Pirate Brother

by Johnson Pete

  Pete Johnson has been a film extra, a film critic for Radio 1, an English teacher and a journalist. However, his dream was always to be a writer. At the age of ten he wrote a fan letter to Dodie Smith, author of The Hundred and One Dalmatians, and they communicated for many years. Dodie Smith was the first person to encourage him to be a writer.

  He has written many books for children, as well as plays for the theatre and Radio 4, and is a popular visitor to schools and libraries. In 1997 The Ghost Dog won the Young Telegraph award and the Stockton Children's Book of the Year award. In 2001 Pete won the Stockton Children's Book of the Year award again with The Creeper.

  Some other books by Pete Johnson

  BUG BROTHER

  MIND READER

  MIND READER: BLACKMAIL

  For older readers

  THE PROTECTORS

  TEN HOURS TO LIVE

  PETE JOHNSON

  PiRATE BROTHER

  Illustrated by Mike Gordon

  PUFFIN BOOKS

  PUFFIN BOOKS

  Published by the Penguin Group

  Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  Penguin Putnam Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA

  Penguin Books Australia Ltd, 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia

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  Penguin Books (NZ) Ltd, Cnr Rosedale and Airborne Roads, Albany, Auckland, New Zealand

  Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd, 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank 2196, South Africa

  Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  www.penguin.com

  First published 2002

  11

  Text copyright © Pete Johnson, 2002

  Illustrations copyright © Mike Gordon, 2002

  All rights reserved

  The moral right of the author and illustrator has been asserted

  Except in the United States of America, this book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher's prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser

  British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

  ISBN: 978-0-14-192572-1

  Contents

  1. My Top Story

  2. Reema's Brilliant Idea

  3. Harry Flies Away

  4. Brave Bill Has Breakfast and a Bath

  5. Brave Bill Becomes Very Angry

  6. The Incredible Shrinking Teacher

  7. Thief in the School

  8. Treasure Map

  9. Message in a Milk Bottle

  1. My Top Story

  One day I found a cape at the very top of a tree. The cape was dark blue, with bright gold stars around the sides. And it was magic.

  It made wishes come true.

  I only found this out when I accidentally turned my younger brother, Harry, into a bluebottle. Reema, my best friend, and I had an awful job trying to

  turn him back again, I can tell you.

  Oh yes, in case you didn't know, my name is Jamie.

  Here's something else you might not know. The most magic part of my cape is just inside the collar. That's where you'll find the number seven, all worked in gold. When you make a wish, you hold on to this part. Also, you have to water the cape before you make a wish. Don't ask me why. But the magic works only when the cape is wet.

  Lately, though, the magic hasn't been working at all. I've made so many wishes and not one of them has come true. Is all the cape's magic used up? I don't think so. And I'll tell you why.

  Sometimes, when I'm making a wish, the seven on the cape really sparkles. It dazzles my eyes. And I feel this funny tingling in my hands.

  So that proves there's still a little magic in my cape, doesn't it? And it's trying so hard to get out and make my wishes come true. But it can't. If only I could help it. But I don't know what do. It's very, very frustrating.

  I've cheered myself up by reading books about spells and magic. And there's

  one book I've read over and over. It's called Brave Bill, the Magic Pirate. Maybe you've seen it. It's my all-time top story.

  It's Reema's too. And Harry says it's his favourite as well. But then he would, wouldn't he? (He copies me in everything, you know – it's so annoying.)

  Anyway, Brave Bill is the story of the youngest pirate ever. In fact, he was only eight when he ran away to sea. He'd been living in this children's home which he hated.

  His grandad left him a ship in his will. Brave Bill's grandad had been a pirate once, but he'd lost all his treasure. In fact, he'd lost everything except his pirate ship. And he wanted Brave Bill – his only living relative – to have it.

  So one night Brave Bill crept away with some other children from the home. They set off to find his grandad's ship. Then he set sail on it, with the other children acting as his crew. They had lots of adventures and discovered masses of treasure. They buried this on their secret island, which no one else knew about. This was where they lived too, when they weren't being pirates.

  Brave Bill wears a patch over his left eye. And if ever you annoy him, watch out. Because then he will whip off his eyepatch and stare at you with his magic left eye.

  The moment this happens you start to shrink. The longer he looks at you, the smaller you become. Once Brave Bill shrank someone down to the size of a peanut. But he doesn't do that very often. Only when he's really angry.

  Imagine having Brave Bill as my friend! Oh, that'd be totally brilliant. No one would ever dare pick on me again. Not with Brave Bill close by. He'd always protect me. And knowing he was my mate would make me braver too. I could do things I'd never dreamt of – like being a pirate.

  How I'd love to jump into Brave Bill's book and have some adventures with him. I've wished for that on my cape so often. But it's never happened.

  On Friday at school though, we can dress up as our favourite character. Guess who I'm going to be?

  On Thursday afternoon I tried on my costume. First I put on my old stripy pyjama bottoms. Next came a white T-shirt which had a red skull and crossbones sewn on to it by my mum. Then Aunt Nora found a grey jacket with gold buttons and gold braid around the collar and wrists. I was really pleased to have that. Aunt Nora also bought me a gold earring.

