The Voyages of the Spindrift

[2002, Girl’s Monthly Gazette]

Episode 1

Once upon a time, there was a girl and a boy who lived near the sea. Jenny’s home was a small brick house on a hill by the shore. In another house at the bottom of the hill, Jack lived with his parents. Jenny and Jack were best friends, for there were no other children living nearby. Jenny was nine, and Jack eleven.

They found many wonderful places to play. They climbed the trees by Jack’s house, they flew kites on the hill, and they sometimes played hide-and-go-seek among the blackberry bushes.

But by far, their favorite place of all was the sea. Both had known and loved it since infanthood, for Jenny’s father was the first mate on a coastal freighter and Jack’s father was the captain of a small fishing boat. During the summer, the children waded and swam every day, and this summer, for the first time, they went boating by themselves as well. For, on his eleventh birthday Jack’s father had given him—oh joy!— a little sailing boat all his own. He named it the Spindrift, and it was his most prized possession.

One afternoon that summer Jack and Jenny went out sailing in the Spindrift. Before they had been out very long, however, ominous gray clouds began to gather.

“We’d better go in,” said Jack, and they turned the little ship about and began to head for shore.

But before they had gone far the storm was upon them in all its fury. Giant waves threatened to overwhelm the little craft and rain pelted down in torrents.

“Help me take down the sail!” Jack shouted above the roaring of the wind. “We’ll have to try to ride it out!”

Although both children were frightened, they didn’t lose their heads. Jenny helped Jack make the ship as secure as possible.

Fortunately, the Spindrift was a sturdy, buoyant craft and it rebounded over even the most violent waves.

To Jack and Jenny, huddled under a waterproof tarpaulin on the forward deck, it seemed an eternity before the storm ended; but actually it lasted only two hours. When finally the wind died down, night had fallen and it was too dark for them to see where they were. They were completely exhausted, so they let down the anchor and went to sleep.

The next morning Jenny was the first to awaken. Looking around, she saw that the little craft was completely surrounded by gently swelling water. There was no sign of land as far as the eye could see.

She shook Jack awake. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

“Where are we, Jack?” she wondered.

“The storm must have blown us far out to sea,” he replied. “But we have my compass. No matter how far or in what direction it blew us, we’ll strike some part of the coast eventually if we hard due east.”

“You’re right, Jack,” agreed Jenny.

Together they pulled up the anchor and unfurled the sail.

“We’re lucky the wind’s in the right direction,” Jack commented after they were underway.

“Yes,” said Jenny hopefully. “Perhaps we’ll reach land before long.”

“Oh! Look over there! I see something!” cried Jenny a few minutes later. She pointed ahead.

“Where?— oh, I see!“ Jack stared at it intently. “Say, Jen! It’s a boat!”

“And it’s coming this way,” exclaimed Jenny. “Maybe they’ll take us home.”

“Or at least tell us where we are and give us something to eat,” Jack said.

The boat was heading towards them and it quickly grew closer. Soon Jack and Jenny could make out the details.

They stared at it in amazement. It was an old fashioned-type wooden boat with sails!

“She’s just like the old ships you see in pictures— you know, the Spanish Armada or John Paul Jones,” Jack said wonderingly.

“Look! Look at the flag!” Jenny cried out suddenly.

Jack stared in disbelief at the banner flying over the ship. It was the skull-and-crossbones!

“Pirates!” he exclaimed.

The big pirate ship bore swiftly down upon the Spindrift. Jack and Jenny saw men scurrying about, and presently they heard a shout.

“Ahoy, there! Surrender, or we‘ll fire!”

The children glanced apprehensively at the row of cannons peering out holes on the ship’s broadside.

“We haven’t anything valuable,” Jack shouted.

“Surrender or be destroyed!” came the relentless demand.

Jack looked helplessly at Jenny.

“They wouldn’t really fire on us, would they?” Jenny’s voice quavered a little bit.

“They might,” Jack said. “In all the stories I’ve ever read, pirates are a rather ruthless lot.”

“Oh, Jack! We’d better do as they say!”

“We don’t seem to have a choice,” Jack agreed.

“We surrender!” he called.

“Maybe once they see we really don’t have anything valuable they’ll let us go,” Jenny said bravely.

Jack said nothing, but Jenny could see that he was worried.

“Tie this to your boat,” a voice from the pirate ship called, and the end of a rope arched through the air and landed on the deck of the Spindrift with a thud.

