A YO HO! DOUBLE: BLACKHEART’S TREASURE II And WITH WIND IN THEIR SAILS

By T. W’ski

"Yo Ho Ho!" the Larkin Family is once again joined by Swifty, Marion, and the Rays searching for more of Captain BlackHeart's buried treasure. Before there was Jack Sparrow the second book tells the tale of Teddy the Terrible roaming the Caribbean along with members of the brotherhood looking for ships to plunder that are carrying treasure they would like to enrich their own coffers with.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: May 10, 2024
• ISBN: 9781663262646

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A YO HO! DOUBLE

BLACKHEART’S TREASURE II AND WITH WIND IN THEIR SAILS

Copyright © 2024 T. W’ski.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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ISBN: 978-1-6632-6263-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6632-6264-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2024909019

iUniverse rev. date: 05/07/2024

UNCLE RAY

A retired fire chief and a model train enthusiast

who ran his trains through holes cut in the walls that

separated the rooms in his house, into and through every room therein, and who gave my brother and I each one of his handmade fly rods. He inspired me to tie my own flies, but although I tried I never really excelled at fly fishing, but am none-the-less indebted to Uncle Ray for his thoughtfulness.

CONTENTS

Blackheart’s Treasure II

Introduction

Prologue

Discovery & Reluctance,

Plenty of Room,

Confession,

Surprize Guest,

To Adventure,

Discovery,

Destination Unknown,

Old Friends,

The Beau Monte Hotel,

Kidnapped,

Cooler Heads,

Subterfuge,

A Solution,

Reunion,

Secret Confession,

Introduction to the Katy,

Slips the Katy into the Sea,

Lost,

Initiation,

Remembering The Shark,

Investigation Continues,

Under Sail,

Under Way,

Harry’s Plan,

Day Two -Breakfast,

Planning is Everything,

Mutiny,

Fire in the Hole,

Hijacked,

Players,

Free Beer,

Finally,

No Fuel?

