At last ! The final part of Jack and the Pirate School is here ! Will Jack walk the plank? Will his toes be nibbled by sharks? Will he live to tell the tale to his dad and his sisters? This is where you find out.

Tim the Tadpole is very, very very, excited about this one, and is just begging Natasha to get on and get to the end of the story. Colin the Carp is not quite so excited, but he’s looking forward to Tim and the other tadpoles calming down.

All the earlier episodes are on this page. This really is the end of the story….. for now.

Read by Natasha. Duration 11.38.

Captain Blackheart looked at Jack. “Your father has gravely insulted this ship, sir,” he snarled. “And one week from today, you will walk the plank.”

Jack felt a bit nervous after he heard that.

“Take him to the hold,” roared Captain Blackheart.

Ben the cabin boy led Jack down into the hold.

“Well, er, looks like it’s the plank for you, old boy,” said Ben. “Rotten luck.”

“I know,” said Jack glumly.

“Still, I suppose it’ll be quick,” said Ben. “A couple of bites from the shark and you’ll be dead. Or maybe a giant octopus will strangle you. Or you could be eaten by a whale. Or else just drown, I suppose.”

Jack gulped.

“Still, a bit mean of your old man not to stump up the ransom,” said Ben.

“You see the thing is, I always told stories and jokes about how I’d fight off the pirates,” said Jack. “So I think he thought I was just messing around.”

“You mean you don’t want to walk the plank,” said Ben.

“I’d rather not,” said Jack.

Ben thought for a minute. “Then I suppose there’s nothing else for it,” he said. “We need a plan.”

And so the two boys sat down together.

And they thought.

And they thought.

And they thought.

Until their heads hurt a bit.

So they had a snack.

And then they thought a bit more.

And finally they came up with a brilliant, wizard plan.

But it was so clever that they decided not to tell anyone about it.

For the next week, Jack worked really hard.

He scrubbed the decks.

He tightened the rigging.

And he helped Ben cook all the horrible food down in the hold.

And he soon found he was starting to quite enjoy life at pirate school.

One of the men showed him how to man the crow’s nest.

Another showed him how to slash a cutlass.

And another taught him how to fire a broadside of cannon.

It was all great fun.

Even Captain Blackheart was starting to quite like Jack. “If you were such a lilly-livered land-lubber, my lad, I’d probably show you how to follow a buried treasure map,” he said, ruffling Jack’s hair with his rusty hook. “But as it is, I’ll send you to a watery grave.”

Finally seven days were up.

After the pirates had finished their breakfast of dried shark skin and boiled octopus eyes, Captain Blackheart took to the deck.

“Seven days have passed since we placed a ransom on Jack’s head,” he roared. “And still Jack’s Dad hasn’t paid the money we demanded.”

He looked across at the parrot who was in charge of all communications on board the ship.

“Any word, bird.”

“Not a whisper, Captain,” squawked the parrot. “They can’t like him very much.”

“Then prepare the plank, men,” said Captain Blackheart.

And all the pirates roared with laughter. Because although they had been nice to Jack, and quite liked him really, they were still mean-hearted ruffians.

And they really enjoyed making someone walk the plank.

Jack slipped downstairs with Ben.

“All ready?”

Jack gulped.

“I think so.”

Ben gave him a sheep’s bladder from the larder, which Jack stuffed under his jumper. And then he gave him a straw.

“Then let’s go,” said Ben.

They climbed back up on deck.

The walking of the plank was scheduled for noon – because that’s when the Captain said the shark’s liked their lunch.

Jack walked up to the parrot. He stayed very quiet, then pulled one of its feathers out.

“AWKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK,” screeched the parrot.

And the noise was so huge, all the pirates crowded around to see what was happening.

And while they were doing that, Ben slipped up to the captain’s deck, and re-set the ship’s wheel, so that it would be sailing steadily towards shore.

“Sorry about that, bird,” said Jack.

“He should be punished for that,” squawked the parrot.

“Well, I suppose I should,” said Jack. “But since I’m being made to walk the plank at noon, I’m not really bothered….”

