Colin and the Magic Bookmark (2 page)

The afternoon passed as happily for Colin as the morning had, and after going for a short walk around the field at the back of their house, both he and Sammy settled down for the evening. Colin watched the news on T.V., switched off the set and sank into his comfortable armchair. Just as he opened his special book, Sammy hopped up onto his lap.

Colin's fingers seemed to be directed to a particular page by the book itself. The bookmark glowed warmly in his pocket. He found himself beginning a story that took place on board a ship. It was a large, ancient sailing ship. It was dark. It was stormy, and waves were crashing over the side of the ship. Suddenly Colin realised that he really had been soaked by the last wave. It was also windy and cold, but the bookmark was glowing and apparently keeping him warm. He looked down at his feet and saw that he was wearing boots, and then he saw that he was also wearing black trousers and over a black sweater a shabby black coat. Sammy was in the large inside pocket of his coat and was whimpering softly. They really were on the deck of a ship.

“You there!” roared a voice.

Colin looked round and saw a huge, ugly man with black bushy eyebrows that joined in a straight line above his eyes.

“Aye, you there!” roared the man again. “Get up those lines and loose that sail. It's jammed.”

Although the wind was howling and the deck of the ship was moving up and down on the angry sea, Colin stood his ground.

“Why should I?” he said. He could feel the bookmark glowing warmly, tucked safely in the pocket of his shirt.

“What?” The tough-looking sailor's voice grew even louder.

“Why should I?” repeated Colin.

“Because I say so. I'm the bosun of this ship. Everyone obeys me, except Cap'n Twitch of course. So get up that rigging and loose that sail.”

“No,” said Colin.

The other man shouted even more loudly. “Get up there and loose the sail. That's an order!”

“Not to me it isn't,” replied Colin. “I'm not one of your crew.”

“What? You're a stowaway then.”

“No.”

“Then how did you get here?”

“I don't know.”

“Then for the last time I'm telling you to get up that mast!”

“For the last time I'm telling you no,” said Colin still standing firmly despite the rolling of the ship's deck.

“Listen, you…” growled the bosun with a sneer on his face. He stepped forward and brought the single line of his eyebrows close to Colin's face. He stretched out his massive right hand to grasp the lapel of Colin's coat and then screeched, “Yaaah!” pulling his hand away. Sammy had raised his head and bitten him with his sharp little teeth.

“Hellzbellznbeelzebub!” cursed the bosun. “Why, you little pipsqueak, I'll throw you up that mast!”

“I don't think so,” replied Colin calmly. “I warn you. You'll come off worse.”

Suddenly the bosun charged head down at Colin, who neatly sidestepped, grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and with a surge of power helped him on his way until…Crack!…his huge strong head met the even stronger mainmast. He lay there on the deck stunned.

“I wouldn't advise you to try that again,” murmured Colin.

“Yap, yap!” agreed Sammy.

At that moment a young boy about 13 years old appeared out of the darkness.

“I saw you,” he said. “He won't like it, when he wakes up.”

“I suppose not,” said Colin. “And who are you?”

“I'm Jakie,” said the boy.

“I'm a visitor,” explained Colin. “Call me Colin. And this is Sammy.” The little dog licked Jakie's hand.

 

It was growing lighter and the storm seemed to be calming. The bosun still lay prone, unmoving, unconscious on the deck.

“What ship is this?” asked Colin.

“‘Tis the Black Gull. I warn you, sir, ‘tis a pirate ship”

“If this is a pirate ship, why do I see no skull and cross-bones flag?”

“Oh, we only fly that at the last moment, when we attack.”

“Anyway you don't look like a pirate. You're far too young.”

“Well, sir, none of us is really pirates except Bosun Buller and the captain, Cap'n Twitch. All the rest of us were press-ganged, brought on board and forced to work for them.”

“You mean kidnapped and forced to work against your will?”

