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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

‘Your weapons and clothes in the bag are of ninja origin. What clan do you belong to?’

Miyuki stayed tight-lipped.

‘No matter. A ninja is a ninja. All traitors.’

Seeing Miyuki rile at the insult to her honour, Jack had to restrain her. Her fiery temper would get them into even more serious trouble than they already were. And they each needed to keep a level head if they were to have any hope of escape.

Captain Kurogumo noted Jack’s intervention.

‘I’ll deal with the ninja later,’ he promised. ‘But you, gaijin, are of real interest to me. Quite extraordinary – a gaijin samurai!’

He clicked his fingers and a young boy came running across the deck, carrying a pair of samurai swords. Their distinctive red handles marked them out as Jack’s daishō. The boy, fresh-faced and eager, knelt before the captain and held the weapons out to him. Captain Kurogumo took up the katana and, unsheathing it, examined the blade.

‘A Shizu sword!’ he exclaimed in disbelief. ‘Unless I’d witnessed it for myself, I’d have thought anyone a liar who told me you were a samurai … and I’d have cut out their tongue. But your fighting skills are undeniable. You put a number of my men to shame.’

Captain Kurogumo glanced up to where four pirates hung by their wrists from the yardarm. ‘You can cut them down now,’ he shouted to Skullface. ‘Let’s hope they’ve learnt their lesson and won’t be beaten so easily by a boy next time.’

The pirate captain took a few practice swings with the katana. He smiled appreciatively at its perfect weight and balance. Then he struck out at the pirate boy. The blade sliced through the air, its tip stopping just short of his throat. The boy swallowed nervously as a single bead of blood welled up from where the steel point had pierced his skin.

Sheathing the blade with satisfaction, the captain asked Jack, ‘Who gave you these swords?’

‘A friend,’ he replied.

‘A very special friend indeed, to part with such fine blades.’ With a wave of his hand, the captain ordered the pirate boy to return the swords to his quarters. ‘I’m intrigued – how on earth did a gaijin become a samurai?’

‘It wasn’t by choice,’ said Jack coldly. ‘I was a rigging monkey on a trading ship before ninja pirates like you killed my father.’

‘Now that is interesting,’ said Captain Kurogumo, raising his eyebrows at the revelation. ‘So, young warriors, the question is what to do with you. As samurai and ninja, you don’t warrant mercy. But it’s not in my nature to slaughter children … without good reason.’

He gave a flash of his shark teeth.

‘Tatsumaki must decide your fate.’

16

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