And all the rascals and ruffians laughed, even Captain Blackheart.

Two more hours passed. Jack chatted to the pirates, and picked up a few more tips on how to sharpen your cutlass.

And they were all impressed by how brave he was.

Finally, noon approached.

“Prepare the plank,” said Captain Blackheart.

Jim stood up. He felt a bit nervous now. Because although they had a plan he couldn’t be sure if it would work or not.

The plank was stretched out from the side of the ship.

And all the pirates drew their cutlasses and pointed them at Jack.

“Walk, lad,” said Captain Blackheart.

Jack started to walk nervously along the plank.

It was very wobbly and he could see the waves down below.

But, just a little way ahead, he could see land.

Because Ben had re-set the course of the ship to bring it close to the harbour.

Jack walked, and walked, and walked…

Then….splash!

He was in the water.

He could feel himself sinking.

And the water closing above his head.

But then he reached for straw. He pushed it into the sheep’s bladder and blew and blew and blew. And it inflated into a balloon.

Jack grabbed hold of it, and kicked his legs.

And soon he was swimming towards shore.

As he glanced behind, he could see the ship sailing away. And the pirates were cheering his death.

“Hah, fooled then,” said Jack.

And very soon, he was back on dry land.

As it happened, all the boys were coming out of the sailing school he had meant to go to, and so he joined them, and went back home by the first train.

And that evening, he was safely re-united with his family.

“Good to see you,” said his Dad, ruffling his hair. “Glad to see you escaped those pirates without costing me a fortune in ransom money.”

“Well, yes,” said Jack excitedly. “But I had to walk the plank and…and…and….”

But all his six sisters were already laughing. “There goes Jack with his silly pirate stories again.”

But as he went to bed that night, Jack knew it was all true.

And he wondered if he’d ever see the pirate school again.

One day, he thought. Just maybe….

Captain Blackheart sends a ransom note to Jack’s Dad, demanding money in return for Jack’s safe delivery home. The note is carried by a parrot who likes to stop off for snacks along the way. But the big question in Jack’s mind is ‘ Will Dad pay up?” Listen to find out.

The series is collected here.

Read by Natasha (who really enjoys doing Captain Blackheart). Duration 14 minutes.

Just in case you can’t quite remember what happened so far, Jack was a boy of seven who went off to sailing school one summer. But there was a bit of a mix-up…and Jack found himself at pirate school instead. But the lunch they made was so disgusting, Jack was sick. And Captain Blackheart decided to put him up for ransom.

Now, I’ll begin….

“For ransom…” cried Jack.

“Aye, lad,” said Captain Blackheart. “I reckon your parents will pay a pretty penny to get you back. Better that than see you walk the plank…”

“Walk the plank…” cried Jack.

“Well, of course,” said Ben the cabin boy. “Anyone doesn’t pay the ransom, we make them walk the plank. But don’t worry. The sharks will eat you in no time.”

Jack felt even queasier after that.

“Black Spot,” cried Captain Blackheart. “Bring me that parrot.”

Jack watched while the ugly looking pirate called Black Spot walked across that deck. On his shoulder, there was the very same parrot who he had seen at the railway station.

“Walk the plank, walk the plank,” squawked the parrot.

“Shaddup, you stupid bird,” growled Black Spot.

From his overcoat, Captain Blackheart pulled out a piece of parchment, and a bottle of ink. He grabbed hold of the parrot, plucked out a feather, and dipped it into the ink.

“Ouch, that hurt,” screeched the parrot.

“One more squawk out of you, bird, and you’ll be going in the stew,” snarled Captain Blackheart.

“Big meanie…”

“What was that?”

“I said, which stew,” squawked the parrot.

“Shaddup,” yelled Captain Blackheart.

Then he looked at Ben, handed him the feather and told him to start writing. Because Ben, it turned out, was the only person on the ship who could read and write, even though he was only the cabin boy.

Captain Blackheart scratched his chin with his hook, and tried to think.

“To Jack’s parents,” he began.

And then he looked at Ben. “Are you writing this down?”

“Yes, sir,” said Ben.

