The Hotel Under the Sand by Kage Baker Page A

do when the Storm of the Equinox comes again?”
    Masterman turned pale at that, and looked so small and frightened she felt sorry for him. “But I’m not very good at sharing,” he said, and started to cry.
    “Don’t worry,” said Emma, patting him on the shoulder. “We’ll teach you.”
    “Look here,” said Captain Doubloon in a whisper. “Why don’t we get on with hunting for me treasure?”
    Unfortunately, sailors don’t know how to whisper very well, so everyone heard him. “Oh, oh, you’re taking away my treasure too—” sobbed Masterman. “And me a poor little mite at the mercy of wicked uncles and lawyers!”
    “Now, Master Masterman, just you cheer up,” said Winston. “You’ll feel much better about everything once you’ve had a hot meal. Look, here’s Mrs. Beet with your soup and toast, and the toast looks ever so crispy!”
    “I’m going for a bit of a walk,” muttered Captain Doubloon, as Mrs. Beet came into the Lobby bearing a laden tray. He stumped away down the corridor, and Emma followed him.
    “Good thing the brat didn’t land in the sea, square in a school of sharks,” he said.
    “Awk! Walk the plank!” said the parrot. “Splash! Glub glub glub!”
    “He would probably talk them into biting each other,” said Emma.
    “That’s true,” said Captain Doubloon, and gave a surly laugh. “Well, maybe a smooth talker will come in handy, if we’re going to run a fine hotel. But don’t you let him talk
you
out of your share, dearie.”

    After Captain Doubloon had walked off his temper, they went back to the Lobby. Masterman was very meek and quiet the rest of the afternoon, and said very nice things about Mrs. Beet’s cooking when she served them all dinner.
    Then they put him to bed in the Master Suite, and though the bedroom there was just as cold and frightening-looking as the office had been, he snuggled down happily in the enormous bed. He curled up like a kitten and went to sleep at once.
    Emma went to bed in what she had now decided was definitely
her
room. Captain Doubloon and Mrs. Beet stayed up very late, talking together in the Bar. And faithful Winston went marching back and forth all night between the two children’s rooms, to be certain they were safe.

14
T HE S ILVER K EY
    W HEN E MMA GOT up the next morning, she looked out all the windows in the turret room to see if there were any new pirate ships anchored offshore, or any other strange aircraft about to crash into the hotel. But she couldn’t see any, and Mifficent the doll (for Emma had given her a name) smiled but said nothing.
    Masterman came down to breakfast early and surprised everyone. He had seemed like the sort of person who would sleep late. He had not put the military academy uniform back on. Instead he had gone into Mr. Wenlocke’s wardrobe, and put on one of his black suits. He had to roll up the cuffs of the long trousers, and the sleeves of the swallowtail coat and shirt, and the scarlet silk waistcoat came down almost to his knees. He looked like a stage magician who had shrunk himself, but he was very proud.
    “I’ll never wear that uniform again,” he announced. “It may be that this is a little big for me, but I’m sure Mrs. Beet can fix it.”
    Mrs. Beet stopped in the act of serving kippers to Captain Doubloon. Her eye blinked in a nervous kind of way. “Fix your clothes? Oh, dear, Master Masterman, I’m only a Cook! I was never very good at sewing!”
    “I can’t sew either,” said Emma calmly, sprinkling sugar on her oatmeal.
    “But who’s going to tailor for me?” said Masterman, pouting.
    “I’m sorry to say I only know how to sew on buttons, Master Masterman,” said Winston. He looked hopefully at Captain Doubloon. “But I do believe all sailors know how to sew. Am I correct, Captain?”
    “Aye, matey, you are,” said Captain Doubloon, grinning in a way that was not really very nice. “And if his little lordship is a good boy, why, I’ll take a hitch in his