“Aye. I'm the cook, so I don't get treated as bad as some of the rest, but nobody dares complain. The cap'n and the bosun, well, they'll beat anyone who doesn't obey and no one can stand up to them. They're too strong.”

“I see,” murmured Colin.

“Come on. You can't stay here. I'll find you and Sammy something to eat in the galley,” offered Jakie. Quickly Colin followed him and they soon arrived in the darkness of the gloomy galley.

“There's not much room in here, but you can sit over there,” said Jakie, pointing to some sacks in the corner.

Soon Colin discovered that Jakie was a very good cook. His apple pies were marvellous. Sammy was happily gnawing the meat off a bone he had been given.

Suddenly Jakie looked up from chopping some carrots. “I nearly forgot. It's the captain's birthday today. He'll expect something special from me.”

“Why don't you bake him a cake?” asked Colin.

“Good idea,” said Jakie, and he immediately set about finding the ingredients and stoking the stove. Colin took off his coat, rolled up his sleeves and helped him. He still had the bookmark in his shirt pocket. He also helped the boy to prepare the captain's breakfast. Jakie went nimbly up the steps to serve it in the big cabin. When he came back, he said, “The cap'n's in a bad mood. The crew haven't remembered to give him any presents. His daughter is even worse.”

“His daughter?” Colin was surprised. “His daughter is with him on board?”

“Aye. She's a nasty piece of work. Very greedy. She always expects presents for herself even when it's her father's birthday. In fact she and the cap'n and Bosun Buller always keep for themselves all the money and treasure we take. They never share it with the crew. We work for nothing.”

“What's her name?”

“Electra, but behind her back she is called Hellectra. Very cruel she is, and she winds the cap'n round her little finger. He'll do anything for her, and so will Buller. The bosun wants to marry her but she's not interested.”

Despite the warmth of the bookmark Colin felt a cold thrill of expectation. He knew he was soon to meet the terrible Twitches. He felt very curious about them.

“Why are they called Twitch?” he asked.

“You'll see,” replied Jakie. “Clumsy devil he is. Blames everyone else, even Buller. And I heard the bosun is in a foul mood too. He can't remember how he came to be laid out on the deck. Everyone is trying more than usual to keep out of his way.”

At that moment they heard Buller's voice shouting above. “All hands on deck! All hands! Come on, ye scurvy dogs! The last one here will be flogged!” They heard running footsteps and lots of curses, as the crew rushed to assemble on deck.

“I must go,” said Jakie. “You wait here. No one else knows about you.” He hurried up the steps, but a few moments later Colin was horrified to hear Buller shout, “You there! You! Aye, young Jakie. You're the last one here. I'll flog you for keeping the cap'n and Miss Electra waiting.”

Colin could hear Jakie pleading. “No, no! I was busy in the kitchen with something special for the cap'n.”

“Oh, aye. What is it?”

“I…I can't tell you. It's a surprise for him.”

“You'll not escape that easily,” hollered Buller gleefully. “Men, gather round. Young Jakie's going to be flogged!”

Buller was just reaching out his left hand to grab the boy's arm whilst brandishing a large whip in the other, when Colin suddenly appeared on deck with Sammy.

“No. He isn't going to be flogged,” said Colin. “
I'm
the last one on deck.”

All around the ship the calm sea sparkled in the sunlight, but the mood on the Black Gull was grim.

“Who be that stranger?” barked a new voice. All heads turned towards an extravagantly dressed figure wearing a long, brown, curly wig, a red cocked hat and matching coat with lace cuffs.

“Aye, who be he?” echoed the young woman standing beside him. She wore an extravagant green dress with far too much decoration, many rings on her fingers and a jewelled tiara on her head. She obviously liked to dress for effect. Unfortunately the effect was ridiculous. Her features were spoiled by her angry, blazing eyes and the ugly downturn of her mouth.

Colin tried to explain. “I'm just a visitor and….”

“What's that apology for a dog doing here with him?” interrupted the foul Electra. Sammy bared his teeth at her and gave a little snarl.