“Very well,” said Captain Blackheart. “To Jack’s Parents. Allow me the honour of introducing myself. My name is Captain Blackheart, the meanest, cruellest, black-hearted ruffian of the seven seas and the five oceans, and I am honoured, sir, to make your acquaintance. Into my possession has fallen a boy called Jack, whom I believe is your son — although you must be ashamed of the lilly-livered little land-lubber, and I could hardly blame you for dis-owning the cowardly wretch completely.”

“On first acquiring the said boy, my plan was to enrol Jack in my pirate school. I’d have taught him all the skills he needed for a life of mayhem, skull-duggery and piracy on the high seas. And yet, on the first day here, he has been sick. He doesn’t like the food, and he doesn’t care much for the waves either. In short, I am forced to conclude that he is nothing but a lilly-livered land-lubber.

“Therefore, I have no use for him. I will return him to you for a ransom of one million pounds, paid in gold bullion, or treasure. If we have not received the money in seven days, then Jack will be forced to walk the plank. And you will never see him again.

Yours in dastardly anticipation,

Captain Blackheart.

Ps If you happen to have a spare treasure map, please send that as well.”

The Captain rested for a moment. “Have you got that, lad,” he said, looking towards Ben.

“Indeed, I have Captain,” said Ben.

“But, but…” started Jack.

“Be quiet,” growled Captain Blackheart.

“Be quiet, be quiet, be quiet,” squawked the parrot.

“Silence,” roared Captain Blackheart.

He folded up the letter, pressed a seal of a skull and cross-bones into it, and handed it across to the parrot.

“Now, deliver that to Jack’s parents, you useless bird,” he said.

And the parrot flapped his wings, and flew away.

Oh no, though Jack, as Ben led him down to galley.

What’s Dad going to say when he gets that?

I’m in trouble now.

The wind was blowing hard, and the ship was rocking from side to side.

Jack lay down in the hammock in the cabin.

He suddenly remembered what Dad had said to him about not being captured by pirates while he was away at pirate school.

And Jack had said not to worry. He’d just fight them off with his cutlass.

Oh no, thought Jack.

Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.

Now they are going to make me walk the plank.

And the sharks will eat me.

Now, it took the parrot quite a long time to fly all the way to Jack’s house.

That’s partly because a storm was bowing across the ocean.

And partly because he wasn’t a very fast parrot.

But mainly because he kept stopping for little snacks along the way.

Still, finally he got there.

And when the parrot arrived, he could see Jack’s six sisters. And they had just organised a tea party for their dolls in the garden.

The parrot dropped down to the ground, with the letter in its beak.

And all the sisters flapped around, shouting and shrieking.

“I’m looking for Jack’s Dad,” said the parrot.

And, whilst he was at it, he gabbed a bit of the doll’s cake and ate it all up.

One of the little girls rushed inside shouting. “Dad, dad, there’s a parrot here to see you.”

But Jack’s Dad thought it was just a joke.

Eventually he came outside, and saw a slightly podgy looking parrot polishing off its third helping of cake.

And there was a letter at its side.

He picked up the letter and started to read.

He frowned.

And scratched his head.

And then he started to laugh.

“It says Jack’s been captured by pirates, and is being held to ransom,” he said.

“Oh, that’s just Jack with his silly pirate games,” said one of the sisters.

“Remember he said he’d fight them off with his plastic cutlass,” said another.

“You are quite right,” Jack’s Dad decided.

And he sat down to write a reply.

“Dear Captain Blackheart,” he began. “I too am honoured to make your acquaintance, dear sir. My son Jack, far from being a lily-livered land lubber is the bravest boy who ever sailed the seven seas. He assured me personally, before he left, that if he was captured by pirates he would fight the rascals off with his cutlass.

No force on earth can keep him prisoner, and certainly not the cowardly Captain Blackheart.

Your faithful servant,

Jack’s Dad.

P.S. Your parrot has eaten all my cake.”

And when he was finished, he handed the letter across to the parrot. “Now take that back to the Captain, fatso bird,” he said. “And don’t delay.”

