Chapter 2

Kim sat down on a barrel and started daydreaming of what she coud do whit all the treasure she and James woud find. She gazed out into the sky and as such didn't see Ron who had climbed up from his position beneath the Gorine's bowsprit. He looked around to see if the coast was clear. Smiling slightly he snuck up behind Kim and---quick as darting gull---nabbed the map. Kim spotted this however, and reacted instinctively. She jumped to her feet and blocked the way of the young pirate before her. "And, good sir, where do you think you're going to?" she challenged.

Ron decided to toy with the girl. "HA! Why I'll be off with this secret map o' yours, girl, that's where! Now Cap'n Drakken's going to be right happy with me, so he will!"

Kim was shocked---of course!---with that news. "Captain Drakken, eh? Why, who are you?" Kim replied, confused and mortified that this young man wants her map!

Ron puffed up his chest in pride. "The name's Ron, Miss," Ron said. "I be one of Cap'n Drakken's crew, so I am...aye, and I' also the world's youngest pirate."

"Is that a fact?" Kim questioned, more to stall than anything. After all, she was angry at both herself as well as this pirate boy who seemed so proud of his achievement and himself, apparently. "If you were to ask me, you'd be the worlds youngest fool! Now, give me back that map…right this very minute!"

Ron smiled, then chuckled at the slender, fiery girl and her ludicrous demand. "Fool, eh? Well, if you want your map back, why then…come get take it from me!" he teased.

Kim was exasperated, and being naïve, dashed in at Ron, trying to snatch the map from his hands. However, she was no match for the nimble Ron, dressed in a dress to boot, who merely stepped aside and tripped the poor girl, who fell headlong to the deck in a heap.

"Fool girl," Ron taunted nastily, and snorted distainfully at her rather pathetic attempt to retrieve her property. "Did you really think that a wee girl like yourself could try to outwit one of Captain Drakken's men?" He looked down at Kim, sprawled on the deck, and began laughing triumphantly. However, instead of crowing his victory, Ron should of took to his heels. But, he was young and he was arrogant…common enough traits in the young.

As if almost right on cue then, Kim's Mother, Aunt Katherine appeared, coming up the Gorine's gangplank. The strong willed yet slender Katherine spotted the gloating Ron and her poor daugther sprawled upon the deck. "Here now, what's going on here?" she demanded.

Ron, being the young fool he was, smiled haughtily at her, and began to brag. "Nothing for you to worry about, woman. "Just a wee celebration, the pirate's way, love," he assured her, bowing deeply to the lovely Katherine. However, he wasn't paying attention to the apparently not at all vanquished Kim, who spotted her and James' map in the idiot boy's outstretched hand.

Kim wasted no time, and exploded up to her feet to snatch the map from his fingers, then dashed behind the more formidable Aunt Katherine. "Ha! Who's map is it now, Pirate Boy?" Kim scolded him from her new position of safety.

Ron went red, embarrassed to be outwitted by a mere landlubber, and a girl to boot! He clenched his fists and advanced on the two ladies, intent to reclaim the all-important map! "Hey give me that back, wench!" Ron roared.

However, Ron's luck turned from bad…to worse, as James returned to his beloved ship. James, who had donned the white frilly apron over his usual clothes, held a broom in his hands. "Well, Katherine…I've finished sweeping out your p---eh, what have we here?" James began, only to be brought up short by peals of raucous laughter from Ron.

Ron was laughing so hard at the sight of the old salt in a frilly apron, that he was doubled over, hold his stomach with both hands.

James sniffed at the howling lad, then ignored him.

Ron couldn't let it go. He wiped his eyes, still laughing, then cleared his throat, and in his most manly of voices, he declared, "Like I was saying before, Katherine…I've finished sweeping out the floor in your pub, like you've asked me to." Ron then switched over to a falsetto to play Katherine next. "What an addorable lace apron you're wearing, my husband!" he said, then began hooting with laughter again.

