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Chapters (71)
  1. CHRIS BRADFORD
  2. Contents
  3. Map: The Japans – 17th Century
  4. The Letter
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. Notes on the Sources
  69. Ninja Pirate Ship Competition
  70. Japanese Glossary
  71. Acknowledgements

The ninja pirate grinned, his mouth a gaping black hole in his skull tattoo. ‘Excellent.’

He indicated to the guard to open the gate. Jack realized this might be their only chance of escape. If he leapt on the guard, the others could make a break for it. But Miyuki laid a hand on Jack’s arm and silently shook her head. The ninja pirates were diligent, two of them held barbed spears pointed at the gate’s entrance. Anyone who attempted to get out would be skewered like a suckling pig.

The crewman eagerly climbed from the cage and followed the pirates over to the starboard side, where a block and tackle had been rigged. The man gazed at it in bewilderment.

‘The sharks in these waters are really BIG!’ explained Skullface.

Desperate to prove useful, the crewman replied, ‘Then you’ll need squid or … a whole mullet fish to catch one.’

Skullface pulled thoughtfully at his gold earring as he considered the suggestion. Behind him, his gang had begun to snigger.

‘We don’t have a mullet, but …’

Without warning, Skullface struck the crewman across the jaw. The man went sprawling to the deck. Three ninja pirates pinned his arms and legs, while the tiger-tattooed pirate bound the end of a rope to his ankle. A second later they’d hoisted their prisoner into the air. Dazed and confused, the crewman flailed his arms in an attempt to right himself.

‘… we do have you.’

‘He’s a frisky one!’ grunted the pirate with the sword crucifix tattoo.

Skullface pulled out a knife from his belt and slashed its blade across the crewman’s forearm. Blood dripped from the wound on to the deck. ‘That’ll get a feeding frenzy started.’

As the tiger-tattooed pirate swung their live bait over the side, the crewman started begging for his life. ‘PLEASE! I’ve a wife and child at home! DON’T DO IT!’

His shouts drew the attention of the other pirates on deck and they stopped what they were doing to watch. Skullface turned to the tiger-tattooed pirate, apparently having a change of heart. ‘All right … let him go.’

For a brief second, the crewman hung there, breathing out a huge sigh of relief. Then the tiger-tattooed pirate released the rope and the crewman disappeared. There was a splash and all the ninja pirates rushed to the gunwale.

‘I can see a fin already!’ cried the two-headed snake pirate.

For a minute or so, there was intense silence as they followed the progress of the shark through the water. Jack and the other prisoners couldn’t see the grim show – nor did they want to. There was a cry of disappointment as the shark apparently missed the bait. Then came a cheer, followed by a spluttering scream of agony.

‘He’s caught it,’ yelled the crucifix pirate with glee. ‘Tiger, pull him up!’