  Lastly came two very important things: Brave Bill's eyepatch. I made that. And Brave Bill also wears a dead-smart hat. It's green and black and curled up at the front, and it has feathers on it. I made that too and it took me ages and ages.

  When I'd finished I went and stared at myself in the mirror. Someone started laughing straight away.

  Who else but Harry.

  ‘You don't look anything like Brave Bill,’ he sneered. ‘Ha, ha.’

  ‘Just shut it,’ I snarled, ‘or I'll fight you.’

  This made him laugh even louder. Harry is two years and three months younger than me and he's half a head taller. I only come up to the middle of his ear. Talk about embarrassing. Actually, I'm one of the smallest boys in my class. And my nickname is – I'll just whisper it to you – ‘the Shrimp’.

  Harry ran off, still giggling about me trying to be Brave Bill. I changed out of my costume. And then the doorbell rang. Twice. That sounded urgent.

  Harry and I rushed to the door. But Aunt Nora got there first. She's looking after Harry and me while Mum and Dad are in S
cotland.

  She's actually my mum's aunt, so she's like an antique aunty.

  She opened the door. ‘Oh, hello, Reema.’

  ‘Hello, Aunt Nora,’ Reema gasped. She was out of breath. ‘Is Jamie there?’

  ‘Yes he is – I mean, yes I am,’ I replied.

  ‘Well, I'll leave you two to have a nice little chat,’ Aunt Nora said, going back to the kitchen.

  ‘I've just had an idea about you know what,’ Reema whispered. Then she saw Harry hovering about. ‘But it's a secret.’

  2. Reema's Brilliant Idea

  Reema and I raced up to my room.

  ‘So what's your idea?’ I asked. I was getting excited already myself.

  Just wait a sec, though,’ I said. ‘I'd better check no one's listening outside.’

  But to my great surprise there was no sign of Harry.

  ‘Still, we should whisper,’ I said.

  Reema nodded, then hissed, ‘You always make your wishes on the cape during the day, don't you?’

  ‘Yes,’ I agreed.

  ‘How about trying a wish at night, and especially… at the witching hour.’

  ‘Whatever's that?’

  She smiled. ‘I've just found out about it. I heard them talking on the radio. They were saying midnight is the witching hour.’

  ‘Midnight!’ I cried.

  ‘Yes, they said that's when magic is at its strongest. So I was thinking, if you made a wish on your cape when there's all that magic in the air…’

  ‘Some of it might creep into my cape and help make my wish come true,’ I interrupted. ‘Reema, that's really clever.’

  ‘Oh, it was nothing,’ she said, but she looked very pleased.

  ‘So tonight,’ I cried excitedly, ‘I'll set my alarm for five to twelve, wet my cape, hold on to the letter seven and wish. Can you guess what I'll wish for?’

  Reema smiled. ‘To step into the pages of your Brave Bill book. Oh, it'll be so brilliant if your wish comes true.’

  ‘This time I really think it will,’ I said. ‘So why don't I wish for you to come too?’

  Her eyes lit up. ‘But could the magic stretch to two people?’

  ‘I don't see why not. I'll give it a try anyway. So you'll be up and dressed at midnight, and ready to shoot off, won't you?’

  ‘Oh, I'll be ready,’ she cried eagerly.

  Then we both stopped. We could hear something outside, a creaking noise. And we'd forgotten to whisper. In fact, we'd been shouting at the top of our voices. If Harry was outside, he'd have heard every word.

  But when I opened the door there was no sign of him. That was a relief. You see, Harry doesn't know the cape is magic. But he's wondered about it. He even said, ‘Your cape looks as if it could do spells.’ Of course I just laughed.

  That night I was so excited I couldn't get to sleep for ages. At last my eyes grew heavy and I floated off into a dream about Brave Bill.

  Ring, ring, ring, ring. I jumped up in bed and switched my alarm off. It was five to twelve.

  I got dressed as quickly as I could – after all, you can't go and be a pirate in pyjamas, can you?

  Far away I heard the church clock striking midnight. The witching hour had begun. Now the air was crammed with magic.

  I went over to get my cape. At night I always put it over the chair at the bottom of my bed. Only it wasn't there. I hurriedly searched around my room. No sign of it. And something else was missing too. My Brave Bill book.

  Harry.

  I raced into his room. My cape was on his bed. So was my Brave Bill book. But Harry wasn't there.

  He was floating above me in the air.

  3. Harry Flies Away

  I gave a little gasp of shock, then I cried, ‘Harry! You ear-wigged on Reema and me.’

  ‘Of course I did,’ he laughed. ‘It's the only way you ever find out things. And why didn't you tell me your cape was magic?’

  ‘I didn't tell you,’ I spluttered, ‘because you spoil everything. Now, get down here at once.’

  I jumped up to try and pull him down. But at that very moment he floated up even higher. He was touching the ceiling now.

  ‘I always wondered what it felt like to be a bubble,’he grinned.

  ‘This is such good fun. So, have you got a message for Brave Bill?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘I wished that I could spend the day on his ship,’ Harry said.

