The Curse of Snake Island by Brian James Page A

warned.
    â€œArrr! I can do it easy,” Aaron told her. “In fact, I could do it blindfolded,” he added.
    â€œCould not!” Vicky shouted.
    â€œCould too!” Aaron shouted back.
    â€œProve it, then!” Vicky said.
    â€œFine! I will!” he said.
    I shook my head. Aaron was always showing off.
    Aaron marched over to the tank and climbed up the side.
    â€œInna, can I borrow your bandana to use as a blindfold?” he asked.
    â€œNo way!” Inna shouted. Then she covered it with both hands. “I’m not letting you get fish guts on my pretty bandana.”
    â€œI won’t. I promise,” Aaron begged.
    â€œYou absolutely promise?” she asked.
    Vicky grabbed the blindfold out of Inna’s hands before Aaron had a chance to answer. “Enough stalling!” Vicky said, handing the bandana to her brother.
    Aaron tied the blindfold over his eyes.
    â€œThis looks like a bad idea,” Gary said.
    â€œBlimey! You think everything’s a bad idea!” Vicky snapped.
    â€œNot everything,” he said. “Just the ideas that can get us into trouble.”
    â€œWe won’t get in trouble, because I’m not going to fall!” Aaron shouted as he got ready to take his first step.
    â€œBe careful!” I warned. “The first step is the slipperiest!”
    Sure enough, Aaron slipped as soon as he stepped on the board. Inna covered her eyes. She didn’t want to see her bandana get ruined.
    But Aaron waved his arms around and caught his balance. “See . . .”
    Just then a big hand came down on Aaron’s shoulder.
    â€œUh-oh,” I mumbled.
    It was Rotten Tooth!
    Rotten Tooth was the meanest, ugliestlooking pirate on the ship! His hair was green and looked like seaweed. His beard was parted in the middle and pointed out like two furry tusks. And then there were his teeth! They were just as green as his hair and sharper than a shark’s.
    â€œARRRRR!” Rotten Tooth growled.
    Aaron was so startled that he lost his balance. His feet slipped out from under him and he slid right into Rotten Tooth.
    CRASH!
    They fell into the tank in one stinky second!
    â€œWe’re in really big serious trouble now,” Gary said.
    When Rotten Tooth poked his head up, I thought I could see steam coming out of his ears.

    He lifted Aaron up in the air and put him on the deck. Aaron was dripping with gross, yucky gook.
    We all held our noses. Then Rotten Tooth climbed out. He smelled even more rotten than usual.
    â€œWe’re sorry,” I mumbled. “It was a test to show you that we’re ready to be pirates.”
    â€œAYE! AND YOU ALL FAILED!” Rotten Tooth shouted.
    â€œWe didn’t mean to cause any trouble,” Inna whispered.
    â€œQUIET!” Rotten Tooth roared. “One more word and I toss you all overboard! I’ve heard enough from you pollywogs today.”
    He wiped the muck off his face. Then he told us to follow him. “Arrr! I’m putting you somewhere where the punishment will fit the crime.”
    As he led us below deck, we ran into Captain Stinky Beard.
    â€œAhoy! Taking the little shipmates below deck for a lesson?” he asked Rotten Tooth.
    â€œAye! I’m going to teach them a lesson all right,” he said.
    I had a terrible sinking feeling in my stomach—and it wasn’t just because of the stink coming from Aaron as he walked in front of me.

Chapter 2
    Here a Mess, There a Mess
    â€œScrub! Scrub! Scrub!” Aaron mumbled as he knelt on the kitchen floor. “This stinks !”
    â€œI think it’s you that stinks,” Vicky said, holding her nose with one hand and scrubbing the floor with her other hand.
    Aaron made a face at her. Then he sniffed. He really did stink!
    â€œI could’ve made it,” he said. “If Rotten Tooth hadn’t shown up and startled me, I mean.”
    Inna poked her head out from behind the stack of messy dishes that