Nature Has Its Way,

Pedro Cays,

Time Limit,

Rain, Rain Go Away,

The Deal,

Discovery,

Work Starts,

The Fort,

I Feel So Stupid,

Who’s the Boss,

Unknown Threat,

Marooned,

Asset Lacking,

Feeding the Fishes,

Party Time,

Drifting,

Starving,

Of the Same Mind,

Rescued,

A Pact,

The Squid Catcher,

Official Visitors,

Recovery,

A New Life,

Marooned Again,

On Their Way,

Land Ho,

Sandy,

A New Heading,

Disappointment to Discovery,

Change of Plans,

Pirates,

Treasure Cave,

The Search Begins Anew,

On the Way Home,

Treasure Cave #2,

Sighted,

A Wary Day Ashore,

Thieves in the Night,

Suspicions,

Trapped Like Rats in a Cage,

Freedom,

Reunited,

A Plans Weakness,

Thank You Willy and Windy,

A Change to History,

With Wind in Their Sails

First Chapter

Second Chapter

Third Chapter

Fourth Chapter

Fifth Chapter

Sixth Chapter

Seventh Chapter

Eighth Chapter

Ninth Chapter

Tenth Chapter

Eleventh Chapter

Twelveth Chapter

Thirteenth Chapter

Fourteenth Chapter

Fifteenth Chapter

Sixteenth Chapter

Seventeenth Chapter

Eighteenth Chapter

Nineteenth Chapter

Twentieth Chapter

Twenty-First Chapter

Twenty-Second Chapter

Twenty-Third Chapter

Twenty-Fourth Chapter

Twenty-Fifth Chapter

Twenty-Sixth Chapter

Twenty-Seventh Chapter

Twenty-Eighth Chapter

Twenty-Ninth Chapter

Thirtieth Chapter

Thirty-First Chapter

Thirty-Second Chapter

Thirty-Third Chapter

Thirty-Fourth Chapter

Thirty-Fifth Chapter

Thirty-Sixth Chapter

Thirty-Seventh Chapter

Thirty-Eighth Chapter

Thirty-Ninth Chapter

Fourtieth Chapter

Fourty-First Chapter

Fourty-Second Chapter

Fourty-Third Chapter

Fourty-Fourth Chapter

Fourty-Fifth Chapter

Fourty-Sixth Chapter

Fourty-Seventh Chapter

Fourty-Eighth Chapter

Fourty-Ninth Chapter

Fiftieth Chapter

Fifty-First Chapter

Fifty-Second Chapter

Fifty-Third Chapter

Fifty-Fourth Chapter

Fifty-Fifth Chapter

Fifty-Sixth Chapter

Fifty-Seventh Chapter

Fifty-Eighth Chapter

Fifty-Ninth Chapter

Sixtieth Chapter

Sixty-First Chapter

Sixty-Second Chapter

Sixty-Third Chapter

Sixty-Fourth Chapter

Sixty-Fifth Chapter

Sixty-Sixth Chapter

Sixty-Seventh Chapter

Sixty-Eighth Chapter

Sixty-Ninth Chapter

Seventieth Chapter

Seventy-First Chapter

Seventy-Second Chapter

Seventy-Third Chapter

Blackheart’s Treasure II

INTRODUCTION

A year had passed since the Larkin’s Caribbean adventure with the Rye’s and their other new found friends that they made along the way. Together one-for-all-and-all-for-one they had recovered one of Captain BlackHeart’s buried treasures from the island of Mayreau.

Now it was a year later and they were still living in their house in Washington – the state – and needless to say that upon their return, along with the Ryes had been the sensation of the Budd Inlet Yacht Club of which they were members. They along with the Ryes, Milt and Katy, who were also members had been asked to be the guest speakers at several functions inside and outside of their own yacht club, including other clubs up and down the West Coast.

Jamie the Larkin’s son had found it hard to go back to school and pick up his life where he had left it. Too many things had happened to him that had hurried along his advancement into manhood, which put him well ahead of his other classmates, causing problems.

Mrs. Boone the great, great, etc. granddaughter of the pirate Captain BlackHeart had died a few months after the Larkin’s visit to tell her of their adventure in finding the treasure and solving the mystery of her betrothed’s disappearance. They had stayed for a few days at her insistence and then left Jamaica to return to their home in Washington.

Mrs. Boone’s funeral was attended by those who had grown close to her the Inter-Island Schooner captain, Captain Orion, the entire Larkin family, the Ryes, and the Thornbird family including Swifty and Thorny. The sweet old lady was buried ceremoniously in her garden beside the remains of her fiancée, the late Captain Boone.

In her will Mrs. Boone left Jamie a gold, engraved, ornate necklace that her grandfather, the pirate, Captain BlackHeart was supposed to have worn, constantly. Jamie put it on immediately and refused to take it off for any reason. Mrs. Boone had also left her house to Kelly the Larkin’s daughter who would be graduating from high school at the end of that school year. This gift puzzled all concerned as they couldn’t figure out the reason for the bequest. Kelly on the other hand was elated over the gift. Sue seemed to suspect that Kelly was privy to some secret knowledge, something that she was unwilling to share with any one, and keeping whatever it was close to her chest.

PROLOGUE

The Larkin Family Residence

Olympia, Washington

The phone in the study, which was more like a museum with all its pictures of pirate ships, cutlasses, and other pirate memorabilia including a full sized Skull & Bones flag fluttering by the open window rang and Tom who happened to be sitting at his desk at the time answered it.

Jamie at that moment was standing in the common room in front of the fireplace looking up at the bottle on a stand there. Inside was the replica of the SeaHound that Mrs. Boone had given him upon their first meeting. Funny, Jamie thought looking at the ship, before this family’s treasure hunting adventure happened we used to call this the family room, now it’s the common room. Even our language and the way we talk has been affected by our trip to Mayreau Island and lingered as our adventure to it was over a year ago.

He stepped up onto the hearth and reached for the bottle to get a closer look at the ship inside and just as he did Tom hollered to him from the study. Jamie, guess who that was on the phone? When he didn’t receive an answer from his son Tom got up from his chair and walked into the common room. It was Milt, he said in a sort of excited voice, which was slightly louder than normal as he entered the common room.