James' face---as it was apt to when he was being mocked---went beet red. "Laugh at me will you, you little pirate wretch?" James thundered, advancing rapidly on the still howling Ron. "Pray, stand still just a mite longer, and I'll manage to smack that laugh right off of yer face…and teach you some manners in the meanwhile, so I shall!"

Ron, seeing a most wrathful James hot after him, chose to run away, leaping over the Gorine's rail to land on the pier, intent on heading back toward his ship.

As he dashed away, he turned and shook his fist at the three, giving them his warning. "Just you wait!" he exclaimed. "When Cap'n Drakken hears about that treasure o' yours, why then you'll regret you ever heard of him!" Ron laughed again, then ran off.

Aunt Katherine had gone pale. "Captain Drakken? James, that pirate wretch is not the type to be bandied about with. Oh no, no…this is the worst thing that could ever of happened to us all!" Katherine wrung her hands miserably, even as James did his best to comfort the distraught woman.

Kim, however, wasn't scared at all…being made of far sterner stuff than her charming mother. She was however more than a little disappointed with the fact that now that the pirates would learn of her and James treasure, they could come back and take it all away. "So…what are we going to do now, James?" she demanded. "After that loud-mouthed idiot boy traipses back and informs Captain Drakken, why he'll know all about our map, and how it once that belonged to Gabriel the Horrible. And, how the treasure can be found here in Middle Cove!"

Aunt Katherine, some color coming back to her cheeks, turned to James, more than a little afraid. "We have a problem. A very big problem indeed," she deduced. Kim just snorted at her restating the obvious.

James untied and removed his apron, thought a moment, then spoke. "Aye, Katherine, that we do. And, we need to find a solution to that problem…and fast!" James told them both.

Katherine stated her opinion quickly. "Why, James…I'd rather be poor as a churchmouse than to fall into the hands of the perilous Captain Drakken. And, that's a fact!" she assured him, hugging herself in her fear.

James gently took the map from Kim's brave hands. "Now now, Katherine…don't your fret none yet," he told her in a commanding voice. We'll have to sleep on it tonight, and decide our actions for tomorrow." James patted Katherine's hand comfortingly, then nodded over at Kim, who smiled with determination back at the seasoned sailor. "I'll be keeping this treasure map well hid---beneath my own pillow, so I shall!---and, I warrant that not even Captain Drakken will be able to manage to steal it away from us this night."

Katherine---understandably so!---was still a bit worried. "But, James…who can manage to sleep now? After all that's happened?" she fretted, wringing her hands.

James, however, was tired, and yawned hugely just then. He then turned to Kim and Katherine to conclude this conversation. "Aye, trust me, ladies…somehow you'll manage…the both of you. So…that being said, I bid you both a good night. Sleep well, my dears," he bade them both.

Kim just smiled and took the arm of her mother, Katherine. "Good night, James. Sleep well," she returned, then escorted her mother back to the pub that was their home. "James is right, Mom. There really isn't anything more we can do tonight, you know..." Kim soothed.

"You're right, daughter," Katherine replied, still troubled. "But, there is still trouble yet to come. I can feel it."

And as the pub was closed for the evening, and James barred his door to settle in for the evening, night descended upon Middle Cove. James took to his bed, and like the true salt he was, slept well, with his head atop the biggest secret to ever reach the likes of sleepy Middle Cove. In his slumber, James forgot everything about gold, jewels, and hidden treasure. No, James dreamt the sweetest dreams…about fragrant flowers and busy bees, the soothing sounds of the ocean, as well as the haunting sounds of seagulls' cries.

