He was lying on the deck, and Captain Blackheart was leaning right over him. “Welcome to The Pirate School, young man,” he boomed. “I hope you like excitement young man, because from now on, you’re going to have plenty of it!”

“Excitement is just what I love most ,” said Jack, and then he felt a

tiny bit frightened. “But I think I was meant to be at sailing school, not pirate school.”

“Sailing school?” roared Captain Blackheart.

And then roared with laughter.

“Did you hear that my hearties…”

He looked around the deck. And Jack looked around as well, and all across the deck, he could see about twenty pirates. And they were the worst, most desperate looking ruffians he had ever seen. They wore striped vests, and old shoes, and they had dirt all over their faces and hands.

And as soon as Captain Blackheart laughed, they all laughed as well.

“Sailing school, you say,” said Captain Blackheart. “Well we’ll teach you all you need to know right here, won’t we lads.”

And all the pirates laughed even louder.

“Our men can unfurl the rigging with one hand, cut a man down with their cutlass with the other, and fire a broadside of cannon right into the black, cruel hearts of the enemy with their big toe. Isn’t that better than any sailing school…”

“Yes, er, I suppose so,” said Jack.

“Because sailing school is for girls…”

“I wouldn’t want that,” said Jack. “I’d much rather learn how to be a pirate.”

“Then let’s begin, m’lad,” said Captain Blackheart. “And we’ll make a pirate of you before the day is done, that we will.”

And then he picked Jack up with both hands, and hurled him across the open deck of the ship. “Get your self kitted out…”

Jack went hurtling across the deck, then fell down the stairs, and went tumbling, tumbling, tumbling, until he was lying flat out on the deck of the downstairs deck.

“Ouch,” said Jack. “That hurts.”

A boy was standing right next to him. He looked about nine to Jack, and he was dressed in old rags, and his face was covered in dirt.

“Hurt, did it,” said the boy.

“It did a bit,” said Jack, climbing to his feet.

Just then, the boy clipped him around the head, and Jack fell over again.

“Ouch,” said Jack.

“I hope you’re not a sissy,” said the boy, reaching down to help Jack up. “Because we’ve no room for sissies, not on Captain Blackheart’s ship.”

“No, no,” said Jack. “I’m as tough..as tough as…well, the toughest thing you can think of.”

“That’s alright then.” The boy put out a hand. “My name’s Ben. I’m the cabin boy around here.”

He looked Jack up and down. “You can’t wear that stuff,” he said. “We’ll get you some proper clothes.”

And Ben walked across to a big chest. He pushed aside a snake that just happened to be sitting on top of it, and pushed it open. “Here, take your pick,” he said.

Inside the chest there was a collection of the dirtiest, oil-est, meanest looking rags you had ever seen. Jack pulled out an old battered pair of trousers, and a stripped vest, and pulled them on. Then he messed up his hair a bit, and spread some grime across his face.

It was just the sort of thing that made his mum really cross.

I’m going to enjoy being a pirate, he thought to himself.

There’s just one thing, he thought. I better tell mum and dad I’m not at the sailing school.

So he walked up onto the deck, until he saw Captain Blackheart.

He was standing at the wheel of the ship, with the parrot at his shoulder.

“Ah, Jack, me lad, you look like a regular ruffian,” said Captain Blackheart.

“Thanks, sir,” he said. “But I just wanted to tell my mum and dad I’m at pirate school, not sailing school.”

And suddenly Captain Blackheart looked very cross.

And the whole ship went silent, so that all Jack could hear was the rustling of the wind through the sails.

All the pirates were edging close to towards him, until Jack was completely surrounded.

“We don’t tell parents that anyone is at pirate school,” he said, in a voice so menacing it sent a shiver down Jack’s spine.

And then he roared with laughter.

And all the pirates laughed with him.

Even Ben was laughing.

“Because you’re a prisoner!” roared Captain Blackheart.

“A prisoner,” said Jack. “Oh….”

“Your not scared are you, Jack,” said Captain Blackheart.

“Me, scared,” said Jack, just a little nervously. “Nahhhhh….”

Download the audio of Jack and the Pirate School 2 (right click, save as)