The parrot flapped its wings, but was finding it quite hard to fly, on account of all the cake he had just eaten.

He flew across the land, and then over the sea.

Until finally he landed on Captain Blackheart’s pirate ship.

“Ah-ha,” cried the Captain. “So you’ve returned, my pretty bird. Let’s us see how soon that stupid boy’s father plans to pay us our treasure.”

Jack was already hard at work scrubbing the floor of the ship.

He watched as Captain Blackheart handed the letter to Ben — because he was the only person who could read.

And Ben started to read….

“Dear Captain Blackheart,” he began. “I too am honoured to make your acquaintance, dear sir. My son Jack, far from being a lily-livered land lubber is the bravest boy who ever sailed the seven seas. He assured me personally, before he left, that if he was captured by pirates he would fight the rascals off with his cutlass.”

Oh no, thought Jack.

I was only joking.

And he could see captain Blackheart growing redder and redder and redder…as if he was about to explode.

“No force on earth can keep him prisoner, and certainly not the cowardly Captain Blackheart,” continued Ben. “Your faithful servant, Jack’s Dad.”

There was a silence on board the ship.

All the pirates were standing still, looking at the deck.

And all you could hear was the rustling of the wind in the sails.

Whilst Captain Blackheart turned red, then green…then purple.

“PREPARE THE PLANK!” he roared suddenly.

And he looked at Jack. “Your father has gravely insulted this ship, sir,” he snarled. “And one week from today, you will walk the plank.”

Jack is being held prisoner by Captain Blackheart and he can’t even tell his parents where he is. In this episode, Jack is introduced to Pirate Cuisine on the High Seas, and things go from bad to worse.

The series is collected here.

Duration 10. 14 – read by Natasha.

Just in case, you can’t quite remember what happened so far, Jack was a boy of seven who went off to sailing school one summer. But there was a bit of a mix-up…and Jack found himself at pirate school instead.

He’d been dressed in old rags by the cabin boy Ben.

But when he asked to tell his mum and dad where he was…it turned out he’d been taken prisoner.

“We don’t tell parents that anyone is at pirate school,” said Captain Blackheart, in a voice so menacing it sent a shiver down Jack’s spine.

And then he roared with laughter.

And all the pirates laughed with him.

Even Ben was laughing.

“Because you’re a prisoner!” roared Captain Blackheart.

“A prisoner,” said Jack. “Oh….”

“Your not scared are you, Jack,” said Captain Blackheart.

“Me, scared,” said Jack, just a little nervously. “Naaaahhhhh….”

“Well, that’s good then, me hearty….because there’s no room for scaredy-cats on this pirate ship.

And saying that, Captain Blackheart waved his rusty hook through the air.

“All the men on his ship have left their families behind many years ago, and they all joined us as boys,” the Captain continued.

He pointed to the rogues and ruffians lined up on the deck.

“How many years since you saw your family, Black Spot?”

An ugly looking ruffian with a giant black spot on his face stepped forward. “I reckon it be twenty years, captain.”

“And how about you, One Leg?”

A vicious looking rascal with a stump where his leg should be stepped forward. “At least fifty years, captain,” he said.

“And you, Razor, what about you?”

And a Pirate with the biggest nose that Jack had ever seen stepped forwards. “At least a hundred years, captain.”

“So you see lad, when you sign up with Captain’s Blackheart’s Pirate Ship you leave your family behind. Forever….”

“But we’d all rather sail the seven seas with Captain Blackheart,” cried the pirates with one voice.

“And so would I,” said Jack.

Except really he wasn’t so sure. Because a hundred years at sea seemed an awfully long time.

Still, never mind he thought.

It looks like great fun.

More fun than playing with his silly and soppy six sisters back at home anyway.

“So how do I start being a pirate, sir?” asked Jack.

Captain Blackheart scratched his chin with his rusty metal hook and thought for a moment.

“You could start with the climbing of the rigging,” he said.”Or we could put you on crow’s nest duty. Or maybe even a small lesson in how to set up a plank so that any dastardly villains we come across can be made to walk it.”

