safe, you'd need it most.” And I held it out to her, looped over my open palm.

She looked at it and closed my fingers over it gently. “Please, Balto,” she said. “You were there for me on the ship. Let me return the favor.”

I shook my head, wondering if I would ever understand the female mind. But, if it would make her happy... “Alright,” I said, sliding it over my head.  “I'll wear it... for you.”

I thought about Jenna all night. I had never given much thought to girls, although I appreciated a pretty face. But Jenna was like no one I'd ever met before. She had more courage, I decided, than all the rest of us put together.

As I was thinking of her, lying peacefully behind the canvas, I resolved that I myself would go out and find Ben. I didn't trust those pirates not to ambush us the next day when we left the fort, but with a mind like Ben's we might have a chance.

I started to head out, then stopped and looked back at my friends. But mostly, I looked at the curtain. “Jenna,” I whispered. Part of me wanted to stay behind and protect her. She had trusted me, even given me a piece of herself in case something happened; I'd feel as vile as the pirates themselves if I just walked out on her. True, if the pirates attacked, I wouldn't be able to do much, only buy her some time...

And then it dawned on me. I could buy her some time, but I had to do it quickly. Tiptoeing up to the curtain, I eased it aside and slipped in. There she was, sleeping peacefully in her hammock. I felt some reluctance about what I was thinking of, but it was for her sake, not mine.

When I had done my task, I slipped back out, and into the night.

There was no moon that night, only the light of the stars to walk by. But I was part wolf, and could see well enough to find my way through the jungle by that. I stuck to clear paths whenever possible, keeping my senses tuned for any sign of snakes or pirates.

I soon found the clearing, and a boulder which, with a little imagination, looked like a whale swimming through the grass. I made for it. “Ben?” I whispered. There was no sign of him except his boat, crudely shaped but well-constructed and quite seaworthy. It wasn't made from planks, but wooden poles over which he had stretched tanned goatskins, and sealed the seams with pitch he must have gotten from somewhere.

Then it dawned on me: the ship! There were three keys to winning this standoff: Jenna, the map, and the ship, the only one we didn't have. If we could get the ship from the pirates, we'd be able to get away and leave them helpless. I hefted the boat and found it light enough to carry, so with no further delay I headed toward the sea.

In very little time I made it to the shore, and there out on the water lay the Aurora, perched like a great swan on the waves. I slipped the dinghy into the water and rowed as quietly as I could out to the ship. Securing the boat to a rope someone had left dangling over the side, I climbed up that same rope onto the deck. There was no one in sight up on deck, but dried blood on the deck told me of the struggle there had been when the pirates left on board took the ship. I was looking for cover and was just about to duck inside a coil of ropes when I realized it was already taken... by a dead fox! I remember now, though I'm surprised I ever did, that he wore a black vest and a red cap. My stomach lurched at the thought that this might be one of the honest crew, but then a second look told me that it was one of the pirates. Still, I had to force myself not to throw up. Why was there a body on deck, anyway? I would have thought even pirates would be decent enough to at least throw them overboard like most sailors would.

Then I heard a groan nearby, deep and throaty. I knew and dreaded that voice. It was Scroup the wolverine! Casting a furtive look around I spied him, lying prone on the deck. A dark patch around his right leg testified a wound.

Picking up a sword that happened to be lying on deck, I approached and extended the point toward his barrel chest. “Surrender,” I said, sounding braver than I felt.

He looked up and lurched in surprise. “The wolf pup!” he exclaimed. “What are ye doing here? They thought ye were dead.”

“We wolves have a knack for getting out of messes,” I said. “Now, where are the rest of the pirates aboard? Tell me the truth or it will be your last lie.”

He coughed. “I be the only one,” he rumbled. “They all went ashore t' storm the blockade and left me 'n Scragg over there...” he pointed in the direction of the dead fox, “T' mind the ship.”

“So you got drunk and fought, and you won,” I surmised.

