpa’s eyes. “You’re teasing,” she said. “The weather’s perfect. Sunshine, white puffy clouds and no high waves.” She took some dishes from the cupboard and began to set the table.
Jacob came into the kitchen. “I smell blueberry pancakes,” he said.
Grandpa piled the pancakes onto a plate. “We can’t go treasure hunting on an empty stomach. Dig in, mateys. Then we’re off to Pirate Island.”
“All right,” Jacob cheered.
“Heave ho and away we go, treasure hunting, treasure hunting,” Charlotte sang. “Heave ho and away we go to look for pirate treasure.”
CHAPTER TWO
Jack Mawdy
With breakfast over, everyone scrambled to get ready. Grandpa hurried off to prepare The Seawind for departure. Charlotte washed the dishes while Jacob dried them and put them away.
Jacob put the last plate into the cupboard. “Come on, let’s go.”
“Don’t forget your backpack,” said Charlotte.
“Got it,” said Jacob.
They locked the door and hurried toward the beach.
When they came in sight of the dock, Charlotte said, “Uh-oh. Grandpa’s talking to Jack Mawdy.”
Jacob grinned. “This could take awhile if Jack starts telling stories.”
“I know. I love his stories,” said Charlotte, “but today isn’t for storytelling. Today is for treasure hunting.”
Jack Mawdy was one of their favorite people. He owned Captain Jack’s Fish & Chips shop. Captain Jack’s was famous for two things. Jack was the best fish-and-chips cook in the county, and he was also the best storyteller. People came from all over to eat Jack’s fish and chips and listen to his stories.
Jack saw them and waved them over. “Come see what I found.” A hat lettered Head Chef sat atop his wiry gray hair. A thick mustache curled around his ruddy cheeks. His blue eyes twinkled beneath bushy eyebrows.
Charlotte loved Jack’s stories. She had already decided that one day she would be a famous storyteller too.
Jack held out his hand. “Do you know what this is?”
Charlotte and Jacob examined the object. It looked like a small leather case. Spiny tails trailed from each corner.
“It’s an egg case from a skate fish,” said Jacob.
“Some people call it a mermaid’s purse,” Charlotte said. “That’s the name I like best.”
“Me too.” Jack chuckled. “There isn’t much of a story in a fish-egg case. But a mermaid’s purse, now that’s sea treasure, and there’s always a story in sea treasure. In fact, I’m thinking of one right now.”
Jacob shot Charlotte an uh-oh look.
“But I’ll save it for later,” said Jack. “I hear you’re off to do some treasure hunting today.”
Grandpa nodded. “We had best get going, but we’ll be by for fish and chips later.” He winked at Charlotte and Jacob. “Avast, mateys, The Seawind is waiting.”
As they headed for the dock, Charlotte turned and waved at Jack.
“Don’t forget—there are many different kinds of treasure,” Jack called to her. “And a story to go with every one.”
CHAPTER THREE
Hawk, Shark and
Captain Patch Eye
The Seawind cut through the swell, splashing up ocean spray. Gulls circled lazily overhead. Sun tipped the bouncing waves with silver. Charlotte was too excited to notice. “Can’t we go faster?” she begged.
“We’re almost there,” Grandpa called over the engine noise.
Closer to the beach, Grandpa turned off the engine and dropped anchor. He climbed ov
er the side and down a ladder to a rubber dinghy.
“All aboard,” he called up to Charlotte an d Jacob.
Charlotte climbed down the ladder first. Jacob was right behind her.
When they reached the shore, they pulled the dinghy high onto the sandy beach. They shrugged out of their life jackets and grabbed their backpacks.
“The tide’s out,” said Jacob.
“It’s the best time for treasure hunting,” said Charlotte.
Grandpa tied the dinghy to a large rock. “Everybody ready?”
“Let’s go!” Charlotte’s voice drowned out Jacob’s.
“What do you think we’ll find?” Jacob didn’t wait for an answer. “Maybe caves? Or secret hideouts?”
“Wait.” Charlotte stopped. “If we’re going to look for pirate treasure, we have to have pirate names.”
Jacob spoke quickly, before Charlotte could choose first. “My name is Shark,” he growled in a piratey voice.