“Cripes, that sounds like fun.”

“Indeed it does, my lad,” said Captain Blackheart. “Then again, we could teach you how to fire a broadside, or practice sharpening your cutlass.”

“Or raising the Jolly Rodger,” said Jack.

“Aye, that and all, lad,” said the Captain. “But first you’ll help Ben here make some lunch.”

And so Jack followed Ben down into the galley of the ship.

It had been a long, long morning so far, and Jack was feeling a bit peckish.

I wonder what pirates have for lunch, though Jack.

At school, they usually had chicken and chips, or spag bol, or else fish fingers and beans. And there was often ice cream and apple crumble for pudding. And Jack usually polished it all off — and his sisters’ lunch as well, if there was any left.

I bet pirate grub is fantastic, he decided.

“Okay,” said Ben. “You get the jellied sheep’s eyes, and I’ll slice up the snake.”

Jack felt a bit queasy all of a sudden. And a lot less hungry.

“You do like sheep’s eyes, don’t you,” said Ben. “And snake?”

“Well, er…”

“Or if you prefer, we can moved straight onto the stewed worms? Or the bug burger?”

“Right, er…”

Jack felt his skin go a little green.

“I hope your not one of those sissy land lubbers who just likes bacon, and sausages, and fish fingers, and all that type of grub,” said Ben. “Because here on the pirate ship we eat sheep’s eyes and worms and bugs ….and everything.”

“Right,” said Jack. “Sounds great.”

And so they started on lunch. They tossed the sliced worms, the chopped bug burgers, the sheep’s eyes and the snake into a big pot, and they stirred and stirred until a big stew was ready.

And then carried it up onto the deck.

Captain Blackheart’s ship was a long way out to sea now, and Jack couldn’t see any land at all.

Which ever way you looked, there was just sea, sea and more sea.

And a fierce wind was starting to blow.

Making the ship rock form side to side.

And there were big waves starting to splash across everyone.

Ben put the bowl of stew down on the centre of the deck.

And all the pirates lined up with their tin plates. Ben scooped out a big spoonful of stew into each one, and they gobbled it all up.

“Here’s yours,” said Ben, putting a big pile of stew on Jack’s plate.

It smelled horrible.

Like a pile of old socks, and football jerseys.

And as the wind blew, the ship rocked from side to side.

And Jack began to feel a bit sick.

“Don’t waste it, lad,” said Captain Blackheart.

Jack took one small bite.

And it was the most horrible thing he’d ever tasted – even worse than granny’s beef stew, and that was so bad all his sisters had had to lie down after eating it.

“I said don’t waste it, lad,” said Captain Blackheart, waving his hook at Jack.

Jack tried another bite – but spat it out.

“Is it the sheep’s eyes or the sliced worm you don’t like, lad,” said Captain Blackheart.

“I put in some shark tongue,” said Ben. “Maybe he doesn’t like that…”

And at that moment, Jack felt so queasy, he ran to the side of the ship, and was a violently sick.

When he walked back, the Captain was looking very serious indeed.

“I don’t think this lad’s up for a life on the ocean,” he said. “I reckon we’ll put him up for ransom.”

“For ransom…” cried Jack.

“Aye, lad,” said Captain Blackheart. “I reckon your parents will pay a pretty penny to get you back. Better that than see you walk the plank…”

Duration 10.14 Read by Natasha

In the In first part of our exciting pirate serial, Jack was meant to go to sailing school, but there was a mix-up at the station and Jack ended up at Captain Blackheart’s Pirate School on board a Pirate Ship.

Although Jack is quite a small boy, he likes to be brave, but Captain Blackheart is so very scary that it’s difficult for him not to be just a little bit afraid.

So hang on to the rigging for the second part of Jack’s adventures.

Read by Natasha. Duration 8.39.

He was lying on the deck, and Captain Blackheart was leaning right over him. “Welcome to The Pirate School, young man,” he boomed. “I hope you like excitement young man, because from now on, you’re going to have plenty of it!”

“Excitement is just what I love most ,” said Jack, and then he felt a tiny bit frightened. “But I think I was meant to be at sailing school, not pirate school.”