Jamie at the sound of his father’s voice turned his head to look at him in the doorway, caught his toe on the edge of the hearth as his body and legs tried to turn with it. In the process he lost his balance and started to fall forward. Trying to catch himself and stop from falling he attempted to grab the mantle for stability. Sweeping his hand across the mantle his fingers made contact with the stand that the bottle containing the SeaHound sat upon. The bottle unseated itself, started to roll toward the back of the mantle then changed directions and ever so slowly crept its way along the mantle toward its edge. Jamie who was still trying to catch his balance saw what was happening out of the corner of his eye and flattened the palm of his hand trying desperately to keep the bottle on the mantle, but the bottle with the ship inside was just far enough away to escape his reach. Watching in horror the bottle fell from the mantle, struck the edge of the hearth, and shattered sending pieces of broken bottle glass everywhere.

Milt said that his new ship is just about ready for launching and jokingly asked if we had come up with another map to follow for its maiden voyage, Tom was adding as he witnessed Jamie doing a little jig on the hearth, which looked to him like he was trying to prevent himself from falling flat on his face on the common room’s floor. It was then that he noticed the bottle rolling along the edge of the mantle. Instinctively his arms went up, but since he was too far away to do anything he just stood there helplessly watching as the bottle fell from the mantle, hit the edge of the hearth, and shattered.

Unable to prevent himself from falling Jamie did manage to come down off the hearth onto the ruged floor landing on one knee from which he instantly rebounded, stepping backward away from all the glass surrounding the area in front of him. Don’t worry about it, Son, Tom said. There are days when shit just happens. I’ll go get the trash can and the hand vac to help with the cleanup. Just pick up the larger pieces and stack them on the edge of the hearth. Take your time and be careful so as to not cut yourself, Tom added leaving the room. Jamie shook his head, bent down, and started picking up the bigger pieces placing them in a pile on the hearth.

The carved model of the SeaHound now free of its prison walls of glass and having been jarred by its having hit the edge of the hearth had split apart in its collision of glass, wood, and stone. Jamie having carefully picked up the large pieces of glass around it picked up the two slightly separated ship halves wondering as he did if he could fix it like he had the little treasure chest that had also shattered when the phone cord had pulled it from the kitchen work station. Remembering that incident, which had led to his finding the map carved that had been inside its bottom’s secret compartment he stopped, looked at the ship halves he held in his hands, and wondered.

A flash of gold from inside one of the separated hulls caught his eye and immediately stopped his wondering. Sitting down on the hearth with the two halves of the SeaHound in his hands Jamie with his curiosity now at its highest peek carefully applied pressure to the sides of the hull until he had them completely separated. Turning the one hull over so that he could see inside it, there stuck to that hull’s inside half was a gold doubloon. Looking at the wood inside the hull he asked, Are those lines carved in the wood like they were in the hidden bottom of that chest? Suddenly he found himself shaking with excitement so much so that he had to put the hull halves down on the floor beside the hearth he was sitting on.

Dad, he said in an almost whisper as his father appeared with the trash can and hand vacuum. You had better come here. Put those things down and come sit down here by me. Tom looked at his son and could see in his eyes that something was up. So setting the trash can and hand vac down he walked over to the hearth keeping clear of any glass and sat down next to his son. Take a look at the insides of these hull halves, Jamie said picking up and handing the first of the two hull halves to his father, the one with the doubloon stuck inside it. "I think you’re going to want to call Milt back and tell him that we do have a destination for The Katy."

DISCOVERY & RELUCTANCE,

Olympia, Washington

"If I’m not mistaken it looks like we’ve discovered another one of Captain BlackHeart’s treasure maps," Jamie said as his father examined the insides of the two hull halves one by one. Tom looked at the doubloon without removing it from the hull first. Then picking up the second hull half he examined it too.

Let’s go into the study. I think there’s a magnifying glass in there and a brighter light we can hold this under while checking it out, he said turning to go with Jamie getting up and following after him leaving the cleanup of the shattered glass all but forgotten.