Jack secured it to a ring on the hull and the Spindrift was drawn slowly in towards the pirate ship. Soon they were directly under it. A rope ladder was thrown over the edge of the big ship.

“Climb up,” a pirate voice yelled down to Jack and Jenny.

“Jack, are you scared?” Jenny asked in a whisper.

“A little,” he admitted honestly. Then he squeezed her hand encouragingly. “I’ll go first,” he said bravely.

Episode 2

Jack started up the rope ladder, and Jenny followed closely behind. Finally they reached the top and climbed over the side onto the pirate ship.

A group of about six pirates was standing there on the deck waiting for them. They were dressed in gaudy pirate clothes: red and white-striped shirts, black or gray puffy slashed trousers, and caps knotted on their heads.

They all started and stared in consternation when Jack and Jenny climbed onto the deck. They whispered among each other with confused looks on their faces.

Finally one stepped forward and clumsily drew his sword.

Instead of a cap he wore a fancy hat, and a little yellow canary was perched on his shoulder. There was a patch over one of his eyes. Jack and Jenny guessed (correctly) that he was the captain.

His appearance provided a strange contrast to his clothing. He was middle-aged and slightly stout. He had a round and mild, almost owlish, face and wore horn-rimmed spectacles. The effect was so comical that under other circumstances Jack and Jenny would have had a hard time to keep from laughing.

The captain pulled a paperback book from his pocket and flipped hurriedly through it with confusion written all over his face. Not seeming to find what he was looking for, he put it away again and stared at Jack and Jenny again.

The captain was perplexed. This was his first day at sea, as in fact it was for every one of the pirates.

Before, they had belonged to a number of different professions. Some had been bakers, or bank clerks, salesmen. The captain himself had owned a small grocery store. They all belonged to the same book club of which the captain had been the president. They would gather once a month to discuss the latest cheap paperback novel.

Then one day the president of the club read a sensational pirate novel. He was deeply impressed by what he had read. It seemed that pirates led exciting lives filled with riches and treasure. All fired up with enthusiasm, he persuaded the other members of the club to leave their unfruitful lives of dull work and join him as a gang of pirates.

They pooled their savings and were able to buy a pirate boat, with all accessories, from a group of pirates who were retiring. So with the novel to guide them, they blithely set sail.

The Spindrift was the first boat that they had come across. They had been filled with excitement when Jack surrendered so quickly, and imagined themselves all rich men before nightfall.

However, when they saw that their victims were children they were puzzled. The captain couldn’t remember that ever happening in the pirate book. What were they supposed do with them?

Finally the captain pulled himself together. The book was of no help—well, he would just have to guess. “Shiver me timbers!” he said in a squeaky little voice, repeating one of the phrases he had carefully memorized from the book. “I be Captain Greybeard, Terror of the Seas! Who are ye?”

“My name is Jack Hanson and this is Jenny Brant,” Jack answered. “We were out in my boat yesterday when we got caught in a terrible storm and were thrown out to sea. I assure you we have nothing of value at all.”

Captain Greybeard was convinced Jack couldn’t be telling the truth. After all, every boat the pirates in the book came across was loaded with gold and priceless jewels. He ordered his men to search them and the Spindrift.

While the pirates were searching their boat, Jenny was surprised to notice a sturdy boy about fourteen years old looking at them with admiration in his eyes. His unruly hair, mostly hidden under a blue pirate cap, was bright red and he had a friendly freckled face.

He was the cabin boy, Gilbert, and the only person among the pirates with an ounce of intelligence. Before he had been a delivery boy working in the (now) captain’s grocery store. When his employer sold the shop to become a pirate he decided to go along for the adventure.

To the astonishment of the pirates, no treasure was found on Jack and Jenny or in the Spindrift.

Captain Greybeard stomped his wooden shoe (not having a wooden leg, he had to improvise a little) and glared with annoyance at the canary singing sweetly on his shoulder. (Now matter how hard he tried it just wouldn‘t learn to say “Pieces of eight“)

“Lock’em in that little room—er, cabin—, me hearties!” he shouted finally, not knowing what else to do with them.

The pirates all drew their swords and waved them at Jack and Jenny. They took the helpless captives to the cabin and pushed them in. The door slammed shut, and Jack and Jenny heard the click of the key turning in the lock.

