Willow wedged herself and Toby between Freddie and Auntie Suzy.
‘Are you ready for the tale of the ghost of Six-Fingered Jim?’ asked Captain Price.
‘Yes!’ the passengers yelled.
The Captain began. ‘Six-Fingered Jim was a wicked pirate! In days gone by, he hid from the King’s navy in Summertown Cove.’
Willow held tight to Toby. A real pirate? In Summertown Cove?
Captain Price told how Six-Fingered Jim captured a great ship, full of gold coins and jewels and all sorts of treasures. ‘He sailed away in his pirate ship, Peg Leg’s Revenge, and the King’s sailors hunted him for months. They chased him across the seven seas. Then one day, Six-Fingered Jim anchored the Peg Leg’s Revenge …’ The captain looked around, shading his eyes, ‘… on this very spot.’
Willow felt Toby grip her thumb. Freddie clung to Wobbly.
The captain continued, ‘It was Six-Fingered Jim’s birthday, and he threw a party. Those pirates ate, and they drank, and they danced the sailor’s hornpipe, and they sang sea songs until they were so tired that they fell asleep on deck.’
‘Then what happened?’ asked a wide-eyed boy.
‘The King’s sailors found them,’ said Captain Price. ‘There was a terrible fight, with guns and cannon and cutlasses! A few pirates escaped, and some were locked up in prison. But Six-Fingered Jim was never seen again. Well, not in the flesh …’
A man asked, ‘What do you mean, not in the flesh?’
‘The treasure was never found,’ said Captain Price. ‘They say that Six-Fingered Jim hid it in a cavern deep in the caves of Summertown Cove – a cavern that’s shaped like the mouth of a tiger!’
‘Treasure,’ Willow whispered to Toby. ‘I’d like to find that!’
Captain Price spoke again. ‘Ay, the treasure might be there, but so is something else.’
‘What?’ everyone cried.
Captain Price leaned forward and said in a low voice, ‘The ghost of Six-Fingered Jim!’
Willow felt Toby shiver. She stroked his soft blue head.
‘His ghost haunts that cavern,’ said the captain, ‘and it guards the treasure.’ He held up a warning hand. ‘Beware. They say that anyone who seeks the treasure just … disappears! Never, ever to be seen again. It’s the curse of Six-Fingered Jim!’
Willow felt uneasy. Toby leaned against her shoulder and whispered, ‘It’s only a story, Willow. Don’t be frightened. I’m here.’
She hugged him, and noticed that she wasn’t the only one who found the story of Six-Fingered Jim creepy. Several of the children looked a bit scared.
Captain Price laughed. ‘Never fear. We’re only going to explore the beautiful caves you can see in the cliff ahead, so you’re in no danger.’
Willow was relieved that none of the caves looked anything like the mouth of a tiger. She went to see if Ben knew any more about the pirate treasure and found him sitting behind a chest of tools. As she drew near, she heard him talking to someone.
‘Why can’t we have a swim?’ a small voice pleaded. ‘I promise I’ll stay out of sight.’
Ben’s voice said, ‘If we swim now, I could lose you. Be patient and wait till later.’
‘I’m always patient,’ said the voice. ‘Good old patient Spike, that’s me.’
Spike? Willow’s heart leapt. She peeked over the chest.
It was Spike! Ben was talking to his Hoozle! So he knew the secret, too.
Ben looked up. ‘Oh, I wasn’t … I didn’t … I mean, I …’
Willow grinned. ‘It’s OK,’ she said. ‘I know about Hoozles.’
Ben was so relieved, he flopped back against the side of the boat. Spike flapped his tail and said, ‘Hello, matey,’ to Toby. Willow giggled when Toby put out his hand and tried to shake Spike’s fin.
‘Hoozles are just the best toys ever, aren’t they?’ said Ben.
Willow looked fondly at Toby. ‘Absolutely the best. Well, almost all of them.’ She told Ben about Croc, the naughty orange crocodile Hoozle, who once tried to steal Toby’s pocket heart.
Ben frowned. ‘He’d better not try to steal Spike’s. Look.’ He showed Willow the baby shark’s tooth in Spike’s pocket. Like all pocket hearts, it was a symbol of the special bond owners shared with their Hoozles. ‘I really love Spike,’ he said. ‘I’ve had him for two years.’
‘I’ve had Toby much longer than that,’ said Willow. ‘Ever since I was a baby.’
‘How long have you known the Hoozle secret?’ asked Ben.
‘Ever since we came to stay with Auntie Suzy for the summer.’
‘I’ve known about it longer than that,’ said Ben. ‘I found out Spike was alive the day after I got him, when I dropped him overboard into the sea. He swam back to me. I was so surprised I nearly fell overboard myself!’
Willow laughed.
Then Ben said, ‘We’re even. You’ve had Toby the longest, and I’ve known the Hoozle secret the longest!’
Toby and Spike had gone off together and settled in the centre of a red and white lifebelt. They lay on their backs giggling at the antics of the greedy gulls that swooped above the boat, hoping for someone to throw them a titbit.
Ben showed Willow different sorts of sea birds. Soon they were close enough to Summertown Cove to see puffins sitting on a grassy ledge halfway up the cliff. Ben pointed out one bobbing on the water nearby.
‘It’s funny-looking, with that big orange beak,’ Willow said, ‘I–’
There was a loud juddering sound. Sharkfin’s engine coughed twice, then stopped.
‘What’s happened?’ cried a young woman with long hair.
Everyone spoke at once.
‘But why?’
‘I know what it is!’ the long-haired woman said in a trembly voice.
Willow gulped. She knew what the woman was going to say.
‘It’s the ghost of Six-Fingered Jim!’