In the study Tom sat down by his desk and Jamie pulled a chair from along the wall over to the desk so that he could sit next to his father. Tom opened a drawer in the desk and took out the magnifying glass that was inside it. I thought it was here, he remarked setting the glass down on top of the desk. Bending the adjustable neck of the desk light closer to the desk top he picked up the magnifying glass with one hand and the half of the ship’s hull with the doubloon stuck to it. This one seems to be just like the one we found in our little chest here, he said indicating the little chest that they had originally found the first map in that was now sitting on one of the shelves built into and was part of his desk’s top. Do you have your pen knife on you?" he asked Jamie knowing that he was never without it.

Here you go, Dad, Jamie said after reaching into his jeans pocket and handing the pen knife to his father. Tom took it and opened it. Picking up the ship’s half hull again he carefully inserted the tip of the pen knife under the edge of the doubloon and applying a little pressure popped it from the glue holding it in place. The doubloon leapt into the air, hit the desk top, and before it could reach the floor Jamie bent over and caught it in mid-air.

Sitting back in his chair he hefted the coin in his hand and then put it between his lips tasting the gold. It’s the real thing, Dad, he confirmed to which after watching him Tom commented.

I’ll bet that’s the same way that the original pirates of ages past knew if gold was really gold, chuckling to himself.

Turning back to the hull half he said, These engravings in the sides of these hull halves look like they are some sort of map alright, but I don’t see a reference point that tells us just what part of the world the map refers to, but you can be sure it’s somewhere in the Caribbean. However, I do see the captain’s initials and a date carved into the wood just like it was in the secret compartment of our little chest. By the way, Son you did a fine job on putting that chest back together. I thought we had lost those pieces when I handed them over to those pirates on Mayreau.

"While we were stranded on Mayreau I roamed around the fort a bit and found them laying about there. I kept them and when I got back home here one of the first things I did was glue it back together. When I put it back together all the pieces were there and as a gesture of sorts I even put one of the doubloons we got to keep back in its original position in it.

I’ll bet this new map will lead us to another island in the Caribbean and I’ll bet that Captain Rye would know where it is, Tom said.

If not him Marion Thornbird will be able to tell us for sure, Jamie added.

So let’s not even fool around. I’ll just look up her number and give her a call. I think I have it here in my reference book, Tom said opening another desk drawer and taking out the reference book he had put together after their last adventure. Paging through it he found Marion’s number at the Seattle Oceanographic Institute, picked up his phone, and punched in the number. A secretary answered and asked him to hold.

Mr. Larkin this is a pleasant surprise, Marion said before Tom could utter a word. "Have you heard that Milt is about to launch The Katy again and has invited us old sea salts to join him on its maiden cruise?"

I have. He called me less than an hour ago, but that’s not why I’ve called, Marion. Jamie has just now discovered another one of Captain BlackHeart’s treasure maps engraved inside the hull of that ship in a bottle that Mrs. Boone gave him when we first met her at her yard sale when we were on vacation in Jamaica. Silence from Marion, a long, strange silence. Are you still there, Marion?

Yes.

I thought that I had lost you, anyway the thing is that there is no reference point to tell us what part of the world it’s part of. Jamie and I think it must be in the Caribbean somewhere and he said that he is sure that you’d be able to look at it and find out for us.

I’d need to see the map, Tom, Marion answered in her normal tone of voice.

I can take a few pictures of it and text them to you, Tom replied. The bottle the ship was in had an accident and shattered, but the ship’s hull halves are still intact and unaffected from its crash.

The last time wasn’t there a doubloon glued to the map along with BlackHeart’s initial and a date? Marion asked remembering.

The same things are in the hull halves of this ship this time too, Marion. The doubloon was there stuck inside one of the hull halves along with the initials and the date, Tom said. I’ll take the pictures and send them to you. When you have the location call me back. I haven’t called Milt yet and will wait until you call me back just to be sure.

Let me give you the number of my personal cell, Marion replied giving Tom her number who wrote it down.

Tom hung up and entered the number in his phone and in the reference book he was keeping. Then he took several pictures of both sides of the doubloon and the two hull halves and then several more close-ups of everything involved. Before taking the pictures of the map he meticulously covered up the part that showed the treasure’s exact location. Why are we doing that, Dad? Jamie asked. I would think that after all we went through unearthing the first treasure and the help she willingly gave us that we could trust Marion to keep our secret this time.