Jenny sighed. “What do you think they’ll do with us, Jack?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” Jack responded. “Come on—let’s see if there’s any way out of here.”

The walked around the room, carefully examining everything. It was a small, dingy cabin. There was a set of bunks, an ancient padlocked chest, some wooden cabinets built into the wall, and a stiff-backed chair. A grimy porthole threw a shaft of pale sunlight across the floor.

Although they meticulously searched, they found no means of escape.

Jenny sank down onto the chair and Jack stretched out on a bunk. For a while they tried to keep up each other’s spirits by talking, but at length they grew silent.

The monotony of the next several hours was broken only when the cabin boy brought in their lunch. He paused with his hand on the doorknob as he was about to go out.

“Is the Spindrift really your own boat?” he asked admiringly.

Jack returned him a friendly smile. “Yes, my father gave it to me for my birthday,” he said proudly.

“She’s a beautiful craft,” the boy said and then turned to leave the cabin.

Not long after, Jenny went to the porthole and looked out. “Jack,” she said, “I do believe there’s going to be another storm,”

He came to stand beside her. They watched as gray clouds gathered and a few drops of rain pattered on the deck. Then the storm began in earnest.

The ship rolled violently from side to side over the turbulent waves. Thunder growled threateningly and rain lashed down in sheets.

The pirates soon discovered that their pirate book, while a very thrilling story, did not contain a bit of practical instruction on how keep a ship afloat during a violent storm. They huddled in the cabins or clung, terrified, to the rails and rigging.

The blustering wind caught the sails (all of which were unfurled) and the strain was nearly enough to tear apart the ship. As it was, it was being carried along at a terrific rate.

Jack and Jenny stood at the porthole watching the terrific waves and wondering what would happen. They could tell from the violent shaking that the ship was under great stress.

Suddenly the door burst open and in came the cabin boy, soaking wet.

“Please help!” he gasped. “They don’t know anything about sailing a ship—none of us do!”

“What!” cried Jack, but there was no time for questions or long answers.

Jack and Jenny followed Gilbert out onto deck. Out in the pounding rain they were instantly soaked to the skin, but they ignored it.

The pirates on deck saw them come out. “Please save us!” they begged.

“You can be the captain, if you’ll only tell us what to do!” cried Captain Greybeard.

Jack immediately took command and began shouting orders. Jenny, Gilbert, and the few pirates who were not hopelessly seasick, did as he said.

Under his command the ship soon began to shake less convulsively, but the storm increased in its fury.

Then came the dreaded words. “Land dead ahead!” shouted Gilbert.

“Oh, Jack! We’re going to crash!” cried Jenny.

The land rushed up at them. They could make out a sandy beach ahead. Then they felt a tremendous jar and there was a deafening boom as the pirate ship struck!

Episode 3

Jenny and Jack were thrown violently onto the deck by the shock of the collision. They lay stunned but otherwise unhurt for several seconds while the ship shuddered and creaked convulsively under the awesome power of the pounding surf.

Gilbert had managed to stay on his feet during the collision by clinging to the mast. He made his way carefully but quickly across the tilting deck to where Jack and Jenny lay against the rail.

"Quickly!" he cried. "The ship is breaking apart!"

Jack and Jenny rose to their feet. It was a struggle to keep their balance on the swaying deck. As they looked about, a screaming creak rent the air and they realized that Gilbert was right.

The terrified pirates were clining to the rigging and rails.

Jack shouted above the roar of the wind and waves, "We must jump overboard and swim to shore!"

Jack and Jenny led the way to the bow of the ship and leaped over the side.

The water enclosed around Jenny with a breathtaking shock, but she immediately fought her way to the surface and began to tread water to keep her head above the tossing waves. A huge wave picked her up and bodily swept her toward the beach. By swimming energetically she lost only a few feet when the wave wemt back out. Then another waves came and this time she was carried all the way to the shoreline. She crawled up away from the waves and sat on the sand, panting.

A few moments later Jack and Gilbert joined Jenny, and soon all the pirates were gathered on the beach.

"Jack!" Jenny said suddenly. She clutched his arm. "I don't see the Spindrift!"

Jack stared out at the ship. "You're right," he said finally. "The storm must have broken the rope and set her adrift. I hope nothing happens to her," he added worriedly.

A deafening boom suddenly rose above the thundering of the waves and wind. The group on the beach watched in mesmerizd horror as the pirate ship broke into a thousand pieces.

