Attack on the High Seas! by Brian James

Chapter 1
    Gruesome Grub!
    â€œShiver me timbers! What’s that smell?” I asked Gary as we walked into the mess hall. I pinched my nose as tight as I could.
    I’ve lived on pirate ships like the Sea Rat my whole life, so I’m used to stinky smells. But the stink that I smelled coming from the kitchen was worse than any other.
    Gary wiped the sniffles from his nose and took a big sniff.
    Then he sneezed!
    Gary was my best bunkmate at Pirate School. He had come to the Sea Rat from another ship to learn how to be a pirate, just like me and the rest of our friends.
    â€œI can’t smell anything,” Gary said. He was still stuffed up from a cold he caught in the last storm. We were the ship’s lookouts, and we got soaked. Then Gary got sickish.
    â€œThen ye be the luckiest matey aboard,” I told him.
    I looked around the mess hall. The place was filled with some of the rowdiest pirates the seas had ever known. Some had big scars across their faces and others wore eye patches to make them look scary. But they didn’t scare Gary or me. That’s because those pirates were our shipmates. And shipmates aren’t allowed to scare other shipmates—that’s a pirate rule.
    I saw Inna right away. She was easy to spot. That’s because Inna was the only pirate wearing a pretty dress. She’s also the only pirate I know who brushes her hair. But instead of wearing her bandana around her head, Inna had it tied around her mouth and nose. I guess she was trying to block the smell, too.
    â€œAhoy!” I said. Then I asked her what stunk so bad.
    Inna lifted the corner of her bandana and stuck out her tongue. “Breakfast!” she said, and pointed toward the kitchen.
    I saw our friends Aaron and Vicky standing at the stove. They were both wearing matching aprons. They’re twins, so they always wear matching things. And they look alike, too. They have the same dark eyes and same black hair. Only Vicky has long hair and Aaron has short hair.
    â€œAhoy, Pete!” Vicky said when she saw me.
    â€œAhoy right back,” I said.
    Aaron was tossing something slimy into a giant pot while Vicky stirred. Neither of them seemed to mind the terrible smell.
    â€œArrr! What in the name of the seven seas are you guys doing?” I asked.
    â€œCooking!” Vicky said with a smile.
    â€œAye? Are you sure you’re doing it right?” I asked.
    â€œAye!” Aaron answered. “It’s an old family recipe—sea slug cereal. It’s our favorite food. Captain Stinky Beard said we could make it because we saved the ship in the storm.”
    I looked around and saw the other pirates eating bread and jam. I loved bread and jam! “Arrr, but what about them?” I asked.
    Vicky said it was a special treat just for us pirate kids. Then she dipped the spoon into the pot and took it out. I saw a slug on the spoon and felt a little greenish.
    Vicky took a little taste and rubbed her tummy. “Mmm-mmm! It’s ready! You’re just in time.”
    â€œI am?” I asked, wrinkling up my nose. I was beginning to wish I’d been late.
    â€œAye! Grab a bowl and get some grub,” Vicky said.
    I took a bowl and brought it over. Vicky scooped out some cereal and plopped it in. I did my best not to show that I was grossed out.
    â€œSay when,” Vicky said.
    â€œWhen!” I said right away.
    â€œAvast! That’s all?” Aaron said when he saw how little I’d taken. “I’m going to gobble up five times that much!”
    â€œDon’t be such a greedy guts!” Vicky shouted at him.
    â€œArrr. That’s okay,” I said. “Ye cooked it, you should take as much as you want.”
    â€œAye, it’s only fair!” Inna said, holding her hand over her bowl after Vicky put the tiniest of tiny scoops in it. Then Vicky asked her why she was wearing her bandana like a scarf.
    â€œUm . . . germs,” Inna said,