"A real pirate ship!" exclaimed Captain Nancy Blackett, pointing excitedly at the great black vessel away to port. "Give them a signal, Uncle Jim!"

"Oh dear." Susan looked worried. "Are you sure that's wise?"

Titty, watching the pirate vessel intently through her telescope, looked up with bright eyes. "They might fire on us."

"Send us to Davy Jones," added Peggy.

Above their heads, the small Jolly Roger flying from the Wild Cat's halyards dipped in salute to the larger ship, as Captain James Flint - sometimes known as Uncle Jim - obeyed Captain Nancy's order.

Leaning on the rail, John examined the pirate ship with envy. "She's a beauty. Look at her lines, and all that sail. I bet she can really move when there's some wind."

"Black sails, too!" said Nancy. "Like I said, a proper pirate ship." She looked across the deck at her own small Amazon, swinging in her cradle. "Not that Amazon isn't lovely too," she added, out of loyalty.

"Look! Look!" Roger was jumping up and down. "Look, they're doing something with the guns!"

"Cannon," Captain Flint corrected. "Titty, what can you see?"

Titty had the telescope to her eye again. "Her captain's waving his arms around. Gosh, he's odd."

"Odd?" asked Peggy.

"A true pirate," said Titty. "A cutlass in his belt, and his hair is wild." She swept the deck of the big ship with the telescope. "They've run out a cannon. Some of the men are loading it. One of them …" she lifted her eyes a moment, and looked at Nancy, "one of them's a girl!"

"Naturally," Nancy said, as if she was not surprised.

Titty put her eye back to the telescope. "Now they're lighting a fuse …"

"They're firing!" Peggy said.

"Oh dear," Susan said again.

A puff of smoke erupted from the bows of the black vessel, followed by a bang. Susan clutched at John's sleeve, and they watched as the shot splashed harmlessly into the water a short distance ahead of the Wild Cat.

"It's a salute!" said Nancy. "Isn't it, Uncle Jim?"

"Indeed it is," Captain Flint agreed. "Traditional pirate greeting. I wish we'd brought my little cannon from the houseboat."

"We saluted them first," Peggy pointed out.

Through the telescope, Titty could see men hurrying to tidy away the cannon, and others scurrying up the mast. The sails of the pirate ship spread like great black storm clouds, and she picked up speed and began to stretch away from the Wild Cat. Titty looked for the captain, and saw him sweeping her an elaborate bow, hat in hand, a gold-glinting smile on his lips.

She smiled, and put the telescope away.

© Joanne Harris 2004