Pirates of the Caribbean 03 The Pirate Chase (3 page)

CHAPTER FOUR

"Hello? Anyone?" Fitzwilliam called as he and Arabella walked down one of the dirt roads of Puerto San Judas. They had traveled halfway through the town already with no success, and to Fitzwilliam it seemed like time to start speaking up a bit."Are ye daft?" Arabella snapped, slapping Fitzwilliam upside the head. "Don't yell!""How else are we to summon those who might be in hiding?" Fitzwilliam asked."The towns
people aren't the only ones we
mi
ght wind up summoning. Pirates
or someone or something else responsible for whatever happened to the townspeople-- well, they could hear ye, too."Fitzwilliam straightened up. "Your reasoning is sound. I shall search more quietly."Arabella shook her head. "Ye always talk so proper and politely. Even when we're wandering through a ghost town haunted by who knows what.""That is how I was raised."

"Aye, I know. It just--it isn't much like the way sailors talk. Not the sailors I've known, at least," Arabella said.Fitzwilliam looked past her to see if anyone might be lurking on the winding path that headed downhill, but it was empty. "I could never speak in any other manner to a lady," he said.Arabella
laughed. "Me? A lady? Ha!" She
gestured toward her tattered dress, which had been cheap and plain even when it was new, long ago. With one hand she brushed her messy auburn hair away from her face. "Be serious.""I am always serious."She considered this. "Aye, I'll not argue with ye there."Fitzwilliam folded his hands behind his back. "My mother used to say that elegant dresses and stylish accoutrements do not a lady make. A true lady is known by her behavior--her intelligence, her dignity, and her thoughtfulness toward others. In that sense, I believe you are a fine lady indeed, Arabella."

"Well," Arabella looked away from him, as if searching for other villagers, but her cheeks were turning a little pink, "it sounds as though Lady
Dalton was a very wise woman."

"She was," Fitzwilliam replied somberly, then decided it was best to tell the full truth. "Of course, she still insisted upon a new gown at least once a month."They both laughed together, too amused to be afraid. So it was with no fear or expectations that Fitzwilliam peered around the next corner they came to, in order to get a glimpse down an empty alley
way. But
the alleyway wasn't empty at all."Aiiiigh!" shouted the man in the alley, throwing his arms up in the air in a fright. He had a curly golden beard that stood out in all directions from his chin. Several silver chains and a few coins fell from his hands. They clinked upon the rocky path as they fell."Hold there, pirate!" Fitzwilliam demanded."I'm no pirate!" the curly-bearded man shouted bac
k. Then he added, with a grin,
"And you're no man, just a boy who can't make me do a thing.""It's not the boys ye need fear," Arabella said, smiling and pulling her fake pistol from the pocket of her skirt. "So I suggest ye begin telling us what happened in Puerto San Judas. Right now."Sheepishly, the man held up his hands. "It's nothing to do with me, that I promise you."Fitzwilliam stepped forward. "And why should we believe the word of a
pirate? “I
told you, I'm no pirate!" he responded."Regardless, pirate, why should we believe such a tale?" Fitzwilliam said, folding his arms proudly. "You are the only one we have found on this island. And you are engaging in
thievery. “But
then Arabella said, "He's telling the truth. Look
at his clothes. That jacket's
never been soaked at sea, and his boots are too thin for any storm. No pirate--no honest sailor even--would ever be dressed that way.""Still," Fitzwilliam continued, "you have not yet answered our question. What happened to the people here?"The curly-bearded man hesitated. "No need to go waving guns about; we're friends here, ain't we?" he asked with a smarmy, unfriendly grin. "I'll say what I know, but it's not much. And I tell you now, you won't believe me."

"Try us." Arabella sighed, lowering her pistol. "I believe in all sorts of things I didn't believe in a month ago."