"We're shipwrecked," Jenny said quietly. The wind took her words and swept them away.

Jack leaped to his feet. "We must find shelter for the night!"

He led the storm-battered group into the jungle behind them. It was storming harder than ever, but under the cover of the trees they felt only a light pitter-patter. Jenny felt a decided relief to be out of the gusty winds.

It was hard to see in the jungle. Little light pierced throught the dark storm clouds, and even less penetrated the dense foliage. Jenny followed close behind Jack, who was in the lead, as they slowly advanced. Gilbert was behind her and the pirates, clutching each other nervously, brought up the rear. Jenny heard a surprised grunt and simulatneously the dark figure in front of her disappeared.

She stopped. "Jack?" she asked in alarm.

The figure reappeared. "I'm fine. I just tripped over a vine. Tell the rest to watch out--these vines are all over the place."

Jenny turned to repeat the message to Gilbert and was surprised to find him no longer behind her. "Where's Gilbert?" she asked the nearest pirate.

But there was no need for an answer, for just then Gilbert's voice sounded from their left. "Hey! I think I've found a cave!"

"Where?" Jack yelled, but he didn't wait for an answer.

He and Jenny made their way toward the sound of Gilbert's voice. The pirates crashed noisily through the underbrush behind them. In a moment Jenny spotted Gilbert in the dim light. He was standing in front of a rocky cliff. A roughly arch-shaped area of blackness betrayed the presence of a cave in the rock wall. Gilbert was poking his hand into the opening.

"I don't know how big it is," he said. "I can't feel anything."

"I've got some matches in a waterproof case, but they won't do us much good right now." Jack sighed. "I wish we had a piece of dry wood for a torch."

"As long as we're wishing for things we can't get, why don't we just wish for a flashlight and be done with it?" Jenny said.

"But we CAN get a flashlight," Captain Greybeard said. "I just remembered that I have one in my pocket."

"What!" Jack and Jenny cried together.

Captain Greybeard fumbled in his left trouser pocket. "Yes, here it is," he said and withdrew an oilcloth packet. He unwrapped it and handed Jack the flashlight. Jack flicked it on and shone the beam into the mouth of the cave.

"It looks fairly large" he commented. He stepped through the stone archway and the others followed him. Some of the taller pirates had to stoop a little.

After about a foot, the passage widened into a room. It was about nine feet in width and nearly three times as long. The roof of the cave was uniform in height to the archway. The floor was made of soft, dry sand.

Jenny caught sight of something at the edge of a niche in the wall. She scampered across the room to look. "Hey! A pile of logs and sticks! Firewood!" she said excitedly.

Jack came to look. "That's very odd. I wonder how it got in the cave?"

"Oh, don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Jack," Jenny chided. "Come on, let's build a fire."

"Captain Greybeard," Jack said, "Will you have your men help carry some firewood over by the door of the cave?"

The little man turned red and looked a little flustered. He took off his classes and absent-mindedly wiped them on his shirt (which didn't do them any good since his clothes were still soaking wet.)

"Mr. Hanson--" he began in a squeaky voice.

"Jack," interrupted Jack.

"Mr. Jack, my real name is Wenceslaus Tuxford. I'm nnot going to be a pirate captain any more. We're alll very sorry for what we did. We've learned out lesson now. We were carried away by the glamor of the pirate book and did terrible things. We captured you and Miss Jenny and locked you up, and we would have robbed you if you had anything valuable. It was a horrible thing to do. Will you forgive us?"

"Of course we forgive you," Jenny assured him.

The little man looked visibly relieved. "Oh, thank you!"

"But you don't mind if we still call you 'Captain'?" Jack asked. "Wenceslaus Tuxford is such a long name. You can still be a captain without being a pirate, you know."

"If you really want to," Mr. Wenceslaus Tuxford assented. Jenny thought he looked pleased.

Under Jack's direction the ex-pirates arranged some of the logs and sticks in a pile, near the mouth of the cave so that most of the smoke would blow out the opening. He lit a match from the case he always carried in his pocket, and soon had a cheerful fire blazing.

Everyone gathered round the fire in a circle. The ex-pirates took off their caps and stockings and, hanging them on sticks, held them close to the flames. After a few minutes the castaways began to feel a little less soggy and a little more cheerful.

"Well," Jack remarked, "this is rather jolly. The only thing we need now are some marshmallows to roast."

