Hi! So Scarlett and Jim are set on making things worse for themsleves it seems, but can they pull through again or are they about to take one risk too many?

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Chapter 20

"So what's this plan of yours?" Scarlett asked as they made their way through the forest.

Jim looked at her and grabbed her hand, "We're going to take the ship." He told her.

Scarlett stopped, digging her heels into the ground and Jim regarded her quizzically.

"What?" She breathed, "Are you mad?"

"No. At least I don't think so." Jim replied cheerfully, setting off again.

"But – but there will be pirates on the ship! We can't!" She protested.

"We can." Was his infuriating response. Scarlett rolled her eyes,

"You're going to get us both killed." She groaned, following him at a much slower pace.

"No, I'm going to get us both the ship." He retorted and Scarlett flung up her hands in despair.

"I give up!" She said dramatically and Jim grinned,

"Good. Now come on."

Scarlett shook her head in disbelief and gingerly began to walk after him, something told her that this would not go well...

"We're lost, you know." Scarlett pointed out after a while of walking in circles. "I've seen that tree before."

"Well then we're not lost are we? Because we've been here before." Jim retorted, setting off in a different direction.

"So to summarize -" Scarlett began and Jim groaned, "We're going to swim to a ship full of murderous pirates and somehow just get them to leave? Ask them nicely perhaps? Bribe them with sweeties?" She was just getting into her tirade when Jim stopped her.

"No. We're going to row to a ship full of murderous pirates and make them leave and thus reclaim the Hispaniola!" He said, striking a heroic pose. Scarlett pushed him

"You're an idiot!"

"Ouch." Jim complained, getting to his feet. "Aw," He cooed, wrapping an arm round her shoulder, "Is someone scared?"

Scarlett pushed him off haughtily, "I'm not scared, just incredulous."

"Well don't be." He told her. "I know what I'm doing, in fact we're here." He said proudly, triumphantly pulling aside a curtain of leaves to reveal...nothing.

Scarlett looked at him with raised eyebrows and he cursed, running into the clearing and beginning to search for something.

"Good going genius." She said sarcastically and he shot a withering look in her direction before returning to his frantic search.

"It was here, I know it was." He muttered to himself, eventually giving up and standing in the middle of the clearing.

"What exactly are you looking for?" Scarlett asked and he sighed.
"A boat." He replied shortly, she rolled her eyes.

"Just any boat?"

"No. The boat I hid here when I snuck off the ship to look for you." He snapped.

"Oh." Scarlett toyed with a lock of her hair, not quite knowing where to look. "Well it can't have just disappeared."

"I know, that's why it -" Jim began to say but a rustling in the bushes stopped him. "Shh." He hissed, pulling Scarlett behind him, she backed away slowly. The rustling grew louder until they could make out the crunch of footsteps coming towards them, Jim took Scarlett's hand, louder and louder.

Then suddenly a tanned, weathered face emerged from the trees and a little, leathery man sprung out, grinning widely and waving his arms.

"I've gone and found you, yes so I have!" He shouted and Jim put a finger to his lips,

"Please Mr. Gunn, not so loud." He entreated and the man stopped, pulling an apologetic face. Scarlett stared at Jim incredulously – what in the world was going on?

"Uh, Jim?" She breathed, smiling awkwardly at the strange man. "What's going on?"

Jim clapped a hand to his forehead, "Oh! Sorry, Mr Gunn this is Scarlett, and..um well vice versa." He said, waving his hands at the two hurriedly so he could get it over with and find out what had happened.

"Mr Gunn I stored a boat here a while ago, I don't suppose you know where it's gone? It's very important." He explained, the old mans eyes lit up."
"Aye! If Ben Gunn knows a thing or two its about boats laddy!" He cried, jumping up and down and beginning to name all the different kinds of boats.

"No...sorry to er...stop you but that's not what I -" Jim tried to cut in but Ben took no notice, oblivious of the boys distress, so Scarlett stepped in.

Squaring her shoulders she marched up to the man and slapped him smartly round the face, he stopped with a bewildered look on hid face.

"Pull yourself together man." She snapped, his mouth fell open.

"Aye...right ye are missy." He said, Jim rolled his eyes at Scarlett and mouthed good going.

"Well it worked didn't it?" She muttered back. "Now Mr Gunn, Jim here left a boat in this very clearing and it seems to have gone missing. If you could enlighten us on its whereabouts that would be much appreciated." She rattled off and then went to stand beside Jim again, her hand on her hip.

"By the powers that be! I knows what yer askin'!" He exclaimed gleefully. "It's through here, I hid it among the vines I did." He whispered confidentially, sweeping aside a thick veil of twisted vines to reveal a small rowboat. "I knowed it were for a reason ol' Ben found it!"

Jim nodded smugly at Scarlett and then went to shake Ben's hand but the man recoiled before realizing his friendly intention. They shook and parted.

"C'mon." Jim said to Scarlett, beginning to push the boat towards the sea, "Well help me then!"

Scarlett grudgingly trudged over and helped him, muttering under her breath all the while, finally they reached the water and one last shove sent the small boat out to sea. The two youths shuffled round in an attempt to make themselves comfortable in the cramped space but soon realized it wasn't going to happen and gave up.

"How romantic." Scarlett joked and Jim laughed. Then he began to root around in the back of the boat, obviously looking for something. Scarlett leaned over curiously and eventually he emerged with four bottles of rum clasped in his hands.

"Here." He grinned, tossing her two.

Scarlett smiled despite herself and then began to chuckle as she opened the bottle.

"To us!" Jim said, holding up his bottle.

"And the taking of the Hispaniola." Scarlett added, they clinked bottles and drank.

Scarlett swallowed and stretched out in her limited space. "Get going then." She told Jim and he threw a cork at her, grabbing the oar and starting to row.

Scarlett trailed a hand in the cool water as the Hispaniola grew ever closer along with all the dangers it presented, and was happy to be distracted by Jim's beautiful eyes as they shone in the dusky, afternoon sun.