“Sailing school?” roared Captain Blackheart.

And then roared with laughter.

“Did you hear that my hearties…”

He looked around the deck. And Jack looked around as well, and all across the deck, he could see about twenty pirates. And they were the worst, most desperate looking ruffians he had ever seen. They wore striped vests, and old shoes, and they had dirt all over their faces and hands.

And as soon as Captain Blackheart laughed, they all laughed as well.

“Sailing school, you say,” said Captain Blackheart. “Well we’ll teach you all you need to know right here, won’t we lads.”

And all the pirates laughed even louder.

“Our men can unfurl the rigging with one hand, cut a man down with their cutlass with the other, and fire a broadside of cannon right into the black, cruel hearts of the enemy with their big toe. Isn’t that better than any sailing school…”

“Yes, er, I suppose so,” said Jack.

“Because sailing school is for girls…”

“I wouldn’t want that,” said Jack. “I’d much rather learn how to be a pirate.”

“Then let’s begin, m’lad,” said Captain Blackheart. “And we’ll make a pirate of you before the day is done, that we will.”

And then he picked Jack up with both hands, and hurled him across the open deck of the ship. “Get your self kitted out…”

Jack went hurtling across the deck, then fell down the stairs, and went tumbling, tumbling, tumbling, until he was lying flat out on the deck of the downstairs deck.

“Ouch,” said Jack. “That hurts.”

A boy was standing right next to him. He looked about nine to Jack, and he was dressed in old rags, and his face was covered in dirt.

“Hurt, did it,” said the boy.

“It did a bit,” said Jack, climbing to his feet.

Just then, the boy clipped him around the head, and Jack fell over again.

“Ouch,” said Jack.

“I hope you’re not a sissy,” said the boy, reaching down to help Jack up. “Because we’ve no room for sissies, not on Captain Blackheart’s ship.”

“No, no,” said Jack. “I’m as tough..as tough as…well, the toughest thing you can think of.”

“That’s alright then.” The boy put out a hand. “My name’s Ben. I’m the cabin boy around here.”

He looked Jack up and down. “You can’t wear that stuff,” he said. “We’ll get you some proper clothes.”

And Ben walked across to a big chest. He pushed aside a snake that just happened to be sitting on top of it, and pushed it open. “Here, take your pick,” he said.

Inside the chest there was a collection of the dirtiest, oil-est, meanest looking rags you had ever seen. Jack pulled out an old battered pair of trousers, and a stripped vest, and pulled them on. Then he messed up his hair a bit, and spread some grime across his face.

It was just the sort of thing that made his mum really cross.

I’m going to enjoy being a pirate, he thought to himself.

There’s just one thing, he thought. I better tell mum and dad I’m not at the sailing school.

So he walked up onto the deck, until he saw Captain Blackheart.

He was standing at the wheel of the ship, with the parrot at his shoulder.

“Ah, Jack, me lad, you look like a regular ruffian,” said Captain Blackheart.

“Thanks, sir,” he said. “But I just wanted to tell my mum and dad I’m at pirate school, not sailing school.”

And suddenly Captain Blackheart looked very cross.

And the whole ship went silent, so that all Jack could hear was the rustling of the wind through the sails.

All the pirates were edging close to towards him, until Jack was completely surrounded.

“We don’t tell parents that anyone is at pirate school,” he said, in a voice so menacing it sent a shiver down Jack’s spine.

And then he roared with laughter.

And all the pirates laughed with him.

Even Ben was laughing.

“Because you’re a prisoner!” roared Captain Blackheart.

“A prisoner,” said Jack. “Oh….”

“Your not scared are you, Jack,” said Captain Blackheart.

“Me, scared,” said Jack, just a little nervously. “Nahhhhh….”

Download the audio mp3 of Jack and the Pirate School (1) (right click, save as)

Have you got your cutlasses ready?

And fed the parrot?

Do you want to hear a story about pirates?

Pirates are all the rage, and we get loads of requests for stories about walking the plank, swinging in the rigging, and mayhem on the high seas. And so Bertie has come up with a series of stories about a boy called Jack who meant to go to sailing school, but ended up at pirate school instead.