However, as James dreamt his sweet dreams that evening, other schemes were afoot. For, unknown to James the Red, two fearsome pirates had laid plans of their own…plans who's aim it was to lure the precious map from James' possession. Out upon the serene, glass-like surface of the bay, a solitary dingy could be seen. As it neared the shoreline, it could be seen that this dingy held two figures…one of them was the pirate boy, Ron, who was grunting, rowing the boat. Now, the other person aboard was no boy, no indeed. That figure was a man, but also a pirate. This fellow---the other pirate is wearing a yellow t-shirt beneath a vest-like garment he wore over his shirt. The back this vest was all in black, while the front of it was red-and-blue horizontal stripes. This pirate was wearing a red bandada over his head, as well as a black leather patch over his right eye. The man was also wearing red shorts and a pair of black scuffed shoes with rimed over buckles. From the expression on his face, it's rather obvious that he was livid about something. "…I'm telling you, Ron my boy…I ain´t going to continue this pirate life o' mine any more! Working in the middle of the night…just ain't right, so I tell you. Besides, I´m tired of rowing. We've been rowing for twenty miles at least…just so we can swipe us some treasure map from some landlubber! Probably a worthless scrap of parchment, no doubt, I'm tellin' you. All so we can start to searchin' after Gabriel the Horrible's treasure again…and what we most likely won't find, again! Ar, besides that, I still haven't had me midnight snack yet…" he grumbled.

Ron turned to look to the pirate seated before him, still rowing. "Oh, hush you, Jimbo (Okay, okay…so Jim Possible is really a kid in the series. Yeah, but I had to make him older if Ron was the youngest pirate now, didn't I?), you're always complaining. Now me, I think this is all very exciting! Besides, who are you kidding about rowing? You haven't even rowed even a single stroke today… because I'm the one doing all rowing! And, who are you to grouse about not getting a snack? You've had at least three dinners today, you have!" Ron protested.

Jim turned back towards Ron. "Dinner is dinner, boy…not even remotely the same as midnight snack," Jim told him, shaking his head. "And, if anyone's got the right to complain, it'd be me! I've been a pirate for some 250 years now, at least….if not longer! Like I was sayin' before…it's time for me sign off. If Captain Drakken wasn't so bloody tough and scary, I'd of retired long ago."

Ron chuckled at his grousing partner, even as their boat dug into the sandy shores. "Eh, if you ask me, I think it's more Drakken's Shadow that's scaring you, Jimbo," he threw out.

Jim raised an eyebrow at that. "Shego, you mean?" Jim asked. "Why, I could take the likes o' her down a peg, any times I wanted to."

Ron smiled, shaking his head. "Oh yeah, Jimbo…why don't you say that to her face once, if you dare," Ron challenged. "But, until then…be quiet!"

Jim glowered, said nothing, and followed after the eager Ron…at least for a while. But, it wasn't too long before once again Jim started to complain. "Nope, boy…now I can't take it any longer," Jim told him, "this time we had better find Gabriel the Horrible's treasure. Aye, so I can be allowed to take things a bit easier…more serene like, you know."

Ron said nothing as he to a look into James darkened house, but then he turned back toward the always grumbling Jim. "Jimbo…I said hush," he whisper in a growl.

Jim ignored Ron's quiet tirade, turning dreamy-eyed. "Aye, that sure would be something now, would´nt it, Ron my boy? Think about it now…if we had a whole chest full of gold, lad…a whole chest filled with doubloons!" Jim gushed softly…and before Ron knew it, he had to endure yet another bout of Jim's singing about his dreams. Ron grimaced…but listened nonetheless…

Vi vil finne gull

If I had a chest full of loot

(Hvis jeg hadde en kiste full av penger)

Then I wouldn't be a pirate any more

(da ville jeg ikke vært sjørøver lenger)

I would of sailed the ship to land

(Da skulle jeg satt skuta på land)

And turned into a nice and cultured man

(Og blitt en fin og dannet mann)

I woud of laid away my sword and knife

(Jeg skulle ha lagt vekk sabel og kniv)

And started a new and nicer life!

