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“All right, everyone!” Sinjin called. “Time for the old heave-ho!”
“It’s like the biggest tug-of-war contest ever,” Tiara said as they formed two lines on either side of the ship, dug their feet into the sand, and took up the ropes.
“One, two, three!” Sinjin called. They grunted and groaned, pulled and yanked. It took hours, but finally they dragged the wounded boat ashore.
For the better part of several days, everyone worked together. Using two of the girls’ rescued suitcases, they bailed as much water as they could and then scraped the hull of barnacles. Petra and George, whose mother was a seamstress, mended sails. Using the machete, Nicole, Ahmed, and Sosie took turns cutting a tree into lumber. Jennifer had found a tool kit with a hammer and a collection of mismatched nails and was ready to go.
“The wood’s not dry enough yet,” Adina said. “Trust me. I’m from New Hampshire. You’ve got to let that season a bit or it’ll be useless. It’ll just splinter right up on you.”
“How long?” Duff asked.
“Not sure. In this sun, maybe a few days. Maybe a few weeks.”
The girls’ shoulders sagged. There were groans.
“Now, Miss Teen Dreamers,” Petra reprimanded in her best Taylor twang. “I cannot believe y’all are grumblin’. I once went an entire year without any wood at all.”
Nicole sputtered. Adina fell in the sand laughing.
“What?” George asked.
“Nothing,” Petra said and put the lumber out in the sun to dry.
As if summoned, Taylor walked past, a finger pressed to her lips like a preschool teacher motioning for quiet. Her hair was a symphony of snarls and she wore what appeared to be a man’s oversize black shirt.
“Is that the girl you told us about? The one who went mad?” George asked.
“Yeah,” Petra said sadly.
“Where’d she get that shirt?” Ahmed asked. He sounded worried.
“Don’t know. Taylor, where’d you get the shirt?” Adina asked.
Taylor didn’t answer the question. “I just need a few things. A lady has to be prepared,” she said before disappearing into Tiara’s hut and coming out with a strange collection of beauty products. Then she crouched low like a soldier and broke for the jungle.
A loud shriek came from somewhere on the ship, breaking the spell Taylor’s appearance had cast. The girls and pirates raced on board to find Miss Ohio racing out of Captain Sinjin’s cabin. He stood behind her with his hands up.
“I swear I didn’t touch her.” His brow furrowed. “Blimey, maybe that’s why she’s upset. Sorry, luv. D’you want me to ravish you in proper teen-pirate rock-star fashion? A little lovin’ followed by a sensitive emo ballad in which I tell you why I can’t be your boyfriend? I know you fancy that Fabio Testosterone bloke. Fair enough. Not bad-looking. Mind, he’s not a pirate. But you can’t have everything.”
“Are you okay?” Shanti asked. She gave Sinjin a dirty look and he blew her a kiss.
“Totally fine!”
“Why did you scream?”
“Look what I found!” Miss Ohio pushed past Sinjin and came back brandishing a bottle of expensive rum. “There’s two whole cases in here!”
Adina took a small sip and coughed till Mary Lou had to hit her on the back. “Whoa. Lethal,” she choked out.
Sinjin sagged against the doorframe. “That’s me bloody private stock.”
“Not anymore, Cap’n,” Petra said, swiping a bottle. “This here’s a rum mutiny.”
Sinjin smiled slowly as he looked Petra up and down. He stepped closer. “And, um, what if I tried to reestablish my command?”
“That depends. Are you a black belt?”
“No.” Sinjin played with the tassels on Petra’s scarf.
