Bugga's Tales

By David L. Dahl

Bugga’s Tales, a collection of short stories, follows the adventurous Olivia and her little brother Dane.

Step aboard the Black Swan in Pirate Adventure and Pirates To The Rescue.

Pirate Captain Olivia Bonny is keeping a secret from First Mate Dane as she sails the Black Swan into dangerous waters. Pursued by Lord Windsor the crew uses a stolen map to locate Blackbeard’s treasure. Lord Windsor is bad enough,but how will they elude the vengeful Blackbeard?

In The Christmas Snow, Olivia discovers a lost elf and learns Santa might not stop this year.

Olivia and Dane join forces to save the day.

Christmas Eve finds them climbing to the roof to signal Santa.
“Watch out Olivia, the roof is slick!”

In Black Smoke, Dane’s model rocket careens out of control.

In the doorway, Dad looks steamed.
“Guess we better go take our medicine.”
Olivia and Dane fess up that it is their rocket.
What happens while they repaint the room is
“Remarkable”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Dec 28, 2014
• ISBN: 9781312790469

Book preview

Bugga's Tales

Bugga’s Tales

First Edition

Copyright © 2014 by David L. Dahl

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

ISBN 978-1-312-79046-9

Published by  Lulu Press, Inc.

3101 Hillsborough St

Raleigh, NC 27607

Dedication

To Olivia

Acknowledgements

This journey began on numerous two-hour drives with granddaughter Olivia. Safely ensconced in the comfort of the back seat we would spin tales of adventure and fantasy. Without her eager audience, none of these stories would have emerged.

I must also thank Elain and Erin for their editing and suggestions.

The Pirate Adventure

Olivia slid open the back door and stepped inside. Dad, Dane will not leave me alone! Her little brother had been following her all morning. Dad, can you make him stay inside, please? she begged.

Livy, Dane misses you when you are gone. Just let him play with you. Dad smiled over his laptop. He's still little, in a couple years he will be ignoring you. Enjoy his attention while you can.

Livy stomped outside sliding the door shut hard. Dad just doesn't understand, she muttered under her breath. Deep down, however, she had to admit that she missed Dane when she was gone. She shrugged, Okay Dane; you can play with me.

Dane ran over and hugged his sister. Play what? he asked in his 3-year-old lisp.

Let's go to the tree house and play Pirate. I'll be the captain, and you can be the first mate. Olivia sprinted away with Dane close behind.

The tree house was not a real tree house. Bugga and Dad had built it in the woods but on posts. They built two platforms joined by a long bridge. On one platform, they built a cabin with a porch. He built the other platform around a tree. Olivia ran up the stairs to the deck.

Dane, stand watch here on the crow's nest! Olivia pointed to the woods. Keep a sharp eye out for other ships. I'll be in the cabin plotting our course to the treasure, Ar-r-gh. Livy squinted one eye and talked like a pirate.

Dane climbed up the stairs Okay Sissy, what's a sharp eye? he asked.

No Dane, don't call me Sissy, say Aye Aye Captain. That's how pirates talk. She showed Dane how to look through a pretend spyglass. Look around. If you see any ships yell - Ship Ahoy Captain! She ran up the bridge to the cabin. Oh, every so often throw in an A-r-r-gh, to sound like a pirate.

Dane walked the deck searching the woods with his spyglass. Suddenly he yelled out, Ar-ugh Captain Ship Ahoy!

Livy stuck her head out of the cabin door. Aye, I see it, it's a British man-of-war. They mean to sink us; quick raise the sails.

# # #

Pirate Dane ran up the gangway to the cabin and began to raise the sails. The other pirates pitched in and soon the sails filled, and the ship rolled to leeward. Captain Olivia Bonny smiled in approval. She climbed the mast and searched the horizon with her spyglass.

Drat, they have the wind and are gaining on us, arrgh, she muttered. Grasping a halyard, she swung back to the deck. Runout the guns, we will make a fight of it.

The Captain knew the pursuing ship. It was the Intrepid under the command of Lord Windsor. Windsor was famous for capturing pirates for the King. She tangled with him in the Tortugas a year ago and nearly lost her ship. She turned to her first mate pointing toward the Intrepid. We can't let Windsor capture the Black Swan.

Aye-aye, Captain, the Black Swan is our only home. Arrgh the guns be ready. First Mate Dane was much younger than the Captain, but a fine