英语小说网

Jack heard Annie yelling. He saw her coming down the rope ladder.

Jack started to run across the hot sand. He ran as fast as he could. But the pirates ran faster.

Jack struggled. But the pirate had huge, strong arms. He held on to Jack and laughed a mean, ugly laugh. He had a shaggy black beard. A patch covered one eye.

Before Jack knew it, the biggest pirate had grabbed him!

But Annie kept coming. "Leave him alone, you bully!" she cried.

Annie fell silent.

But the pirate just growled. Then he grabbed her, too. And with his giant hands, he held Jack and Annie as if they were two kittens.

Cap'n Bones laughed loudly. Then he turned to the other two. "Find out what's in their house, you dogs," he said.

"No one escapes Cap'n Bones!" he roared. His breath was terrible.

"Let go!" Annie shouted into his face.

But Cap'n Bones just smiled. All his teeth were black.

The other two pirates laughed meanly. They were dirty and ragged.

"Stay where you are!" Jack shouted.

Annie charged up to the biggest pirate. "Let him go!" she said. She hit the pirate with her fist and kicked him.

"Books, Cap'n!" Pinky shouted down.

"Look, Cap'n! Look!"

"Throw it down!" cried Cap'n Bones.

Pinky leaned out the tree house window. He held the medallion. It glimmered in the sunlight.

"Aye, aye, Cap'n!" they answered. And they started up the ladder to the tree house.

A gleeful shriek pierced the air.

Cap'n Bones grabbed Jack's backpack. "What's in here?" he said.

"Another book!" roared Cap'n Bones. "That's vile booty!"

"Just books, Cap'n!" shouted Stinky.

"Aghh, books," said Cap'n Bones. He spit on the sand again. "I hate books! Keep looking, dogs! Find me something good!"

"Nothing --" Jack quickly opened the pack. "Just paper, a pencil, a book."

"What about you, Stinky?" Cap'n Bones roared.

"Dogs are nicer than you," said Annie.

"Shhh," said Jack.

Cap'n Bones froze. "What's that?" he shouted.

"Aghh, books," growled Cap'n Bones. He spit on the sand. "I want gold, you dogs!"

Oh brother, thought Jack.

"What do you spy, Pinky?" shouted Cap'n Bones.

Cap'n Bones dropped Jack and Annie. He caught the medallion as it fell.

He grabbed two of his pistols. He shot them into the air. Pinky and Stinky howled like wolves.

"Gold! Gold! Gold!" he cried. Cap'n Bones threw back his head and laughed horribly.

"It's not yours!" shouted Annie.