"Oh!" said Captain Greybeard. "I have some of those in my other pocket."

Jack and Jenny stared. "You're kidding!"

"I put this in my pocket while we were ob boad ship, thinking I might want some for snack later." He pulled another oilcloth packet out of his pocket and handed it to Jack."

"The pirates in the book wrapped things in waterproof cloth," he explained as Jack unwrapped generous layers of stiff oilcloth," so we got a good supply and wrapped up everything that might get wet."

Jenny stifled a giggle. She remembered wondering on board the pirate ship why the anchor had been wrapped tightly in cloth. Now she knew why!

"You're amazing, Captain!" Jack shook his head. "Do you have a boat tucked away in you pocket, too?"

The little man absentmindedly stuck his hands searchingly into his pockets.

"It was just a joke! Jack said quickly. everyone burst into laughter.

Gilbert passed out the sticks he carried from the woodpile and they began roasting marshmallows.

After a few minutes, Jack turned the conversation to serious matters. "I'm not sure where we are, but we must be on an island of some kind. Captain, do you have any idea where we might be?"

"Well..." the ex-pirate pondered the question. "No, I don't remember any place like this in the book."

Jack addressd the entire group. Tomorrow as soon as the storm blows over we'll explore the area. Our immediate problem is a source of water and food." He paused to blow out his marshmallow that had caught fire while he wasn't paying attention.

"I'll bet there are coconuts growing here, and maybe other fruits," Jenny tossed out in the pause.

"We could try fishing," Gilbert suggested. "I have a safety pin that could be bent into a hook. And I've heard that crabs make good eating."

"That's good," Jack agreed. "With a little ingenuity and hard work, I don't think we'll starve. Once we've got food and water we can explore the island for possible ways back to civilization. And one thing more. We must be constantly on our guard. We don't know if this island is inhabited; or if it is, whether or not the natives are friendly."

Everyone nodded agreement and willingness to comply with Jack's decisions.

By now their clothes were dry and they were feeling much more comfortable. They ex-pirates, many of whom were badly out of shape, were feeling exhausted and went to the back of the cave to lie down.

"We've never been shipwrecked before," the captian explained, "and we're rather worn out. I hope you don't mind."

Jack, Jenny, and Gilbert did not follow immediately as it was only about five o'clock in the afternoon. They sat by the fire talking for a while.

"How did you ever get mixed up with the pirates?" Jenny asked curiously.

"I have worked for the captain for the last several years as an assistant in his grocery store." Gilbert stared into the embers of the dying fire. "I lived with him, too, because my parents died in an acident soon after I started working for him. He's a kind-hearted man even though he is eccentric and an incurrable romantic."

"I like him," Jenny agreed.

"I guess this pirate business was more than a bit ridiculous," Gilbert continued. "None of the club members knew anything about boats or sailing. But the captain was quite carried away by the glamorous descriptions in the pirate novel, and it was no use trying to dissuade him. We're rather fond of each other, Mr. Tuxford and I, and he does want looking after, so I went along. I don't know what we'll do even if we do get back to the mainland. He sold the shop and everything he owned to buy the boat, and now that's gone." He gave a little sigh and fell silent.

A short while later they began to feel tired and said goodnight. Jack and Gilbert piled more logs onto the fire to keep it burning through the night.

In the warm tropical air they were comfortable without coverings, and it was not long before they were all fast asleep.

Episode 4

When the group of castaways awoke the next morning, the storm had past and the sun was shining brightly in the jungle.

Jenny stretched and rubbed her eyes. “Oh, I am so stiff and sore,” she moaned, and with good reason. Even the softest sand is not ideal bedding material.

“Walk around a bit,” Jack advised. “It helps, some.” He headed to the cave entrance to look out, swinging his arms.

Jenny and Gilbert followed him. The jungle, still dripping from the previous night’s deluge, was alive and vibrant. Vividly colored birds of paradise flitted in the trees.

“How different everything looks this morning,” Jenny exclaimed. “All alive and bright and exotic—almost friendly!”

Jack, ever the practical, frowned. “Yes, but we must be very careful. We don’t know anything about this island. We have no idea what might be out there.”

“This is so exciting!”

Jenny turned and saw that Wenceslaus Tuxford had joined them. He was beaming and excited. His adventurous nature could not be repressed for long.

“Marooned on a tropical island—what an adventure!” He addressed Jack. “What do we do first, Mr. Jack?”

