Quartermaster Lexi, First Mate Mainspring and Mr Gadge followed Captain Clockheart into a circular room filled with countless crowns, staffs and orbs – all decorated with diamonds, rubies and pearls and made from tons and tons of glorious, glistening gold.
“Lads,” whispered the captain, “with this little lot, our rusting days will be behind us.”
“Click, what’s that sound?” First Mate Mainspring went to the window. “Tick, Captain, tock, we have a problem.”
The others joined him. Down below, they could see hundreds of heavily armed men charging in through the main gate. All of them had handkerchiefs over their mouths.
“It’s a trap!” said Gadge.
“When I get my hands on that albatross…” snarled Captain Clockheart. “Grab the loot and let’s go. It ain’t over yet.”
On the ground, a battle was raging. The enemy soldiers were quick to identify Bilge-rat Barney as the source of the knockout gas. It took three of them to overpower him but once they had pinned him down, they cut the straps that attached the barrel to his back and tied knots in the hosepipe.
“You scallywags!” said Bilge-rat.
“Good work, men,” said the Iron Duke. “Now we don’t have to wear these things.” He pulled the handkerchief from his face. “Steampunk Pirates, we outnumber you five to one. Surrender is your only option.”
“Never!” Blind Bob Bolt swung his stick bravely, but sadly it went nowhere near any enemy soldiers.
“I’ll chop you up like firewood,” bellowed Old Tinder, brandishing a mean-looking cleaver and wheeling himself into the fray.
All around, the soldiers’ swords clashed with the pirates’ cutlasses.
Admiral Fussington brought his sword down on Tin-pot Paddy’s head, catching him off guard and leaving a dent in his metalwork.
“Ha!” crowed the admiral. “I’ll have you know that as a boy I learned sword fighting from the finest fencing tutors in the land. Who taught you, you oversized tin can?”
“I taught myself, so I did … which means I make up me own rules!” Paddy stamped on the admiral’s foot and flicked the sword from his hand.
“Assistance!” yelled the admiral. Three of his men descended on Paddy.
Hatchet was also battling more than his fair share of soldiers, while Blower had climbed up the side of a building to take pot shots at the king’s men.
“Where is that cowardly captain of yours?” demanded the Iron Duke.
“Who are you calling cowardly?” Captain Clockheart emerged from the tallest tower. In one hand, he held a magnificent golden staff. In the other was a globe the size of a football with a cross on the top.
“You’ll hand over the king’s treasure if you know what’s good for you,” said the duke.
“You want these back?” said Captain Clockheart. “Very well.” He flung the golden ball and knocked the duke clean off his feet.
“How dare you use the crown jewels as weapons!” cried Admiral Fussington.
Gadge swung a golden mace at a man beside the admiral, but the soldier ducked and Gadge sent Fussington flying.
Captain Clockheart and First Mate Mainspring fought their way across until the tip of the captain’s cutlass rested on the Iron Duke’s chest. “This will be the last trap you set for us, Duke.”
“Indeed, it will.”
The duke knocked Clockheart’s blade away and ten soldiers surrounded him. With his cutlass in one hand and the golden staff in the other, the captain spun around to keep the soldiers back. “Now would be a good time to use the knockout gas, Mr Bilge-rat,” he yelled.
“Sorry, Captain,” Bilge-rat was using an extremely rusty-looking dagger to fend off an attacker. “They’ve tied up me pipes, good and proper.”
“That’s right. And now we’re going to tie up this situation … good and proper.” The Iron Duke placed one foot on Bilge-rat’s barrel triumphantly.
“There are too many of them,” said Lexi, defending himself against three of the duke’s men. “It’s overwhelming, overpowering … hopeless.”
“Take heart, ye metal mates,” said Captain Clockheart. “Steampunk Pirates are made of sterner stuff than this pathetic excuse for an army. Let’s remind them what they’re up against.” The captain held the golden staff above his head. “For the Leaky Battery,” he yelled, lunging at the duke.
The Iron Duke blocked Clockheart with his own sword then counter-attacked and caught the captain’s coat button with the tip of his blade. The button went flying off.
“Ha,” the duke said. “Surrender, Clockheart.”
“You seem to have forgotten something,” said Captain Clockheart.
“Forgotten what?” demanded the duke.
“Steel cuts through pipe.” Captain Clockheart brought down his sword and sliced through the hosepipe. Gas gushed out. Without handkerchiefs to protect them, the duke, admiral and their entire army dropped like flies.
Captain Clockheart picked up the golden globe. “Now, my metal marvels, grab all the treasure you can carry and get back to the Leaky Battery!”