(Og startet ett nytt og snillere liv)

We want to find gold

(Vi vil finne gull)

We want to find gold

(Vi vil finne gull)

Now, is the end of playing around

(Nå er det slutt på tøys og tull)

We want to find gold

(vi vil finne gull)

If I lived in the castle all year around

(Hvis jeg bodde på slottet hele året)

Then, I would walk around with flowers in my hair

(da skulle jeg gått rundt med blomster i håret)

Then I would of charmed women at once

(Da skulle jeg tatt jenter med storm)

with my great wig and uniform

(I flott parykk og uniform)

I shoud of laid away

(Jeg skulle ha lagt vekk)

Sword and pistol

(Sverd og pistol)

And just been good

(og bare vært snill)

And mild as the Sun

(og blid som en sol)

We want to find gold

(Vi vil finne gull)

We want to find gold

(Vi vil finne gull)

Now, is the end of playing around

(Nå er det slutt på tøys og tull)

We want to find gold!

(vi vil finne gull)

Ron smiled over at Jim, shaking his head at the lazy, yet friendly pirate. "Look James lives in that there house over there. And, since it's the middle of the night, he's most probably sleeping."

Jim turned to Ron. "All right, but how are we going to find this map then, eh?"

Ron smiled knowingly over at Jim. "Well, he probably has it somewhere arounds near his bed. That's what most people do when they've got something valuable."

Jim still doesn't quite understand why Ron looked so pleased. "True, but then it will be almost impossible for we both to steal the map without him discoverin' us at it, right?"

Ron shook his head. "Not necessarily, Jim…it ain't impossible," Ron argued. "We just have to lure that old sailor outside is all." Ron put his arm around the doubting Jim then. "Look, it's up to you, Jimbo…he ain't never seen you before, and he don't know you're one of Cap'n Drakken's men."

Jim looked pleased with Ron's praise, and waved Ron to continue.

"And…while you keep ol' Jame occupied outside…why, I'll just sneak on in…" Ron wheedled, stopping to make sure Jim was still following along. When Jim just nodded, Ron, continued his plan. "And, sneak over to the other side…"

Jim nodded again.

Ron continued on, "…and try to find where the map is hid…"

Jim just continued to agree, nodding even more.

Ron then came to the crux of his plan, "Now that when you have to do something for me, Jimbo."

Jim nodded again, but frowned, turning to Ron. "Oh? Like what?"

"Um, er…well…," Ron wheedled, trying his very best to not despair. He thought it over, then grinned. "Okay, mate, here's an idea for you…" Ron leaned over to whisper something into Jim's ear, then handed the lazy pirate a small pouch from his pocket. "Now, go on…like I told you!"

Jim nodded, and headed over to tip toe his way to James' door and knocked.

James started, and could be heard within his home, getting out of his bed yawning and grumbling (mostly to himself), "All right…just who in their right mind would be a-knockin' upon my door in the bloody middle of the blackest night?" After a few minutes, James the Red opened his front door, dressed in his long, white nightgown and stocking cap (you know, like they used to wear back then during the American Revolutionary War, the one with a tuft at its end that dangled down in front of his nose!)

Jim stood up straight, and introduced himself. "Good night, sir. My name is Jim," Jim said.

James nodded just a bit sleepily. "Yeah, good night to you. If you have business for me…come 'round again in the morning," James told him, turning, and beginning to close the door.

"Wait! I--I need your help," Jim said, panicking.

James turn sourly back, moving his door open once more. He then leaned his shoulder into the door, and eyed Jim suspiciously. "My help, you say? Hmm, if you don't provide me with a right good reason for dragging me away from my slumbers, good Jim…why, then I'm going to be right cross with you." There was just a hint of malice in James' voice. He turned again for the door, and was reaching for the handle when Jim finally spoke up.

"Wait! It´s all about my poor old sick mother, sir," Jim pleaded…thinking up this scheme off the cuff.

James pulled his door closed, and turned back. "Your mother? All right…so what´s the matter with the poor woman then?" James asked, sighing at what was starting out to be a very long night.