“The first priority is to find something to eat,” Jack answered.

“Say!” Jenny exclaimed. She had poked her head out the entrance a little. “I see a tree with some kind of fruit.”

They all stepped out and walked over to the tree, which was about twenty yards down the clearing at the foot of the cliff. It was a large tree, heavily laden with oval, red-gold fruits.

Jack reached up to pick one and the others gathered around to inspect it. It was firm and smooth-skinned but sweet smelling.

“It’s a mango!” Wenceslaus Tuxford pronounced. “Don’t you remember, Gilbert? We stocked some in the store last summer—they’re expensive and good eating.”

“Wonderful!” Jack exclaimed. “Pick as many as you can find. But don’t get out of sight of the cave!”

He and Gilbert went back inside to rouse the rest of the ex-pirates.

Wenceslaus Tuxford began picking and soon Jenny’s apron was sagging under the weight.

“Did you hear something, Captain?” Jenny asked suddenly.

The captain shook his head.

“Listen,” Jenny urged, and then he heard it too. It was unmistakably the sound of voices, speaking in a strange language.

Jenny and the captain looked at one another in alarm. The sound was growing louder, and they could hear the swish of branches as the unknown speakers walked towards the clearing.

They turned to flee back to the cave, but it was too late. Jenny saw a rustle in the leaves at the edges of the jungle. In a few seconds the strange people would be upon them!

Then Wenceslaus Tuxford noticed another small cave opening behind the mango tree. He gripped Jenny’s arm and pulled her toward it. Just as they ducked into its concealing shadows a group of copper-skinned island natives emerged into the clearing at the foot of the cliff.

They were a colorful sight with brilliantly hued feather headdresses, painted faces, and jewelry made of bones. Each held a spear and wicked looking knives hung from their belts.

The ex-pirates were sitting and standing around the cave, all stretching and yawning and rubbing their eyes. They had been very soundly asleep and hard to rouse.

“I wonder how Mr. Tuxford and Jenny are getting on?” Gilbert said to Jack. “I think I’ll go see.”

Gilbert turned to leave the cave, but stopped short when a man appeared in the doorway. He was old, but tall and strong-looking. His elaborate cape and headdress seemed to denote nobility.

The man was surprised to see them. “Ooola mongani ay-ie-see!” he exclaimed.

The ex-pirates moved into a tight group behind Jack and Gilbert, who stood frozen with alarm.

The man entered the cave, followed by the rest of the natives. They jabbered among themselves uncertainly, staring at the castaways.

The castaways in turn stared nervously at the spears and knives that the strange men held poised for action.

The tall, old man, whom Jack guessed was the chief, shot a string of questions at them like so many darts, staccato fashion.

Jack couldn’t understand a word, but made an attempt to communicate. Taking a deep breath he timidly stuck out his hand and gave an (admittedly wobbly) smile. “Friends!” he declared, hoping it would prove to be the truth.

Gilbert added his efforts. “We come in peace!”

The native chief stared at them, his face as though carved from stone. They could tell nothing from his expression.

But one of the natives, a middle-aged man with a scarred face scowled and burst into an angry tirade. He shook his spear at the castaways in a way that made them very uneasy.

The chief listened to the man’s speech and then nodded gravely. He gave orders and three of the natives slipped out of the cave.

An uncomfortable silence followed. The islanders stood blocking the doorway and stared solemnly at the castaways, their spears pointed outward.

“Do cannibals live in this part of the world?” Gilbert asked.

“Don’t think about it!” Jack ordered. “If worst comes to worst we’ll fight to the end—but now we must just wait and see what happens.”

“Do you think they’ve captured Jenny and Mr. Tuxford too?” Gilbert whispered after an anxious pause.

“I don‘t think so. They seemed surprised to see us. I’m hopeful that Jenny and the captain saw them coming and hid in the jungle.”

At that moment the two in question were still standing at the entrance of the other cave, straining to hear what was going on. They had guessed from what they heard that the natives had discovered their friends.

“We must try to rescue them somehow!” Jenny whispered desperately. But for just then they did not dare to leave their hiding place.

Then they heard the sound of voices very near. Jenny tugged Wenceslaus Tuxford’s arm.

“Back into the cave—they might see us!” she whispered. The cave went straight back and remained just tall enough for Captain Tuxford to stand and wide enough for two people to walk abreast. A few yards into the tunnel they stopped and waited in silence.

