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"Dig!" shouted Cap'n Bones. He held Jack and Annie with one hand. With the other he pulled out the gold medallion.

He tossed it at the two pirates. It fell into the hole. "Dig for more of these, you swine!" he said.

"Dig, you dogs!" he shouted.

"Look!" Annie said.

They started pulling the rock across the sand.

"Cap'n! We got it!" shouted Pinky.

"Aghh, let the dogs do the work!" growled Cap'n Bones.

"Who cares?" roared Cap'n Bones.

The wind howled. The two pirates pulled. And pulled. And pulled.

But Cap'n Bones ignored his suggestion.

"Now let's dig where the rock was," said Jack. "All of us!"

Squawk!

Polly was back! She was circling above them!

Pinky and Stinky started to dig. The wind blew even harder. There was going to be a thunderstorm.

"Oww! I got sand in me eyes!" Pinky whined.

"Oww! Me back hurts!" Stinky cried.

"You're not very nice to them," said Annie.

"They need help!" said Jack.

Pinky and Stinky tied their rope around the big rock.

The two pirates threw down their shovels. They started running toward the rowboat.

"Go back!" squawked Polly.

"Wait!" Cap'n Bones let go of Jack and Annie. He ran into the water. "Wait, you dogs!"

"She means us!" said Annie.

"Dig, you dogs!" cried Cap'n Bones.

He hauled himself into the rowboat. Then the three pirates disappeared into the spray of the waves.

Stinky and Pinky looked up at the parrot. They scowled.

Pinky and Stinky jumped into the boat. They started rowing.

"The bird's warning us!" shouted Pinky. "We've got to get to the ship before it's too late!"

"Wait!" cried Cap'n Bones.

Just then the storm broke over the island. The wind howled. Rain fell in buckets.

"Go back!" squawked Polly.

"Dig!" shouted Cap'n Bones.

But the pirates kept running. They got to the rowboat and pushed it into the sea.

"Mutineers! Come back!" shouted Cap'n Bones. He dragged Jack and Annie down the beach as he ran after his men. "Stop!"

"The bird's an omen, Cap'n!" shouted Stinky.

"Go back!" said Polly.

"A big storm is comin', Cap'n!" said Pinky.

"Go back!" she squawked.

"Go back!" squawked Polly.

But Jack couldn't tear himself away. He brushed the rest of the muddy sand off the chest.

"I found it! I found it!" cried Jack. "I found the treasure chest!"

Then the rain cleared away more sand. And Jack saw the top of an old trunk.

"Forget the treasure chest!" said Annie. "We have to go now! The storm's getting worse!"

"Wait! I have to get the medallion!" shouted Jack. He ran to the hole dug by the pirates. He looked down in it. Even in the dreary light, the medallion was shining.

"Hurry, Jack!" cried Annie. She was halfway up the tree house ladder.

"Let's go!" cried Annie.

"Come on!" Now Annie was shouting from the tree house window.

He stared. Was it Captain Kidd's treasure chest?

Jack saw a patch of wood.

"Jack, forget the treasure chest!" cried Annie. "Let's go!"

Jack kept staring at the chest. Was there gold inside? Silver? Precious gems?

Big, fat raindrops were falling into the hole, washing away the sand.

Jack looked at the parrot. She was perched on the black rock.

"Go back, Jack," she said. She sounded like a person.

The ladder swayed as Jack climbed. He was tossed this way and that. But he held on tight. At last he pulled himself into the tree house.

The tree house started to spin. It spun faster and faster.

His socks and rain boots were still there. He quickly pulled the boots on. He shoved the socks into his backpack.

Then everything was still.

The rope ladder was dancing wildly in the wind. Jack grabbed it.

Annie was already holding the Pennsylvania book. She pointed to the picture of Frog Creek. "I wish we could go there!" she shouted.

"Let's go!" he cried.

He stared into her wise eyes. He thought he knew her -- knew her from somewhere else.

Jack took one last look at the treasure chest. He clutched the gold medallion. Then he took off, running toward the tree house.

The wind was already blowing hard. But now it blew even harder.

Okay. It was definitely time to go.

Absolutely still.