For some reason when I told her that we had another map she sounding a bit strange. So strange that I noticed it and it somehow bothered me. So as the old saying goes, ‘Better safe than sorry’, Tom replied taking and sending the pictures in a text to Marion.

PLENTY OF ROOM,

Olympia, Washington

The next day around ten in the morning Marion called Tom back. That didn’t take long, Tom said answering her call.

"With Google Earth and the institute’s resources I had the location figured out late last night, but thought better of calling you since it was so late," Marion replied.

So treasure hunting is in your blood too just like it seems to be in every member of my family? Tom stated.

It doesn’t take much does it? Marion asked.

You could have called us though as Jamie and I didn’t sleep at all. We sat up all night playing chess and that rat didn’t let me win even one game, Tom protested bringing a chuckle from Marion.

What did Sue and Kelly have to say when you told them about your new find? Marion wanted to know.

Sue and Kelly have been away for most of the week. It’s a mother-daughter thing having to do with Kelly graduating at the end of this month, so no I haven’t told them nor have I called Milt with the news. As I said I thought I’d wait until you called us back with a location.

You know that the map is incomplete. The exact location of the treasure, if this is a treasure map isn’t shown in the engraving.

I know I covered it up, Tom admitted. When I talked to you, you sounded strange to me so I didn’t want to take any chances. We both know the strange things that always seem to accompany finds like this.

You’re right on, Tom and I suppose I deserved that and when I come down there I’ll explain why that is, Marion said.

That’s wonderful news, when are you coming down?

I’ll be at your place tomorrow afternoon. When are Sue and Kelly coming back?

They should be here around mid-morning tomorrow, Tom answered. "I’ll give Milt and Katy a call, give them the news, and invite them to dinner and to stay the night as well. You and them are all welcome to stay at our place for a couple of nights. We’ve got plenty of room and it’ll be more spacious and accommodating than living aboard The SeaHound."

Then the gang will all be there, Marion said.

Well there’s still James, Swifty, Thorny, Frankie, Ed, John, Dahl, Dr. Clark, and Nurse Jewel, but if what you’re going to tell us sends us on another sea going adventure we’ll get in touch with them to see if they are available to assist us like they did so admirably last time. I made sure to get all their contact information before we split up and I have it all here in my little black book, which isn’t really black, but a bright yellow.

That sounds reasonably, Tom. See you tomorrow, Marion said chuckling and hung up.

CONFESSION,

Olympia, Washington

Sue and Kelly arrived mid-morning the following day and when Tom told her about the guests they had coming and Jamie’s recent discovery Sue immediately gave orders to everyone and left for the store dragging Jamie with her. Tom and Kelly went about the tasks Sue had instructed them to accomplish while she was gone and found themselves finishing up just as she returned bringing with her Marion Thornbird. Look who pulled up right behind us? Sue said indicated to Marion that she should set her bag of groceries down on the kitchen counter at the same time.

Is that it or are there more? Tom asked.

That’s it as far as the groceries go, but I suspect Marion still has her bags that need to be brought into the house and taken to her room, Sue replied.

Why then don’t you and I go out and retrieve your bags from your car, Tom said to Marion. Assuming of course that you have some and my wife isn’t hallucinating again, he added chuckling.

I do and thank you, Tom, Marion replied as Sue turned and gave Tom a shot in the arm after which he kissed her on the forehead and headed for the door following right behind Marion.

Jamie go find your sister and the both of you come help me in here, Sue instructed stopping Jamie from following Marion and his father out the door.

Once they were outside and Marion had opened her trunk Tom asked, Okay so what’s up? Why did you sound so strange on the phone?

Swifty’s gone missing, Marion said sitting down on the front edge of the open trunk.

What do you mean he’s missing? Tom asked.

Just before you called me the first time, yesterday, Thorny called me. He and Swifty have been running that shop of his and doing some fishing along with some of their on-the-side business. You know what I mean by on-the-side? It’s the kind that’s just outside the law.

Do you know what kind of on-the-side business they were doing, exactly? Tom asked not really wanting to know the answer.

