The Time Hunters and the Box of Eternity (34 page)

Chapman looked disorientated and rubbed his eyes.
‘
I don
’
t understand.
’

‘
Well, you wouldn
’
t, would you?
’
Uncle Percy said.
‘
Anyway, I thought I
’
d leave you here; it
’
s rather pretty, isn
’
t it? Much more tranquil
than you deserve.
’
He pulled out Chapman
’
s scalpel and threw it on the sand; it landed with a soft thump.
‘
Here, you can have
your little toy back. You never know, it might come in handy for gathering
food, building a shelter, even, perhaps, for self-protection. I mean, you never
know what you might find lurking round here.
’

Fear flashed in Chapman
’
s eyes.
‘
W-when am I?
’

Uncle Percy stared at him with disdain.
‘
A time when you can
never hurt anyone, ever again.
’
He inputted something into his Portravella.
‘
Becky, shall we
depart?
’

Becky nodded.
‘
Absolutely.
’

Uncle Percy held Becky
’
s hand as twisting branches of light enfolded them.
‘
Any last words for Mr
Chapman, Becky?
’

Becky grinned.
‘
Say hello to Harold for me, will you?
’

Chapter 33

The Maritime Mausoleum

Becky and Uncle Percy reappeared on Mary Island to be greeted by a
mass of dumbstruck stares and gaping mouths. The crew were still evidently
struggling with the idea of people disappearing and reappearing at will. Becky
’
s gaze shifted
downwards to see the Associates huddled in a circle on the ground, bruised and
bleeding, hands bound, defeated. Scowling, Doublehook was pinned to a rubber
tree, his hooks driven firmly into its trunk. Then, from the side, she saw
someone step nervously towards her.

‘
You
’
re okay?
’
Joe asked as if he
couldn
’
t
quite believe his own words.

Becky saw Joe
’
s eyes were puffy and red, his face colourless.

‘
Course,
’
Becky said.
‘
Have you been
blarting?
’

‘
No.
’
Joe mopped his eyes.
‘
But shoot me if I was
getting a bit worried about you. I mean, you were abducted by Jack the Ripper.
’

‘
No biggie,
’
Becky replied with a
grin.

Joe
’
s grinned back.
‘
So what happened? Where is he?
’

‘
Right about now, I
reckon he
’
s
having lunch with Harold in Jurassic London. Better still, he might be lunch.
’

Joe looked impressed.
‘
You fed him to a Megalosaurus? Excellent.
’

‘
Not exactly,
’
Becky replied.
‘
But hopefully it won
’
t be too long
before
 
-
’
Suddenly, an explosion of light erupted behind
Joe
’
s
shoulder, replaced by a loud
popping
sound. Panic rushed through her.
Pandora
’
s Box had gone.
Fortunately, Will
’
s voice calmed her at once.

‘
Worry not, miss, your
uncle has left to assist Bruce, to lay his friend to rest, and take Pandora
’
s Box to -
’

Before he finished the sentence, a loud
crack
heralded Uncle
Percy
’
s
return. Clean-shaven and grinning from ear to ear, he was wearing a cream linen
jacket, white shirt and tie, combat shorts, leather sandals and was holding
three large black bags.

‘
Phew, haven
’
t I been busy?
’
Uncle Percy said.
‘
Reg has finally been
reunited with Mabel, and I am delighted to say that Bruce is alive and well. He
did lose a bit of blood, but he
’
s had treatment and is now recuperating nicely in the most wonderful
hospital in Bristol, and
–
’
His smile morphed
into a chuckle, which soon became a laugh.
‘
Well, you wouldn
’
t believe it … it
’
s so precious, it really is.
’
Then he turned to the
pirates and did a strange thing: he bowed deeply and said,
‘
Bravo, Gentlemen.
Bravo!
’

Everyone looked at him as though he
’
d lost his mind.

‘
What
’
re ye speakin
’
about, Halifax?
’
One Toe Tom asked,
confused.

‘
Have yer been on the
grog, son?
’
Will Turnip asked.

‘
Actually, no, Will,
’
Uncle Percy said.
‘
I
’
m just in a strange
mood.
’

‘
So where
’
s Pandora
’
s Box now?
’
Joe asked
impatiently.

Uncle Percy composed himself.
‘
I
’
ll show you soon, Joe. Meanwhile, I
’
ve brought some clothes for each of you so you
might want to change for our return trip to the twenty first century.
’
He threw a bag to Becky,
Joe and finally Will, and the three of them left to get changed, returning a
short while later to find that Uncle Percy had summoned Beryl. Then he
approached Blind Hugh.