Silence met their relieves ears. But then Jenny and the captain saw a sight that made their hearts almost stop. Near the cave entrance a small point of light that was a match-flame sprang out of the darkness.

The natives were coming into the cave! Jenny and the captain did not wait for them to light the torch. They turned and ran as swiftly and silently as they could in the blackness.

Fortunately the stone tunnel floor was level and its course was fairly straight, although it sloped steadily downward. By groping with their hands on the walls they were able to go quickly without tripping.

Jenny, who was in the lead, stopped suddenly. The walls on either side of her ended abruptly. “I think we've come to some kind of room, Captain,” she whispered.

They moved forward cautiously.

Jenny glanced backward. “I don’t see their light yet, but this must be where they are coming. We must find a hiding place quickly!”

“Oooff!” Wenceslaus Tuxford grunted softly.

Jenny reached out her hand to feel what he had bumped into. It was large and solid, made of stone.

Jenny gasped as the sound of footsteps fell on her ears. “They are coming! Get behind this thing!”

They crawled around the object, which was several feet in width, twice as much in length, and about least four feet tall.

Even as Jenny prayed that their cover would be sufficient, the flickering glow of a torch illuminated the room.

Jenny saw that they were hiding behind a large stone like a table. Stacks of bundles wrapped in leaves were heaped on the table.

The light from the torch shone perilously near, and Jenny and the captain heard the voices of two men. They were only a few feet away on the other side of the stone table!

Jenny and Wenceslaus Tuxford grabbed each other in terror and tried to make themselves invisible.

The native men talked for several seconds at the table, and Jenny heard a curious rustling noise.

And then, to her fervent relief the torch-light grew dim again with distance. The sound of footsteps told jenny that the native men were leaving the cave (to report to their chief, although she did not know it). The light grew dimmer until it faded out of sight and pitch darkness returned.

“They’ve gone!” Jenny whispered, sitting up. “I wonder why they came in here. And what is in those bundles on the table?”

“Maybe it’s treasure! I read once of some island natives who buried pearls and gold in the sand,” Wenceslaus Tuxford guessed.

“If we had some light we could look. Oh! Your flashlight, Captain!” Jenny exclaimed.

“What?—ahh! I’d forgotten about it.” He pulled it out and flicked the switch.

They got to their feet and Wenceslaus Tuxford shone the beam on the table. The room contained nothing else. The leaf-wrapped bundles on the table were rectangular, shaped about like ingots of gold.

“There must be a hundred of them at least!” Jenny commented.

She picked one up. It was not heavy. She untied the knotted vine and peeled away the large leaf to reveal a bar of a smooth, dark brown substance. It looked and felt strangely familiar.

All at once Jenny lifted the bar to her mouth and gave it a lick. Even though she had guessed, she was still surprised.

Chocolate?!?

After a few minutes two of the men the chief had sent out returned. One of them spoke to the chief, reporting on their errand.

While he was still speaking, the other native returned. Accompanying him was a girl about twelve years old. She came to stand by the chief, and he spoke to her.

After he finished she turned to Jack and Gilbert. “I am Lahli. My father Chief Sundararaman asks, ‘Who are you? How did you come to our island? This cave is our place of special festival and none are allowed to enter it without permission.’ ”

“Oh, you speak English!” Jack exclaimed in relief. “We are sailors. We were shipwrecked on your island last night when the storm drove our ship onto the shore. I am sorry if we violated any of your rules. We did not know anyone lived on this island, and entered this cave seeking only shelter from the rain.”

Lahli nodded. “Yes—I saw the wreckage on the beach as I walked here from our village!”

She turned to her father and spoke rapidly in their language. His stern countenance relaxed at her words. Even the scarred man stopped scowling.

Lahli translated the chief’s reply. “My father says, ‘My most humble apologies and those of my people. We meant you no harm. I believed you had come to steal our treasure, our precious ralunami. I see now that you only take refuge here from the anger of the sea. Please accept out hospitality. A boat comes every few months to stop for water.’ (that is how I learned your language,)” Lahli added. “Until it comes you must be our guests.”

“Oh, thank you,” Jack said with a smile that was wide with relief.

The ex-pirates gave a cheer and they followed the chief and his men out of the cave.

As they walked across the clearing Gilbert spoke to Lahli. “There were two others of our group, a man and a girl. Have any of your people seen them?”