The usual black market stuff. His friends if you want to call them that, that work on the docks from time-to-time pilfer a few items that they assume no one will miss. Swifty in turn sells those items from his shop giving his friends a percentage of what he gets for the stuff they pilfer and he is able to sell. Well Thorny said that this time Swifty’s friends pilfered something that someone did miss and wants back badly enough that they have already according to my father beaten almost to death the men that pilfered the item in question and several of their co-workers too until they found out what they had done with that said item. Finally my father said that they gave Swifty up and now he’s gone missing.

So why didn’t Swifty just give them the item back?

He can’t because he’d already gotten rid of it.

So he tells these rightful owners who he sold it too and they go and retrieve said item from them. Hopefully without beating them to near death too.

That’s where the bigger part of the problem lies. Swifty won’t tell them I don’t think who he sent the item to even if they threaten to or actually kill him.

I think what you’re about to tell me is something else that I really don’t want to know, Tom said.

I imagine you’re right. Swifty didn’t exactly sell the item in question, because he gave it away.

And I’m guessing that, that person he gave it to is . . .

Yes, he sent it to me, Marion admitted.

Can I ask what that item is or again don’t I want to know?

It’s here in my suitcase, Marion said getting up, turning around, and opening her suitcase. There nestled in among her clothes was a small wooden chest just like the one that Mrs. Boone had given to Tom before he and the rest of his family boarded the Inter-Island Schooner. Tom recognized it immediately and was brought back to the present by the sound of a car entering the driveway behind them making Tom and Marion both turn around to see who it was and when they did Tom automatically reached up and closed the car’s trunk lid behind him.

SURPRIZE GUEST,

Olympia, Washington

Two men got out of the front seat of the car that had just arrived and approached Tom and Marion. One was a swarthy looking fellow, huge in size with arms that showed that he wasn’t someone you ordinarily wanted to mess with. The other man was well dressed and had a sophisticated air about him. Tom looking past the two men saw that Swifty was sitting in the back seat of the car they had just gotten out of and the way he was sitting Tom figured that his hands were tied behind him. Alongside him was another man who when he saw Tom looking their way showed him the gun he had in his hand. Dr. Thornbird I presume, the well dressed man asked.

Yes, what can I do for you, Gentlemen?

Your brother, the man said turning around and indicating Swifty sitting in the back seat of his car with the other man who now had his pistol pointed at Swifty’s head. Your brother has told us that he has sent something that rightfully belongs to me to his sister, who happens to be you. Now I’m a reasonable man and so I will trade your brother’s life for that particular item, which like I’ve already said rightfully belongs to me in the first place. No matter what you decide I will get the item back anyway, so you might as well give it to me and save your brother’s life in the process.

I’m Tom Larkin, Tom said stepping forward causing the man with the well dressed gentleman’s hand to reach into his jacket. Dr. Thornbird is staying here with us. Would you be so kind as to allow me to talk to Dr. Thornbird for a moment? Tom asked and to which the man not hesitating nodded his okay.

We’ll be going up to the front of her vehicle here to talk if that’s okay with you.

That’s fine as long as you stay within my sight and don’t do anything stupid, the man added, while his associate showed Tom the gun he had in his shoulder holster that was hidden just inside the edge of his jacket. Tom nodded his understanding and pulled Marion around to the front of her car and had her turn her back.

I know what you’re going to ask and I’ve had the little chest that Swifty sent me x-rayed. There is a false bottom and a doubloon glued inside it. It’s one of Captain BlackHeart’s treasure chests, Marion said before Tom could get a word out.

How do we know that it isn’t one that has already been dug up by his relatives?

I don’t, Marion admitted.

And even if it isn’t one that they’ve already dug up is it worth Swifty’s life?

Of course not, but as to its not already having been dug up and to answer your question how would they his relatives have known where it is without the map inside the bottom of that chest which doesn’t seem to have been disturbed?

You have a point there, Tom admitted with a light suddenly showing in his eyes. Okay I have a solution just follow my lead.

Walking back around to the rear of the car Tom said, We’ll trade. Get Swifty out of your car and I’ll go get the chest for you to make the trade with. It’s inside my house, on my desk, in my office. Marion here had just given it to me and I haven’t had time to investigate its contents.