"Traveling with Jack Sparrow does have that effect," Fitzwilliam
agreed. The
bearded man's eyes lit up with a slight shock at the mention of Jack's name, but he did n
ot say why. Then he continued,
"Well, you see, I'm a businessman like any other--""You are a thief," Fitzwilliam interrupted, pointing to the loot that had fallen to the
ground. Grinning
nervously, the curly-bearded man shrugged. "It's a living. But as I was saying, I was going about my daily work like anyone else this morning. I was checking to see if the alehouse might have failed to lock the till. They do that sometimes, you know. In no fit shape when they close up for the night. Scandalous, what drink does to some folk--"Arabella cleared her throat. "If ye could get back to the subject.""Right. I was just about there when I hear the cry go up. 'Pirates!' The townsfolk were all yelling, screaming, scattering in every direction. I wa
s ready to join them, too! But
then the captain of 'em--big fellow, flaming red hair--looked all savage--""Louis." Arabella shivered."You know the fella?" the bearded man
asked. “Never
mind us," Fitzwilliam said. "Just go on with your story.""Well, the captain, he holds up this great fancy sword and shouts, 'Let every honest person be gone from this town!' Just like that--they all vanished!" The curly-bearded man's eyes were wide. "As though they were swallowed up by thin air! Frightened me worse than anything else in my whole life, I tell you that. Wasn't anyone left but the pirates--and me, of course."Fitzwilliam and Arabella stared at each other, aghast. "It's horrible," Arabella said. "All those people, lost or perhaps even dead, o
nly because they were honest!"

"Yes," Fitzwilliam added with bitterness, "while you, a thief, were spared!""Just goes to show you," the curly-bearded man said with a shrug, "honesty's not actually the best policy." And then, quick as a flash, the thief snatched the gold watch that hung by a chain at Fitzwilliam's chest and ran away."Stop!" Fitzwilliam demanded. But the thief had a good head start. Fitzwilliam and Arabella ran after him, but the thief was faster. He obviously knew Puerto San Judas well, as he proved by turning off a path into an area thick with brush. Fitzwilliam and Arabella kept running for a few minutes after they could no longer see the thief, hoping to catch a glimpse, hear a footstep, anything--but they hoped in vain."My sister gave me that watch," Fitzwilliam s
aid, slumping against a nearby
wall in disappointment. "It was very special to me."Arabella felt a pang of grief. She knew Fitzwilliam had lost his sister the same way Arabella had lost her mother--to pirates."I've dealt with his type more than ye have," Arabella said, "so I should've known he'd go for your golden watch." She bowed her head."Never mind," Fitzwilliam said suddenly, "it was only a thing. And things can be replaced and retrieved and bartered. At least neither one of us was hurt."Arabella nodded. "All right, then," she said looking down the road. "That's the town mill, isn't it? A useful landmark, so let's remember it."Fitzwilliam held up one hand. "Wait Arabella, I bel
ieve I hear something. Perhaps
it is the thief, and we can catch him after
all! “Hopeful
, Arabella listened carefully; she heard something, too, but it made her gasp instead of smile. "That's more than one set of footsteps, Fitz. In fact, it's several people. All of them coming this way."They looked at one another, then slowly peered around the nearest corner. Even at that angle, each of them got a good view of the shabby, sword-wielding figures running toward them through the brush."Pirates!" Fitzwilliam said.Arabella dropped to the ground and pulled him down beside her. They both crouched on the ground, listening in horror to the sound of the pirates' footsteps coming closer. Arabella whispered in his ear, "If they find us, they'll kill us!"She was tr
embling. Fitzwilliam had heard
that a gentleman should always comfort a lady in distress. "You cannot know that for certain."Arabella wasn't comforted. As she stared into space, she sa
id quietly, "Yes. I can."

CHAPTER FIVE

Jack had managed to leap out an open church window, and Constance followed close behind. They had run through the brush behind the church, but Louis and his thugs were hot on their trail. Jack held his sword-fighting skills in high esteem, but he could be realistic about his limitations when the situation called for it. And, at the moment, the situation was calling for it. Loudly.

