Jack, Li Ling and Skullface scrambled up the steps to the helm. Captain Kurogumo lay on his back, clasping his side and groaning weakly. The deck was slick with blood. But, in the darkness, they couldn’t tell whether it came from the captain or the headless corpse. Li Ling immediately applied pressure to the wound, the captain cursing her in pain.

‘Give me that obi,’ she said, pointing to the dead samurai.

Skullface tore off the man’s belt and handed it to her. She bound it round the captain’s chest in an attempt to stem the bleeding. As she pulled the bandage tight, Captain Kurogumo cried out and writhed in agony, before his eyes rolled back in their sockets and he fell still.

‘Is he dead?’ asked Jack.

Li Ling shook her head. ‘He’s breathing … just.’

With their captain down, Skullface took charge.

‘Cut the dock lines!’ he called to his gang as more musket shots were fired.

Tiger and Snakehead rushed off with the others and began hacking at the ropes. Arrows whisked through the air and a Wind Demon fell screaming overboard.

‘Get the mainsail up!’ Skullface barked, noticing the canvas was only half unfurled.

A Wind Demon shouted, ‘It’s jammed.’

‘Put Manzo on to it.’

‘He already is.’

The colossal ninja pirate was at the front, yanking on the main halyard, but to no avail.

In frustration, Skullface slammed his sword into the wooden handrail, splinters flying. ‘We’re sitting ducks!’

A unit of samurai thundered up the gangway. With all the Wind Demons occupied, there was no one to stop them. The soldiers were halfway across before Manzo spotted the threat. He let go of the halyard and charged over. Using his great strength, he lifted the gangway – samurai and all – and tossed the end over the side. The samurai tumbled into the water, shrieking as the heavy gangway crashed on top of them.

‘The foresail’s up,’ announced another ninja pirate.

‘That’s not good enough!’ snapped Skullface. ‘We won’t harness enough wind to make an escape. We need the mainsail.’

‘I’ll fix it,’ offered Jack.

Skullface eyed him doubtfully.

‘I was a rigging monkey. I know what I’m doing,’ he insisted.

Skullface nodded and Jack ran off, leaving Li Ling to tend to the unconscious captain. Jack launched himself at the nearest shroud supporting the main mast. Hand over hand, he scaled the rigging with practised ease. Skullface gave the order to trim the foresail and took hold of the tiller; the canvas caught the night breeze and the shuinsen pulled away from the jetty. Below, Jack could hear the angry shouts of samurai and the blast of muskets. He prayed none of them looked up – he’d make easy pickings for a sharpshooter.