Jim was very surprised that his ruse even worked, and his mind went temporarily blank a moment. "Huh?" was all the old, one-eyed buccaneer could come up with to say.

James wearily closed his eyes a moment, then very patiently repeated, "I said what's the matter your Mother then?" He yawned, waiting for an answer.

Jim blinked and put his brain into gear again. "Oh! You want to what's wrong with her?" Jim parroted, then launched right into his bit. "Wellm you see she has gotten herself a bad case of the whooping cough…oh, as well as one bad stomach ache, all at once. And, that's pretty serious, that is." He nodded his head a few times sagely.

James turned toward his door again, prepared to go inside. "Yes, those are serious afflictions, so they are. But, why do you come to me with your problem, eh? I'm no doctor," James reasoned, frowning.

Jim quickly---yet politely---dragged James away from the door again. "Well, sir, it's like this, really. I was just getting home from Doctor Billy---you know, the one with not much hair? Yeah, that one!---with a pouch of herbs for my poor sainted mother. Well, as you can see, I don't see very well with me good eye, and not at all with me other," Jim explained, pointing at the end to his black eye patch.

James nodded, heaving a sigh. "Yes, I can see that…with both of my own eyes which work quite well, thank you," James pointed out.

Jim gulped, but continued quickly. "Well, sir, seeing as how I can't see that much at all, you probably won't be surprised to hear when I tripped over a coil of rope on the pier, and…" Jim rambled, coming to a halt, allowing James to figure it out by himself.

"Let me guess," James said, putting two and two together. " You lost your pouch, the one with those herbs for your mother. Right?" James grunt sourly, turning toward the door again.

Jim saw this, and cried out in his most pathetic voice, "Oh, my poor old sick mother!" He then sniffed again and again, wiping at his eyes.

James winced to hear the man's caterwauling, and turned toward him again. "I can't help you. Good night to you," James grunted, and turned toward his door again.

Jim burst out wailing, muttering about how his mother was sure to die without those herbs he'd lost.

James gritted his teeth, then whirled on Jim. "Oh all right! Stop with your whimpering already! I ain't no doctor, mind you…but I got two good eyes. I'll help you find yer bloody herbs. At least that way I can finally get some shut eye." He moved into his house a moment, then returned with a lamp (like the one Draco and Harry used in movie 1 when they got detention in the forest) "So, mate…just where did you say you lost that pouch of yours again?"

Jim smiled and dragged James off. "Oh, twas over here a spell, sir!" he proclaimed, dragging James as far away from the door as he could tactfully manage. "Well, you see…it's gotta be somewhere around here."

James muttered, "somewhere around here," under his breath, but began looking around. He decided to look behind a big chest on the pier, and so leaned over it to look…and promptly fell asleep.

Jim looked to the door, and grinned upon seeing a triumphant Ron wave back at him, the map in his hand. Jim took the 'missing' pouch out of his pocket, and tossed it down on to the deck before turning toward James, who slept draped over the big sea chest. Jim grinned hugely, then decided to wake poor James up…the expeditious way: he smacked him soundly upon the bum!

James yelped, "Yeowch!" and bolted upright, his hands clapped over his smarting posterior.

Jim tried to look as innocent he could, and smiled at the glowering sailor. "Well, sir, I'm thinking I lost it…well, over there…yeah, that's where I think I lost it," he announced.

James grumbled, but went over to where Jim was pointing. He squinted a moment, then spotted the small leather pouch. "Well, look it here," he proclaimed with a grin. "Walk the plank and jump into the ocean." He picked up Jim's missing pouch and returned to where Jim stood smiling. "See here. Here you are your herbs, fellow."

Jim tried his best to appear relieved by James 'find'. "Oh, joy! I don't believe me own luck sometimes! Thank you, sir!"

James yawned again, but smiled. "So now, I hope your mother is soon as healthy as an ox again. Now, can good old James here get back to his dreams in peace?"