This is part one…. The series is collected here.

Read by Natasha.

Once upon a time, there was a boy called Jack.

He was seven. And Jack had six sisters, but no brothers.

And they were really, really girly.

All day long, they’d play with their dolls.

And with their beauty salon.

And twirl around in their pink ballet tutus.

Jack thought it was really, really boring.

“How about a game of pirates?” Jack used to say every morning, when they didn’t have to go to school.

And sometimes his sisters would agree.

But their idea of playing pirates was to sit all the rogues and ruffians and cut-throats around in a circle and serve cups of tea and slices of cake.

They didn’t want to make people walk the plank. Or hunt for buried treasure. Or anything.

And Jack just got fed up, and went to play pirates by himself.

Then one day, they were all sitting at lunch when Jack’s father asked him if he wanted to go to sailing school in the summer holidays.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” said Jack. “That sound GRRRRR-ate.”

And so it was agreed. In the summer holidays, Jack would go off to sailing school for a few days.

“Just one thing, Jack,” said his father. “Make sure you aren’t captured by any pirates.”

And all his sisters laughed.

“Because they might hold you to ransom for a million pounds,” said his father.

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that,” said Jack. “The rascals and ruffians could never capture me. I’d just fight them off.”

And he made a slashing motion with his hands, as if he was waving a cutlass through the air.

“See, like this,” said Jack. “Boom, bam, biff…”

And all his sisters rolled their eyes.

“That’s agreed then,” said his father.

Jack was so excited, he could hardly wait for the school term to end.

All day long, he would sit at his desk in school, dreaming of how he was going to be out in the ocean waves. And wondering if there really were any pirates out there.

Not that he’d mind if there were.

He wasn’t frightened of pirates.

Finally the big day arrived.

It was the start of the summer holidays.

Jack packed his bag very carefully. He had some clothes to wear, and some sandwiches to eat, plus some swimming trunks in case he fell into the water.

And a cutlass.

Because, after all, you never knew what kind of ruffians you were going to meet on the high seas.

Of course, it was only a toy, plastic cutlass.

But never mind, thought Jack. Maybe he could just scare then away by waving it around a bit.

He’d show them.

His mum put him on the train, and told him to be careful.

And as he watched the countryside go by, Jack couldn’t wait to see the ocean.

Finally, he could see the waves crashing against the shore, and soon afterwards the train pulled up to the station.

He climbed off the train and looked up and down the platform.

And then he saw a man standing with a sign, which said. “Boys who want a life on the ocean waves, please step this way.”

And so Jack walked towards him.

“Excuse me,” he said.

It was at that point that he noticed a funny looking parrot sitting on the man’s shoulder.

“Er, excuse me,” said Jack.

“Yes, what is it?” said the man.

“Is this the right place for the sailing school?”

The man paused.

“Ahhhhaaaaa,” squawked the parrot. “Sailing school……ahhhhhhaaaaaa.”

“Shaddup, you stupid bird,” growled the man.

Then he looked back at Jack.

“Sailing school, you could say that,” he said. “Step this way young man.”

And so Jack followed him towards the car, and they drove to the port. “Who’s a silly boy, then,” squawked the parrot, or at least he did until the man whacked him around the beak.

And then they climbed out of the car, and the man showed Jack the ship.

But it wasn’t what jack was expecting.

It was more of a galleon than a yacht.

With huge sails, and rigging, and a crow’s nest.

“I, er, I mean…” said Jack nervously.

But the man just pushed him up the stair, so hard that Jack went flying across the deck.

The next thing he knew, a very tall man was walking towards him. A man with a black cape, and a wooden leg.

He lent straight into Jack’s face.

“Welcome to pirate school, young man,” he boomed. “Where’ll we’ll teach you everything you need to know for a life of mayhem and treachery on the high seas. I hope you like excitement young man, because from now on, you’re going to have plenty of it”.

“Excitement is just what I like best !” said Jack. And then he felt just a tiny bit nervous.