Page 24 - My FlipBook

“Get a move on, you mouldy molluscs!” he roared. “Haul my ship up! What am I

paying you for, you weedy worms? Pull harder!”
“Don’t swear at my men like that!” the salvage captain told him.

“Er, sorry,” grunted Captain Snatchit. “I’m just so excited at the thought of seeing
my dear old ship again.”

The men pulled and heaved on the winches.

The sea surged.
And very, very slowly, Captain Snatchit’s pirate ship, the old Seaslug, was hauled

up to the surface.
It was draped in seaweed. Water poured out of the holes that the cannonballs had

blown in it. An octopus that had been living there wriggled out and sploshed into the

sea.
“At last!” Captain Snatchit rubbed his hands. “Now, tow it to land for me!”

“That’ll cost you extra,” warned the salvage captain.
“I’ve got a sea-chest full of gold, you scurvy sausage!” roared Captain Snatchit,

turning as red as rhubarb.
Then he took a deep breath, wiped his brow and added, “Sorry. I’m just upset at

the state of my dear old ship. If you’d be so kind, please sell me two of your delightful

cannons.”
“What do you need cannons for?”

“Oh, er – just in case I meet any pirates,” said Captain Snatchit. “If you’ll give me
the cannons and take my ship to Parrot Island, then all this gold is yours!”

“Parrot Island?” squawked Neptune. “Oh, no!” For that was where he lived with

all the other parrots.
As the salvage ship began to move, he flew behind it. The ship towed the soggy

wreck of the Seaslug into a small bay on Parrot Island.
Neptune hid in a tree to watch. Once the Seaslug was safely anchored in shallow

water, the sailors unloaded two shiny brass cannons and left them on the beach.

“Here’s your gold!” cried Captain Snatchit. He emptied his sea-chest, pouring
piles of coins onto the deck. Then he quickly jumped ashore and the salvage ship

sailed away.
No sooner was it out of sight than he pulled his pirate hat out of his pocket and

rammed it on his head.
He yelled, “I know you’re there, you snivelly sardines! Come out of hiding!”