Jim smiled, nodding. "Oh, yes…and, thank you very much for helping me find my map…er, merph…he he, I mean my pouch, my pouch of herbs." He shook the pouch a bit, trying to cover up his faux pas about the map.

James shook his head, really too tired to care any more, and re-entered his house.

Ron ran over to Jim, and then both of them dashed back to their boat, all the while Ron hooting, "We made it! Woo hoo!" Now, just as the pirates took their seats down in the boat, they heard a loud bellowing from James' house.

"Noohhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" James came out from his house, holding his hands to his cheeks, and began running about around in circles in his consternation.

Kim and Katherine appeared soon after, both of them dressed in white nightgowns. Katherine, who cared very much for James, asked him in a very sympathetic voice. "Oh, my poor James! Have you got a toothache?" she soothed.

James dropped his hands and looked off in despair a moment before he slowly began to bang his head against the nearest pole.

Kim then tried another tack in trying to fathom what was ailing poor James. "Can´t you sleep?" she asked.

James stamped his bare foot down hard before answering her. "Nah! I´m angry, so very very angry!" he told them both, his face beet red.

Katherine tried to figure out what had happened to anger James so. "Oh, so maybe it was someone stepping on your toes then?" she suggested hastily.

James turned angrily toward the two women. "No! I'm angry because I've let myself be fooled of some blasted pirates!"

Katherine turned pale at that news. "What is it that you're trying to say?" she asked.

"THEY BLOODY STOLE THE TREASURE MAP, WOMAN! AND, RIGTH BENEATH MY OWN NOSE!" James bellowed, his face going red with anger.

Kim frowned in disappointment. "Hmmph! So, it's going to be those puffed up pirates that find our treasure then. Blast it!" Kim groaned.

Katherine was of a much different opinion, breathing out a much relieved sigh. "Oh, thank goodness!" she sighed…up until she saw the angry looks directed at her by the other two. "Well, at least now we don't have to worry about being attacked by that Captain Drakken!"

James shook his head. "Oh no, they won´t! Walk the plank and jump into the ocean! No stupid pirates are going to fool James the Red!" he declared, thumping his fist into his hand loudly. "Luckily for us, I've read that map several times over…so I'm certain of just where the treasure is hidden…I think."

Kim smiled then, feeling much better. "If that's so…then what are we waiting for, James? Let's go get our treasure before the pirates do!" she said in excitement.

Katherine was trying her level best to make James forget his idea of a treasure hunt. "Dear James, have you thought this over then? I don't know about you, but I find it quite unpleasant to be thrown to the sharks by a gang of wild pirates!" she told him.

James just smiled, shaking his head. "Lucky for you, Katherine that your James is far smarter than that beast, Captain Drakken!" he told her, grinning.

Katherine snorted at his cockiness, then said, more to herself than the others, "Oh, is that a fact then, James the Red? Just you remember that it's the smartest person, that watch their mouth," she chided him.

James when over to the chest before his house. "Right. Now, ladies, I am going to find that treasure, and then I am going to switch that sea chest with this one here that's full of old fishing nets and things," James related to them.

Kim fetched a spade from the rack on the side of James' house. "Well, what are we waiting for, James? Let's get to it!" she cried out in her impatience.

Katherine heard this, and had enough of all this treasure nonsense! "Fine! Just fine then. James, there's nothing I can do if you choose to ruin your life. But if you think I'm going to allow my daughter to join you…well then…" she took a big lungful of air, and bellowed, "YOU TWO HAVE GOT GOLDDUST ON YOUR BRAINS! YOU DO NOT WANT TO FOOL AROUND WITH CAPTAIN DRAKKEN! DO YOU HEAR ME?"

James turned towards Kim…well, after he recomposed himself at Aunt Katherine's outburst. "Your Aunt Katherine is right about that, Kim dear. This hunt will be getting dangerous. Therefore, you'll be staying here, while I head off to switch those chests," James instructed her…and with that, James started to walk out on to the beach.