"Aha!" Lef
t-Foot Louis shouted, slashing
the Sword of Cortes straight toward Jack
's head as he ran. Jack ducked
he was very good at ducking--but the blade still swung close enough to shear off a lock of his hair. This was getting
serious. Louis
was fast, and his sword was enchanted with magical powers--maybe not godlike powers, not till it was reunited with its sheath--but magic all the same. Two other pirates were not far behind, ready to jump in if Jack should manage to get the upper hand. But it didn't look like Jack was ever going to get the upper
hand. If
worse came to worst--and matters were he
aded in that general direction
Jack would be able to cast off in the Barnacle. Surely the others would be gathering back there by now. It seemed as though the chase had begun quite a while ago. The Cutlass might pursue
them, but the pirate crew was
probably spread out across Isla Fortuna. It would take time for Left-Foot Louis to get all of them back on board, time the Barnacle could use to
escape. Constance
, her fur standing on end, was keeping pace beside Jack. She screeched as they both heard the shouts of the pirates behind them. Jack decided to risk a glance over his shoulder. Louis's crewmen were too close for comfort--only a couple of yards behind him and Constance, along with LeftFoot Louis himself. His awkward, rolling gait looked even stranger when he was running.Jack began swerving and ducking wherever he could, Constance close behind. This alleyway, that winding path--Jack ran through empty shops and houses and did whatever he could think of to lose his pursuers, but it was no use. Then Jack had an
idea: Louis was after the cat.
"Might want to make yourself scarce," Jack panted as he ran, speaking to Constance. "Split up. Divide and conquer. Sounds good, eh?"Constance apparently agreed with this suggestion, because she immediately streaked off in another direction. To Jack's displeasure, all three pirates kept chasing him. Not one of them ran after Constance! Not even Louis. Jack guessed the pirate's thirst for vengeance wasn't as strong as his hunger for power.As Jack skidded around one corner, he made a quick mental note of where he was-- looked like the town mill, right there--and prepared to keep running. But then he heard a loud whisper: "Jack!"He wheeled about to see Arabella and Fitzwilliam, both of them peering through the bottom
of one of the mill's windows.
They'd taken refuge in a corner and invited Jack to join them."Don't mind if I do," he muttered.Fitzwilliam and Arabella were hiding behind barrels of grain stacked in one corner of the mill, opposite from the mill wheel and grindstone. Everything smelled of wheat and barley, scents Jack associated more strongly with ale than with bread."Thank goodness it's ye!" Arabella said. "We heard rustle in the brush and thought the worst. We thought it was pirates.""This proves," Jack said, ducking down beside them and breathing heavily, "that you should always go with your initial instinct.""You mean--" Fitzwilliam began."They were right on my tail, in fact. Two pirates and Captain Louis himself. But I seem to have lost them in the brush, tha
nks to my expert maneuvering."

"Ha. Thanks to our saving you!" Fitzwilliam scoffed."Whatever you want to believe, mate. So, how did you two wind up here anyway? Shouldn't you be back at the dock by now?"

"Well," Fitzwilliam began, "first my golden watch was stolen."

"Stolen?" He stared at them both. "How did you manage to get anything stolen in a town with no people?"

"One person," Fitzwilliam interjected, holding up a gloved finger. "As it turns out, this is a town with one person."

"A thief" Arabella added. Then she set about explaining just why Puerto San Judas was deserted in the first
place. “I
suppose we have to look on the bright side," Jack said at last. "We've all avoided Left-Foot
Louis, we now know for certain
that the Sword and the sheath--even separately--have certain unknown but intriguing powers. All we have to do is lie low, find a way to procure the parchment--""What is this about a parchment?" Fitzwilliam asked. "Whatever does a scrap of paper have to do with our situation?"Jack shrugged. "I'm a mite unclear on that point myself, mate. But let's burn that bridge when we get to it, shall we?"Fitzwilliam frowned. "I do not think that is the proper use of the metaphor.""Oh, yes, this is a perfect time for an English lesson. Can we conjugate verbs next?" Jack said sarcastically.At that moment, the door of the mill swung open, and Louis walked in. He'd found them after all! Jack, Arabella, and Fitzwilliam all ducked lower, their chins almost scrap
ing the floor. They could hear
several boots thumping on the mill's floor; Louis hadn't come
alone. “This
must be my lucky day!" Louis's voice boomed. "The parchment is just up the hill, the Sword in my hands, the sheath so close I can smell it--"Arabella and Fitzwilliam looked at Jack, concerned. Jack made a face at them, then angled his head between two barrels so that he could get a glimpse of what was going on in the mill. From the sounds of pushing and struggle, apparently some kind of a scuffle was taking place."--and best of all," Louis finished, "we have finally found our missing sailors."The pirates laughed as the two grave-digging thugs dragged forward--Jean and Tumen! Jack's eyes grew wide."We aren't the sailors you're looking for!" Jean protested. His face was t
aut with fear,
but he shouted bravely at the pirates. "You're crazy, all of you!"