Free Pirates of the Caribbean 03 The Pirate Chase by Rob Kidd Page B

stiff spine seemed to relax a little.Arabella was the one crew member who didn't relax. She stared into the swaying palms as though she could still see the scarlet skull of Louis's Jolly Roger. Jack wondered if she had somehow missed the part where he had cleverly steered them from danger."No use in worrying," Jack said. "We'll be docked in Puerto San Judas in no time.""Food . . ." Jean said, his face lighting up with a dreamy smile. "Ah, if only we can find some good shrimp etouffee--""First, we find an inn," Tumen said, shifting his back. "This deck is hard. Beds are soft.""No. First we s peak to the local constabulary about Louis." Fitzwilliam nodded vigorously and straightened his grand coat which, despite his numerous adventures, always seemed to be in pristine shape. "They cannot be aware that such a despicable character lingers so close to their town. For surely they would have taken steps to arrest him immediately."Jack picked up Fitzwilliam's spyglass again to get a good look at Puerto San Judas, which was already taking shape on the far horizon of the island's cove. Then he lowered the spyglass and blinked hard. He looked again in disbelief. Finally, he handed the glass to Jean and said, "Tell me how many ships you see in the harbour ."Jean peered through the spyglass for a very long time before he answered. "None. So? “Jack folded his arms. "Dunno, mate. It just seems odd that a port town on any island in the Caribbean would be free of ships.""Is la Fortuna is a small island. Difficult to find," Jean pointed out. "Not everybody is as good at navigating as me and Tumen," he said proudly. "Maybe all the ships are lost out at sea looking for it."
    "Then that makes us a touch above the rest, doesn't it?" Jack grinned. "Including especially this vessel's illustrious captain?"
    "And let's not forget the sheath, which pointed us directly to this island," Arabella reminded the boys. “Well ," Jack said, quickly changing the subject, "if we're the only customers they've got, we can expect a king's welcome." With the Cutlass out of sight, he felt it safe to give his command: "Raise sails and pull into port!"
    "Aye, aye!" Jean crowed, and he and Tumen set to work. As the Barnacle docked, the kingly welcome didn't materialize. Not even a princely welcome. No welcome at all, if you wanted to be precise about it. Even as the crew tied the Barnacle to the pier, no one appeared to demand a fee, write down the crewmembers' names, or offer them wares. Every dusty old road was completely deserted. “This is too quiet," Jean said. Constance's grey fur stood on end, and she hissed at the silent town.Arabella whispered, "Something terrible happened here. Louis--did he--"Jack shook his head. "Hasn't been any kind of a fight, love. No broken windows, no bullet holes in the walls. No fires. Left-Foot Louis leaves his mark on a town, as Jean and Tumen ca n testify. “The two friends nodded uncomfortably in agreement. “Look ," Fitzwilliam said, pointing at a nearby shop. "The butcher--he is open for business. And the apothecary, too. Not a locked door in the place." Relieved, they all rushed toward the markets--but they were all empty of people. Yet the dairy offered fresh milk, the butcher's displayed recently sliced ham, and the fishmonger still had a barrelful of very fresh catfish flapping about, waiting to be sold."All these items had to be put out this morning," Jean said. "No earlier than that. But now, the people who set up these shops are nowhere to be found."A shiver ran through Arabella. "It's as if they vanished, very suddenly, by a great fo rce and without warning."
     
    CHAPTER TWO
     
    The crew wandered through the silent roads of Puerto San Judas, staring at the deserted shops and alleyways. None of them could quite believe their eyes. Arabella was right. It was as though every person who lived there had disappeared in an instant, leaving everything around them completely untouched. The whole town was snatched up--but