Piper gave Jack a wide toothless grin and raised a rusty looking blade in front of Jack’s face. Jack wasn’t sure whether Piper was being completely serious or not, but he wasn’t going to wait to find out.

Jack retreated to the companionway.

He was about to go below, when he took a final backward glance at Piper. He was now over by the rail, lighting his pipe. The tobacco glowed red, a single ember in the darkness.

The tiny fire suddenly disappeared as though a shadow had engulfed it. Jack heard a soft exhalation of air, the clatter of the pipe landing upon the deck and then he saw Piper’s body slump noiselessly to the floor. The shadow flew through the air and into the rigging.

Jack was too shocked to cry out. What had he just seen? His eyes had become more accustomed to the dark and he could just make out shadows crawling all over the ship. Two other watchmen on the foredeck were swallowed up by these shadows and collapsed. The unnatural thing about it all was the absolute silence of the attack. And that, Jack realized, was what it was – an attack!

Jack flew down the stairs and dashed straight to his father’s cabin.

‘Father!’ he cried. ‘We’re under attack!’

John Fletcher bolted from his bunk and snatched the sword, knife and two pistols that were lying on his desk. He was fully dressed, as if he had been anticipating trouble, and hurriedly buckled the sword round his waist, ramming the pistols and knife into his belt.

‘Why wasn’t there a call from the watch?’ his father demanded.

‘There is no watch, Father. They’re all dead!’

John was briefly halted in his tracks. He spun round in disbelief, but one look at Jack’s ashen face convinced him otherwise. He removed the knife from his belt and handed it to Jack along with the key to the room.

‘You are not to leave this cabin. Do you hear? Whatever happens, do not leave,’ commanded his father.

Jack nodded obediently, too stunned by the unfolding of events to argue. He had never seen his father so serious. Together they had survived full-on enemy attacks from Portuguese warships while navigating South America and its infamous Magellan’s Pass. But never had Jack been told to stay in the cabin. He had always fought side-by-side with his father, helping to reload his pistols.

‘Lock it – and wait for my return,’ ordered his father, closing the door behind him.

Jack heard him disappear down the corridor, gathering the men.

‘ALL HANDS ON DECK! MAN THE GUNS! PREPARE TO REPEL BOARDERS!’

Jack locked the cabin door.

Not knowing what else to do, he sat on the bunk, still holding his father’s knife. He could hear the pounding of feet as the men rallied to his father’s call. There were shouts and cries as they flooded up the companionway and on to the deck.

Then there was silence.

Jack listened intently. All he could hear was the creak of the boards as the men cautiously moved about. There appeared to be some confusion.