  ‘You have to copy me, don't you?’

  Harry's body gave a little twist. ‘Can't chat any longer, got to fly. Think of me on Brave Bill's ship, won't you, Jamie?’

  And after saying that, he vanished. Then I noticed Harry had left a note by his bed. Here's what it said:

  Dear Jamie,

  I'm off to be a pirate with Brave Bill. I'll be home for my tea tomorrow. Tell Aunt Nora I'd like baked beans and sausages.

  Bye for now,

  Harry

  P.S. I thought Aunt Nora might worry about me. So I wished that whenever she heard the words ‘Brave Bill’ she would immediately start smiling.

  P.P.S. Don't be cross that I'm going to be a pirate instead of you.

  Don't be cross! I was so angry I was shaking. I paced furiously around Harry's bedroom. It was my cape. Mine. Yet Harry was the one, off having brilliant adventures. It was totally unfair.

  And what about poor Reema, waiting in her bedroom to be whooshed away. She was going to be so disappointed.

  But had Harry used up all the cape's magic? Maybe there was still a little left for Reema and me. I picked it up. It was still wet. Then I pressed down really hard on the seven and wished. ‘Number Seven, can Reema and me be with Brave Bill, please?’

  I wished so hard. And the seven glittered and shone. I knew it was really trying to make my wish come true. My hands began to tingle. And then I saw this tiny spark, like the end of a firework.

  The magic was starting.

  So I waited… and waited… and

  absolutely nothing else happened.

  I thumped my way back to my bedroom. I angrily flung on my pyjamas. Then I sat up in bed, leafing through the pages of my Brave Bill book. When I got to the last page, I blinked in astonishment.

  There was the usual picture of Brave Bill and all his shipmates. But now a new face had joined them. Guess who? Yes, that's right. My brother. I couldn't believe it. But there he was, laughing with all the other pirates.

  Next morning when I woke up, the sun was streaming through my curtains. But I felt cross and grumpy. Then I sniffed. What was that awful pong? It smelt like old seaweed and smelly socks. But there was a salty tang to it as well.

  I held my nose. Phew. My bedroom stank.

  But what could be causing it?

  I gazed around – and then I got the biggest shock of my life.

  Someone was asleep on my chair.

  4. Brave Bill Has Breakfast and a Bath

  I jumped out of bed.

  The stranger was a boy. A boy who had a patch over one eye and who was wearing a most magnificent pirate hat with blue, red and purple feathers sticking out of it.

  It was Brave Bill! Here in my bedroom! The room started to spin round, just as if

  I were on a ship during a storm at sea.

  I tip-toed over to him. No, it wasn't a dream. He was really here. He was sleeping with one hand over his eyepatch.

  And then Brave Bill's eye sprang open: it was the deepest, darkest blue you've ever seen.

  ‘Ahoy, landlubber,’ he cried.

  ‘Ahoy, Brave Bill,’ I quavered. ‘I'm sorry if I woke you up.’

  ‘I wasn't asleep,’ he replied. ‘I was only resting my eye.’

  He jumped to his feet. To my surprise, he was exactly the same height as me.

  He looked around. ‘Not a bad little cabin.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Then I shook my head and cried, ‘I just can't believe you're here.’

  ‘Why ever not? You wished for me on that cape hanging over your chair, didn't you?’

  ‘Well, not
exactly.’

  He frowned. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I wanted to join you on your pirate ship. That was my real wish. Only my annoying little brother got in first.’

  ‘Oh yes, I remember him,’ Brave Bill said. ‘He just popped up out of nowhere.’

  ‘So by the time I made my wish, Harry had used up practically all the magic. And there wasn't enough left to take me to your ship. But as you're magic anyway…’

  ‘The cape was able to bring me to you instead,’ interrupted Brave Bill. ‘So, one moment there I was dancing the pirates' hornpipe, and the next I was being whooshed here.’

  ‘I hope it wasn't too inconvenient for you,’ I said politely.

  ‘Oh no.’ Brave Bill waved a hand dismissively. ‘I felt like a change of air.

  The journey took a long time, though. Lots of hold-ups.’

  ‘The cape's usually very quick. But I guess it's working on reduced magic right now.’

  Then I chanced to glance down at my Brave Bill book, which was still open at the last page. I let out a whistle of surprise. My brother was still there. But Brave Bill had vanished from the picture. There was just a silhouette where he had been before.

  ‘Look at that,’ I cried.

  But Brave Bill just shrugged his shoulders. ‘Well, I can't be in two places at once, can I?’

  ‘I suppose not.’

  ‘What's your name, landlubber?’ he asked.

  ‘Jamie.’

  ‘Pleased to meet you.’ He stretched out a hand. There were big, fat rings on every finger. And some fingers even had two rings on them. ‘We're going to have fun today,’ he laughed.

  And it was brilliant to see him. I just wished he didn't whiff so much. The smell was making me feel quite sick.

  Brave Bill decided to inspect my

  bedroom. He strutted about, peering at everything. He even opened my wardrobe. Then he stepped back in surprise. He'd just spotted my pirate costume, all ready for school today.