A Twist In Time

Chapter 19

The time had come for Chief and Jessie to leave the new world, which was now a successful colony. They left on a trade ship to England. Half way across the sea, the lookout yelled. "PIRATES!" Jessie and Chief looked at each other in fright. "P-p-p-pirates?" Jessie stuttered. They swung aboard and took Jessie and Chief hostage. They also took some of the loot, sugar! The hostages were taken to the Captain's room. The Captain was a medium height, with a wispy grey beard and a round belly. "First Mate!" He snapped. The pirate who brought them in looked. "Arr?" He said. "Ye can go!" The captain replied. Jessie bit her lip. The Captain waited until he heard footsteps, meaning the first mate had left. "Me apologies mateys!" He said, untying them. Jessie looked confused. "Are you going to make us walk the plank?" She asked. The Captain laughed. "Course I isn’t ya wench!" He said, laughing. Jessie frowned. "Then why are you taking us hostage?" Chief asked. The Captain blinked. "Cos that's what we Swashbucklin' types do!" He said. Jessie frowned. "Then why are you setting us free?" She asked. The Captain looked sincere. "Cos I ain't a swashbucklin' type!" He said. Chief and Jessie looked at each other. "You've lost me!" They said in unison. The Captain sat them down and explained everything. "Ye see, when I were a young lad, I dream'd of the open sea! When I become 14, I ran away from me mam to be a matey. That were many a moon ago!" He said. "I been sailin' these seas for 50 years!" Jessie gasped. "Aye! I use to be a right scurvy swabber!" He said. "Use to commit many a misdeeds." Jessie looked at the old pirate. "But what happened?" She asked. "About 10 year ago, I lost me sense of adventure! Sure I attack a few ships and rob em of their booty, but I only do this for the crew!" He said. Jessie frowned. "Why don't you... you know..."

"Abandon ship? If only I could! I ain't no landlubber!" He said, sadly. "I'd have no work! Who would hire a washed up old pirate like me!" He added. Jessie patted his hand. "Well why don't you tell your crew?" She asked. The Captain shook his head. "If they knew what I were thinkin', they'd maroon me on a desert island, with a bottle o' rum fer survival." Chief shook his head. "So you have no choice?" He said. The Captain nodded. "I loathe this life I lead!" The captain said. "But I have no way of leaving it!" He sighed. Suddenly the first mate burst in. "Cap'n Greybeard, we have a problem!"