“Aye,” he agreed, “Though 'e got me a pretty nasty stab, 'e did.” He pointed to his leg.

“Well,” I said, “I'm taking the ship right now. If you help me, I'll bandage your leg and get you some food. Otherwise, you can just stay there.”

He rasped a bit. “Throw in some brandy fer the pain and yer talkin' square.”

“The captain ordered no alcohol on board except for the wine we used to purify water supplies,” I replied.

“Aye, but as ye sees, we smuggled some aboard anyway. There was plenny in the hold, and if 'tain't there, ye'll find it hidden in most of our bunks, usually under the pillas.”

I made a face at these conniving sneaks. But, I knew I couldn't handle the ship alone, so I agreed. Inside the forecastle, I discovered, was a scene of chaos. Every locked place had been torn open in their search for the map, and I guessed they had done the same in the cabins. A surprising number of empty bottles rolled back and forth, clinking together. None of the pirates, I guessed, stayed sober long after we left the ship. But there were no full bottles of anything in there, so I went down to the hold and managed to find one half-full of brandy, along with some water, cheese, raisins, biscuits, and pickled fruit. I also found a pistol, checked to see it was loaded, and stuck it in my belt under my shirt. With Scroup around I had a feeling I'd need it. I brought the food and drink up, along with a roll of bandages I fetched from what were left of Doctor Boris' things.

Only after I had set down my share of the food and had a long drink of water did I give him the brandy, which he guzzled dry and then tossed aside. “Ah, that's the stuff!”

I gave him water, which he declined, and food, which he greedily devoured, and then he made a weak effort to rise to his feet.

“Now,” I told him, wanting no mischief, “I'll have you know I've armed myself, and I'll be captain until we get Captain Orde back on board. We're taking this ship up to the North point. Alright?”

He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and nodded. “Right enough,” he said. “I see I've had my bit, and now I'm done. I'd sail 'er up to Execution Dock on your order, so I would!”

I wasn't buying it, but I nodded. “Right,” I said. “And first I'm getting rid of those colors up there,” I added, pointing to the Jolly Roger on the mast. “Better no flag at all than that one. I'll tend to that, and you get the ship ready to sail as best you can.”

He saluted unsteadily. “Aye, Cap'n,” he rumbled.

I climbed the rigging, keeping an eye on Scroup down below as he followed my orders. Once at the top, I ripped the skull and crossbones from the pole, rolled it up, and tossed it out as if I were heaving a log into the fireplace back at the Admiral Benbow. It fluttered open and waved back and forth on its way down into the sea. “God save the king,” I said, “And good riddance to Long John Steele.”

As I looked out over the island and saw the stockade's clearing from my swaying perch (the treetops hid my view of the stockade itself), I suddenly realized how foolish my actions had been. True, I had the ship under my command, but what would the others think of my disappearance? The squire and doctor, my good friends? Muk, Luk, and the other honest sailors who remained, my ship mates? Captain Orde, who tough as he was I had almost viewed, albeit distantly, as a surrogate father? And what about Jenna? I had promised her I would never let her down, and now I had disappeared on her. She had no way of knowing what I had done the night before, and Heaven only knew how she'd respond if she found out. My heart felt as heavy as the ship's belly as I thought of it, but there was nothing to do now except get the ship to secluded harbor and hope to make amends later.

The winds were blowing west, which worked just fine since we were on the north-east side of the island. Scroup told me how to steer the ship, and after a few false starts I succeeded. We reached the north end of the island, where we had to wait for the tide so we could beach her. Neither of us had been strong enough to haul up the anchor back where I took the ship, so we'd had to cut the rope, and now the only way to dock was to beach. Scroup explained to me that the trick for this was to wait for high tide and then bring her up close to shore. Then it was a matter of running a good, strong rope out to one of the trees, and the Aurora would stay put like a leashed puppy when the tide went out. Then, in order to sail, we needed only wait for high