If you don’t mind it’s not that I don’t trust you, but I’ll come with you, the man said showing Tom the gun he had in his jacket pocket.

Now that changes things, Tom said.

How so? the man asked.

Because if you carry that into my house it will set off the security alarms installed there and you will instantly be looking at several opposing firearms that will be held by the other people inside the house as well as answering to the police who know of this house and will be here in less than two minutes time. Trust me. They will literally be here before you can get back into your car and pull back and out of my driveway. The last time I timed it, it took them that less than two minutes to get here. How far can you get in those two minutes?

Okay no firearms, the man said removing the gun from his jacket pocket and handing it to his associate.

Follow me then, Tom said nodding and heading for the house.

*****

Once inside Tom said to Sue, We have a visitor that is here to retrieve that little chest that Marion just gave us. Seems it belongs to this man and he’s here to reclaim it.

Ma’am, the man said nodding to Sue and Kelly as Tom led him through the kitchen where she and Kelly were finishing putting away the groceries and were about to start preparing the fixings for lunch.

Do you have a name? Sue asked stopping what she was doing and looking directly at the man.

My friends call me Harry, Ma’am, the man replied.

Nice to meet you, Harry, Sue said continuing to put together everything she’d need for lunch as Tom led Harry into the study.

There it is over on the right side of my desk, Tom said. Harry walked over and hefted the chest, looking inside, and nodding. Shall we go get Swifty now? Tom asked.

You’ve got quite the display here in this room, Harry said noted all the artifacts hanging and lying about.

Minor collector, interested affectionado, that’s me, Tom replied. Marion is a friend and when Swifty sent her the chest she thought of us and brought it here as a present to add to our memorabilia.

I’ve got ties to the museum in Jamaica that’s why I’m so interested in this here little chest, myself.

Then I’m sure that your collection is a bit bigger than ours, Tom said smiling.

Passing back through the kitchen Tom said, There’ll be one more for lunch, Dear. Swifty will be joining us.

Swifty’s here? Jamie asked stepping into the kitchen from the adjoining hallway where he had been standing with a gun at his side watching Harry and his father after tucking it into the waistband at the back of his pants before stepping out and covering it with his shirt.

Ya, Kid we brought him along with us, Harry said. He’s outside in the driveway.

I’ll tag along then, Jamie said. Swifty and I are old mates and it’s been what, Dad a little better than a year since we’ve seen him?

Outside Harry held up the chest for his associates to see indicating to the one standing by Swifty to cut the bonds that tied his hands. Stepping behind him the man cut the electrical ties binding Swifty’s wrists just as Jamie walked up in front of Swifty. Swifty! he exclaimed. I didn’t know. Dad never told me that you were coming to dinner.

Jamie Lad it were supposed to be a surprise, Swifty said hugging Jamie who moved one of Swifty’s hands down to his waistband over his shirt to let him know that he had a gun there. No need for tears now, Lad everything be just fine, Swifty assured him giving Jamie a wink.

Thanks for not letting this be a problem, Harry said to Tom and Marion as he and his associates got back into their car and left almost backing into Katy and Milt’s car as they waited in the street trying to decide where to park.

What did you give him? Swifty asked Tom as Katy and Milt pulled into the driveway and parked their car.

The chest that took us on that last adventure, Tom replied. Jamie had found the pieces I gave to those other pirates and rebuilt it. He even glued a doubloon inside it so it’ll be just like the way it was when Mrs. Boone gave it to us.

Do you think they’ll know that it leads to an empty hole? Swifty asked.

I don’t see how they could, Swifty? The only other men that knew about the treasure on Mayreau are now dead. Who were those men anyway?

The man you gave the chest to is Harry Hind. He more or less runs the docks in Jamaica and is a collector of sorts and has ties to the Jamaica museum and other upscale places and people. Somehow he learned that, that particular chest had been taken from a shipping crate that contained other artifacts that were headed for said museum of which he is a major donor. How he found out about it or its importance I have no idea.

Jamie I want you to carry Marion’s suitcase to her room. Set it on her bed, open it up, and take out the chest that’s nestled in among her clothing. Take that chest to your room and pry open its secret compartment. She’s had it x-rayed so we know it’s there along with a doubloon. When you’ve got it open bring it down to the study and we’ll take some pictures and let Marion have a go at telling us where it leads us to.

