Houglas & Douglas and the Pirates Treasure Chest!
Houglas & Douglas loved the beach! It was one of their favouritest places to
be in the whole wide world. They loved the sound of the sea lapping against
the shore. They loved the sounds of the Seagulls talking to each other in
the sky and they loved the sand. They especially loved building sandcastles,
which is what they were doing today.
Infact, they had built the biggest sandcastle that anyone had ever seen. It
was so big, that they were able to live in it!
“We need a moat!” Houglas exclaimed one morning.
“A moat?” Douglas asked.
“Yes. All castles have moats that go all the way round the castle filled with
water. Come on, let’s dig one.” With that, they both picked up their spades
and started to dig.
There was a large ‘Clunk’ sound.
“What was that?” Douglas asked.
“I don’t know,” Houglas replied. He got on all fours and started digging away
at the sand with his hands. Houglas felt something hard in the sand and
pulled at it. It was quite heavy and Houglas was unable to move it. Douglas
dashed over to help him. They both pulled with all their might and ‘POP!’ out
it came. It was a Pirates Treasure Chest!
“Treasure!” Douglas shrieked.
“Ssh!” Houglas warned, looking around them. “We don’t know who might hear.”
They dragged the treasure chest back to the safety of their castle and
opened it. It was full of gold coins, diamonds, rubies and pearls.
“We’re rich!” Douglas shrieked again, skipping on the spot.
“Be quiet!” Houglas warned again.
There was a note in the treasure chest. It was written on an old bit of
paper.
“What does it say?” Douglas asked.
Houglas read it: “This is the treasure of Pirate Catbeard. He who opens it
will be found and will be punished.” Houglas looked up at Douglas with a
concerned and confused expression on his face. “Who’s Pirate Catbeard?”
“Pirate Catbeard is the most feared Pirate on these lands.” Douglas cried.
“How will he know that we have the chest?” Houglas asked. Before Douglas
could say anything, there was a large noise like a foghorn. Houglas & Douglas
rushed out of the castle and looked out to sea where they could see a large
Pirate ship emerging from the mist.
“It’s…it’s…Catbeard!” Douglas screeched.
“What do we do?” Houglas asked.
“Hide!” Douglas dragged the treasure chest back out to the hole where they
dug it up from and buried it again. “Quick! To the caves!”
They ran into the cold, wet caves. They couldn’t see the water from here,
but they knew they would be well hidden.
“How will they know we had the treasure if it’s been buried again?” Houglas
asked.
“The feared Pirate Catbeard has a way of knowing everything about his
treasure. When he buried it, he placed a spell on the treasure that will tell
him the location of the people that found it!”
Houglas stared back at Douglas in terror. “Then we’re not safe here.”
“Oh! You’re right.” They both jumped up and were about to leave the cave
when they heard a noise.
CLOMP! CLOMP! CLOMP!
“What’s that?” Houglas asked.
“It’s Catbeard!” Douglas replied.
The noise became louder. CLOMP! CLOMP! CLOMP! Darkness filled the cave
and Pirate Catbeard was stood in the entrance.
“Who be here?” Catbeard asked in a loud, booming pirate voice.
“Nobody,” Douglas whimpered back.
“Well, there must be someone here. You just answered my question!”
“Oh yes,” Douglas replied. “Whoops!”
“Bring them out here!” he called. Pirate Catbeard’s crew grabbed Houglas &
Douglas and dragged them out of the cave. Outside they could see Pirate
Catbeard in all his glory. He had a large, blue-ish coloured beard, a large hat
on his head and a peg leg.
Douglas pointed to the leg. “That’s what was making that CLOMPING noise!”
“Silence!” Catbeard roared. “Take them to the ship.”
Houglas & Douglas were tied up and forced onto the ship.
“What are you going to do with us?” Houglas asked.
“I am going to teach you a lesson!” Catbeard replied. “You will soon see why I
am the most feared Pirate in all the land.”
Houglas & Douglas both gulped.
“Are you going to tell us off?” Douglas asked.
“Far worse than that! You are both going to walk the plank.”
“The plank?!” Houglas squealed.
“Yes. The plank!”
“Oh no!” Douglas cried. “Not the plank!”
“Yes. The plank!” Catbeard replied. “I’ve already told you twice!”
One of Catbeard’s crew pulled a sword out and pointed it towards Houglas &
Douglas forcing them to the edge of the ship and then along the plank.
“Do you know why you are walking the plank?” Catbeard asked.
“You told us to!” Douglas replied.
“But why have I told you to?” Catbeard responded.
“Erm…err…” Douglas thought.
“Because we opened your treasure?” Houglas answered.
“That’s right. You opened my treasure!” Catbeard roared. “And why is that
wrong?”
“Because it’s yours and not ours?” Houglas replied.
“Correct!” Catbeard cheered.
Houglas & Douglas were right on the edge of the plank and could see into the
deep blue water beneath them.
“So, what have you learnt today?” Catbeard asked.
“To always ensure that we’re wearing swimming trunks.” Douglas answered.
“No, you fool!” Catbeard shouted.
“We’ve learnt that we shouldn’t take something if it doesn’t belong to us.”
Houglas answered.
“Well done!” Catbeard cried.
Houglas & Douglas were now teetering on the edge of the plank. The plank
was now very wibbly. They knew that they would be in the water any minute
now.
“Bring them back!” Catbeard called. One of Catbeard’s crew members guided
Houglas & Douglas back onto the safety of the ship and untied them.
“What are you doing?” Douglas asked.
“I always like to dive in first!” Catbeard laughed. He removed his hat and his
peg leg, which hid a perfectly good leg underneath, and removed his big coat
to reveal his swimming costume underneath. He ran onto the plank, jumped
off the edge and dived into the water. Soon, the rest of his crew stripped
down to their swimming trunks and dove into the water too.
“Come on in! The water’s lovely!” Catbeard called. Houglas & Douglas looked
at each other and smiled. They held hands and both ran and jumped into the
water.
They spent the rest of the afternoon swimming in the sea with Pirate
Catbeard and his crew before they all enjoyed an ice-cream.
Soon, it was time for Catbeard to go. Houglas & Douglas stood by the
water’s edge waving the ship off as it sailed into the sunset. They had been
very scared by Pirate Catbeard and his crew today, but had learnt a valuable
lesson and in doing so, had made a new friend.
THE END