The pirates of Attersea 4/8

The schooner continued for fifty yards or so while the goblin crew argued on her deck. Then she swung round onto the same course as Dave's boat and quickly came up alongside.

"Schooner Black Cat, skipper John Jones," called the lookout, "what vessel is that?"

"Lugger Misty Magic, Dave Bell skipper, with my wife and daughter aboard."

"We'll take you in tow and you can come aboard and discuss this in comfort," replied the lookout.

The schooner hove to and Dave brought the lugger alongside. The family climbed aboard and a smiling goblin came to meet them.

"John Jones Captain," he said, "my friends call me Jonah.”

"My wife Mary and daughter Jennifer Jane," said Dave making the introductions.

"Not the Jennifer Jane who forced Tornak the Terrible to eat coal and killed...."

"Yes that's right,” interrupted Jennifer Jane who'd heard it all before. "The point is we've been fired on by pirates sailing one of the Davy Jones’ brigs in the Therdle, near Attersea Island."

"Guns aren't allowed in this world," said Jonah. "This schooner trades between all sorts of places but the only world with guns is our home world, where Barnacle Bill and the goblin boatyard are and this isn't it."

"Where are we then?" asked Dave.

"We've just come from the timber yard near Lurgin's bridge and we're taking the long way round to the goblin boatyard because it was such a nice day for a sail. We were going to sail up the Therdle to the fog and turn round and head back again to the boatyard. We can use the fog in Timber Creek if we want but too many magic trips makes the crew lazy."

"Well you can't go up the Therdle now," said Dave, "the pirate has three guns a side and I think he only missed us because we're so small."

"Brig coming out of the Therdle and heading this way," called the lookout.

"Right that settles it," said Jonah, "bring the lugger aboard and we'll sail back to Timber Creek."