‘
Hugh, what can I say?
Thank you and your shipmates so much, for everything. Your rescue was
 
- well, it was timed to perfection. I really
don
’
t know
what we
’
d
have done without you all.
’

‘
Aye…
’
Blind Hugh gave a
toothless smile. “I
‘
ave ter say I wish I could
’
ve seen it with me own eyes, but I
’
m guessin
’
me buckos did me
proud.
’

‘
They certainly did,
’
Uncle Percy replied,
before turning to the crew.
‘
And, as I promised, you are now all exceedingly rich men.
’
He gestured to the
tunnel entrance.
‘
If you take that path into a sea cave, you
’
ll find a second
tunnel. In there, you
’
ll find three caves overflowing with more wealth than any man could
spend in a hundred lifetimes. There
’
s also a ship moored down there, The Winchester Man, that would
certainly benefit from a new crew.
’

Celebratory shouts rang out, as the pirates jumped up and down,
danced jigs, hooted loudly, and then broke into a loud, vigorous rendition of
‘
The grand Black Head.
’
Amidst the jubilant
faces, there were two that weren
’
t smiling: Blind Hugh and Jim.

Uncle Percy placed his hand on Blind Hugh
’
s shoulder.
‘
I
’
m assuming that now
you
’
re all
rich men, you
’
ll want Jim to stay with you?
’

‘
Then ye assume wrong,
Mr Halifax,
’
Blind Hugh replied sadly, his voice shaking.
‘
Jim is too good fer
this life, and the richer we be, the more chance they
’
ll be scallywags
wantin
’
a
slice of it. Jim, as a rich gentleman, is in more danger than he is as a humble
powder monkey. No, Mr Halifax, we still be requirin
’
that you take the
boy. Take the boy and show him a proper, decent life.
’

Jim tried desperately to hold back the tears.
‘
But Mr Livesy -
’

Blind Hugh knelt down, his fingers gently stroking Jim
’
s cheek.
‘
I
’
m sorry, Boy. But
surely yer must understand … me and the rest o
’
these salts will be dead soon enough. And who
’
ll protect ye then
from the bilge rats that
’
d slit yer throat for a single doubloon, never mind a fortune. We
’
re doin
’
this because we love
ya, boy… I love ya… I love ya with every beat of me old heart…
’

Uncle Percy gave a strange smile.
‘
I respect what you
’
re saying, Hugh.
However, I don
’
t think it
’
s fair on Jim if -
’

‘
Hang right there,
’
Blind Hugh cut in
angrily.
‘
We
had a deal, Mr Halifax. If yer about ter tell me that
–
’

‘
If you
’
d let me finish,
’
Uncle Percy said
simply.
‘
I
was going to say that I don
’
t think it
’
s fair for Jim to make the journey alone. I
’
d like you to come,
too. I
’
ve
already set up lodgings for you both at a wonderful house with a splendid lady,
a place I know that Jim can grow up well loved, well educated and comfortable
for the rest of his days.
’

Blind Hugh
’
s lip trembled.
‘
I can come, too? I get ter go ter the future?
’

‘
A hundred and thirty
eight years into the future. What do you say?
’

Blind Hugh
’
s face exploded with joy.
‘
Yes, sir… a thousand times, yes…
’

‘
Good,
’
Uncle Percy replied.
He leaned towards Becky and Joe and lowered his voice so only they could hear.
‘
To be quite honest, I
knew he
’
d
say that.
’

Blind Hugh was too thrilled to notice. He turned to the other
pirates and roared,
‘
I
’
ll be voyagin
’
to the future, me boys. The ultimate voyage!
’
Then he wrenched Jim
close, and the two of them remained locked in each other
’
s arms for an age,
beaming, as loud, boisterous cheers surrounded them.

Becky, Joe, Uncle Percy and Will watched as Blind Hugh and Jim were
inundated with messages of luck and support as the crew bade their farewells.

‘
So what will happen to
them?
’
Becky asked, looking at Blind Hugh and Jim.

‘
They
’
re going to live at 16
Heriot Row, Edinburgh, in 1857, with a lady called Hilary Chambers, the widow
of a time traveller friend of mine. She moved there after her husband died. The
thing is, she and her late-husband, Arthur, always wanted children but couldn
’
t have them. She was
delighted when I told her about our situation and insisted that Hugh and Jim
come live with her…
’

A short while later, a very nervous Blind Hugh and Jim trailed Becky
and Joe into the time machine. Will sat with Uncle Percy up front. Becky
watched as Blind Hugh
’
s fingers probed every inch of the taxi
’
s interior, his face
igniting with child-like wonder at the new materials, textures and smells in
his reach. She thought he already looked ten years younger.

Uncle Percy rolled down Beryl
’
s window.
‘
Oh, and one last thing, gentlemen, after you
’
ve collected the
treasure, would you be so kind as to go to that cabin over there?
’
He pointed in the direction
of Blackbeard
’
s Hut.
‘
There
’
s a little parrot with a penchant for rum that would make a fine
mascot for your next ship.
’

Short Jack Copper chuckled.
‘
Consider it done, matey. I
’
ve always wanted a
parrot for me shoulder.
’

Uncle Percy smiled, and inputted the new coordinates into the time
panel. Jim
’
s hand tightened anxiously around Blind Hugh
’
s. Then the time
machine shuddered slightly, as streams of blue and white light spilled from the
dashboard.

‘
Tell me what it looks
like, Boy,
’
Blind Hugh said to Jim.

Jim watched spellbound as the light twirled and looped before his
very eyes.
‘
It be like shooting stars, Mr Livesy, sir,
’
Jim panted.
‘
It be like flying
through a night sky filled with shooting stars.
’