“I’m Patch Eye,” said Charlotte. “Captain Patch Eye, commander of the pirates.”
Jacob rolled his eyes. Leave it to Charlotte to take the best job, he thought.
“Grandpa, you need a name too,” said Charlotte.
Grandpa thought for a moment. “I’ll be Hawk,” he said.
Charlotte took the lead. “Shark and Hawk, follow Captain Patch Eye. We’re off to find pirate treasure.”
Jacob glared at Charlotte’s back. Sometimes Charlotte was the bossiest sister in the world.
CHAPTER FOUR
Sand Dollars
Beyond the beach, windblown trees grew among the rocks and grasses. The beach was scattered with bits of flotsam and jetsam that had been caught between the stones and sand. The breeze carried a fishy, seaweedy smell.
Jacob picked up a broken toy boat. He tossed an old shoe out of the way.
“Look out for jellyfish,” Grandpa warned. He sat down on a large rock and took out his sketchbook. Grandpa liked drawing even more than he liked treasure hunting.
Charlotte picked her way across the rocks and stones. Something caught her eye. She picked it up. “I found a sand dollar,” she shouted. Grandpa and Jacob came over to look.
In Charlotte’s hand lay a flat shell, round and white as snow. In the middle, five oval lines spread out like flower petals.
“I’ll bet I can find one too,” said Jacob. “I’ll bet I can find a whole bunch of sand dollars.”
He hurried ahead of Charlotte, searching the sand. All he saw were plain old clam and crab shells. Wait. A sand dollar! Jacob snatched it up, then quickly tossed it aside. The sand dollar was broken.
He glanced over his shoulder to see where Charlotte was. She saw him and gave a thumbs-up. “I found four more. Two big ones and two little ones.”
Grandpa put his sketchbook into his backpack. “Ahoy, mateys. Let’s walk on up the beach and see what other treasures we can find.”
Charlotte caught up with Jacob and showed him her sand dollars.
Jacob examined them. “Can I have one?”
Charlotte chewed her bottom lip. “Ma-a-a-y-be,” she said, dragging out the word.
Jacob kicked the sand. Charlotte’s “maybe” usually meant “no.” She was being mean. She didn’t want to share.
Fine, Jacob told himself. Wait until I have something she wants. Then we’ll see who can be mean.
CHAPTER FIVE
Shipwreck
Cove
“Ahoy, cove ahead,” Charlotte shouted.
“You don’t have to shout,” said Jacob. “We’re right beside you.”
He spotted an old fallen tree lying in the sand. It was narrow at one end and split partway down the middle. It reminded Jacob of the hull of an abandoned fishing boat he had seen near the dock.
Jacob ran and jumped onto the narrow end. “Avast, mateys. This is a pirate ship.” He caught Charlotte’s eye with a fierce look. “And it’s under my command.”
Charlotte shook her head. “I’m the pirate captain,” she said, “so I’m in command.”
Jacob jumped down. “Rock, Paper, Scissors,” he said. It was their favorite way of settling arguments.
“Two out of three,” said Charlotte.
Jacob won. “From now on, call me Captain Shark,” he said with a triumphant grin.
Charlotte gave in. You couldn’t argue with Rock, Paper, Scissors.
She stared at the log. Jacob was right. It did look like a pirate ship. A shipwrecked pirate ship. “Grandpa, does this cove have a name?” she asked.
Grandpa shook his head. “Not that I know of.”
“Let’s call it Shipwreck Cove,” said Charlotte. Jack Mawdy’s words flew into her head. Treasure…stories…
Ideas whirled through her mind, spinning themselves into a story. “On a dark night long ago, there was a terrible storm,” Charlotte began. “Lightning flashed. Thunder roared. Waves rolled in, as high as mountains. Rain pelted down.” Charlotte borrowed some of Jack’s storytelling words. “The pirates’ ship…” She paused, searching for a name.
Jacob jumped in. “The Treasure Hunter.” Charlotte wasn’t going to have all the storytelling glory.
“Good one, Jacob,” said Charlotte. “The Treasure Hunter was wrecked in this cove. Captain Shark, Patch Eye and Hawk were stranded on Pirate Island.”
“What happened next?” asked Jacob.
“Let’s find out,” said Charlotte.