“Chairs!” suddenly commanded Captain Twitch. Two of the crew dashed off and returned with two chairs, one for the captain and one for his daughter. They sat down on the fore-deck overlooking everyone and clearly eager to enjoy the day's entertainment, a flogging by the formidable Bosun Buller. Captain Twitch's face suddenly twitched and he jerked his head to the left. Nobody laughed. No one dared. The crew were too frightened. They pretended they had not noticed.

“Well then, let the entertainment begin,” said Electra impatiently. She stamped her foot and her head twitched to the right. Again nobody laughed. “Well, get on with it! A grand flogging to celebrate the captain's birthday, and you,” she said, pointing her finger straight at Colin, “are the chosen one! Hee hee hee!” Her laugh grated on the nerves like a fingernail scraping on a board. “The chosen one!” she repeated with glee.

“I don't think so,” said Colin calmly and he snatched the whip from Bosun Buller's giant hand. Buller just stood there, blinking in surprise.

Colin looked all around the assembled crew. “All those of you, who have felt the lash of this whip, raise your hand.” All the crew did so, including Jakie.

“Well, well, well,” said Colin, turning to the two Twitches. “Do you know what this tastes like? I'm sure you don't.” Then turning to Buller, he raised an eyebrow. “And do you?”

“No!” sneered Buller. “You wouldn't dare, you scurvy little …” He didn't finish what he was saying, but said, “Yah! Ow! Yah!” instead, as the tip of the whiplash caught him on both hands and the tip of his bulbous nose. He stared unbelievingly at his raw fingers that stung ferociously and were now bright red.

“Like it?” asked Colin casually. The crew roared their approval. To their delight Colin said,”Men, tie him up. There are enough of you.” To Buller he said, “Don't you dare move. Not an inch or you'll get more of the same. You don't like your own medicine, do you?” Buller was too busy nursing his injured hands to be aware of anything else, but he glowered balefully at Colin, as the crewmen eagerly and expertly bound him with a thick rope they had quickly found.

“Some shackles on his feet too would be a good idea,” added Colin. Two men dashed off to do Colin's bidding.

 

Meanwhile the captain and his daughter looked on aghast. They twitched occasionally and quite nervously. At last Twitch found his courage to protest, and raised his voice. “I'm the captain here! Release him, ye scurvy knaves!”

“Not at all, my dear captain,” laughed Colin, and he flicked out the whip, so that it curled round the leg of the captain's chair. He pulled sharply and Twitch found himself lying face down in a muddy puddle on the deck.

Electra screamed, “Papa, do something!”

Her father sat up. His fancy clothes were now wet and dirty. So was his face and his wig had slipped forward over his eyes so that he couldn't see very well. Instinctively his hand felt for his sword, but the stinging lash of Colin's whip, deliberately missing him but giving him due warning, made him hesitate and stop.

“Now, Miss Electra,” announced Colin, “as it's your father's birthday, there is something you can do for him. First of all help him up onto his chair.” Nodding to Jakie, he continued, “Go and fetch your surprise for the captain.”

“Aye, aye, sir,” said Jakie and dashed off. A minute later he returned. One of his friends was carrying a small table, which he set down in front of the Twitches. Jakie placed the birthday cake carefully on it.

“Gather round, everyone,” cried Colin. “Now the real birthday celebrations can begin. We are going to have a party. Miss Electra, there are thirty of us on board, thirty-one if you count Sammy here.” The little dog yapped on hearing his name. “Jakie will hand you that spatula there. We wouldn't trust you with a knife of course. You will divide that very large cake neatly into equal portions, perhaps thirty-two, making one extra. Jakie will help you.”

Glaring unhappily, Electra did as she was told. This was a new experience for her. She did not particularly like it. Then Jakie and his friend took the cake round so that each crew member (and Sammy) received a piece. It was soon eaten. Even the Twitches had to agree that it was very good. Everyone except Buller had been given a small can and Jakie went round again, this time to pour a tot of rum into each one.