Frankie saw a shadow behind the sail, near the top of the mast. It was too big to be Tito.

Then a gloved hand reached out and batted the ball away.

“Go, Charlie!” yelled Louise.

Charlie waved, then lost his grip. He slid down the mast like it was a fireman’s pole.

The ball landed on the deck and rolled to Max’s feet.

“Tackle that mutt!” bellowed Captain Cropper.

Rolf thundered across the deck like a charging bull. The timbers shook under Frankie’s feet.

“Shoot!” called Louise.

But Max looked terrified, frozen to the spot as Rolf bore down on him.

He’s going to get squashed flat! thought Frankie.

Just as Rolf was about to crash into him, Max scampered to the side. The massive pirate flew into a barrel and toppled over the top. Max rolled the ball to Louise, but not hard enough. Scarlet and Louise reached it at the same time, and the ball went spinning through the air. It landed right beside Captain Cropper. Frankie was already running. He tipped the ball between the captain’s legs, then took aim at the crow’s nest.

I’ll only get one chance, he thought. Better not waste it.

“Look out!” called Louise.

Frankie glanced up. Rolf was running at him, an enormous barrel raised over his head. His eyes were wild with rage and the deck creaked and groaned under him.

Uh-oh, thought Frankie. I can score, but I’ll get flattened!

He looked left and right, then saw his chance. He fired the ball hard at a pulley coiled with rope. With a clunk, the rope began to unwrap and one of the large sails fell. Rolf was almost on him when the sail dropped over his head.

Frankie heard an “uh,” then a mighty crash as the pirate tripped and hit the deck. The sail thrashed as Rolf yelled and writhed beneath it.

“Tito!” bellowed Captain Cropper. “Stop the ball!”

The parrot ruffled his feathers. “You called me a birdbrain,” he said sulkily.

Frankie imagined he was back at the carnival with nothing more than fifty cents at stake.

He lifted his foot and swung. The wind caught the ball and it wobbled for a moment at the top of its arc. Scarlet tried to swing on a rope to stop it, but Max gripped the other end of it in his teeth. The ball rolled around the edge of the crow’s nest, then fell in.

“SUPERGOOAAALL!”

Captain Cropper groaned and slumped to the deck.

Frankie’s teammates piled on top of him, cheering.

“We won!” said Louise.

“Three–two!” said Charlie.

“I never doubted us!” Max yapped.

A loud whistle cut through the air.

As Frankie pulled himself free, he saw the Ref standing over the ball.

“Frankie’s FC are the victors,” he said. “I haven’t seen a kick that good in years.”

His words made Frankie pause. “I knew you looked familiar,” he said. “You’re the man from the carnival!”

The Ref winked. “I’ve been looking for a new team,” he said. “Looks like I found one.”

With a grinding sound, the ship suddenly shook from deep within, and leaned to one side. Frankie only just managed to keep his balance.

Rolf peered out from beneath the tangled sail. “We’ve run aground!” he said.

“You’re marooned!” said the Ref. “Just as you requested.”

“But — but —” stammered Captain Cropper.

“Don’t be sore losers,” said Louise. “Now, how do we get home?”

The Ref pointed across the deck, where a board hung out over the water. “Time to abandon ship,” he said.

“You mean walk the plank?” said Frankie. He peered over the side. The water looked to be a long way down. And what about the sharks?

“Trust me,” said the Ref.

“We don’t have much of a choice,” said Frankie.

He edged along the plank with Louise, Charlie, and Max behind him. When they were all standing side by side, he grinned at them. “Ready?”

“Yup!” said Louise.

“Maybe,” said Charlie.

“No,” said Max. “I hate baths, remember?”

“Until next time!” said the Ref.

Frankie leapt off the plank and felt gravity pull him down. He waited for the splash….

Instead, he found himself sliding across grass on his knees.

“… GOOOAAALL!”

The ball bounced off the ship-shaped jungle gym beneath Charlie’s outstretched arm.

The sun was still above the trees. The park was still empty. Louise was sitting on the ground, and Max was rolling over on the grass, scratching his back.

“Did anyone else just have the strangest dream?” asked Frankie. He looked down at himself and saw his normal clothes and sneakers.

Charlie picked up the ball and inspected it. “Um … sort of.”

Louise held her video game in front of her. “Thank goodness! It’s not broken anymore.”

Frankie looked over at his pet dog. “Max?”

Max cocked his head, wagged his tail, but didn’t say anything.

Frankie noticed something gleaming on the ground beside him. My fifty cents? … But when he picked it up, it was way too heavy. And it wasn’t silver — it was gold!

A gold coin? Pirate treasure!

“Definitely not a dream,” said Louise, peering over Frankie’s shoulder.

“And definitely not the last time we play in the fantasy league!” said Frankie.