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Pirates

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First published in 2020 by Murray Books (Australia) www.murraybooks.com

Published under exclusive EU Licence for: Eureka bvba Maanstraat 7B 2800 Mechelen Belgium www.eureka-puzzle.eu

ISBN:978-0-9943731-2-0

All rights reserved. This publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright holder.

Author : Peter Murray : Images: Shutterstock

The author and publisher have made every effort to ensure the information contained in this book was correct at the time of going to press and accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by any person or organisation using this book.

Pirates

Captain Jack could not and would not rest until he had found the lost treasure of Skull Island. Legend had it, that this treasure had been hidden somewhere in the Caribbean Islands over 200 years ago by the legendary pirate, Beastly Bart

A great many pirates had tried and failed to find the treasure, and many of the

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inhabitants of Littlehampton, believed it was just a story, but not Captain Jack. He could feel it in his bones, it was real and it was destined to be his!

So, one moonlit night, the crew of the Salty Dog sailed with the tide, to fulfil their destiny, not knowing if or when they

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would return.

This was not the first time Captain Jack and his crew had gone in search of the treasure. Forty years ago, that very day, they had set sail on the same quest, but this time they had an advantage.... –

Captain Jack had obtained a secret map from a merchant passing through Littlehampton, just a few

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weeks ago.

The Salty Dog sailed on, through treacherous seas that would have sunk many a ship and sent her crew to Davy Jones’ locker - the final resting place of many a pirate and sailor!

She was a magnificent 3masted galleon and with the wind in her sails she could outrun the fastest sloop. Captain Jack and his

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crew had captured her from right under the nose of Admiral Smythe, in a daring raid some years before. The storms passed and the ship seemed to maintain her own steady course to the Caribbean.

The crew were in fine form, they had weathered the storm and the talk returned to the gold and

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riches that awaited them.

They sailed on and on, passing islands large and small, searching for anything that looked like the Skull on the map.

After. 100 days at sea the crew were starting to question Captain Jack’’’s plan and began to doubt they would ever find the treasure of Skull Island.

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At last... they saw it! Skull Island looming up ahead!

The men cheered as they sailed towards the riches that awaited them.

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A hoard of bats came screaming out through the mouth of the skull. The pirates wondered if this was a bad sign….. They wondered what kind of dangers awaited them!

The massive Skulls in the rocks appeared angry and menacing, but Captain Jack was fearless.

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He had spent his last few sovereigns on the map and he had only one objectiveto find the treasure, and to become the richest pirate on the high seas!

Captain Jack knew that the treasure was close, he could almost smell the gold. All he had to do was follow the old map…..

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The chest of treasure was rumoured to hold a thousand pieces of gold plus trinkets, jewels and treasures - enough to fulfil Captain Jack and his crew’s wildest dreams!

Captain Jack dreamed of building Jack’s Revenge, a galleon with more than 70 cannons, and returning to Littlehampton a hero!

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They anchored the Salty Dog in a sheltered spot and rowed the boats into shore. The crew set up camp and talked of what they would find and how long it would take to search the island. It didn’’t look very big and the Captain had the map after all.

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They found plenty of fresh water and food on the island. The trees were ripe with tropical fruit and the ocean was alive with fish. A ripple of excitement ran through the camp - – this time they would find the treasure!

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The Captain organized search parties, and the crew worked day and night, night and day, searching and digging. They were beginning to feel disheartened when the ship’s first mate, Edward Higgins, sounded the call.

He had been digging in a sheltered spot a little way off from where the treasure was supposed to

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be buried, when his shovel hit something hard. He dug again and the same clanging sound came from within the hole.

The rest of the crew and Captain Jack came running and soon a huge chest was unearthed.

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The Captain drew his sword and swung it against the lock, with a mighty crash. He gently lifted the lid of the chest, almost afraid of what he would find inside.

Surely this was it, the treasure of Skull Island, his for the taking....but what if the chest was empty, what if someone had got there before them?

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The crew all held their breath, waiting to see what was inside. The lid opened, just as the sun came out from behind a cloud, illuminating the treasure for all to see. It was a blinding sight, with gold coins, and cups, and jewels bigger than a man’s hand!

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They had done what so many before them had failed to do, they had found the treasure of Skull Island!

The men began to dance and sing, but all of a sudden the clouds closed in, and the sky darkened. Lightening flashed and thunder rumbled, and the rain drenched the sailors

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to the skin. The men were afraid, but Captain Jack held his nerve. He would not be frightened away, the treasure was his!

The contents of the chest were loaded into bags and crates and dragged to the boats, while the sky thundered above them. The crew scrambled in the sand

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to grab the coins and jewels that had fallen from the chest.

The treasure was loaded into the ship and stored below deck under the watchful eye of Captain Jack, now the richest man on the seven seas.

A Huge crack of thunder

tore through the sky and an enormous bolt of lightning struck

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The pirates loaded the last crate onto the boats, and rowed with all their might, until they were safely in the shadow of the hull of the Salty Dog……..

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After eight long months, the Salty Dog and her crew sailed into Littlehampton Harbour. They had returned as heros and tales were told about Captain Jack and the Salty Dog for years to come.