She put the question to her father. He shook his head.

“They must have hid in the jungle,” Jack said. “We’ll have to look for them.”

Just then Jenny and Wenceslaus Tuxford stepped out from the entrance of the other cave where they had been listening. “Here we are!” Jenny called.

At seeing them come out of the cave, Chief Sundararaman looked very alarmed. The rest of the natives murmured among themselves, and the scarred man scowled again.

Lahli rapidly translated her father’s words. “ ‘You have discovered our national treasure! You must tell no one! Already we have little enough to eat and if everyone hears about wonderful ralunami they will come and steal it away and our people will have nothing left.’ “

“He must mean the chocolate!” Jenny quickly explained to the others about what they had found in the cave. “But what do you mean about not having enough to eat?” she asked Lahli.

Lahli explained. Although abundant with chocolate beans, their island had very little food. They were forced to make long and perilous canoe trips to nearby islands to get enough food to feed their people.

“Oh, I wish there was some way we could help,” Jenny said concernedly. “But don’t worry about thieves taking your ralunami. I’m sorry to disappoint you, but our people have ralunami already. We call it chocolate.”

“But your chocolate is very good—different somehow. Very delicious,” Wenceslasu Tuxford commented.

“Say!” Gilbert exclaimed. He spoke to Wenceslaus Tuxford. “What about Dr. Wisecarver?”

“Of course! A wonderful idea!” He smiled widely and thumped Gilbert on the back.

He explained, “I have a good friend, Dr. Wisecarver, who is in the gourmet candy business.

“He used to be a rocket scientist living across the sea.” Captain Tuxford elaborated. “After inventing a wonderful fuel which sent a rocket to the moon in 2 minutes, he decided that he had reached the height of his career and should retire, so he moved across the sea and went into the candy business.

“Your chocolate—ahh, ralunami—is very good.” he addressed Lahli. “It is different from any I have ever tasted. I am convinced that a great deal of money could be made selling it.

“I’m sure Dr. Wisecarver would be interested in it. I could write him a letter to send with a sample of the chocolate on the next boat that stops here. If the chocolate does sell you will have money to buy plenty of food.”

When Chief Sundararaman and his men were made to understand what Wenceslaus Tuxford was proposing, they were overjoyed. Now instead of taking perilous trips to other islands to get food, they would be able to spend all their time at what they enjoyed: making chocolate.

They followed Wenceslaus Tuxford’s plan when a boat anchored off the island for water a month later. Dr. Wisecarver was very interested in the unusual chocolate, and soon a thriving business was established between the island and the mainland. The chocolate proved very popular and practically flew off the shelves.

Most of the ex-pirates moved to a nearby island and established farms to sell food to the chocolate islanders, which proved a happy arrangement all around.

Wenceslaus Tuxford and Gilbert remained on the island for a while to oversee the start-up of the chocolate business, but soon Captain Tuxford was restless for adventure again.

He earned the right to the title “Captian” through hard work by learning how to sail and procured a little sailing boat. He and Gilbert sailed about the islands for several years. It was only when Gilbert married Lahli that Captain Tuxford finally settled down on Ralunami Island and found his true calling as the spinner of wonderful stories.

But long before the boat came and Wenceslaus Tuxford sent a sample of the chocolate to Dr. Wisecarver, Jack and Jenny became unhappy.

“Our parents must be terribly worried about us,” Jenny explained. “We have been gone several days now.”

Neither Jack nor Jenny felt that they could wait for a boat to come. After seeing that their protests of the dangers were in vain, the islanders finally gave them a canoe. The two were just about to paddle out of the lagoon when Gilbert cried out and pointed to sea. “Look!”

“It’s the Spindrift!” Jack called joyfully.

They quickly paddled out to the little craft which was floating by.

“She’s waterlogged, but otherwise fine. Hurrah! Good old Spindrift!” Jack was jubilant.

They towed the Spindrift to shore and with many helping hands soon had the boat ready to sail. The islanders gave Jack a map and compass (gifts from the captain of a boat that stopped regularly at the island) and generously loaded the Spindrift with farewell gifts of chocolate bars.

They once more exchanged sorrowful goodbyes with the ex-pirates and then Jack and Jenny were once more gliding over the waves.

Many hours later Jenny exclaimed, “Land! Look, there’s Smuggler’s Reef! And I can see my house up on the hill—We’re home!”

The End