Blackbeard's Rest

By Mark McDonough

Blackbeard. One of the most notorious pirates that ever roamed the seas. And also the name etched onto the bell that Tony, Dana, Tom, BJ and K found hidden inside Kettlan’s Box. When the funding for the Buck’s Bay Library’s new museum is cut, the old ship’s bell may just hold the key to ensuring that the project goes ahead. Assuming, of course, that they can discover its hidden secrets.

Blackbeard’s Rest chronicles the continuing adventures of the crew of the Phoenix.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mark McDonough
• Release date: Dec 18, 2013
• ISBN: 9781311383747

Mark McDonough

Mark McDonough has lived his whole life in Queensland, Australia. After growing up in Ipswich, he lived for a short time in Brisbane while attending University. Work then took him to Far North Queensland for a number of years before he moved to his current home of Toowoomba. For as long as Mark can remember, there have been characters clamouring to have their stories told – everything from the depths of time when dinosaurs ruled the Earth through to the vast reaches of space where only the bravest spaceships dare to fly and everywhere in between. Most were written in secret until, one day, those characters demanded that their tales be spread far and wide. Thus, was born Stargon Books. When he's not sitting with laptop or notebook in hand, he can be found at work, with his family or out on the football field where he not only plays but also referees and Coordinates an entire competition. Ultimately, Mark dreams of the day when he can write full time but until then, as he says, "I'm a wordsmith, it's who I am; if I didn't write, I wouldn't be me".

Book preview

Blackbeard’s Rest

Book 3 – THE PHOENIX CHRONICLES

By Mark McDonough

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2013 Mark McDonough

Current Edition 2019

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it to http://www.smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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Blackbeard’s Rest

Book 3 – THE PHOENIX CHRONICLES

Chapter One – Return to Buck’s Bay

As Buck’s Bay opened up before them, Tony couldn’t help but grin.

He was on his boat, the Phoenix. He was with his friends. And they were sailing into one of his favourite places in the world. It was here that his Grandpa Sam lived. It was here that he and his friends had had one of their biggest adventures.

Tony couldn’t help but remember the last time that he, his best mates K and Tom, Tom’s twin sister BJ and her best friend, Dana, had sailed from their home on the Benga River across to Buck’s Bay.

Almost a year ago.

He couldn’t believe it’d been that long. He remembered it almost as if it was yesterday.

Sailing the Phoenix on her longest voyage since they’d rescued her from under the mud, on, of all things, a treasure hunt. They’d succeeded too. The treasure, well, most of it, was stowed safely in the cabin below. Not that it’d been easy to find.

They’d had to follow the clues left for them by Jimmy Kettlan, the old pirate who, once upon a time, had owned the Phoenix. Not to mention Dana falling down a cliff and Cam, the modern day pirate, who’d threatened them with a gun before stealing the treasure from right underneath their noses.

But they’d turned the tables on him – forcing his getaway boat onto a sandbar before having the police capture him and take him away.

A sharp snap of the sail brought his attention back to the task at hand. Daydreaming while sailing was never a good idea.

I can take her if you want, K offered, a hopeful grin on his face.

Tony opened his mouth to refuse, but instead, relented.

Sure, he said, she’s all yours.

Kevin didn’t waste a second grabbing hold of the tiller.

Tony switched places, falling onto one of the seats that lined the steering well. As he looked at the bay spread out before them, he realised how tired he’d become. Manning the helm through the ocean swell hadn’t been easy.

Sandbar to starboard, Tom’s voice filtered back to them from where he stood in the bows, one hand holding on to the lines that the spinnaker was usually hoisted on.

Righto, K replied, slightly adjusting the helm.

Seeing that his friends had everything under control, Tony let his eyes close.

A bump beside him snapped them back open moments later and he looked into the smiling face of Dana.

Sandwich? she asked. You missed lunch, you know.

Thanks, he replied. Then, is BJ still down below?

Yeah, she’s trying to read as many of the journals as she can before we go to the library.

Tony nodded as he bit into his sandwich. The journals were a big part of why they were here. And why they’d been allowed to sail to Buck’s Bay.

It all came down to Jimmy Kettlan and his buried treasure. One of the things inside the old brown box that they’d dug up had been the journals. Fifteen of them, dating back hundreds of years. One of them was even supposed to have been written by a man who had served with the notorious pirate, Blackbeard.

During those rare times that BJ and Dana weren’t poring over them, Tony, K and Tom had managed to leaf through them as well. Privately, Tony thought they were fairly dull reading.

The couple of entries that they had found interesting told of sea battles and sailors having bits chopped off them when they were injured or sick from scurvy. Not that BJ ever really trusted that they would look after the journals that they were looking at. With her scowling and breathing down their necks, the boys quickly gave up and left them to the girls.

Land, ho! Tom’s cry carried over the boat.

Tom, you idiot, there’s land all around us, K pointed out.

And we haven’t been out of sight of land since we left home, Tony added.

Well, ‘Grandpa, ho’, then, Tom replied.

Tony was up in a flash, leaping up onto the roof of the cabin to stand beside the mast. Sure enough, a small dot on one of the jetties was quickly turning into his Grandpa Sam. Tony waved madly, his grin bigger than ever. A small arm was raised in turn.

Let’s get the jib down, Tom, said Tony.

A flurry of activity swept the Phoenix the closer they drew to their destination. Even BJ emerged in time to help with the stowing of the sail. Before long, they