CHAPTER SIX
Patch Eye's
Spyglass
Jacob picked up a flat stone. He drew back his arm and spun the stone toward the ocean. The stone skipped once, twice, three times before it sank. “Bet you can’t beat three skips,” he said to Charlotte.
Charlotte never said no to a challenge. She searched until she spotted a black stone, smooth and flat—the best kind for skipping.
As she reached for it, another stone caught her eye. It was small and pale gray. It looked like an ordinary stone, but there was something unusual about it.
Charlotte picked it up. “There’s a hole in this stone. I can see right through it.”
“Let me have a look,” said Jacob.
Charlotte handed him the stone. Jacob held it up to his eye. He had never seen a stone with a hole through it before. Why did Charlotte have to find all the best things?
“Let Grandpa see,” said Charlotte.
Jacob passed the stone to Grandpa.
Grandpa examined it. He pointed to the little circles that went all the way through the hole. “It’s a fossil,” he said. “From an insect or a snail that lived long ago.”
“No-o-o,” said Charlotte. She reached for the stone and held it up to her eye again. “It’s a spyglass. Patch Eye’s spyglass.”
“Only pirate captains have spyglasses,” said Jacob. “I’ll bet Patch Eye stole it from Captain Shark.”
“Yes,” Charlotte said excitedly. “That’s exactly what happened. One night, when Captain Shark was asleep, Patch Eye stole the spyglass. She buried it in the sand to keep it safe. But when she came back for it the next day —”
“She couldn’t find where she had buried it,” Jacob said.
“Years passed,” continued Charlotte. “Waves washed the sand away. Then Patch Eye found the spyglass again.”
Jacob held out his hand. “But it belongs to Captain Shark.”
Charlotte closed her hand. “It belongs to Patch Eye now.”
“Rock, Paper, Scissors,” said Jacob.
Charlotte shook her head. She wasn’t about to lose again.
“Can I borrow it?” Jacob asked.
Charlotte thought for a moment. “Ma-a-a-y-be.”
Jacob stomped off. As usual, “maybe” really meant “no.” He had to find a way to even things up.
CHAPTER SEVEN
A Deal
Jacob stopped to examine a rock. It was covered with tiny white circles that looked like buttons. Barnacles, Jacob said to himself. But barnacles weren’t treasure. He walked on by.
Grandpa sat dow
n on a log to do more sketching. Jacob looked ahead. Farther up the beach, Charlotte was kneeling in the sand. She was looking at something. Jacob caught up with her. “What did you find?”
Charlotte shrugged. “More clam shells.” She tossed them aside.
Jacob kneeled beside her. “Ouch!” Something jabbed his knee. He pulled a slim piece of wood from the sand.
Charlotte glanced at it. “It’s just an old piece of driftwood.”
Jacob stared at the driftwood. “Maybe not.” The end he was holding was rounded, like a handle. The other end was thin and smooth. He ran his fingers along the smooth edge. “It feels like a knife blade.”
Charlotte reached for it. As she turned it over, the sun caught the smooth edge, turning it a dull silver. “You’re right, Jacob. It does look like a knife.”
“Not a plain old knife,” said Jacob. Charlotte wasn’t the only storyteller in the family. “It’s a pirate’s cutlass. It belonged to Captain Shark. He stuck it in the sand to warn other pirates to stay away.”
Charlotte stood up. “But Captain Shark let Patch Eye borrow it,” she said. She stuck it into her belt.
“No way.” Jacob scrambled to his feet. “You wouldn’t let me borrow the spyglass. The cutlass is mine. Give it back.” He made a grab for it.
Charlotte stepped back. Stuck in her belt, Jacob’s driftwood almost looked like a real cutlass. She wanted to keep it, at least for a while. “Deal,” she said. “I’ll give you two of my sand dollars if you let me borrow the cutlass.”
Jacob wanted those sand dollars. And he wanted to keep the cutlass. This way he could do both.
He looked Charlotte straight in the eye. “You’ll give the cutlass back, right? And I get to keep the sand dollars. Promise? For sure, for certain?”
“Promise. For sure, for certain,” Charlotte said solemnly. She got two sand dollars from her backpack and handed them to Jacob. They were the two small ones.
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