Jamie in my suitcase, bottom right corner, there’s a box of vinyl gloves. Please put them on before you start opening the chest. Jamie nodded he understood and hefted the suitcase out of the trunk.

Swifty you’ll stay the night of course, Tom added turning around to greet Milt and Katy who were carrying their overnight bags up the driveway from their car toward them.

Hey, hey the gangs all here it looks like, Milt said setting his bag down and slapping Swifty on the back before shaking his hand. What is this? A celebration of . . .?

"Finding the new destination for The Katy the new and improved SeaHound, Tom replied giving Katy a hug. Come on in. Sue is getting lunch ready."

"When I first called to tell you about The Katy nearing completion and asked you for a destination I was only kidding, but something in the back of my mind told me that you’d come through," Milt said a smile a mile long on his face. Katy looking at the two of them just shook her head.

TO ADVENTURE,

Olympia, Washington

Everyone was settled comfortably on the Larkin’s back porch with each having a glass of Rum and Coke beside them. Lunch had been prepared and served, while Swifty put together a plate of ordurves for everyone to snack on after on the back porch. He had also asked permission to cook dinner for everyone and when Sue, while smiling, gave her consent gathered up Kelly and together the three of them had proceeded to the market with the list he had quickly written.

While all that was going on Jamie and Marion had opened the new chest and using Jamie’s computer went about deciphering the map inside. Marion had bagged the coin and a sample of the glue and asked Jamie to obtain the same from The SeaHound’s insides bagging them as well and was not surprised when he told her that he and his father had already done that. Do you have many more of the doubloons we were allowed to keep, Marion asked.

A couple, Jamie replied. What about you?

I’m afraid mine went straight to a collector for the cash he offered. The institute is always in need of cash, she answered, but I did have some nice jewelry made from the gemstones we recovered and were allowed to keep," she added sticking out her hand showing Jamie the Emerald and Diamond ring on her finger.

Okay then let’s get this meeting of the principles involved in our new venture started, Tom said.

I have a question or two to start us off? Milt asked. What was going on with those swarthy looking fellas that almost backed into us when they pulled out of the driveway? They did not look friendly and seemed to be in a bit of a hurry.

That was a collector who was here to retrieve the chest in the bag that’s sitting on the table over there by Captain BlackHeart’s fingerprint.

Then what was the chest he was holding. He was holding a chest wasn’t he or is my eyesight going bad?

He was holding a chest, Milt, but it was the one that took us on our last adventure.

I hope you got a good price for it? I don’t think I would have let it go.

We got Swifty for it. They were threatening to kill him if we didn’t give them this chest, Tom said pointing so Milt would understand.

Ah! Milt replied looking at Swifty. One of those under the table deals gone bad, old Chum?

Aye, Captain you has it right, Swifty said.

And how is Thorny these days? Is he still as spry as ever?

That he be, Captain. Milt shook his head smiling.

Anyone else, beside me with a question? Tom asked looking around. Okay then I’ll save mine until after we hear from Marion.

"What we have here is two different maps that give us two different locations for treasures that have been buried by Captain BlackHeart in each of their locations. They are both accessible by boat and are located in the Caribbean just as we suspected. However, there is a catch to both of them. Unlike the treasure on Mayreau where it was buried on an island that was uninhabited the first of these two treasures is on a series of cays that belong to the Jamaican Government and lie just south of Jamaica itself.

The cay that our treasure is supposedly buried on is inhabited by fisherman and descendants of a long dead pirate colony that thrived on it in the 1600’s. It is also the home of several wardens that protect the nearby bird sanctuary on another one of the cays nearby. The northern most of these cays has a light beacon on it maintained by the coast guard which happens to be stationed on the cay we are interested in. According to what Jamie and I have been able to come up with we think that the treasure is buried beneath an area that is part of the fishermen’s camp.

"The second of our two treasures is located on an island that is part of the Isla Testigos group. The group consists of seven islands of which Testigos Grande, or Big Witness Island is the largest. They are located north of the South American Continent and belong to Venezuela. There